Granton & District Community Council has sent an open letter to members of the Council’s Transport and Environment Committee (TEC), who will discuss the future of proposed tram extensions at their meeting on 10 September.
Read the full letter here: https://grantoncc.scot/…/trams-to-from-granton…/
We believe that future construction of the Granton section is vital in bringing much-needed economic, social and environmental benefits to the communities of North Edinburgh.
Our part of the city faces significant socio-economic challenges, along with imminent population growth resulting from the Granton Waterfront development.
Development of a rapid transport link is essential to improving quality of life for those already living here, and ensuring that the new Granton Waterfront precinct becomes a thriving, sustainable community, rather than an isolated ghetto at the northern edge of the city.
Both the current route options for the Granton leg have their merits and drawbacks. However, we fear that the complexities and public controversies around both have led to a position where it may seem easiest for Councillors simply to ‘kick the can down the road’ and de-prioritise the Granton leg in principle – without due consideration of the socio-economic impact on present and future communities here in North Edinburgh and reneging on two decades of promises.
NEN COMMENT
THE change in priority from delivering the North Edinburgh section first may indeed have been caused by the ongoing stushie over the best route (i.e Orchard Brae vs Roseburn Path); yes, it’s divisive and there are council elections next year!
But whatever route councillors do eventually decide for North Edinburgh (and assuming that a robust business case can be made), there is a strong argument that the tram remains a key element, economically and socially, in the ongoing regeneration of the waterfront and wider North Edinburgh.
Failure to deliver this section (AGAIN!) would be seriously detrimental to progress which has been stop/start for years already; for it to happen again now is hardly a vote of confidence in what remains one of the UK’s biggest regeneration projects and sends out the wrong message both to both potential investors and communities that have been let down too often before – Ed.
