First trams roll in 52 days... but they’ll only go 470 metres
It is the moment that has, at times, seemed like it would never happen.
On December 2, new moving trams will be seen on Edinburgh’s streets – nearly a decade after the ambitious plans for a series of tram lines were first mooted.
However, the launch date does not mean passengers will finally be able to jump aboard, as it is just the day that the first public test run will take place.
The vehicles are expected to be delivered to the Gogar depot from storage in Spain and West Lothian in the coming weeks.
Initial tests will be carried out in the depot itself, which was today being fitted with power for the first time, before moving outside to a test track that runs parallel to the A8.
The tests, along the 470-metre track, will provide the public with its first opportunity to see a new city tram move under its own power.
Councillor Gordon Mackenzie, the city’s transport leader, said: “Electrification of the depot is a very positive step forward for the project and paves the way for track testing of the first tram vehicles later this year. It illustrates, on the ground, how far we have come since mediation.
“We are now seeing people working on Princes Street and west Edinburgh. The more we see these sorts of developments, the more it gives confidence that the project is back on track.”
Electricity will be gradually installed in the depot from today, followed by electrification of the power lines from November 29.
Meanwhile, it is understood that tram firm TIE will be formally wound up within the next four weeks.
Finance Secretary John Swinney said at the weekend that its “day of reckoning” has been “too long in the coming”.
But Cllr Mackenzie today hit back and insisted the Scottish Government should take its share of the blame for the project’s woes.
He said: “I do not think it is good enough for anyone to stand on the sidelines and say ‘it is not our fault, we did not have anything to do with it’. There has been a lot of people running for cover in the tram project and I do not think that has served the public well.”
Cllr Andrew Burns, leader of the city’s Labour group, said: “If John Swinney and the Scottish Government have nothing to hide, they should get on and instigate a public inquiry.
“This was a Scottish Government grant. They were responsible for that grant and there are very serious questions to be asked about why the Scottish Government took Transport Scotland off the project board in June 2007 only to put them back again four years later.”
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Comments
There are 17 comments to this article
Page 1 of 2
famous15
Thursday, October 13, 2011 at 08:51 AMWas it really Labour who set up TIE ?
jamtart98
Wednesday, October 12, 2011 at 12:08 PMThe first trams will run for 470 metres. Their first run. Or will they? There have been so many hiccups in this farce I would,nt bet they,ll actually function.
South Wales Scot
Wednesday, October 12, 2011 at 11:53 AMWhat they fail to mention is that 470 metres is the distance you would be able to walk if they joined all the trams together.
billzfantazy
Tuesday, October 11, 2011 at 10:59 PMA journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step. Or in this case, a single wheel. Or a single roll. Or a single skinner... I don't know what I'm on about, its late! BTW my google gadget has stopped working, its how I used to get the headlines on here, now I'll actually have to go on the site to find them. I probably wont bother.
judgedredd777
Tuesday, October 11, 2011 at 07:52 PMFirst trams roll in 52 days... but they’ll only go 470 metres, isthis due to the fact that the batteries might run out or that the council cannot get the electricty on Tick unlike the loans for the Vanity Tram.
Dragonlord
Tuesday, October 11, 2011 at 07:13 PMSo the EEN nazi's can't take a comment about how rotten this new site is! ( 4#) Not to worry I won't be posting much as this site is cr@p. Even the old site was going down hll.
Tighthead3
Tuesday, October 11, 2011 at 07:06 PMWhat a complete embarassment to Edinburgh and Scotland this complete fiasco has turned out to be.
debate_like_men
Tuesday, October 11, 2011 at 06:38 PM@9 Aristotle calling them journalist's is a slap in the face to real journo's. Well some of them.. I still think its just( The trams) a tourist gimmick anyway. Why get rid, or tamper with one of Britain's best bus services,crazy just crazy...
Aristotle
Tuesday, October 11, 2011 at 06:20 PMA 470 metre test track near the A8 is hardly the streets of Edinburgh. EEN journalists really should get away from inaccurate hyperbole.
pepperz
Tuesday, October 11, 2011 at 06:13 PM#4 Nothing wrong with the new site.
JakeTheSnake
Tuesday, October 11, 2011 at 05:57 PMRejoice at that news!
freeesian
Tuesday, October 11, 2011 at 05:26 PMThere's progress for you.. On 22 December the news reported that they's be running 12 a mile by the summer...we are now into October and being told that in another 52 days ( December), they'll be running 14 mile.
Petrol Head
Tuesday, October 11, 2011 at 05:08 PMYeah. Right...
Dragonlord
Tuesday, October 11, 2011 at 04:53 PMComment removed by moderator
campbellgillan
Tuesday, October 11, 2011 at 04:00 PMhooray
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