A final decision on whether to press ahead with plans to extend Edinburgh Trams from the current city centre terminus of York Place to Newhaven via Leith Walk will not be made until early 2019 to allow full evaluations of tenders to take place before the Final Business Case is considered. It had previously been expected that the final decision would be made before the end of 2018.
Tenders for the construction of the extension were received in early September and these are now being evaluated by officials from the Trams to Newhaven project. The final stage in the process is to seek best and final offers from the bidders and to clarify specific elements of the bids received. This will then be used to complete the Final Business Case which will then be presented to Councillors to enable them to make a decision on whether to give the go-ahead to constructing the extension.
Cllr Lesley Macinnes, Transport and Environment Convener, said: “We have adopted a very thorough and robust process for the Trams to Newhaven project throughout, learning crucial lessons from what went wrong previously. We have been very clear from the outset that we will not bring forward the Final Business Case for tram until we have vigorously tested the cost and time estimates with the market.”
Public consultation into the proposals for the line is also continuing with the deadline for views now extended until Sunday 11th November. The latest plans can be viewed on the City of Edinburgh Council’s Consultation Hub.
I find it hard to understand why Edinburgh City Council is so keen to extend the tramway from York Place – Newhaven in view of the excellent available bus service. Additionally, given Ediknburgh trams’ present expensive fare structure for journeys to Airport zone then Airport – Newhaven by tram will certainly not be cost effective. In all their propaganda during the “consultation” period there was no evidence provided of any likely economic growth. No doubt the vinvestment appraisal compiled to justify the works must have provided more information than has been revealed to Edinburgh Council taxpayers. Given the need for the Scottish Government to provide 85% funding for the Airport – York Place phase then the thrust to Newhaven cannot be substantiated particularly that there is no scope on the route for any new industrial or housing development.
Alasdair McFarlane