With Scottish Parliament elections set to take place next month the political hot potato of trams in Edinburgh seems to be on the agenda again with one of the SNP’s candidates for Holyrood (a current SNP councillor) stating that the SNP Group are against both proposed routes of the tramway to Granton. His pronouncement as part of his campaigning then saw the current Council Transport Convener say that his comments would jeopardise the entire scheme. All in all a pretty standard week for tram expansion in Edinburgh!
The route to Granton is part of the grand plan for a north-south tram line which would run across the city of Edinburgh. Running from Granton in the north it would go via the city centre and then on to the BioQuarter and Royal Infirmary in the south.
The line – which saw a public consultation last year with over 11,000 responses – has long been controversial thanks in no small part to one part of the route: the Roseburn Path. Local campaigners have been against this route as the former railway alignment has become an important green corridor since its conversion to a cycle path and footpath. And for that reason many local have been against losing this amenity in favour of the tram.
An alternative route is also being considered during the consultation and analysis. This would see trams travel via Orchard Brae and across Dean Bridge. This is said to be challenge engineering wise. And would also add significant costs to the scheme.
The results of the consultation are currently being analysed with the full results due to be released to the public in June. The current timeline then has a strategic business case being prepared for September 2026.
But the SNP’s Cllr Euan Hyslop – who is standing as a candidate for Edinburgh Northern in the elections for the Scottish Parliament this May – has now thrown all this in the air by saying that the SNP Group do not support either route and that Council officials should find another route instead! Although they haven’t actually mentioned where this other route would go.
He did say, at least, that they do support extending the tramway but suggested that the southern section should be progressed first to give chance to find this all new route in the north.
Cllr Hyslop said: “The SNP group supports the expansion of the tram and the role it must play in the wider sustainable transport network in the city.
“It is our view that progressing feasibility work on the proposed southern leg to the Royal Infirmary is the immediate priority until feasible options are presented for the northern leg that respect the transport hierarchy which places the needs of those walking wheeling and cycling first.
“The development of the tram network in the south of the city overall not only provides a regional link to Midlothian and East Lothian that can satisfy criteria for Scottish Government funding, but boasts significant benefits to connect high density residential areas to mass public transport.
“The growing population of Edinburgh requires mass transit solutions to address congestion and meet our climate goals.”
This apparent U-turn by the SNP Group led to Cllr Steven Jenkinson (Labour), Transport and Environment Convener, accusing them of jeopardising the complete expansion and that it was also all to gain votes in the forthcoming elections.
Cllr Jenkinson commented: “The best decisions are always grounded in clear evidence and robust data; the worst are always made in the middle of an election.
“Cllr Hyslop has now set the SNP group against the north element of the North-South tram route before the consultation results are published in June and well before the strategic business case arrives in September.
It’s a premature and reckless position that clearly puts the entire project at risk.”
For now the political parties can continue their arguments about what should happen with the extension, and look to see how it may be funded with no money currently in place to be able to build the line.
What we do know is that in June we should hear the results of the consultation, and then who knows what may happen!