Edinburgh tram network

Edinburgh Trams is a project to build a new tramway in Edinburgh, where local public transport has been limited to buses since the closing of the city’s original tramway on 16 November 1956.

Following years of transport studies in Edinburgh — two bills were submitted to the Scottish Parliament to reintroduce a tram network to Edinburgh. Both bills were passed in March/April 2006, and received Royal Assent. Movement of underground utilities commenced in Spring 2007, once the draft business case had been accepted by the Scottish Government. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/edinburgh_and_east/6458981.stm BBC News - £60m released for Edinburgh trams] ]

As of June 2008, construction work is underway based on a design by System Design Services (SDS, a joint design contract lead by Parsons Brinckerhoff and Halcrow). The project is being overseen by Transport Initiatives Edinburgh (tie), a company wholly owned by the City of Edinburgh Council. Work relocating utilities is ongoing and construction of the tram infrastructure commenced following the award of the final contracts to BBS and CAF in May 2008 [ [http://www.nce.co.uk/news/2008/05/final_contracts_awarded_for_edinburgh_tram.html Final contracts awarded for Edinburgh Tram ] ] . Once the network becomes operational it will be operated by Transdev who were awarded the contract in 2004 to help develop, and eventually operate the network.

Ticketing and fares will be fully integrated with Lothian Buses. The fare for a single journey on the tram network will be the same as on Lothian Buses, expected to be around £1.25 when the network opens in 2011. Day tickets and Ridacards will be valid on both the trams and buses. [ [http://edinburghnews.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=88032007 Edinburgh Evening News - Transport chief prices single tram ticket at £1.25] ]

Estimated date of opening for Phase 1a is July 2011, at a cost of £512 million. [ [http://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/servlet/QsProtected?IDC=CEC/Corporate_Services/Corporate_Communications/Press_Releases/NewsRelease.idc&ID=3883 Edinburgh City Council Press Release] ]

Critical scrutiny

The Scottish National Party (SNP) published its intention to scrap the scheme, along with the Edinburgh Airport rail link in its manifesto for the Scottish Parliament general election, 2007, to save a total of £1.1bn.

Following a vote in the Scottish Parliament, the Scottish Government agreed to continue with the line from the Airport to Leith on condition that no more public money would be supplied if the project overran. A report by Audit Scotland, commissioned by the SNP-led Scottish government, confirmed that the cost projections were sound. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/edinburgh_and_east/6243158.stm BBC News - Climbdown after transport defeat] ] [ [http://news.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=1008122007 The Scotsman - Trams given green light....] ]

On 25 October 2007 Edinburgh City Council gave approval to the Final Business Case. Approval was given by the Council [ [http://news.scotsman.com/politics/City-leaders-back--the.3615777.jp City leaders back the final case for trams - Scotsman.com News ] ] on 22 December 2007 for TIE to sign contracts with CAF [http://www.tramtime.com/pressrelease/tramco_sep07.pdf] for the supply of the vehicles and BBS (a consortium of Siemens AG and Bilfinger Berger) [http://www.tramtime.com/pressrelease/infraco_oct07.pdf] for the design, construction and building of the network. Contract negotiations were concluded in April 2008 with construction of the network commencing in June 2008. [ [http://news.scotsman.com/edinburgh.cfm?id=1705142007 Scotsman.com News ] ]

Lines

The proposal consists of three lines, of which lines One and Two have parliamentary permission. For funding reasons, the network will be built in three phases. Phase 1a would consist of an 11½ mile line from Newhaven to Edinburgh Airport via Princes Street. Phase 1b would be a 3½ mile line from Haymarket to Granton Square. Phase 2 would link Granton Square and Newhaven together. Phase 3 would extend the airport line to Newbridge. It is hoped that phase 1a of the network will be operational by 2011.

The network will be operated from a depot that will be situated close to the A8 roundabout just north of the Gyle tram stop.

Line 1 (North Edinburgh)

* [http://www.tramtime.com/popup/line1.html Route map] The first route will be a circular route between the City Centre, Leith, Newhaven and Granton. It will be integrated with the cycle and pedestrian path along the Roseburn wildlife corridor or the former railway between West Coates and Granton.

"Please note that routeings, station names, and station locations are subject to change."

Name	Phase	Transport Interchange	Serves
Haymarket rail-interchange|gb|rail	Phase 1a	Haymarket railway station Lothian Buses Line 2 (West Edinburgh)	Edinburgh International Conference Centre
Shandwick Place	Phase 1a
Princes Street	Phase 1a		Princes Street National Gallery of Scotland
St Andrew Square (rail-interchange|gb|rail Edinburgh Waverley)	Phase 1a	Lothian Buses Edinburgh Bus Station Waverley Station	St Andrew Square St. James Centre
Picardy Place	Phase 1a		Omni Centre Edinburgh Playhouse
McDonald Road	Phase 1a		Easter Road Stadium
Balfour Street	Phase 1a		Pilrig Park
Foot of the Walk	Phase 1a	Lothian Buses
Constitution Street	Phase 1a
Port of Leith (formerly Ocean Drive)	Phase 1a		Scottish Government building
Ocean Terminal	Phase 1a		Ocean Terminal Royal Yacht Britannia
Newhaven	Phase 1a		Newhaven
Lower Granton	Phase 2
Granton (formerly Granton Square)	Phase 1b
Saltire Square (formerly Granton Waterfront)	Phase 1b
Caroline Park	Phase 1b		Telford College
West Pilton (formerly West Granton)	Phase 1b
Crewe Toll	Phase 1b	Lothian Buses	Fettes College
Telford road	Phase 1b		Western General Hospital
Craigleith	Phase 1b		Craigleith Retail Park
Ravelston Dykes	Phase 1b		Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art Stewart's Melville College The Mary Erskine School St. George's School
Roseburn	Phase 1b
"The line continues to Haymarket to complete the loop"

Line 2 (West Edinburgh)

* [http://www.tramtime.com/popup/line2.html Route map] The second route will run from the City Centre out to Edinburgh Airport via Edinburgh Park, with a branch line to Newbridge. In February 2005, construction of a bus guideway, which forms part of the route, was completed. The guideway is designed for conversion to tram running, and between proposed stops 4 and 6 runs adjacent to the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway, between Haymarket and Edinburgh Park stations.

The Scottish Government announced [ [http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/This-Week/Speeches/edinburgh-rail-link/ The Scottish Government - News] ] on 27 September 2007 the cancellation of the Edinburgh Airport Rail Link and that they would build a new rail station and tram stop on the Fife Railway line this would allow fast connection to Edinburgh Airport, costs for this have not been stated and would be in addition to the currently budgeted for amount.

"Please note that routes, station names, and station locations are subject to change."

Name	Phase	Transport Interchange	Serves
"Between the city centre and Haymarket, trams run along Line 1."
Haymarket rail-interchange|gb|rail	Phase 1a	Haymarket railway station Lothian Buses Line 1 (North Edinburgh)	Edinburgh International Conference Centre
Murrayfield	Phase 1a		Murrayfield Stadium
Balgreen	Phase 1a		Edinburgh Zoo
Saughton	Phase 1a
Bankhead (formerly South Gyle)	Phase 1a		Stevenson College
Edinburgh Park Station rail-interchange|gb|rail	Phase 1a	Edinburgh Park railway station	Hermiston Gait retail park
Edinburgh Park Central	Phase 1a		Edinburgh Park
Gyle Centre	Phase 1a		Gyle Shopping Centre
Gogarburn	Phase 1a		Royal Bank of Scotland headquarters
Ingliston Park and Ride	Phase 1a	Lothian Buses
"At this point the line diverges; one branch runs to Edinburgh Airport, the other to Newbridge North"
Edinburgh Airport	Phase 1a	Edinburgh Airport Rail Link	Edinburgh Airport
Ingliston West	Phase 3		Royal Highland Showground
Ratho Station	Phase 3
Newbridge South	Phase 3
Newbridge North	Phase 3

Line 3 (South East Edinburgh)

* [http://www.tramtime.com/popup/line3.html Route map]

The third tram line would run from the City Centre towards the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary and finally connecting with Newcraighall railway station and park and ride, with a possible extension to Musselburgh.

The third route has yet to be submitted to the Scottish Parliament. Funding for the line depended on Edinburgh voters agreeing to a congestion charge, which was rejected in the Edinburgh road tolls referendum, 2005. As such, the proposal is on hold and does not form part of the proposed phases, but the land needed for the line will be protected for at least 10 years. [ [http://news.scotsman.com/scotland.cfm?id=1830172005 Scotsman.com News ] ]

Name	Phase	Transport Interchange	Serves
Waverley station rail-interchange|gb|rail	N/A	Edinburgh Waverley railway station Lothian Buses Line 1 (North Edinburgh)
High Street	N/A		Royal Mile
South Bridge	N/A
Nicolson Square	N/A		University of Edinburgh George Square campus
St Patrick Square	N/A
The Meadows	N/A		The Meadows
Newington Road	N/A		Newington
Minto Street	N/A
Newington Station	N/A		Interchange with South Suburban Railway at Newington Station
Craigmillar Park	N/A		University of Edinburgh King's Buildings campus (at some distance)
Cameron Toll	N/A		Cameron Toll Shopping Centre
The Inch	N/A
Moredun	N/A		Moredun
RIE/Bio Medipark	N/A		Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh
Greendykes	N/A		Greendykes
Craigmillar	N/A		Craigmillar
Niddrie	N/A		Niddrie
The Wisp	N/A
Fort Kinnaird	N/A		Fort Kinnaird Retail Park
Newcraighall rail-interchange|gb|rail	N/A	Newcraighall railway station

Tram vehicles

The contract to build the trams was awarded to CAF [ [http://www.tramtime.com/our_vehicles.html tramtime - our partners ] ] and is worth up to £40 million and will be built to meet "tie's" specifications. Special requirements that tie has put on the bi-directional vehicles are low noise and a visual fit suitable for a World Heritage Site. [ [http://tt.tiedinburgh.co.uk/pressroom.html] ]

The trams will be 42.8m long [ [http://www.caf.net/ingles/productos/proyecto.php?cod=4&id=621&sec=datos :: CAF - Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles, we create railway solutions :: ] ] and 100% low floor built to meet UK Rail Vehicle Access Regulations for disabled people. Passenger capacity will be 332 [ [http://www.caf.net/ingles/productos/proyecto.php?cod=4&id=621&sec=prest :: CAF - Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles, we create railway solutions :: ] ] with 80 seated and 250 standing and the trams will be fitted with CCTV. [ [http://www.caf.net/ingles/productos/proyecto.php?cod=4&id=621&sec=equip :: CAF - Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles, we create railway solutions :: ] ] . The trams will have to cope with the steep slopes of Edinburgh.

Willie Gallagher, chairman of TIE, said: "Edinburgh will have the most advanced tram system in the world." [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/edinburgh_and_east/5167948.stm BBC NEWS | Scotland | Edinburgh and East | City trams to be 'best in world' ] ]

CAF was selected from amongst the four manufacturers who submitted tenders. Alstom, Bombardier, and Siemens were the other companies competing to build the 27 vehicles.

ee also

*Transport in Edinburgh
*Edinburgh Corporation Tramways (closed in 1956)
*Light Rail Transit Association
*Scottish Tramway and Transport Society
*List of Tramways in Scotland
*Edinburgh Airport Rail Link

References

External links

* [http://www.tramtime.com/ Edinburgh's Official Tram Time web site]
* [http://www.leithtraders.com/ Leith Walk & Constitution Street Traders Association] Traders affected by the implementation of the tramway
* [http://www.audit-scotland.gov.uk/docs/central/2007/nr_070620_edin_transport_project.pdf Auditor Generals Report on Tram Scheme]
* [http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/committees/tram-one-bill/index.htm Edinburgh Tram (Line One) Bill Committee]
* [http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/committees/tram-two-bill/index.htm Edinburgh Tram (Line Two) Bill Committee]
* [http://www.opsi.gov.uk/legislation/scotland/acts2006/20060007.htm Edinburgh Tram (Line One) Act 2006)]
* [http://www.opsi.gov.uk/legislation/scotland/acts2006/20060006.htm Edinburgh Tram (Line Two) Act 2006)]