Edinburgh’s South Suburban rail line may have tram-trains introduced in a bid to revitalise the project which has had doubt thrown at it due to the huge costs involved. The plan would see the vehicles operating on both the railway which links Newcraighall and Haymarket and then on the tram lines about to be constructed in the city centre.
The South Suburban rail line closed to passenger trains in 1962, although the tracks remain in situ with many of the stations still intact but not available for passengers. In the last few years plans have been discussed to reopen the line to allow people in Gorgie, Craiglockhart, Morningside, Blackford Hill, Newington and Duddingston access to public rail based transport. Recently, it has appeared that the project has been going nowhere apparently because the costs involved have been considered too high – but it is now hoped the tram-train plan would revitalise the idea.
A study has been commissioned into the possibility of tram-trains which would link with the Trams for Edinburgh project at Haymarket. This would enable through journeys from Newcraighall to Edinburgh Park. Councillors rejected a reccomendation to throw out the South Sub plan on the grounds of cost and rail capacity and are now looking into the tram-trains – and tie have said they would also be interested in getting involved.
Halcrow recently conducted a study into using tram-trains from the east to the west of Edinburgh and they say that the line would attract up to 1.5 million passengers a year with an annual public subsidy of £4.2 million.
Willie Gallagher, executive chairman at tie, said: “TIE would welcome any opportunity to get engaged in a city project on the development of a tram-train proposal for a future South Suburban line."
Source: The Scotsman & Reopen the South Sub