A group of local residents in Leith have banded together calling on the City of Edinburgh Council to rethink their plans for the stop at Port of Leith claiming that it will cause 30 trees to be cut down from an area which is lacking in green areas. They have launched a petition which already has over 130 signatures and have now taken their campaign to local media in Edinburgh reiterating their calls for a rethink.
Part of the argument of the group – who are being led by Tim Threlfall, an Operations Manager – is that this stop will be unnecessary as there will be stops only a short distance away on Constitution Street and also at Ocean Terminal. The Port of Leith stop (as named on Trams to Newhaven publicity) would be on Ocean Drive and would be the next stop after Ocean Terminal for trams heading into the city.
Quoted in the Edinburgh Evening News Mr Threlfall said: “For me, I don’t feel that we need a tram stop on Stevedore Place where the proposal has put one. There will be one on Constitution street which is a very short walk away and the same with ocean terminal. Why we need a tram stop here, I don’t know. If we weren’t to have a tram stop we could save some of the green space, save the trees from being removed and give kids a place to play, there is nowhere else around here.”
In response Cllr Lesley Macinnes, Transport and Environment Convener, said: “We’re aware of local concerns around the trees on Stevedore Place and are continuing to explore options to see what might be possible. We’ll always look to avoid the loss of trees but, where there’s no reasonable alternative, at least two trees will be planted for every one removed. These will be of broadly similar size and as close as possible to the original position. We want to maximise the benefits the tram system brings to local residents and businesses, which means offering an attractive and accessible option for all users – especially those with mobility issues – and we’re working hard to find a solution here that delivers both high quality green space and a convenient tram stop.”
Updates as we get them as to whether there is a change to the plans for this tramstop.