Last shreds of reputations now on the (tram) line

N ANY other city, it would seem strange. In a further outing of Edinburgh’s pantomime horse, the city council has now voted to run the trams to St Andrew Square in the centre of the city. This overturns the vote last week to terminate at Haymarket and reinstates the earlier vote to take the tram to St Andrew Square. The U-turn, or more accurately, W, follows an intervention by the Scottish Government, saying that it would withhold £72 million of funding. Given such a development, the back legs of the pantomime horse had little choice but to move in tandem with the front. And the horse was also staring at a loaded revolver: councillors could have faced a breach of contract notice from contractors Bilfinger had no deal been reached yesterday. Sue Bruce, the council’s chief executive, has now been authorised to enter a settlement agreement with the contractor on “an unconditional basis as to funding”. The cost could rise above the £231m previously set out for this option.

Of this we will certainly hear more. But the immediate priority now is to get this section of the line finished as near to budget and as soon as possible. And that means starting work on the line in the next few weeks – not countenancing any more delays as recommended by traders. It is vital that the barriers go up and work commences before delays caused by weather or Christmas shopping.

All parties now have what’s left of their reputations on the line – none more so than the council, which has redefined mismanagement throughout this sorry affair.