Edinburgh Tram System

[90019]

Well, isn't it better that they get the job completed as best as possible so that when the trams do get up and running things run more smoothly!

The thing is, it wouldn't be such an issue if they actually did the work properly in the first place, rather than doing it on the cheap then having to come back and repair it every few months, causing fairly major disruption each time.

 

[DarloRich]

Absolutely correct!
(Most of the stationary summer traffic is between Morpth and Berwick).
There is no government capable of considering it to be 'their' problem!

I think a lot of that is down to finance and a perceived view that it doesn’t serve anywhere. Look at the A66. Still not duelled all the way from Scotch Corner to Penrith, it is chokka and people often kill themselves in accidents, but still not a dual carriage way. You have to wonder both of these roads were in say, oh I don’t know, Surrey, they would be duelled!

As for the trams - Yes there have been massive and expensive cock ups, on both sides, but i think in the long run they will benefit Edinburgh and the people who live there, not just the tourists, by offering quick cross city services.

Yes, the bus service in Edinburgh is good BUT offer most travellers a bus (which many see as a peasants taxi) to get you from town to the airport or a taxi, LOTS will choose a taxi. Offer them a tram, or better still a train, right to the centre of the city they will take it. It is quick, easy and should be cheapish.

I think once it starts people will grow to accept the system and it will be well used.


Would there be the complaints if they were building, say an express way or motorway extension like the M74 in Glasgow - i doubt it.

 

[Blindtraveler]

the locals woant use it! I used to be involved with a local communitty media orgonisation who survayed 200 residents and commuters. Only 10 said they'd even try it!

 

[Bill EWS]

The Edinburgh Tram project is not the first large scale scheme to go astray and doubt if it will be the last. It's almost expected. However, stirring things up simply for personal or political wrangling won't change that.

We can all agree that the tram project was badly planned from the start. All I am saying is that having gone this far and expense ALL involved need to get heir act together and complete the project as soon as possible. For that to happen then hold-ups and road closures will be required. Annoying as they are they are not permanant and things do return to normal, in due course.

I'm not from Edinburgh but I was pleased about the trams returning and share the annoyance and dispair that the delays have produced. It's difficult to accept that they could have made such a mess of what was a reasonably straight forward route.

 

[DarloRich]

the locals woant use it! I used to be involved with a local communitty media orgonisation who survayed 200 residents and commuters. Only 10 said they'd even try it!

they are lying - they will use it - why wouldnt they? So you are going to have a quick way of getting form a-b at the end of your street and you wont use it, even once, just to try it out? just to see where your money went and to have your preconceptions of how crap the council are and how awful the trams are confirmed?

come on!

 

[WatcherZero]

The other thing is you have to factor in the population and capacity, 5% or 20,000 people saying they would use it before it actually opened is about right.

 

[90019]

they are lying - they will use it - why wouldnt they?

For me, for actually getting into town, the bus is more direct and will be quicker.

 

[DarloRich]

fair enougth - but you arent saying you would never use it.

I dont understand how someone can say oh i will never, ever, use the tram system. It is madness! (unless you live somewhere where a tram wont ever go and you never feel the need to use any sort of park and ride facility, or go to the airport etc)

 

[90019]

fair enougth - but you arent saying you would never use it.

I'll probably use it for the novelty of using it when I'm in no hurry or not really going anywhere in particular. But when I actually need to get places, I'll be using the bus or the car.

 

[PaulLothian]

Until a substantial part of the system is built (as originally intended, not in its current shortened version) it won't be of use to the majority of the population of Edinburgh, whose main travelling is between their communities and the city centre. But people will use it more as time goes on, if only because developers will see the financial benefits of locating near it.

 

[Blindtraveler]

agreed Paul and for me, as long as the 100 or 35 busses run to the airport, i'll use them, on principle!

 

[Zoe]

Will the trams be run by Lothian buses or will they be franchised to a private company to run?

 

[WatcherZero]

Was to be franchised but they took it inhouse to save money. It will be run together with Lothian buses (same style as Blackpool) however it doesnt stop the council selling off Lothian if it needs the money to finish the scheme.

 

[paul1609]

I think a lot of that is down to finance and a perceived view that it doesn’t serve anywhere. Look at the A66. Still not duelled all the way from Scotch Corner to Penrith, it is chokka and people often kill themselves in accidents, but still not a dual carriage way. You have to wonder both of these roads were in say, oh I don’t know, Surrey, they would be duelled!

I think you dont know what your talking about!
Road Improvements have been heavily biased away from the South East.
Parts of the London to Portsmouth trunk route(in Surrey) are finally being improved from a dangerous single carriageway road with a near hairpin bend in one location.
The South Coast Trunk Road (Folkestone to Honiton) is a joke more suited to horse and cart than modern traffic about 20 miles are motorway and of the remainder 65% single carriagewa.

 

[90019]

however it doesnt stop the council selling off Lothian if it needs the money to finish the scheme.

It will be a very sad day if that happens.

 

[Zoe]

It will be a very sad day if that happens.

If they sold it to First you'd end up with a near monopoly. This is what there is in Bristol.

 

[Samtron2000]

Was to be franchised but they took it inhouse to save money. It will be run together with Lothian buses (same style as Blackpool) however it doesnt stop the council selling off Lothian if it needs the money to finish the scheme.

I'm supprised they haven't sold off Lothian Bus already. GMPTE sold of manchesters GM Busses back in 1990s to pay for the Eccles extension on metrolink. Lothian bus will go soon I'm sure!!

 

[tbtc]

"At this rate, they'll have resurfaced each inch of Princes Street a dozen times before any tram runs from one end to the other... "

Well, isn't it better that they get the job completed as best as possible so that when the trams do get up and running things run more smoothly! I understand the bitterness over the terrible mess they have made of the Tram building but surely the job needs completing rather than throw away the many Millions of £'s already spent on the project! It seems a bit foolish to moan about the cost of the project just for personal and/or political bias, yet, apparently happy to see the amount already spent just wiped away and get nothing for it. Not to forget the massive extra cost of having to undo all the work as it stands at the moment. In my opinion.

Are they going to complete the line all the way to Leith?

For me, the best thing to do, given the position they are in, would be to concentrate on getting the trams "up and running" to Haymarket, and *then* start to worry about the City Centre stretch. And, only once the City Centre stretch is open do you start messing around with Leith.

It's been a complete waste of time disrupting Princes Street/ Leith Walk (etc), not having any trams running over these streets, than having to close the streets again to rebuild the tram lines, then *still* not having any trams on that section...

At this rate the tracks on Princes Street will need replacing again in 2013 and there'll *still* be no trams running on that section!

 

[kylemore]

A report in todays "Herald" suggests abandonment may not be far away, £400-500m down the toilet and nothing to show for it.
I used to work for Edinburgh Council's public transport unit, I knew the project would be a mess from start to finish, cost much more than planned, be years late, probably have to be cut back etc. But even I thought there would eventually be something to show for all that money spent, but to possibly have NOTHING to show for the best part of half a £billion is world class incompetence!

 

[Nightrider]

Edinburgh Tram boss calls it quits.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-13454021