CAF TRAMS FOR EDINBURGH
Trams for Edinburgh – Sunday 23rd September 2007

Tie have made a formal recommendation to Edinburgh City Council that CAF should provide the fleet of trams for the tram line. CAF have beaten better know opposition in Alstom from the final shortlist – and many have expressed surprise at the decision which has been put down to the cost.

The Edinburgh contract involves the manufacture of 27 trams and their maintenance for a period of up to 30 years. CAF are best known in the UK for the Heathrow Express trains (in partnership with Siemens) and have also recently supplied trams for the Seville tram system and a fleet of diesel trains for Northern Ireland railways.

tie believe that the bid from CAF represents the best in class and will put the city head and shoulders above cities across the world. The formal recommendation will be brought before city councillors for their approval as part of the tram’s final business case at a full council meeting on 25th October. This document will also give details of the infrastructure contractor – who is yet to be appointed.

The trams will be the longest in the UK at 40 metres long with a capacity for 250 passengers and there will be excellent ride capacity, low noise, smooth acceleration and braking, state of the art security features and information systems. They will also be designed with the heritage aspects of the cities streets in mind and will be able to cope with the tight curves it will have to be contend with.

Willie Gallagher, Chairman of tie, said: “We laid down the gauntlet to the world’s tram manufacturers and CAF has delivered. Edinburgh’s expectations were rightly high and we have found a world class vehicle to match them. The competition was intense, which drove the bidders to submit fantastic bids. It was a tough decision, but I believe that we are recommending the best bid for Edinburgh. It not only offers superb value for money, but offers the best “fit” for Edinburgh. When we started this process, I stated that anything less than the best would not be accepted. We’ve stuck to that maxim and I’m hugely excited that we can now begin to see the first tangible parts of this fantastic scheme.”

Neil Renilson, Chief Executive of Transport Edinburgh Limited, added: “It is crucial that the tram system fits seamlessly with the current public transport network and I am fully convinced that the CAF trams will do just that. With branding, identity, ticketing consistent across the whole of Edinburgh’s public transport network and CAF’s unique safety features, these trams will be an excellent addition to Edinburgh’s transport system.”

Cllr Jenny Dawe, leader of the city council, commented: “Trams sum up the ambition, growth, great lifestyle and green qualities that we want our city to be about. Every day, the tram project moves forward with designs finalised, contracts awarded and utility pipes moved. This means we are getting closer to quicker journeys, more investment, more accessible public transport and cleaner air. Costings and future financial predictions are proving positive, showing that Edinburgh's tram network will be an asset to our city.”

The Scotsman chose to report on the shock of this “outsider” getting the contract and claimed that Alstom were astonished over the decision. They quoted Howard Johnston, editor-in-chief of Tramways and Urban Transit: “It is certainly a surprising choice. CAF has won over an established supplier which dominates the marketplace. The Edinburgh scheme can only succeed if it balances the books, so cost is obviously an issue. Choosing an outsider could be a high-risk strategy, but equally this could be the chance for CAF to show what it can achieve."

* A video report on the decision from BBC Scotland is available here.

Source: tie, The Scotsman & BBC News Online