http://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/transport/edinburgh-trams-inquiry-work-starts-1-3538251
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » General Edinburgh
Tram latest
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Posted 9 years ago #
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Traders have been informed that trees can’t be planted on much of Leith Walk because council officials don’t know where underground utilities are located.
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Posted 9 years ago # -
Wait... wasn't the whole POINT of the Leith Walk works to establish exactly where all the utilities were (so that they weren't under the tram rails)
Facepalm!
Posted 9 years ago # -
I'd love to see Leith Walk planed full of trees! We could have a MTB route all the way down, and if planted with fruit trees, the health of Leith would increase dramatically*!
* allegedly!
Posted 9 years ago # -
"when work is planned for an area, information is requested from utilities companies. Very often the information is provided with a caveat that it is not exhaustive.”
Don't sue us if fry your digger on an unmarked cable and we'll not sue you either? Sadly that's not the way business works.
Posted 9 years ago # -
"Tram Souvenirs"?
They could sell blocks of crushed up cycle path removed to make way for trams, mounted in perspex on a tasteful plinth?
Posted 9 years ago # -
Sounds to me like Edinburgh has decided, like many other cities, to sell a range of Edinburgh-related merchandise. The EEN, in their usual manner then twists it round to become a story about them 'selling model trams to pay for the tramline'. They know this will attract the usual bile-spewing, hate-filled moron commenters and this increase page-hits and ad revenue.
Job done!
Posted 9 years ago # -
Not to mention rent a quote from
coffee maidbitter copy man, who despite his best efforts did not go out of business...Posted 9 years ago # -
He is a broken record, isn't he? Clearly subscribes to the "there is no such thing as bad publicity" theory.
Posted 9 years ago # -
Given the supposed loathing of the trams by almost everyone in Edinburgh (if you believe the EEN and its usual coterie of commenters), I'm surprised Mr McKeeman hasn't become a millionaire by now selling anti-tram posters / t-shirts / other memorabilia etc.
Obviously not much of a businessman if he hasn't spotted such a glaringly obvious business opportunity....
Posted 9 years ago # -
I came across yet another person getting up off the ground after coming off on the lines outside Haymaket station a couple of days ago. Fortunately only bruised and a bit shaken.
Posted 9 years ago # -
"Leith and Granton spur tram routes back on agenda"
http://www.citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=13830
Posted 9 years ago # -
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THE contractor behind the Edinburgh Trams project has broken its silence to state that it intends to “fully support” the public inquiry in the belief that it will vindicate them in their role in the controversial £1 billion project.
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http://www.scotsman.com/news/transport/contractor-will-support-edinburgh-trams-inquiry-1-3602503
Posted 9 years ago # -
Posted 9 years ago #
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That's from the 1st of November, dude.
Posted 9 years ago # -
Ah yes!
That's a relief. I thought there had been a new committee report or something.
(Was on top of news list today for some reason!)
Posted 9 years ago # -
Sad news if they ruin the Roseburn to Granton cycle path. :O( Perhaps Spokes could carry out more surveys to see how many cyclists use the path at different points, and then compare with how many are forcast to use the new Trams along that route.
Posted 9 years ago # -
1141. Hopefully will never happen. What has already been spent on the tram is a sunk cost. Extending the tram even if new part is cost neutral would not reduce the sunk cost. Unless the new part make a profit wont reduce cost.
If the new part does not make a profit then all the new part would do is reduce embarrassment so not a financial decision but a political one.It seems a case of the new part will make less of a loss rather than the new part making a profit.
May be self-interest of people in Edinburgh transport, Edinburgh council, Scottish government and hangers on, the bigger the project the more people and money, the higher the pay grade etc. the bigger more prestigious the portfolio waste projects become self-perpetuating waste centres.
Although it talked about the current part nearly making an operating profit, Concorde made an operating profit, it may make it easier to make an operating profit if increased the route but still be increasing the overall loss unless new part is at least neutral.
The tram provides almost no utility benefits over a bus, with the exception of better wheel chair access. It may produce less pollution from no exhaust yet the number of buses displaces is small, would imagine almost no measurable environment benefit in respect to local pollution. If was to have spent 1 billion on pollution reduction activities they may have been bigger wins.
Even extension increases the operating profit could still increase the overcost. Can Edinburgh council really afford to waste more money on what many consider a vanity project.
Its seems a case of self-perpetrating waste.Posted 9 years ago # -
Why should the profits from the Tram have to cover the investment made in the infrastructure?
Is the Forth Resilience Crossing expected to make a profit? What about dualling the A9?
It may produce less pollution from no exhaust yet the number of buses [it] displaces is small
Again, why is it that (anti-trams) people only think about the number of buses a tram replaces. What about the number of (far more polluting & congesting) cars it replaces? Trams create new journeys over & above what the buses already carry. Some of those new journeys will be from people who would've driven e.g. driven to the airport & parked in the long stay.
Posted 9 years ago # -
What motivates me to criticise the tram is largly through self interest, I don’t want it built on the cycle path as I use it often. The Roseburn to Leith is my favorite path.
I suppose people including myself consider the tram infrastructure through a self- funding frame because there is a perception of little advantage created from the tram over what already exists.
Personally I would not consider myself anti tram per say, in Germany they have trams that make more sense it’s the high costs.
Some infrastructure has more obvious advantages, it just it seems the trams cost a lot of money for little benefits. Spending this amount of money may have gained bigger benefits on other uses.
The comparison with the bus is in part as both offer sollutions the same problem, they both cover distances at a similar speed, buses have replaced trams in many cities including Edinburgh, they are considered a similar transport solution so would draw some comparison with the bus.
Why would the tram reduce car uses over a bus etc? as the bus was the existing solution what benefit does the new one offer etc.
What benefits does the tram offer over the bus etc?
Why would the tram reduce car use more so than the bus etc. ( It may do but being easier to find, a novelty, smoother ride, bus have a more down market image some people don’t want to be seen in bus that will use the tram etc, some people may assume tram is quicker than it is)Are the tram journeys new journeys or journeys that may have been made by bus some may be, what are the value of the journeys. If journeys like the one I am going to make on the tram to see what its like, possibly does not create much value of course very few of the journeys are.
It may be people are not aware of the advantage of the tram what is it function etc, other infrastructure that may be costly can sometimes be more clearly seen to be meeting a public demand or purpose the tram does not seem to meet a function that can justify the high cost or at least this is a wide held perception.
People may critise edinburgh tram who are not anti tram or train etc, just dont think Edinburgh tram was a good use of resources.
Posted 9 years ago # -
How many motorists have switched from driving to trams?
Posted 9 years ago # -
17.
Posted 9 years ago # -
Don't over-exaggerate..
Posted 9 years ago #
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