Trams running in 2011
(for 880 yards, that is)
Shân Ross - Scotsman - 5th January 2011
It will run half a mile from one unpopulated place to another and it's the culmination of years of not-so-careful planning. Yes, Edinburgh's trams could actually run in 2011.
It might not be the hottest ticket this year and no-one knows how much the ride will cost, but yesterday it emerged that the first, long-awaited trip for the public will run a magnificent 880 yards taking passengers from the rural scenery of Gogar to the equally rural scenery of nearby Gogarburn, to the west of the city.
It is a far cry from the launch of the ambitious scheme, originally meant to link Edinburgh Airport with Newhaven and Granton, described as "the start of an exciting transport revolution for the city not seen since the days of Queen Victoria."
The half-mile jaunt is being billed as a New Year "public relations exercise" flagged up to give a boost to the beleaguered £545 million tram project.
Alastair Richards, managing director of council-owned Edinburgh Trams (brand name for TIE - Transport Initiatives Edinburgh) said providing "peace breaks out" between his team and German contractor Bilfinger Berger the first stretch of the 11.5 mile could be opened by the summer.
Much of the route has been mothballed due to an increasingly bitter dispute between tram firm and the contractors, both of whom are currently undergoing mediation.
Mr Richards said: "As soon as the arguing is done, there's no reason why the track laying can't be completed.
"We need a resolution in the current stand-off to make real progress. We're positive that mediation will see some way of that happening."
Mr Richards added that mediation provided both sides with a "face-saving" opportunity and for getting work on the tram project under way again.
The impasse occurred after a dispute in 2009 over changes to the design of the project and the extra costs involved. The two sides referred the dispute to an official dispute resolution in August 2009 but disagreed about its results.
The project is thought likely to overrun its £545m budget with the latest expected opening date of 2013 for the completed project considered optimistic.
Work on the tram depot at Gogar could be completed by April, meaning the new trams should be able to be tested on the Gogar to Gogarburn stretch in the summer. Mr Richards indicated this opens up the possibility of the public setting foot on the trams for what is described as a "non-revenue" journey.
Tie was forced to take first of the £2m tram vehicles to a storage yard in Broxburn after moving it from Princes Street last November.
However it is now hoped that with the depot nearing completion the finished vehicles, some stored in Spain, can be moved to their new home.
Last night Shirley-Anne Somerville, SNP Lothians MSP and a leading critic of the trams project, said: "Edinburgh's trams won't be taking anyone to work in 2011 and I'd be surprised if they are taking anyone in Edinburgh anywhere in 2012 either.
"This new year let's have some honesty from Tie, a fresh start and answers to some key questions - starting with when the trams will be running."
But Graham Bell, spokesman for the Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce, welcomed the Tie initiative. He said: "While a short distance of half a mile may not be significant in public transport terms it is symbolic and will reap more in terms of engagement with the public and making sure the trams work properly."
See also:
Trams 'hold key to unlocking capital's potential'
A Trams Audit at last
Shân Ross - Scotsman - 5th January 2011
It will run half a mile from one unpopulated place to another and it's the culmination of years of not-so-careful planning. Yes, Edinburgh's trams could actually run in 2011.
It might not be the hottest ticket this year and no-one knows how much the ride will cost, but yesterday it emerged that the first, long-awaited trip for the public will run a magnificent 880 yards taking passengers from the rural scenery of Gogar to the equally rural scenery of nearby Gogarburn, to the west of the city.
It is a far cry from the launch of the ambitious scheme, originally meant to link Edinburgh Airport with Newhaven and Granton, described as "the start of an exciting transport revolution for the city not seen since the days of Queen Victoria."
The half-mile jaunt is being billed as a New Year "public relations exercise" flagged up to give a boost to the beleaguered £545 million tram project.
Alastair Richards, managing director of council-owned Edinburgh Trams (brand name for TIE - Transport Initiatives Edinburgh) said providing "peace breaks out" between his team and German contractor Bilfinger Berger the first stretch of the 11.5 mile could be opened by the summer.
Much of the route has been mothballed due to an increasingly bitter dispute between tram firm and the contractors, both of whom are currently undergoing mediation.
Mr Richards said: "As soon as the arguing is done, there's no reason why the track laying can't be completed.
"We need a resolution in the current stand-off to make real progress. We're positive that mediation will see some way of that happening."
Mr Richards added that mediation provided both sides with a "face-saving" opportunity and for getting work on the tram project under way again.
The impasse occurred after a dispute in 2009 over changes to the design of the project and the extra costs involved. The two sides referred the dispute to an official dispute resolution in August 2009 but disagreed about its results.
The project is thought likely to overrun its £545m budget with the latest expected opening date of 2013 for the completed project considered optimistic.
Work on the tram depot at Gogar could be completed by April, meaning the new trams should be able to be tested on the Gogar to Gogarburn stretch in the summer. Mr Richards indicated this opens up the possibility of the public setting foot on the trams for what is described as a "non-revenue" journey.
Tie was forced to take first of the £2m tram vehicles to a storage yard in Broxburn after moving it from Princes Street last November.
However it is now hoped that with the depot nearing completion the finished vehicles, some stored in Spain, can be moved to their new home.
Last night Shirley-Anne Somerville, SNP Lothians MSP and a leading critic of the trams project, said: "Edinburgh's trams won't be taking anyone to work in 2011 and I'd be surprised if they are taking anyone in Edinburgh anywhere in 2012 either.
"This new year let's have some honesty from Tie, a fresh start and answers to some key questions - starting with when the trams will be running."
But Graham Bell, spokesman for the Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce, welcomed the Tie initiative. He said: "While a short distance of half a mile may not be significant in public transport terms it is symbolic and will reap more in terms of engagement with the public and making sure the trams work properly."
See also:
Trams 'hold key to unlocking capital's potential'
A Trams Audit at last
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