More than 5,000 people took advantage of Edinburgh Trams free service offered on Hogmanay with extra trams having to be used to keep up with demand. The free service was provided for the first time since the line opened in 2014 with trams running between midnight and 0500.
Lea Harrison, Edinburgh Trams General Manager, said: “Throughout the early hours of New Year’s Day, many trams were at capacity with thousands of people using the West End stop. Both the airport and park and ride were also busy destinations after midnight and, right across the network, we were pleasantly surprised by the number of people taking a tram to get around. What’s more, no major issues were reported and everyone was very well behaved. For the tram network, it was a great way to see in 2017 – serving the people of Edinburgh by helping them to enjoy a safe journey home after the spectacular Hogmanay celebrations.”
During the Hogmanay events in Edinburgh trams from the Airport terminated at West End Princes Street with the full service resuming late morning on 1st January 2017.
* Elsewhere in Edinburgh the Scottish Conservatives have recently used a Freedom of Information request to gain access to figures of how many passengers are carried on the trams. They have used this information to make a point with the figures showing that trams are only running at 25% of total capacity. This takes into no consideration the fact that early morning and late evening services often run with very few passengers – but are run to a provide a service to those who need to get around – and also that the large capacity of each tram is mainly standing (on trains as soon as someone is standing there are cries of overcrowding).
To allow Princes Street to be set up for the Hogmanay Celebrations the tram route is curtailed at the West End Stop throughout 31 December. Tram 275 is about to depart 'wrong' platform for Airport.
Tram 274 has just left the West End stop and is using the crossover to regain the correct road. All traffic heading out of town is stopped at the pedestrian lights at this point to allow the tram to complete its manoeuvre. (Both Photographs by John Hampton)