Edinburgh Trams

By tram Edinburgh, a new tram in Edinburgh, Scotland ( United Kingdom ) is under construction.

Starting position

Edinburgh already had a tram network, its operation but had been set for November 16, 1956 and its infrastructure no longer existed. Since then, the public transport was limited to buses and regional trains.

Studies of traffic planning revealed almost 50 years after the last tram had gone that a tram in Edinburgh would bring a useful complement and release of transport. This led to two laws of the Scottish Parliament in March and April 2006, which created the legal and financial requirements for the construction, so that the construction could begin in the spring of 2007 with the site clearance underground running lines.

Planning

The planning is based on three lines, two of which are authorized by the laws of the Scottish Parliament. These are to be implemented in three phases: 1a, 1b and 2

• Phase 1a is the baseline with an original length of 18.4 km. Takes you to current planning only from Edinburgh Airport by the Princes Street with connections to Edinburgh Waverley train station to St Andrew Square, where it will end. The originally planned lines up to Newhaven was abandoned for cost reasons until further notice.
• Phase 1b would have a length of 5.6 km. It branches off at Haymarket Station on the basic line and leads to Granton Square. In Haymarket, there is also the option of switching in the same station on the railway. This branch line was abandoned in April 2009 due to the cost of development and of political resistance.
• Phase 2 would have to connect the two end stations Granton Square and Newhaven.
• Phase 3 will extend the Airport Line to Newbridge.

The plan was to open the first line in July 2011. The original estimate of construction costs should be 512 million pounds. Both key figures are not expected to be comply with because of funding problems.

In June 2011 it was decided to shorten the first planned due to financial reasons clearly. You should now end up coming from the airport instead of in Newhaven already at St Andrew Square in the city center. The further development in future is currently open. Previously also a complete demolition of the project had been considered.

Construction work

The tram runs in standard gauge. The responsibility for the construction rests with the city of Edinburgh, which she perceives through a city-owned operation, Transport Initiatives Edinburgh. The construction contract was awarded, the consortium BBS, a consortium of Siemens and Bilfinger Berger in April 2008. Construction began in June 2008. Currently ( March 2013 ) is still working on the road. The work for the overall management have not yet begun.

Financing

Funding for the project is proving to be extremely difficult, since the original cost estimate of £ 512 million was exceeded massive. This is partly due to the recession, but will also be charged to the contractors.

Cost overruns and disputes between the construction companies consortium and the principals led in February and March 2009, August 2009 to January 2010 and again in the fall of 2010 to the building freeze .. The financial problem should be solved, that the scope of the first phase has been reduced .. Although this is done, is now expected that the costs for the remaining distance will nevertheless rise to about 600 million. To solve the problem was thinking about the pledge of future profits of the local bus company Lothian Buses, which currently operates the bus network of Edinburgh, the tram itself as well as the raising of tariffs.

Due to the cost development remain politically - especially when the Scottish National Party (SNP ) - wishes to set the whole project.

Rolling stock

The orders for the 27 vehicles were awarded following a competitive tender, to the continued Alstom, Bombardier and Siemens had participated in the CAF. The contract has a value of £ 40 million. It is bi-directional low-floor trams with a length of 42.8 m. Special conditions were: Very silent riding and a design that is the status of the Edinburgh city justice as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. The vehicles have 80 seats and 250 standing passengers and are equipped with video surveillance. A model of the intended vehicle was shown in early 2009 in Princes Street.

As a result of the delay in construction at the track testing in Edinburgh were not possible, the vehicles were tested for rail vehicles in Wildenrath since March 2010 at the Siemens test center.

Operation

Originally, the web should be operational in 2010. However, it came to the above-mentioned difficulties in financing to several years of delays. In the meantime, has also been considered to take only the section between the airport and Haymarket in operation, which should be completed already in 2011, but 2012 was still under construction. In September 2013, finally, the opening was announced for May 2014 the route through the city center is in the meantime largely completed.

The operation of the tram is to be a self- operation of the city of Edinburgh, Edinburgh Trams Ltd. Transferred. Tariff system and tickets are to be fully compatible with those of Lothian Buses, so create a traffic group. The tram depot was built at the north of the station Gyle stretch to the airport.