30,000 carried on Edinburgh Trams during major snow disruption

Just how crucial Edinburgh Trams has become to the public transport offering in the Scottish capital has been laid bare during the so-called “Beast from the East” with over 30,000 passenger journeys recorded over just a three day period. After running throughout the worst of the snow with a reduced service a full service was able to resume from the start of Saturday 3rd March thanks to staff working through the night to help clear tracks and platforms of snow.

At the height of the disruption in Edinburgh trams ran in service continuously for 43 hours with a special free all night service running between midnight and 0500 on 1st March to help keep the city moving. Whilst a reduced service was run at times it should be pointed out that for a long period very little other transport was able to run around the area. Need we say more about how useful the tram line is now? So come on City of Edinburgh Council why not give the go-ahead to the extension to Leith?!

Lea Harrison, Managing Director of Edinburgh Trams, said: “We are delighted that our efforts were able to keep so many people moving around the city. Our teams have worked day and night and have shown what a real ‘can-do’ attitude can achieve, even in the most challenging of circumstances. We are grateful for the hundreds of customers that have got in touch to thank us for our efforts.”

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1 Response to 30,000 carried on Edinburgh Trams during major snow disruption

  1. Bigalasdair says:

    Gareth, why the “plug” for extending to Leith ? Remember the businesses in Shandwick Place that went bankrupt as a direct consequence of the (then) never ending tram construction works. A repetition in Leith Walk would be disastrous for the plethora of small businesses that are there. Yes, the trams proved useful in the recent snow BUT from an economic point of view, extending to Ocean Terminal and Newhaven in my opinion makes no economic sense, both are areas which have no room (or need) for development/expansion. Also, will the good old Scottish taxpayer be again lumbered with paying for it courtesy of Holyrood and Edinburgh City Council mismanagement ? I fear that history will repeat itself. Remember the judicial inquiry into phase 1 development has not yet reached any conclusion or verdict on the the crass management on providing stage 1 to Airport where costs have grossly exceeded original estimates.
    Alasdair McFarlane

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