Laying of tram tracks in Leith facing delay until new year

Published on Monday 14 September 2009 09:52

WORK to lay tram tracks in Leith could now be delayed until the new year – 12 months later than originally planned.

The track-laying operation is one of the areas of the 545 million project being held up by the ongoing dispute with German contractor Bilfinger Berger, with local traders today raising fears that the work schedule looks set to slip further.

Small business owners met with officials from tram firm TIE earlier this week and now believe laying the tracks may not start until January at the earliest.

The next stage of the project had been expected to begin in Leith in January this year, but has been continually put back due to delays in moving utility cables underneath the streets.

With that part of the work expected to be completed in the coming weeks, the dispute with Bilfinger Berger is now holding up the track-laying work.

Earlier this year, the city's then transport convener, Councillor Phil Wheeler, said he expected track-laying work to begin in Leith during the autumn. However, TIE must provide at least 28 days' notice before the work begins, with no end to the current dispute with Bilfinger Berger in sight.

Alan Rudland, chairman of the Leith Business Association, said: "We're not anticipating that any track laying will start until next year.

"There's no works embargo in Leith over the festive period, but with the combination of the outstanding utility works and the notice period, it's unlikely the work is going to start any time soon.

"We would have liked to have had the first tracks go down here, as was planned, but that's not happened.

"We understand technical issues happen, but there doesn't appear to be any urgency at the moment."

Mr Rudland also said that TIE had agreed to stop carrying out utility diversions and infrastructure work at the same time, after admitting the approach had been a "dismal failure".

TIE today said the comments were inaccurate, adding it intended to continue integrating elements of utility diversion work and track laying.

A spokesman said: "The track-laying work on Leith Walk is currently part of the ongoing dispute with infrastructure contractor BSC (Bilfinger Siemens CAF). Its start date is dependent upon how quickly the dispute is resolved."