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Edinburgh Tram developments

PG

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I doubt it - this is Edinburgh Council we're talking about.

They've given priority to the trams at every single junction, regardless of where the lights are in the sequence at that point, and as such it totally knackers the traffic flow every time one passes.
It's the same out at the Gyle, where I sat for five minutes* at this junction as two trams passed.


If the trams were given the same priority as everything else is, it would work fine, but because they don't want their little vanity train set getting stuck in traffic (which it will regardless) they've given them absolute priorty, and bollocks to everyone else. :roll:


*Seriously. I was a minute late when I got to the lights, which were already red, and six minutes late when they finally changed to green after the two trams had passed.

Do the emergency services get to override the trams absolute priority when they're on blues n twos or are they treated like heavy rail ie everything no matter what stops while the train/tram passes?

Either way sounds like any journey in Edinburgh will take longer now. :roll:
 
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transmanche

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Do the emergency services get to override the trams absolute priority when they're on blues n twos or are they treated like heavy rail ie everything no matter what stops while the train/tram passes?
Being as they are normal traffic lights, the emergency services will treat them as they do any other set of traffic lights when using 'blues and twos'; i.e. as a give way sign if on red.
 

PaulLothian

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Was asked the other day why Edinburgh tram overbridges give noticeably higher clearance than the adjacent rail bridges. Is this future-proofing, in the event that Network Rail decides to spend billions raising the track height of the Edinburgh-Glasgow mainline to give even larger road juggernauts access to the back streets? Or something simpler and more likely?
 
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PaulLothian

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will PlusBus be valid on the trams?

The Edinburgh Trams website (http://www.edinburghtrams.com/tickets) suggests that there are still decisions to be made. I have heard discussion about the only eligible Scottish National Entitlement Cards being those issued by City of Edinburgh Council. As it seems that the operators are trying to make this a premium service, it is possible that trams may not be included within PlusBus.
 

edwin_m

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Was asked the other day why Edinburgh tram overbridges give noticeably higher clearance than the adjacent rail bridges. Is this future-proofing, in the event that Network Rail decides to spend billions raising the track height of the Edinburgh-Glasgow mainline to give even larger road juggernauts access to the back streets? Or something simpler and more likely?

I wondered that too. Maybe they just want to make sure any bridge strikes are Network Rail's problem not the tram's?

Just looked on streetview and the existing rail bridges are sub-standard in height - but raising the railway would be a huge exercise.
 

martinsh

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Do we have any idea when this might actually open ?

I need to arrange a visit to my client in Edinburgh sometime in May or June, and obviously it would be nice to be able to have a tram ride at the same time ...
 

90019

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Well, today I got to experience the city centre with multiple trams passing through at the same time.
I got stopped at the foot of Lothian Road waiting for trams to pass. By the time we moved, I could see the queue behind was back beyond the Usher Hall.
Princes Street was solid eastbound between Hanover Street and South St David Street (with a tram stuck in it - behind me :D). That's what you expect on a Friday afternoon - not at 15:45 on a Monday.

However, I now know that if a tram takes too long to get to the lights, they will eventually change and they have to stop and wait with everything else.

I have heard discussion about the only eligible Scottish National Entitlement Cards being those issued by City of Edinburgh Council.

It's because the concession pass is just a bus pass, so they won't get any money from the government when people use them on the trams.

Do we have any idea when this might actually open ?

I need to arrange a visit to my client in Edinburgh sometime in May or June, and obviously it would be nice to be able to have a tram ride at the same time ...

They're due to be in service in May, but it's not definite yet.
It's a pain, because the next service changes on the buses will coincide with the trams starting in service, so we don't actually know exactly when it'll be. :roll:
 

PaulLothian

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It's because the concession pass is just a bus pass, so they won't get any money from the government when people use them on the trams.

Not quite as simple as that - the Scottish National Entitlement Card can be used for a range of services; for example, the majority of Scottish councils have some form of subsidised rail travel, which may allow travel beyond the council boundary. However, this has to be paid for, and in the case of the Edinburgh trams, I have previously come across a statement from City of Edinburgh Council that such a scheme is expected to cost them around £200,000 to implement. (I am not clear if this is set-up or annual running costs.)

However, I gather that the Scottish Government has stated it will not support any concessionary travel under the nationwide [my bold] concessionary travel scheme.

It is planned that any concessionary fares on the trams will be made available to all Edinburgh residents, or those who are Edinburgh council tax payers. This (?new) page http://www.edinburghtrams.com/tickets/scottish-concession-cards gives details.
 

PaxVobiscum

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http://www.scotsman.com/news/transp...3337505?WT.mc_id=Outbrain_text&obref=obinsite

Edinburgh tram testing stopped by parked car

IT has taken seven years and cost £776 million to build however a piece of dodgy parking is enough to stop Edinburgh’s new tram system in its tracks.

Testing of the line was interupted on Monday after a motorist abandoned a [d]ark grey BMW 5 Series on a loading bay in South St Andrew Street.

The car was left more than a yard from the kerb and sticking out onto tram track.

The incident meant testing was unable to run for more than ten minutes and resulted in a £60 fine for the motorist, believed to be in his late 20s.

Shame - it would have been interesting to see the result of a tram v BMW 5 Series contest. My money would be on the tram, though a BMW driver's ego can be pretty massive too. :D
 

90019

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Shame - it would have been interesting to see the result of a tram v BMW 5 Series contest. My money would be on the tram, though a BMW driver's ego can be pretty massive too. :D

The pedant in me has to point out that it's clearly a 3 series, not a 5.

Anyway, it's not the first time that's happened.
That was on the very first day of daylight testing, when an ambulance parked on the tram lines to attend an emergency call, which brought Shandwick place to a standstill. :lol:
 

PaxVobiscum

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My apologies - I should know by now not to assume that any of the 'facts' in a newspaper report (especially in The Scotsman) are correct.
 

DaveNewcastle

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Talking of which, today's Scotsman claims:
Scotsman said:
£1m plan to take Edinburgh Trams to Leith

WORK which could allow for the first extension of Edinburgh’s controversial tram project are set to get the go-ahead in the capital.



Officials have recommended a £9.1 million programme of works in Leith Walk, which would allow the soon-to-be-opened tram line to be extended north of the city centre.

The £776m transport project, which is expected to begin operating in May, three years behind schedule, was originally due to go to Leith before running badly over budget.

As a result, residents and businesses in Leith Walk were forced to endure months of disruptive utility works with no end result.

Councillor Lesley Hinds, the city’s transport convener, said: “No final decision will be taken on whether or not to take the tram down to Leith until we’ve had a chance to see how passenger services perform.

“However, we want to be pragmatic about this. If there is a desire to install tram tracks down Leith Walk at a later date, we don’t want the community to have to go through a more lengthy and extensive works period than they have to. Better to get some tram-proofing done now while we’re already investing time and money transforming Leith Walk.”
http://www.scotsman.com/news/transport/1m-plan-to-take-edinburgh-trams-to-leith-1-3343497?WT.mc_id=Outbrain_text&obref=obinsite
Scotsman Newspaper 20th March 2014
 

jopsuk

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I really hope the complete Leith loop does happen, it would make so much more sense as a network then- as would "Line 3" to the Royal Infirmary
 

oldman

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So just to clarify, what's the £1m plan? Does it differ from the £9.1m plan? If so, how?

This is the 9.1m:

A report to Finance and Resource Committee recommending total Council funding of £5.5m for road and environmental improvements was agreed on 31 July 2012.
On 24 September 2013, the Transport Minister Keith Brown announced an additional £3.6m for the delivery of an enhanced design providing significant benefits for pedestrians and cyclists ...

This is the 1.0m:

“The design team have take opportunities to ‘future proof’ the enhanced design for a tram extension, including changes to kerb position. The roundabout at the junction with London Road has been removed in the enhanced design, to be replaced with a T junction that is compatible with a tram extension.”

It added that void spaces under Leith Walk at Baxter’s Place will need to filled in before any tram construction and this work will be undertaken as part of the Leith Programme to avoid further significant disruption at a later stage.
 

Zoidberg

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D'oh! From the Edinburgh Evening News this morning at http://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.c...ams-ticket-machines-only-take-euros-1-3360017 :

TRAMS chiefs have been left red-faced after it emerged the city’s Spanish-built ticket machines will only accept euros.

The gleaming new machines, which have been installed at stops all along the eight-mile route, have been branded “worse than useless”, with opposition politicians demanding an immediate probe.

The mistake was apparently only spotted last week by a tourist who successfully bought a ticket with his change from home, only to be told he faced a wait of more than a month to get to York Place.

The city council has admitted there is no chance the machines will be converted in time and that there is no money left in the trams pot to carry out the work in any case.

Instead, it is investigating the possibility of temporary bureau de changes being set up close to the stops.

Incredibly, it is even considering leaving the machines as they are until after the independence referendum in case Scotland ends up having to adopt the euro.

One of the better April Fool articles, I thought, since it could so easily be true, given what has gone before in the trambles.
 

Zoidberg

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Do you have a link please Father? I'm a big fan of the Parochial House

Not yet learned how to insert links when using phone, but from the article I linked to above, click on 'News' where it says you are in 'News/Transport' and you should find the Father Ted article.

Just thought, I may be having a different view of that page using the mobile site. From the Evening News home page you should get to it easily enough.

EDIT: Now using real computer - here is the link which now includes a video http://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.c...es-use-father-ted-slogan-for-safety-1-3360034

A SAFETY crackdown inspired by a cult television comedy has been launched with the aim of preventing tram-related road deaths.

Using the hashtag #carefulnow, safety messaging is being stepped up ahead of tram testing going seven days a week on April 7.

Tram bosses hope the catchphrase, from an episode of Channel 4’s Father Ted, will take off on Twitter, helping them get their message out while generating a feelgood factor.

The ramped-up safety campaign follows tram driver reports city residents are stepping out between buses to try and cross in front of trams, or making a dash across tramlines instead of waiting for the green man.

Aside from Twitter and Facebook, the #carefulnow drive will include more signs and updated messages to schools, universities and colleges, businesses and community councils, highlighting the existing safety advice and videos.

...
 
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Deerfold

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Here's hoping the trams in service can become a success story.

They were certainly looking very swish when I saw them testing last weekend.
 

Techniquest

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About friggin' time! Finally I can look to organising a flight to Edinburgh to score the new tram line! :D

*Looks at bringing forward my Central Scotland rover trip significantly*
 

Deerfold

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I notice there still seem to be no ticket details (except that Ridacards will be accepted).

This line did make me laugh...

Edinburgh Trams said:
The Edinburgh Trams local concessionary travel scheme applies to all tram routes
 

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