Festive break for tram works gives traders relief

Published on Thursday 23 October 2008 01:52

OFFICIALS behind Edinburgh's controversial tram network have performed a U-turn over plans to continue work over the festive period.

Edinburgh city council revealed yesterday that it had decided to halt work in the Leith area over Christmas and New Year after being lobbied by traders who have suffered more than a year of disruption.

Traders are also expected to be offered help with marketing and promotional campaigns to offset the impact of the work to move underground pipes and lay the first tram tracks.

Businesses on Leith Walk and Constitution Street were angered, during the Edinburgh Festival, to be excluded from an embargo on tram works brought in for the city centre.

They were later told a repeat was planned during the festive period, despite mounting concern about the impact of the construction work on businesses on and around Leith Walk.

The council told The Scotsman last month it could not halt the Leith works over Christmas, despite planning to suspend work in the city centre from late November until the New Year.

Work has already begun on Leith Walk to prepare for the laying of the first tram tracks in January. No tram works will go on in the city centre between 27 November and 4 January, but Leith's embargo will run from 12 December to 19 January.

However Phil Wheeler, Edinburgh city council's transport leader,

said: "Leith is really the only substantial area outwith the city centre that has a high concentration of traders who have had to deal with the impact of tram works.

"These traders have without question had a lot to deal with since works began last year.

"The provision of a roadworks break to Leith Walk and Constitution Street will give some relief from these necessary works during the festive period and the January sales."

Willie Gallagher, executive chairman of TIE, said: "This break has been approved in recognition that tram construction work has been ongoing in Leith Walk for some time. It's also important that we balance the needs of local traders along with the complexity of the tram construction programme."

However Gordon Burgess, chair of the Leith Walk Traders' Association, said he was "disappointed" the embargo would not be in place until less than two weeks before Christmas.