Some two and a half years after Edinburgh Trams opened final preparations are now underway for a new stop to be opened with the first trams due to stop at Edinburgh Gateway within the next month. Edinburgh Gateway is located between the public stops at Gyle Centre and Gogarburn and will provide an interchange with Scot Rail services on the Fife Circle supposedly providing easier access to the Airport for passengers travelling from the east of Scotland. In this photo update we take a brief look at the current site with photos from Alasdair McFarlane.
A general overview of Edinburgh Gateway showing the Scot Rail platforms.
255 heads for the city as it passes through Edinburgh Gateway. The tram stop can be seen in the background – with full canopies provided in contrast with the rest of the network - with the tracks on the right leading to/from Gogar Depot. (Both Photographs by Alasdair McFarlane)
The above unofficial Edinburgh Trams website has more pictures and information about Edinburgh Gateway (opening 11Dec, code for rail station EGY) and Edinburgh Trams generally. Will provide link to Edinburgh Airport for rail passengers from Fife and the north of Scotland. Timetables now on ScotRail website. Will compete with Stagecoach Jet 747 from Inverkeithing station to Airport.
The Edinburgh Transport Group unveiled a plaque 19 Nov 2016 at the former Braids terminus on Comiston Road, Edinburgh to mark restoration there of former tram shelter and to mark 60th anniversary of end of city’s first generation trams.
Website referred to in original post was http://www.edinburghtrams.info
It’s highly likely that people from Fife may shun rail/tram option of travelling to Edinburgh Airport because with Edinburgh’s premium costs on tram journeys to Airport, it’s far cheaper to use local feeder bus from West Fife Park & Ride facilities. It seems that the Scotish Government and Edinburgh Council have wasted £45M of tax payer’s monies on this interchange. A similar facility already exists further down the line at Haymarket.
The project is funded by Transport Scotland not City of Edinburgh Council.
We will have to wait and see how well it is used,think the tram fare included in the
rail fare.
The tram stop is within a private no go area it can’t be left on foot other than back
up to the Scotrail station.Not sure what access to the outside world there is
from the rail station. I would imagine that there will be.
Train Line enquiry shows that Stagecoach bus fare is cheaper; Rail/Tram through single journey ticket from Dunfermline quoted at £8.50. Stagecoach Service 747 single flat fare costs £5.90 (and NO, I’m not a Stagecoach employee !).
Construction work includes an underpass to permit pedestrian access.