The tram utility diversion work in Shandwick Place has now been completed with the street re-opening to buses, taxis and cyclists from Monday 28th July. All other traffic will remain diverted away from Shandwick Place with similar utility diversion work taking place at Haymarket and in preparation from the tram line construction work in Shandwick Place from September 2009.
Willie Gallagher, Executive Chairman of tie, said: “I’m delighted to be reopening Shandwick Place. It has been a major piece of work and the spotlight has certainly been on us in its delivery. I’m pleased that we have delivered, not only by reinstating the street before the Festival Embargo, but in the way we have been able to work with and support local businesses in the course out our work. Indeed, the tram work has in some way been a catalyst for local businesses to co-operate and work together to promote this vibrant part of Edinburgh. We said we’d do this work quickly and safely. I believe that we have done and our methodology, alongside the traffic management measures, worked – the impact on commuters, despite a major road closure has been minimal and footfall has remained steady. This was achieved by many organisations pulling together and this model is one that we will be replicating along the tram route as construction progresses.”
The work has not been without its complaints from local businesses about loss of trade but Michael Apter, Managing Director of Paper Tiger, said: “The work in the West End has been some of the biggest civil engineering work carried out in the city centre in decades. Disruption to trade was inevitable, but careful planning, frank communication with tie, and the support from Open for Business has helped to mitigate the worst effects. We’re confident that we will lessen the impact of future work by learning from our experiences over the last few months, and we look forward to the tram bringing business and customers direct to the West End in 2011”.
Source: Trams for Edinburgh