Following the recent Council elections in Edinburgh and the Liberal Democrats losing power it has been necessary for a new Transport Convener to be announced. With the Scottish National Party and Labour Party now in coalition the person charged with helping
to ensure the tram project runs smoothly from now on is Labour’s Lesley Hinds, a former Lord Provost of Edinburgh.
Ms Hinds has been a Councillor since 1984 and was the first female leader of Edinburgh District Council in 1993. She has admitted to being in favour of the trams since the project was first mooted but has also been critical of the way the project has been handled by both tie and the City Council.
Speaking in the Edinburgh Evening News Ms Hinds said: ““I’ve been in favour of the
tram right from the beginning, when I was Lord Provost, but the big frustration for me being in opposition was the mismanagement of the project over the last few years. I’m not going to say that the tram is running on time and budget, because it is not, but I want to see us adhere to the new timetable and budget that was agreed last year. There is no question it has damaged the reputation of the whole city and of council officers and councillors over the last few years. My key role is trying to gain the trust back of people. I will be more than happy to meet anyone – there’s no point sitting behind the door of an
office.”
The current timetable for the trams should see services start operating in 2014.