Ministers told to make tram line a priority

CITY leaders have urged the Scottish Government to include tram line three in its latest list of transport priorities.

Ministers are currently considering a Transport Scotland report which recommends the country's strategic transport priorities from 2012 until 2022.

Large infrastructure projects such as the new Forth crossing are expected to be on the list, but council chiefs have urged ministers to consider plans for a tram line from the city centre to the ERI.

Transport Minister Stewart Stevenson earlier this year said he could see the logic of extending the city's tram lines, but the final outcome of the Strategic Transport Projects Review is not expected until later this year.

Public support for line three has always been strong given the poor public transport links to the ERI and the expansion of the neighbouring bio-sciences complex.