Union chiefs want Lothian Buses to run the Edinburgh trams

 By Clare Carswell 

 

UNION chiefs are calling for Edinburgh’s controversial new tram services to be run by the city’s award winning bus operator instead. They argue that Lothian Buses already runs a profitable service and can turn around the ailing fortunes of the project by wresting control from TEL – the company currently poised to operate the lines. 

It follows the shock departure yesterday of David MacKay, chairman of the company behind the TIE construction project which has been dogged by delays, legal battles and spiralling costs. 

In a parting shot, he branded the elements of the project as “hell on wheels” and launched a furious broadside against the German contractors, Bilfinger Berger. 

Pot Hole Pizza launched in protest of disruptive Edinburgh trams

By Oliver Farrimond

A DISGRUNTLED restaurant owner has launched a pizza protest against disruptive tram works in Edinburgh.

Staff at Italian eatery La Piazza have begun producing the one-off dish to mark their frustration with the project.

The Pothole Pizza features a large hole in the centre, which owner Tony Pia says is a symbol of the council’s “half-hearted, badly thought out and poorly-finished” trams project.

Mr Pia, 33, said: “I want the council to know that we have survived the trams shambles despite best efforts to make life as difficult as possible.

Sainsbury’s don’t want their vans in Edinburgh’s jams

OFFROAD: The supermarket blamed Edinburgh's traffic chaos for the decision

By Michael MacLeod

SAINSBURY’S have put the brakes on their home deliveries in Edinburgh – because they don’t want to get stuck in traffic jams during the city’s Festival.

The supermarket giants claim summer-long road closures and diversions will spoil their “high standards” and result in a bad service, although rivals Asda and Tesco will drive on as normal.

The decision has left city some residents baffled, who claimed the areas Sainsbury’s are refusing to deliver to are not affected by the Festival or any annual knock-on congestion.

One Tory councillor even called on locals to ditch Sainsbury’s and shop elsewhere.

Edinburgh council set to sack German tram contractor

The trams were set to open in Edinburgh next year but have been delayed by at least seven months

By Cara Sulieman

EDINBURGH councils chiefs plan to axe the German firm carrying out work on the city’s troubled tram project.

Council chiefs say they are at the end of their tether after months of delays and projected overspends.

The £545 million project – originally due to finish in August 2011 – promised to bring benefits to the capital but is now seven months behind schedule with no end in sight.

Now they are preparing for a potentially costly legal battle to rid them of the contractors Bilfinger Berger.

Transport convener, Councillor Gordon Mackenzie, said the “ludicrous” position adopted by Bilfinger Berger left the council with no option but to terminate the contract.

Bookies take bets on Edinburgh tram project taking 16 years

By Rory Reynolds

CHEEKY bookies are offering odds on whether or not the Edinburgh trams project will be finished before building work on an infamous Spanish cathedral that was started 130 years ago.

William Hill have offered 20/1 odds that the Sagrada Familia, which is scheduled to be finished in 2026, will be completed before the capital’s beleaguered tram system.

The Barcalona cathedral – whose world-famous architect Antoni Gaudi died after being run over by a tram – was started in 1882 but has never been completed.

Now the city’s residents have the chance to make a fortune if the costly tram project fails.

The bookmakers are also offering 3/1 odds on the entire project being scrapped, as well as 25/1 odds on it being delivered to its set budget of £545million.

Tram bosses fear residents being zapped by power lines

By Rory Reynolds

TRAM BOSSES want to ban Edinburgh house-holders form washing their windows – in case they get ZAPPED by power lines.

Thousands of people living on streets where overhead cables are installed will have to ask for permission from tram bosses to clean their own windows in case electrocute themselves in the process,.

The flaw is just one of the new features that the city will have to get used to, with tram bosses issuing tips on how to cope with the new changes.

The decision has already been taken to build extra-tall 20ft poles on Princes Street to stop the wires electrocuting tourists on open top buses.

Controversially TIE, the tram project delivery firm, have shunned technology that foregoes on-board running equipment, in favour of traditional tram lines.

Futuristic big wheel plan rolls into Edinburgh

By Michael MacLeod

EDINBURGH is set to get its own version of the London Eye in a bid to lure over half-a-million tourists to the capital.

Plans for an attraction dubbed “Scotland’s National Wheel” show it will tower 120 metres over the city – twice as high as the Scott Monument.

But designers say the city centre is not big enough for the giant Ferris wheel, and plan to erect it at the Leith Waterfront.

The area was chosen to tie in with a new transport station set to be built next year as part of the city’s ongoing tram project.

Trams boss says budget going off track is “great success”

By Michael MacLeod

EDINBURGH’S tram scheme boss believes going £33million over budget would be “a great success.”

Richard Jeffrey says the massive project is likely to cost £545million instead of the original £512million budget.

But rather than going off the rails, he says he would be “pleased” if his team hit the newly raised budget bar.

Shirley Anne Somerville MSP slammed his remarks as “simply not good enough.”

Speaking in a weekend interview, Jeffrey – the recently appointed chief executive of Transport Initiatives Edinburgh (TIE) – conceded that the project was “not going smoothly.”

But he refuted claims the final bill could be £1billion.

Tram works could jeopardise capital’s Christmas celebrations

Santa launches Edinburgh's Christmas

 

By Cara Sulieman

EDINBURGH faces a nightmare before Christmas – the threat of overrunning tram works ruining its planned festive party.

Council chiefs have unveiled a glitzy four day extravaganza for the city centre next month to feature giant snow globes, elves and musical fountains to boost trade hit by disruption.

But even before the fake snow settled at yesterday’s launch, sources revealed that time will be so tight, any last minute hitches with the tram works could pose huge problems.

With some small work continuing into the first day of Edinburgh Sparkles, it will be a tight squeeze for the contractors who have to be clear from the site before the party can begin.

Bomb scare at Edinburgh Airport

By Paul Thornton

BOMB squad experts were called to Edinburgh Airport – after tram workers dug-up an explosive device.

Work on the capital’s tram link uncovered the shell at Burnside Road just before 10am in the morning.

The area is just on the edge of Edinburgh Airport but authorities say the transport hub – the busiest in Scotland – was not evacuated and no flights were affected.