Way off track

Published on Tuesday 2 February 2010 18:10

Michael Fry's article (Opinion, 30 January) included some fairly strong criticism of the council's handling of the Edinburgh tram project, now expected to cost about £500 million.

Curiously, I came across a copy of The Scotsman dated 20 November, 1996, which contained a report from the "Light Rail 96" conference held in Edinburgh and chaired by then council transport convener David Begg. It said "a study into the feasibility of a 40m tram route through central Edinburgh is to be carried our for the council to check a claim it can be built without any money from the public sector".

The article continued: "Professor Lewis Lesley, acting chairman of the Edinburgh Tram Company, said that tenders had already been received to build the trams.

"The sums quoted by the tram builders were within the budget and he expected tenders soon for tracks. Power supplies would also be within cost estimates.

Prof Lesley said the system could be opened in 1999 if a parliamentary order was applied for in March 1997. The network could be extended to other streets later.

He insisted new types of tram track would require only shallow troughs to be cut into the road for the rails. Engineers could easily lay 100 metres a night without disturbing daytime road traffic.

He claimed that the sytstem would also make it unnecessary to divert gas, water and electricity supplies, which run under the street. This would avoid the upheavals involved in digging up roads for tram routes (as) in Manchester and Sheffield."

No disruption to bus services or motorists? Two-years to complete? Only 40 million? No cost to the public? Whatever happened to these likely lads?

David McGill

Ladysmith Road

Edinburgh

I would like Lothian Buses to publish annual fuel consumption figures prior to, during, and projected, after the introduction of the tram system. That way we can compare how much greener we have become as a result of the new trams.

If the savings are less than can be achieved by alternative technology (diesel hybrids), then we will know they were wasting our time and money.

ROBERT GOODALL

Stanley Avenue

Bilston, Midlothian