Letter: Day of reckoning for city's bus services

Not only does it appear that the Edinburgh tram project is to be curtailed at St Andrew Square (your report, 7 October), but the cost is to rise to a minimum of £600 million. This would represent a cost increase per kilometre of more than four times that stated in 2003.

The City of Edinburgh Council has previously produced numerous tram "business cases". Each has been duly accepted, with the minimum of scrutiny, by our worthy councillors and proclaimed as "positive, good news", only to later disintegrate amongst spiralling costs and delays.

But tomorrow will be the day on which we can expect our city fathers to reach new heights of fiscal bumbling. This is the day on which they will doubtless support the building of the tramline from the airport to St Andrew Square alone but, this time, in the absence of any reliable indication of timescale or costs. In doing this, it will also raise the chances of expensive and lengthy litigation, should the council try to terminate its contract with the infrastructure consortium for the construction of the remainder of the tramline to Newhaven. They will do this in the full knowledge, having lost the greater part of the adjudications so far, that it is unlikely any court would find in the council's favour.

The final cherry on the cake will be formal appointment of Richard Jeffrey (TIE) and Ian Craig (Lothian Buses) to the board of new company Transport Edinburgh Ltd, where they will join its chairman, Mr David Mackay (latterly of TIE). One has to wonder by what process of logic or wisdom one would consider placing responsibility for our prized bus company in the hands of two heads of TIE, the company whose appalling performance on the tram project has led the scheme and, consequently, our city into such a monumental mess. This merger will lay Lothian Buses open to the stripping of its assets and profits and its only defence will be the raising of fares, the cutting of bus services and the gradual deterioration of its fleet.

If we deserve the politicians we get, then the sins of the people of Edinburgh must have been great indeed.

Can a miracle bring our city leaders to their senses by tomorrow? In the meantime, by way of penance, please sign the petition to protect Lothian Buses at www.stopthemerger.org.uk.

RON HASTIE

Silverknowes Neuk

Edinburgh

I cannot believe TIE and councillors continue to put forward unacceptable ploys to try to salvage something from the trams wreckage - each idea worse than the other. An unnecessary 20 per cent increase was made to fares when buses went into a loss because of road works created by TIE. The deficit should have been met from the tram budget.It's time to stop this charade.

JR HALL

Colinton Grove

Edinburgh

If need be, write off the trams project - at least we got some sewers renewed! Buses can do much of what trams can do if you're prepared to dedicate more road space, increase spacing between stops, have a less dense network, etc.

STUART C POOLE

Howdenhall Drive

Edinburgh