Trams ready to roll by the summer of 2014
Good progress has been made on the tramline since September
IT HAS been a long time coming, but the end is in sight for Edinburgh’s beleaguered trams project.
Between July and September 2014 was unveiled by the council yesterday as the date when the long-delayed trams will finally start rolling in the city.
The date for “commissioning and running-in” was included in a timetable setting out when each stage of the eight-mile airport to city-centre route will be completed.
The tram depot at Gogar, where trams are due to start moving shortly, is planned to be finished by the end of the year. The 27-strong tram fleet – five of which are due to have arrived by Christmas – should all be there by the end of 2012.
The first completed section of track on the £776 million scheme is programmed to be between the airport and Gogar, by March 2013. The Haymarket-Roseburn stretch would follow by June and Roseburn-Gogar by September.
The rest of the route, the on-street section east from Haymarket to York Place, north-east of St Andrew Square, would be finished by March 2014.
The council announced last week that a tram stop would be added in York Place because of likely demand. It had been planned as a tram turnaround point after the section east to Newhaven was shelved because of lack of cash. St Andrew Square and Shandwick Place are due to close in January for construction work, with traffic restrictions in York Place from September.
The programme was announced after talks between the council and contractors led by Bilfinger Berger, following the resolution of a two-year dispute over changes to the scheme.
Council transport convener Gordon Mackenzie said: “We are now in a position to look to the future with greater clarity and positivity. We will be working with businesses and residents who live in the affected areas in advance of and throughout the works to make sure we can deliver this new service on target for summer 2014.”
As well as announcing the start and finish dates for various sections of the tram project, the city council reiterated its commitment to work with businesses to keep disruption to a minimum.
Dave Anderson, the council’s director of city development, said: “Good progress has been made since work recommenced in September. We are now able to provide the overall client target programme, which will help inform businesses and affected parties to plan ahead.
“We fully recognise the important contribution all the affected businesses make to the capital’s economy, which is why we want to renew our pledge that when information about work on specific sites is available we will share this as widely as possible.
“We want to ensure people are informed and updated regularly throughout the remainder of the works.
“The council has committed nearly £1 million of support in our Open for Business budget for this year and next.
“The aim of this money is to support affected businesses and minimise disruption while this key transport project is being delivered.”
Following the successful negotiations with the tram contractors, the council hopes to have the first vehicles running on test tracks by 14 December.
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Comments
There are 30 comments to this article
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Argungu
Sunday, December 11, 2011 at 03:14 PMAn additional tram stop at York Place? So my wife will now be able to travel from Harvey Nichols to John Lewis on the tram sometime between July and September 2014. Oh she will be so pleasedâ¦â¦â¦
Petrol Head
Friday, December 9, 2011 at 05:48 PMYeah right. 2015 at the earliest and about £1.2 Billion total cost I reckon. Not to mention at least a £2 million per annum deficit. Scrap it now and cut the losses.
Jolly
Wednesday, December 7, 2011 at 05:46 PMHow many Hip Operations could this have bought???
Heinz Doofensmirtz
Wednesday, December 7, 2011 at 02:53 PM24 SteyBrae ==================================================== If it was a farce it might be worthwhile.....it will though be a farce wrapped in a dogma drizzled with a self interest jus. There will be a side medley of poached quango in gaelic reduction. ====================================================
gus1940
Wednesday, December 7, 2011 at 02:41 PM#22 I would have thought it was obvious - your post at #16 just doesn't make sense - please explain precisely what you mean.
the wallace
Wednesday, December 7, 2011 at 12:58 PMComment removed by moderator
SteyBrae
Wednesday, December 7, 2011 at 12:41 PM#25 "Q4. Whats the next project we take on that will be a farce." Independence?
jkwilso
Wednesday, December 7, 2011 at 11:30 AMQ1. How long will it take before the trams record their huge losses in running costs and have to be de-commisioned. Q2. Would you get the Train or tram from Hermiston Gate into the city. Q3. How do you get from Leith to the Airport. Q4. Whats the next project we take on that will be a farce.
pogo
Wednesday, December 7, 2011 at 10:44 AM#18 What are your 4 questions?
ItsTime
Wednesday, December 7, 2011 at 10:36 AMActually I am willing to beleive that the entire tram route will be finished except for the stretch at Haymarket Yards - which looks over-engineered and under-executed. Yes, they are digging up again - pavements at the wrong level apparantly.
e2toe4
Wednesday, December 7, 2011 at 10:32 AMIt's all push-push-PR because with the economy the way it is any projects could soon come under greatly increased financial pressure...let alone a bad project such as this. ++++++++++ ++++++++ +++++++ The 'traffic restrictions' in York Place will be permanent because traffic can't 'use' the tram line road space...as of course it does in most other comparison cities usually mentioned, because our tram is too big, moves too quickly to share the roads. ++++++ +++++++++ ++++++ +++++++++++ THis means two lanes will be removed from York Place that are presently used by traffic, and even removing occasional parking a Monkey with Myopia can see what the result will be. +++++++ +++++++++++ +++++++++++ ++++++++ Ask yourself where the traffic will go trying to get across and in and around the City and you'll see why, in 2003, the foundation report by Mott Macdonald indicated 139,500 households in Edinburgh would be WORSE off in terms of air quality BECAUSE of the Tram---- this because traffic is displaced on a massive scale from purposely eisgned long standing 'main roads' to smaller less suitable residential roads. ++++++++ ++++++ THis kind of fact contrats with the blue sky picture presented by the project adherents and so is never mentioned...
daveatclola
Wednesday, December 7, 2011 at 10:32 AMPending Moderation
gus1940
Wednesday, December 7, 2011 at 10:26 AM#16 ????
Phil C
Wednesday, December 7, 2011 at 10:07 AMSNP accused of running Labour's folly COMPETENTLY!
pogo
Wednesday, December 7, 2011 at 10:03 AMForget York Place. A better use of the money would be a single track turnback at the top of Waverley Steps leading to a single track to St Andrew Square.
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