If trams make you mad, make them 'madder'

Published on Monday 8 December 2008 08:41

TRAMS – like them or loathe them, they are on their way. Perhaps now therefore is the time to consider their appearance and their impact on this World Heritage Site.

To date, the suggestion has been that they follow the 'harlequin' livery that has been spreading across the bus fleet in various guises for the last few years. It has been argued that this is necessary in the interests of 'integration' – this can easily be rebutted by pointing out that the livery of vehicles operating Airport Route 100, which the tram will replace, bears no resemblance to the rest of the fleet – it is completely blue.

Whether or not integration is desirable, perhaps the analogy of London's famous red buses is appropriate here. What is essential for an upmarket transport solution is that its livery reflects both its quality and importance, and is instantly identified with Edinburgh. One only has to travel to Europe, particularly France, to see the range of top-quality designs that adorn their new tram fleets. These modern and exciting vehicles are enhanced by good-quality paint design.

There are many, including myself, who believe that wholesale abandonment of the maroon (or 'rose madder' to give it its correct name) and cream was a big mistake, and that the present rainbow spectrum of bus liveries operated by Lothian Buses is an incoherent mess. A time-tested classic design, instantly associated with Edinburgh, is being abandoned in favour of a dated design, which has instantly failed to stand that same test.

Perhaps now is the moment to consider returning to that colour scheme, albeit in an updated version to suit the tram. In Orleans and Dublin, superb metallic paint finishes have been applied to their new state-of-the-art trams. A metallic version of Edinburgh's traditional 'madder' would look superb, continuing the colour tradition, and would blend sympathetically into the streetscape.

The future is coming – let us make sure that it reflects the city in which it is about to arrive.

Mike Marwick is CRAG Development Committee Tram spokesman