Trams ‘charade’

With a redefinition of language worthy of Orwell’s Brave New World newspeak, Sue Bruce, the chief executive of City of Edinburgh Council, declares the great tram fiasco to be running to schedule and within budget (your report, 14 April). This gives the false impression – aimed at careless readers – of referring to the original full-scale programme.

Only in her penultimate paragraph does she give the game away by mentioning the “revised” budget. Nowhere does she acknowledge the “revised” timescale. As I recall, the original estimate was for opening in 2011, later amended to 2012. Now 2014 is “on schedule”.

This whole charade was from the beginning no more than a political vanity project, which will be fully exposed as such only when it finally operates and people are able to appreciate the pitiful service provided as a result of massive expenditure and chaotic disruption.

Robert Dow

Ormiston Road

Tranent, East Lothian