Tram chiefs seek parking permission

THE tram parked on Princes Street will not be driving off any time soon – tram firm TIE has applied for planning permission to keep it located in its current spot near The Mound.

A spokesman for the company said it planned to keep the tram in place as long as visitor numbers remained high. No permission was required for the first 28 days after the tram was installed in late April, but it is necessary for a longer stay.

Although the initial grace period has already expired, the application is not due to be ruled on by councillors until July.

More than 30,000 people have visited the tram since it opened.

A council spokesman said: "When it was established that the vehicle would be in place for a longer period the Planning Authority asked that the necessary permission(s) be applied for – particularly to ensure that this proposal is seen as being fully transparent and subject to scrutiny.

The 30,000th visitor was Lesley Edgar, a teacher at Lorne Primary School, who brought her P2 class with her to see the tram.