Dundee trams plan rejected

SUGGESTIONS that Dundee should become the second Scottish city to invest in a new tram network have been rejected by city leaders.

Edinburgh Tram system is close to completion. Picture: Neil Hanna

Consultants put forward a proposal that Dundee would benefit from a £20m system.

And they claimed disruption from building works could be kept to a minimum by measures including using leftover tracks from the old tram system.

Mr Harkins suggested that a light rail “circulator” - similar to the one used in San Francisco - would see visitors spend more time and money in the city.

He also stressed that his firm’s light rail proposal would have a much smaller footprint than other tram-train systems operating in Sheffield and indeed Edinburgh.

But city development director Mike Galloway said the tram plan was “expensive” and “limited” and that Dundee already has a “first class” transport system.

Edinburgh’s trams system is due to start rolling in the spring of next year but not after lengthy delays paralysed the roads and costs spiralled to £776m.

The Dundee proposal, prepared by consultants Light Rail (UK) and lobbyist Jim Harkins, proposed trams running on a single two-mile route around the city centre.

But Mr Galloway said: “The local bus network is a commercial success and operates in excess of 95% of journeys without any operating subsidy and very limited infrastructure costs.”

Mr Galloway said sticking with buses was a better option than “the limited, expensive and fixed nature of a tram operation”.