NHS LOTHIAN has welcomed the publication of the Scottish Hospitals Inquiry Interim Report into the delayed opening of the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People and Department for Clinical Neurosciences.
The planned opening of the new building at Little France was halted in July 2019 when final safety checks revealed that the ventilation system within the Critical Care area did not comply with national standards.
Jim Crombie, Deputy Chief Executive, NHS Lothian said: “Patient safety was always our driving force in commissioning a first-class hospital building so we know that the discovery of a ventilation problem just days before it was due to open caused shock and significant concern for our patients, their families and our staff.
“We once again reiterate our sincere and unreserved apology to them all for the resulting delay to the transfer of patient services to the new facility. I am particularly sorry that patients and their families were let down at a time when they were already worried and vulnerable.”
Lord Brodie, Chairman of the Inquiry, acknowledged the huge operation that was put in place within hours to reschedule thousands of patients who were due to attend the new hospital and prevent families and patients from turning up to the wrong building in an emergency.
A total of 2255 appointments required to be rescheduled immediately – 1586 in paediatrics and 669 in DCN were affected.
The report found there had been no wrongdoing or attempts to conceal information.
Lord Brodie also noted the positive organisational culture in NHS Lothian and said there were a variety of channels through which concerns could have been raised, as well as whistleblowing policies.
But that it was a “lack of clarity” around technical building standards led to the issue around ventilation and the delay.
Mr Crombie added: “Lord Brodie has identified our failure to provide a clear design brief at the outset as critical to events as well as weaknesses in governance and understanding between contractual partners.
“We are sorry for these failures and also deeply regret that opportunities were missed by all parties over the course of the project to detect and rectify errors in the design of the ventilation regime.
“The report acknowledges the changes that have been put in place in NHS Lothian and the new guidance introduced since 2019 to ensure that lessons are learned and similar events can be prevented in the future.
“Finally, I’d like to thank the relatives of patients affected by the delay who took part in the Inquiry for their important contributions.”
Council Leader Cammy Day has responded to the publication of the Edinburgh Tram Inquiry. He said: “As a Council, we’ve co-operated fully with Lord Hardie’s Edinburgh Tram Inquiry since its announcement nine years ago and have always maintained that its outcomes will be beneficial in informing investment in similar major transport infrastructure projects, both here in Edinburgh and by other local authorities.
“We’ll consider our response, and any actions required, based on the findings and report back to Transport Committee in November and then our Council meeting in December.
“From a first reading of the report it’s clear that serious mistakes were made and that this had a significant impact on the city. There’s no getting away from the fact that the original project caused a great deal of disruption to residents and businesses, as well as damaging the city’s reputation and on behalf of the Council, I want to apologise for this.“
The scathing 959-page report lays the blame for the tram fiasco – years late, millions of £ over budget and delivering only a single line, far less than was promised – at the door of TIE (the council’s tram firm), the council itself and the Scottish Government.
Cammy Day went on: “I won’t, however, apologise for building a tram system, or for our ambition to develop it further.
After all, creating a better connected, environmentally friendly transport system is essential for a modern, successful city and we need to transform the way people move around if we are to achieve our net zero goals.
“Equally, we shouldn’t forget that, in the nine years since the line between Edinburgh Airport and York Place was built, the service has flourished to become a hugely successful transport route for thousands of residents and visitors each day.
“We’ve now launched passenger services on the completed line to Newhaven, the success of which was down to the hard work of the in-house project team and partners, but also thanks to lessons learned from the first project.
“Prior to the announcement of the Inquiry, and towards the closing stages of the first project, we’d already introduced a raft of changes to project management and governance, which also proved crucial to the succesful implementation of the current Trams to Newhaven project.
“In developing the Trams to Newhaven route, clear, timely communication has been key, both between project managers, contractors and elected members but also residents, businesses and other stakeholders. The final business case built on months of extensive consultation on the designs and plans, updating and amending them in response to feedback so that they meet the community’s needs.
“We’ve drawn on the experience of skilled project managers throughout, with a particular focus on securing independent oversight and expert advice at every stage. The establishment of a tram board incorporating independent members, for example, has allowed effective scrutiny, while taking on board the advice of industry experts, such as Professor Bent Flyvbjerg, helped us to take full account of the risks involved.
“We made every effort to minimise disruption and, throughout construction, kept local people, businesses and elected members informed through regular updates, responding to concerns and questions.
“The new route’s already proving to be extremely popular, with passenger numbers doubling in the first few weeks and August clocking in as Edinburgh Trams’ best ever month, with more than 1.2m customer journeys recorded.
“We’re already looking at options for expanding the network further – to the north and south of the city, and potentially also to neighbouring authorities – and it’s encouraging to see this is very much part of the Scottish Government’s plans too.”
The sun shone on Leith yesterday (Wednesday, 7 June) when passenger services on Edinburgh’s new tram line to Newhaven were launched, with the help of the community along the route.
The first paying customers were able to board the service, operated by Edinburgh Trams, between Newhaven and Picardy Place (and onward to Edinburgh Airport) from 12pm.
To celebrate the occasion, a piper accompanied the first tram into the Picardy Place tram stop while members of Edinburgh’s Dance Base performed a specially choreographed ‘tram ballet’ outside St Mary’s Cathedral. The Council Leader then joined local school pupils to officially open the tram for service.
The 2.9 mile, eight stop route, which has been under construction since November 2019, has been delivered on schedule and within the £207.3m budget.
Over recent months rigorous testing to ensure the newly constructed line, software and signals work effectively and safely has included running trams at half and full speed and eventually to timetable, work to integrate signalling and interface with Edinburgh Trams’ control centre and driver familiarisation.
Council Leader Cammy Day said: “I’m delighted to be playing a part in this momentous occasion – the launch of tram passenger services between Picardy Place and Newhaven. It’s a real landmark moment for Edinburgh, as we bring this high capacity, sustainable and reliable service to the north of the city.
“I know many will share in my excitement, and optimism for the benefits this development will provide. We’ve already seen vast improvements to spaces along the route and long-term I’m looking forward to the impact it will have on the local economy, which even now we’re starting to see.
“I’d like to take this opportunity to thank all those who live and own businesses along the route. They have shown such patience and resilience throughout this major, complex project and now I hope that they will really gain from the new service.
“This is also a chance to reflect on the hard work of those who have delivered this scheme. Thanks to the project team’s dedication, despite the challenges of recent years, I’m proud to say Trams to Newhaven has been delivered on time and within the £207.3m budget” (!!! See below – Ed.)
Lea Harrison, Edinburgh Trams Managing Director, said: “The opening of the route will mark another momentous day for the city, and the entire Edinburgh Trams team stands ready to bring its acclaimed brand of service excellence to tens of thousands of new customers in the communities it serves.
“We’re also looking forward to delivering a real boost for local businesses, providing a convenient transport link between the city centre and some of Edinburgh’s most densely populated neighbourhoods, as well as key locations such as Ocean Terminal and Port of Leith.
“With trams from every seven minutes between 6am and midnight, seven days a week, our expanded tram timetable will help firms large and small to attract new business while helping their employees get to and from work.”
To mark the event, the earliest passengers were able to purchase ‘platinum’ tram tickets from machines at Picardy Place and Newhaven tram stops while Pulse of the Place, a vibrant youth samba band based in north Edinburgh, performed around the Newhaven tram stop.
The Guard of Honour from the High Constabulary of the Port of Leith also stood at Pilrig Street to welcome the tram into the historic Burgh of Leith wearing full parade dress, including top hats, whistles and ceremonial batons.
While the project will open for revenue services on 7 June 2023, outstanding public realm works will continue in some sections.
‘On time and on Budget? Well, no, not quite. The line to Newhaven was part of the original plan for Edinburgh’s tram network. That infamous project became a fiasco, delivering not a network but a SOLITARY LINE – and even that was years late and millions of pounds over budget!
Such was the scale of the shambles of Edinburgh’s tram project that a Public Enquiry was set up under Lord Hardie.
The Inquiry aims to establish why the Edinburgh Tram project incurred delays, cost more than originally budgeted and through reductions in scope delivered significantly less than projected.
The official terms of reference for the Inquiry are to:
Inquire into the delivery of the Edinburgh Tram project (‘the project’), from proposals for the project emerging to its completion, including the procurement and contract preparation, its governance, project management and delivery structures, and oversight of the relevant contracts, in order to establish why the project incurred delays, cost considerably more than originally budgeted for and delivered significantly less than was projected through reductions in scope.
Examine the consequences of the failure to deliver the project in the time, within the budget and to the extent projected.
Review the circumstances surrounding the project as necessary, in order to report to the Scottish Ministers making recommendations as to how major tram and light rail infrastructure projects of a similar nature might avoid such failures in future.
Lord Hardie’s Report into the Edinburgh Trams Project was finally handed over to the publishing company on 26 April and will be with them ‘for several weeks’.
We should find out soon just where all our missing millions went. Platinum tram tickets indeed – and we’ve certainly payed dearly for them!
