Trams arrive early – just in time for election

Published on Tuesday 9 March 2010 21:50

A LARGE section of Edinburgh's controversial new tram line could be open as early as next year in order to prove to voters that the disruption felt by residents and businesses during the construction phase has been worthwhile.

• The foundations for the tram stop in Princes Street.

The Scotsman has learned that city council-owned tram developer TIE is considering speeding up work on the Edinburgh Airport-Haymarket half of the 11-mile line so pro-tram councillors fighting the 2012 election have something to show for the disruption and delays it has caused.

The council is currently run by a coalition of the pro-tram Liberal Democrats and anti-tram SNP – with Lib Dem Jenny Dawe as council leader.

The plan comes as tram chiefs today discuss whether to ditch the firm leading construction work in an attempt to end a year-long dispute which has dogged the 545 million project.

Construction of the off-road stretch of the route is said to be making good progress – in stark contrast to on-street sections, such as Shandwick Place, where work has ground to a halt because of the dispute.

The off-road work includes nearly one mile of track laid already on the former guided busway at Stenhouse, while new bridges and viaducts to carry trams are being built at Edinburgh Park, Carrick Knowe and Haymarket.

However, project sources said it has also now been acknowledged that the full line to Newhaven will not be finished until 2013 – at least another year later than the latest official completion date.

The scheme is also believed to be tens of millions over its 545m budget, with the council left to fund any shortfall in addition to its own 45m contribution.

The SNP Scottish Government, which failed in its attempt to scrap the project when it came to power in 2007, has said it will not provide any more than the 500m pledged by its Labour-Lib Dem predecessors.

However, project sources dismissed suggestions the tram line might be truncated at the east end of Princes Street.

They said that would not save money overall because work to divert underground pipes and cables has already been done, and fewer passengers would use the trams, hitting revenue.

The sources said: "Work is progressing very well off-street, which means that part of the line could be opened well before the council election, possibly next year."

Tram critic and Lothians SNP MSP Shirley-Anne Somerville welcomed progress but said TIE must come clean over when the whole project would be finished. She said: "There is no surprise the Liberal Democrats need to have something to show the electorate before they go to the polls at the next council election.

"But I do not think the people of Edinburgh are stupid – they will see this as a delay to the project, which they had been promised would be completed in full in 2011.

"People want to know when the entire project is to be finished. If one part can be done early, good and well; but TIE must be upfront in providing a final date."

The phased opening plan echoes a similar proposal floated by TIE three years ago, as an advance payback for the roadworks disruption. It would have involved a section opened between Haymarket and the Gogar tram depot or the airport last year.

Willie Gallagher, its then chairman, said at the time that an early partial opening of the system would be "so people can see the pain was worth it". He said: "They will want to see a reason for all this hassle."

The tram line – along with a loop via Granton – was due for completion this year when the project was approved by MSPs in 2006.

But in 2007, this had slipped to January 2011, and a year later the completion date was further postponed to July 2011.

Then, last August, the date was pushed back another seven months to February 2012. However, at the time, project director Stephen Bell admitted that trams would not start running until 2013 if work was not speeded up and the construction dispute resolved.

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