Princes Street tram works: 'Failure to meet this key deadline would be a blow'

Published on Wednesday 25 November 2009 08:35

RIGHT from the outset the Evening News warned delivering the trams project would be a painful process for many who run businesses and live in the city. But perhaps the period and scale of suffering has been even more prolonged than we envisaged.

It is well documented that many parts of the scheme, particularly Leith Walk, Haymarket and Gogar, are massively behind schedule. But assurances have been given that track-laying on the Princes Street section will be completed on time.

The deadline set by TIE to complete this part of the scheme and restore some form of normality to the city's most famous thoroughfare is this weekend. Today, even though to the casual observer parts of the site still resemble a battlefield or archaeological dig, the tram firm insists it will complete the section on time.

With public disillusionment increasing because of delays and rising costs, failure to meet this latest key deadline would be a further bitter psychological blow at a time when the city desperately needs a lift after what has been a tough year economically.

City centre traders also need a boost. While this work has been ongoing they have demonstrated an amazing amount of patience, despite evidence of a large reduction in footfall. But with the Christmas shopping rush about to begin in earnest this is a vital time for them and most will be relying on recouping takings they have lost earlier in the year.

Shoppers must not be given a reason to continue to boycott the city centre, so the planned suspension of work must begin this weekend, as promised.

Beset by unexpected difficulties, TIE has already broken many promises over completion dates. This is one the city cannot afford it to break.

Bad timing

IT is understandable that parents whose children attend Drumbrae Primary are enraged that councillors will today hear a planning application to build a new nursery at Clermiston when a final decision to close the school is not due for another three weeks.

They have not yet given up the fight to save Drumbrae and its adjoining nursery but a positive vote on the new nursery will almost certainly spell the death knell for both.

You can forgive them for reading into this that the whole consultation progress has been a farce and that a decision was taken before it had even begun.

The council argue they have to press ahead with plans for a new nursery on the basis a decision may be taken to close the school. That may well happen. But while the consultation process is ongoing their timing is insensitive to say the least.