9am Briefing: Tramworks 'could be speeded up to beat election deadline'

TRAM works could be speeded up to allow a key section of the route to be finished before the 2012 council elections, it was claimed today.

Council-owned tram firm TIE is said to be considering an acceleration of work on the track from Haymarket to the airport so pro-tram councillors have something to show for the disruption and delays when they seek re-election.

The tram line was originally due for completion this year, but bosses have admitted trams will not start running until 2013.

Calls to cut out cow post-mortem

ANIMAL rights campaigners have called for the live post-mortem examination of a cow to be dropped from Edinburgh's Science Festival programme.

Edinburgh animal rights group, Ethical Voice for Animals (EVA), claimed the cow autopsy - which will be carried out by vets at Edinburgh Zoo on 13 April - would be like "going back to the Dark Ages".

However, a festival spokeswoman said the purpose of the event was to provide a learning opportunity for the public, particularly young adults with an interest in veterinary science.

Teacher to walk in Johnson's footsteps

A RETIRED teacher is replicating the epic 1,000 mile tour of Scotland made by one of the great figures of English literature more than 200 years ago - using his new bus pass.

Stuart Campbell, from Edinburgh, is following the same route as Dr Samuel Johnson and his Scots biographer James Boswell, who embarked from London in August 1773 on their grand tour of Scotland by horse.

Mr Campbell, 60, who now works part-time for mental health organisation Health in Mind, is travelling for free by using his bus pass.