The biggest hurdle the Council will have to face is the anti tram lot. Having failed to get their way, they will no doubt take every single opportunity to knock the whole project from start to finish.
And problems that appear (they are inevitable on a project of this size) will be met by a chorus of 'WE TOLD YOU SO' etc. Can't wait !

Absolutely. Every time a new bit of road is dug up, or a teething problem comes along, there will be endless shouts on these posts. It is going to be a long 4 years.

This is a very Edinburgh phenomenon - elsewhere people get behind major improvements to a city. Here we are too scared to do anything because it "will hit small businesses".

How often will they mention, though, that they will be getting compensation at the taxpayer's expense for a project that will benefit them in the long term?

If Edinburgh council is not capable of co-ordinating work done by the utility companies and the road comapnaies then how can we expect them get it right when we add in the tram companies. Also Edinburgh tax payers are going to end up paying through the nose for it.

Proper traffic coordination would help Edinburgh more

I await the headlines in the coming future "Edinburgh council says a big laddie did and ran away its no oor fault"

Edinburgh 100 (3). Come on now, credit where credit is due.

It is TIE who are responsible for the utilities and for the traffic management both during and after construction. Important to be clear on this so that we can apportion credit, should the need arise!

Sarah B

I stand corrected,

However I beleive there was not a lot of distance between TIE and the past Edinburgh Council. Also your reference to credit is appropriate as I beleive Edinburgh residents will require a large amount of credit to get the thing finished when it goes over budget.

#1 Road Raga - you are wrong. The biggest hurdle the Council will face will be keeping tie and its 250 consultants in check - to try and get them to keep the scheme any where near near on time or budget.

Let’s all have a laff at this - Edinburgh has a proven ability to introduce transport howlers and Tie must be the assisting clowns to come into the tent - err? Trams ? Done that ! Done away wi that - er lets do it again - and how about train links - had that ! done away with that - let’s dae it again - problem is - the pro brigade are to young to realise - it’s just roond and roond on the hornby and triang roundabout !

ha ha ha - ooo ee!

Another intelligent comment from the anti tram lot at #8 I see.
And I didn't realise TIE employed 250 consultants #7, or did you make that up as another 'Tram Fact' ?
I despair !

Raga - tie has 117 people (May 2007) with a further 400 working on the tram. Its actually twice as bad as we think! http://www.tie.ltd.uk/Tram%20Options.pdf

I would expect that tie's staff numbers may be even higher given they now occupy two floors in one Haymarket building, another floor in another Haymarket building as well as offices in Leith. Incidentally, the lease at Haymarket was signed just prior to the election for 15 years (no of course they were not trying to increase cancellation costs!) - maybe they think they will need that long?

#9 Road Raga - "250 consultants" - that is a figure TIE admitted at a public meeting!!!!!

I despair when pro-tram people have a go at people who state things they do not like, when those facts come from the tram documents or have been confirmed by TIE!

#9 Poor wee Road Raga - knows the answers to Edinburghs transport problems but the majority are stupidly against it eh?

Where have all the flowers gone ? Underneath the tram tracks - ha ha ha !

I stand corrected, I was only askin. 250 does seem an awful lot.

#13 Road Raga - 250 or 400 - both numbers are large. Think of the wage bill - will there be any funds left to build the scheme!

Then ask yourself why it is taking so long for the detailed design to be delivered by all these people.

I have a bad feeling about the outcome of this project, just as I had when Morales was appointed to design a Scottish Parliament.

I am particularly uncomfortable with the ploy of comparing Edinburgh with other major cities and European capitals, which are patently as very different to Edinburgh, as they are to each other.

Regrettably, Edinburgh has been mismanaged for so long, that I believe we have lost a generation of talent to lead and manage our infrastructure. In my opinion we do not have the quality of city officials, representatives, or local contractors, capable of leading and delivering on this or other major projects at this time.

What is needed is a period of consolidation, to get our present infra-structure presentable, the whole organisation re–staffed and trained, and morale re-established.