Eh?
For anyone who had the dubious pleasure of watching the transport debate in parliament this 
afternoon would have witnessed a bizarre sight. The debate took place during which Wendy Alexander commented that the SNP Government were to have a press conference at 5.15pm after the debate…as often happens after a debate.
The vote came and the amendment in favour of the Trams was passed. After the vote John Swinney took to his feet and said that as had been expressed previously the Government can ignore votes in parliament as they are not binding upon it. However in this case he would accede to the will of parliament and put in place the terms agreed to in the amended motion.
Now this is where it got odd. Labour were furious. Why? Excellent question, I`m really not sure. They win the vote, government agrees to implement the motion and…they’re not happy. Some people can`t take yes for an answer.
Wendy Alexander looked the most distressed but the collective Labour benches had faces like fizz. I suppose some people are just bad winners.
3 viewpoints:
They are bad loser and now bad winners. What a liability, bring on Wendy!
On a serious note, I do have my reservations about the single tram line project.
I don't think the SNP have explained it properly to the public that this is just a single tramline from Leith to the West End. There are no "trams" as the papers would led us to believe.
IMHO a waste of money but it could be worse (i.e Trident).
There is parliamentary approval for TWO lines, not one. Line 1 runs from the airport to Leith waterfront, while line 2 is a circular route connecting Princes St, Leith, Granton, Crewe Toll, Roseburn and Haymarket.
There was a third line proposed that would run up the Bridges to Cameron Toll and the new ERI, potentially extending as far as Musselburgh, though this was killed by the regrettable failure of Edinburgh to adopt a congestion charge.
Proponents of the tram system would indeed like to see it extend to a denser, more wide-reaching network. But it is simple logic that you can't build a second line until you've built the first one, n'est-ce pas?
Hi Gary,
While you are right that there is parliamentary approval for two lines (Tram Line 1 being the 'Northern Loop' of Princes Street, Leith Walk, Waterfront, Roseburn Corridor and Tram Line 2 being Princes Street, Haymarket, West to the Airport [spur] and on to Newbridge), while poor old Tram Line 3 never even made it to parliament. Except it wasnt approval for funding, just routes really.
The question of funding was a concern for a few years now. In March 2003 (if memory serves) the last Exec pledged £375m for the project. Even then that wouldn`t have contrsucted lines 1 & 2.
To try and save the project it was decided by Tie to further Phase the project. The old Exec said in March 2006 they'd inflation link the £375m from 3 years earlier.
Phase 1 was to be the northern loop, except it wouldn`t compltete the loop at between Granton and Newhaven - and would line 2 also as far as the airport. Phase 2 complete the loop. Phase 3 past the airport out to Newbridge.
Done the sums and worked out they couldn`t even build all of Phase 1. So in the draft final business case they phased it further. 1a and 1b.
1a was estimated at £500 and 1b at £92m. The council agreed in decemeber to 'in prinicple' make £45m capital available upon the presentation of the final business case which I think is due in September of this year.
Motion that was passed by parly states that there should not be a penny more than the previous Exec agreed (£375m plus inflation) and any excess should be passed onto the Council (who already have a massive overspend courtesy of the previous administration).
I`m not sure what £375m plus inflation is today although I think I saw the Herald quiting it at £490m.
The draft final business case suggests that the trams should be extended across the Forth on the new Forth crossing, as well as to a myriad of other locations.
For me I have serious concerns over the route, the nature of the on road service and the impact on existing public transport provision - for starters.
I also have serious concerns about the enviromental impact of the tram route proposed.
I`v heard from a few people who've gone to the recent Tie public meetings to ask questions on specific issues surrounding the route etc. The issues on Shandwick place and St Andrews Sqaure remain excpet there was no technical staff there to explain - just PR people.
Another concern is cycle lanes - I suspect on the length of the route they will all but disappear.
I could go on and on about this but I won`t. I`ll stop there.
Although Gary I will say this - your old man has done a fantastic job at OSIC. I think the most helpful organisation when responding to questions relating to their sphere. And 100 times better the OIC down south. Can`t praise them enough (even when decisions didn`t go my way!).
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