The Edinburgh Evening News are reporting more trouble for the Edinburgh Tram project with Bilfinger Berger and tie claiming and counter claiming over the future of the scheme. It is suggested that £375 million of the £545 million has already been spent with large amounts of work to be completed and Bilfinger Berger claim tie are in denial about the scale of the problem with reports that parts of the line may yet be abandoned before construction – leaving just a tramway from the Airport to Haymarket.
Bilfinger Berger – in a letter to senior executive members of Edinburgh City Council – claim that an extra £100 million is needed for additional costs following their “victories” in the contractual disputes, and that this figure is a conservative estimate.
It is also claimed that the utility diversion work is now not scheduled to be completed until December – and that is only providing tie and Bilfinger Berger come to an agreement. Bilfinger have also proposed a delay to the whole project – with January 2014 being touted, an extension of 30 months. Tie are not impressed with this revised programme and the Council have also suggested that Bilfinger could be removed from the consortium.
Cllr Gordon Mackenzie, Transport Convener, said: “We don't rule out terminating the contract, but we believe best value comes from getting them to deliver it within the existing terms."
David Mackay, tie Chairman, said: “We have had a full and constructive discussion around these options and have a clear sense of what we need to do to achieve the best possible outcome.”
A crisis meeting of the tram project board have discussed a phased opening of the route, which would likely see the Airport to Haymarket section operating from 2012 – in time for the local elections.
A source told the Edinburgh Evening News: “There is now a softening-up process under way where they will complete the city centre to airport first and put in dates for the rest to be finished. They won't come out and say they're cutting the rest of the route – it would be too embarrassing. tie have made a hash of this and the biggest issue for them now is avoiding blame.”
Cllr Steve Cardownie, renowned anti-tramite and SNP Councillor, commented: “The modus operandi now is for them to get something running with members of the public on it in time for the elections. I've heard that there is an option on the table to get the Haymarket to airport line running by 2012, and opening it to three men and a ferret in order to get some fare-paying passengers on the trams."
Cllr Jenny Dawe, leader of the Council, has ordered that a progress report into the project is made public. She said she wanted to provide clarity on the project, its costs and schedule.
Cllr Dawe said: “There is a lot of misinformation out there and information gets into the public domain through a series of leaks. I wouldn't want to jeopardise the negotiations but there needs to be something definitive. It is incredibly frustrating to not be able to speak in detail. Every time there is a glitch – like when Bilfinger were refusing to go on to Princes Street – we want to speak, but if they know tie's hands it will give them an advantage."
Source: The Scotsman