Trams - 'The task gets more difficult by the day'

Published on Saturday 20 June 2009 11:25

WHILE we wish Richard Jeffrey and his team nothing but the best, the magnitude of the task facing him in delivering Edinburgh's tram project on time and on budget seems to be becoming more difficult by the day.

There are doubtless many reasons that can be given as to why so many parts of the preparatory works are behind schedule. Certainly one reason is that contractors have encountered unexpected technical problems by unearthing underground pipes and cables and chambers that didn't appear on the blueprints. Dublin experienced similar problems when it laid its network.

The dispute between TIE and Bilfinger Berger over payments which led to a delay in work starting on Princes Street is doubtless another factor that can be cited.

But that alone cannot explain why certain sections of the project – Leith Walk, Haymarket and Gogar – are so seriously behind schedule, and the whole manner in which the scheme has been managed to date has to be called into question.

While midway through a major project is not the correct time to be holding post-mortems, it would be valuable to identify as soon as possible what mistakes are being made and how they can be rectified.

It is encouraging to hear Mr Jeffrey say he remains upbeat and that he and his colleagues at TIE remain confident that they can play catch up after today's news that the Gogar depot, which is central to the operation of the entire network, is now nine months behind schedule. Unless they do make up time, that means trams may not be running until 2012 rather than 2011.

Should that remain the case the project is in serious trouble and given the scale of the delay it is hard to see how it can be delivered anywhere near budget.

Critics who from the outset have labelled the project "Holyrood on Wheels" may well be rubbing their hands with glee but before they become too smug they should seriously consider the longer-term implications for the city.

Both the government and Transport Scotland have made it crystal clear that Edinburgh – and that means its taxpayers – will be liable for any overspend.

If Richard Jeffrey cannot put it back on track, no amount of schoolchildren wearing pro-tram hats will be able to put any gloss on the fact that the city is heading not only for a major PR disaster, but a serious financial disaster too. We sincerely hope it does not come to this.