Cllr Stephen Jenkinson, Transport Convener on the City of Edinburgh Council, has rejected calls for the city to introduce a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) scheme instead of trams on the long hoped for North-South transport corridor between Granton and the Royal Infirmary (and beyond). Calls had been made by the Scottish Conservative opposition who said it would be cheaper and quicker to introduce buses instead.
The North-South corridor is one of the transport priorities for the City of Edinburgh Council and plans have previously been unveiled for this to be an extension of the successful tram network. However, there is no guarantee that the Scottish Government would be willing to fund this large capital outlay leading some to make demands for alternative options to be considered.
A report looking into BRT is due to be presented to the next meeting of the Transport and Environment Committee. This outlines both positives and shortcomings of using BRT (or even conventional buses) with the obvious positives including a lower initial cost, more flexibility and a quicker build. It also outlines the strengths of the tram would include high capacity, comfort and public perception, environmental benefits and economic developments.
It also says that although the initial cost of BRT would be lower, the ongoing maintenance costs are higher than the tram and that it would require more land than the tram as it would need dedicated lanes.
Cllr Jenkinson commented: “In a city like Edinburgh, where we have to think how we move a mass number of people around the city efficiently, I don’t think anything can land a glove on trams. Based on population growth of Edinburgh and Lothians over the foreseeable future, if we do nothing on mass public transport in Edinburgh we would require an extra 300 buses at peak times to move people around the city. We need solutions that are future-proofed for the city. We need mass public transport because this city and region are developing and growing faster than anywhere else in the country.
If we’re not on the front foot with this, we’re going to be in a situation where just to satisfy the public transport requirements of the people living and working here if we do nothing Princes Street will be a bus park and no-one’s going to be moving anywhere.”
You only need to look at the success in moving numbers of passengers on the single tramline built to know that this is the answer there. I compere Edinburgh to the success of Nantes Tramway in France.