Tory at odds with party on trams route

Published on Wednesday 1 November 2006 12:47

THE Tory transport spokesman in Scotland believes Edinburgh's proposed tram route should only run from Ocean Terminal to Haymarket.

David Davidson MSP placed himself at odds with his Tory counterparts on the council, who have so far backed the tram route as far as the airport.

But Mr Davidson said the money saved by reducing the cost of trams could be put towards a new Forth Road Bridge or an upgraded Waverley Station.

At a special business breakfast, organised by the Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce, both Mr Davidson and SNP transport spokesman Fergus Ewing called for further improvement to boost capacity at Waverley. They said money saved by scrapping the plan to tunnel underneath Edinburgh Airport could be used to build a new rail line at Waverley.

But Labour's Bristow Muldoon, and the Lib Dem's Tavish Scott both stood by the airport rail link and the trams project.

Transport firm TIE, which is in charge of both schemes, sponsored yesterday's event at The Balmoral Hotel.

Chairman Willie Gallagher said the city was at the point of taking a "quantum leap".