Tag: trams

Tram to Newhaven? Public consultation launched

‘Survey showed that a majority of residents think trams will make a positive difference to Leith’

Members of the public, businesses and a wide range of stakeholders will help shape plans for taking the tram to Newhaven – should the project be approved by Council later this year.

Starting later this month, a major local consultation exercise will seek feedback on (a) traffic management and business support plans for the construction period and (b) the outline road layout for Leith Walk and the rest of the route.

The consultation comes as the results of an independent survey carried out in Leith are published, showing that the majority of respondents believe Leith would benefit from the introduction of a tram.

However the vast majority of those interviewed – 91% – said they are satisfied with current transport provision on Leith Walk.

From 19 March, six weeks of public consultation and engagement will provide the public, businesses and wider stakeholders with general information on the project, an opportunity to meet the team and specific details around traffic management during construction, support for business proposals and the outline road layout, ahead of final plans being drawn up.

Views will be sought on traffic management and phasing currently proposed, including proposals for the closure of Leith Walk northbound and a single lane open southbound, along with the closure of sections of Constitution Street, for approximately 18 months during construction.

The traffic management proposals have been drawn up following in-depth traffic modelling and discussions with key partners and stakeholders, including bus companies, local community groups, businesses and elected members.

The plans include support for businesses who will be most affected by the works, including provision for parking and loading between worksites, an Open for Business campaign, on-street customer service staff, logistics hubs and financial support.

Views will also be sought on the plans for the permanent design of the street along the route, including a dedicated public transport-only lane on Leith Walk for tram and bus during morning and evening rush hour.

This is the first stage in a consultation process that is scheduled to continue through to the end of 2018.

Transport Convener Councillor Lesley Macinnes said: “When the Outline Business Case was approved by Council in September we pledged to dedicate the following year or so (ahead of the final decision) to establishing mutually beneficial relationships with local residents and businesses who would be most affected by construction works.

“We’ve been working very closely with the local community and our partners ever since to model traffic management plans and look at options for supporting businesses as much as possible if the project goes ahead.

“These plans have been developed taking on board lessons learned from the first phase of tramworks and the current traffic management arrangements in place around Leith Street.

“The recent Leith survey showed that a majority of residents think trams will make a positive difference to Leith.

“However, there are clearly some very real concerns about disruption and congestion during construction. This consultation gives people the chance to help shape how we manage things if and when work gets under way. We hope as many people as possible will have their say, either at one of our four information events or via the Consultation Hub, which will host the consultation from 19 March.”

The consultation will include: 

  • online consultation via the Consultation Hub

  • 28,000 letters delivered to residential addresses in the area surrounding the planned tram route

  • 4 public information events*

  • 4 local business forums

– 4 community council briefings

LEITH SURVEY

In November 2017, the project team commissioned an independent survey to understand local behaviours and attitudes towards Tram to Newhaven. Research done by Progressive Partnership – 368 ten-minute on-street interviews carried out on three different stretches of Leith Walk. 

  • 59% agreed that the line would benefit Leith with 58% saying it would be easier to get around and 42% saying it would be good for local business
  • 91% were satisfied with current transport provision on Leith Walk
  • When asked what would improve public transport provision in Leith Walk, the most popular response at 38% was ‘introduce a tram service’ NB most respondents currently used buses or walking to get to and around Leith
  • 56% said they were likely to use the new line
  • Among those who did not think Leith would benefit, concerns focused chiefly on disruption, delays and congestion resulting from construction works

*Public information events

Thursday 22 March: Leith Theatre, 11am – 6pm

Tuesday 3 April: McDonald Road Library, 10am – 4pm

Thursday 12 April: Leith Community Education Centre, 3pm – 9pm

Saturday 21 April: Ocean Terminal, 12 noon – 5pm

Making the case for trams to Newhaven

This article by city council Transport Convener Councillor Lesley Macinnes was published in the Edinburgh Evening News last week:

Last week Edinburgh’s councillors approved the Outline Business Case for taking the tram to Newhaven, signalling a desire to move towards a transformed vision for transport in the Capital. Continue reading Making the case for trams to Newhaven

Next stop Newhaven: councillors back tram line extension

The Outline Business Case (OBC) for taking trams to Newhaven has been approved by the City of Edinburgh Council. The OBC has been scrutinised by members of all political groups on the Council over recent weeks and gained approval from the Transport and Environment Committee earlier this month.  Continue reading Next stop Newhaven: councillors back tram line extension

Taking the tram to Newhaven?

City council publishes £165.2 million business case to extend tram line to Leith and Newhaven

The Outline Business Case (OBC) for taking Edinburgh’s tram service down to Leith and Newhaven has been published. The news will not be met with unrestrained joy: the proposed tram line extension would see Leith Walk cut down to just ONE LANE for eighteen months if the £165.2 million project is approved. Continue reading Taking the tram to Newhaven?

“We have all lost a bright star”: Princes Street accident victim named

Police Scotland have confirmed the name of a 23-year-old woman who died following a road traffic collision on Princes Street earlier this week. She was Zhi Min Soh of Malaysia. Continue reading “We have all lost a bright star”: Princes Street accident victim named

Cyclist dies following city centre collision

A woman cyclist has died following a collision in the city centre. It’s understood she overbalanced when her cycle wheel became stuck in tram tracks and she fell into the path of an oncoming tour bus. 

The 24-year-old was cycling at the West End of Princes Street at around 8.30am yesterday when she came off her bike at the junction with Lothian Road, before being involved in a collision with the Rabbie’s Tours mini-bus. The woman, who has not yet been named, sustained serious injuries and was taken to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh where she later passed away.

Roads at the busy junction were closed for several hours and diversions put in place while Road Policing Officers carried out investigations at the scene.

Anyone with information is asked to come forward.

Sergeant Fraser Wood from the Road Policing Unit in Edinburgh said: “Sadly, as a result of this collision, the young woman sustained injuries that she could not recover from. Our sympathies are with her family and friends at this time.

“As part of our ongoing investigation we remain keen to speak to members of the public who witnessed this incident, or who have information that can assist us in establishing the full circumstances of what happened.”

Those with information can contact the Road Policing Unit in Edinburgh via 101 and quote incident number 643 of the 31st May.

Alison Johnstone, Scottish Green MSP for Lothian, used First Minister’s Questions to raise concerns about safe cycling infrastructure following yesterday’s fatal accident in Edinburgh in which a twenty-four year old woman came off her bike on tram tracks and was hit by a minibus.

Cycling campaigners have claimed that the number of accidents on tram tracks in the Capital is higher than in other UK cities.

Alison Johnstone, co-convener of Holyrood’s cross-party group on cycling, said: “Our deepest sympathies go out to the family and friends of the young woman who died. While an investigation is underway into the circumstances, it is terrible that it often takes such shocking events to prompt a rethink of how we plan our infrastructure.

“Cycling should be a safe way of getting about our towns and cities for everyday activities. I’m pleased that the First Minister agreed to my request that the Transport Minister meets with campaign groups to discuss what can be done to prevent any further injuries or loss of life.”

Tram network back on track?

Capital Coalition stands firm to seek ‘best value for city’

tram front

Councillors have approved in principle that any tram extension should continue to Newhaven. Elected members voted today to continue consideration of an Outline Business Case (see below) until the next Council meeting in December, when a further report will be heard. Continue reading Tram network back on track?

Tram to Newhaven?

Tram

The city council is to consider taking the tram network into Newhaven, Ocean Terminal or the foot of Leith Walk.

The line currently stops at York Place, but councillors will consider options to extend the route from the city centre along part of the originally planned route – a plan scaled down when the project ran into financial difficulties -at a meeting next week.

Extension cost estimates are £144.7m to Newhaven, £126.6m to Ocean Terminal and £78.7m to Leith Walk.

Transport Convener, Cllr Lesley Hinds, said: “I am extremely pleased with the progress of the business case, which already shows the clear economic impact the extension of the tram line could have on the city.

“In the tram’s first year of operation we have seen passenger numbers increase, demonstrating a growing demand for public transport in Edinburgh and making the case for extending the tram to benefit people elsewhere in the city.

“But we don’t want to make any rash decisions about the future of the project, and that’s why further due diligence is required to ensure a robust financial case that can be used as a basis for an informed judgement. We will also be exploring all avenues for funding, and considering a series of new and innovative options with a view to delivering best value.

“It is essential that we learn from our past mistakes and I am confident that this process will deliver thoroughly researched, strategic options for a tram extension.”

Further work is now to be carried out, including a formal market consultation, testing and auditing of the financial model and an investigation of alternative funding options, ahead of the final decision in autumn.

Read more about the Edinburgh tram project online.

trams mess

Edinburgh’s tram service began running in May last year, six years late and costing more than double (£776 milion) the original £375m price tag – and that price was for a trams network not just a single line.

A public inquiry was set up last year under Lord Hardie to establish why the Edinburgh Trams project ‘incurred delays, cost more than orignally budgeted and through reductions in scope deliverd significantly less than projected’.

A formal call for members of the public to provide written evidence was issued on 12 May this year and a list of issues has been published. An online survey has also been created to give people an easy way to submit this evidence.

For more info visit  http://www.edinburghtraminquiry.org/