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Capital confirms bus and tram merger

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Published Date: 06 March 2009
COUNCILLORS in Edinburgh will be asked next week to press ahead with the planned merger of Lothian Buses and the capital's tram firm pending resolution of the tram construction row, The Scotsman has learned.

A new company is due to be formed within 18 months to combine the city's main bus operator and TIE, the city council's tram developer, and create an integrated service when trams start operating in 2011.

Phil Wheeler, the council's transport convener, said: "It has always been our intention to bring trams and buses together under one operating company.

"However, we have a number of significant legal, financial and governance requirements which must be addressed in the interim, including seeking ministerial consent to the transfer of shares in Lothian Buses."

The move comes as talks continue between TIE and Bilfinger Berger, which heads the tram line construction consortium which has demanded up to an extra £80 million to complete its £240 million contract.





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1

Hmm ...,

06/03/2009 00:59:32
... so, let me get this clear Phil - you are STILL not cancelling the tram project, are you?

Think about it - you KNOW it makes sense.

Whereas continuing to blindly trust tie to get it right is a fool's errand. As you have already admitted.
2

redcliffe62,

06/03/2009 02:59:01
hide the results in a joint transport company. the tram part obviously cannot stand up on its own two feet.
cancel and admit it is a basket case now and you might get voted in next time.
3

GraemeH,

Edinburgh 06/03/2009 07:51:05
A disgraceful decision which saddles Lothian Buses with the permanent losses the vanity tram will generate if it is ever completed.

And why is the abject failure that is TIE being lumped in with Lothian Buses? What do they have to do with operating public transport? I object to my bus fares being used to pay for these idiots.
4

DonaldK,

Brussels 06/03/2009 08:09:12
It's plain to see from the Holyrood On Wheels project that TIE are a collection of incompetent buffoons. Quite why you would want to saddle Lothian Buses, which has given Edinburgh one of the best bus services in the UK with these idiots escapes me.
5

Edinburgh Ian,

Edinburgh 06/03/2009 08:24:56
This is not good news for Lothian Buses. Fares will have to rise and routes will be cancelled to pay for the losses the trams occur. Even the trams' own business case shows they will be loss making for years and this will only get worse if the rise in passenger numbers does not happen - much more likely now we are in a recesssion.

Eventually this will lead to Lothian Buses being sold off and a drastic reduction in Edinburgh's public transport network leading to more cars on the road. All because of a single tram line that will replace the number 22 bus route at a cost of over £500m.

It's not too late to scrap the trams and put a stop to all of this. Write or email your local councillor to let him or her know your thoughts. They voted for this and are responsible. It's time they listened to their electorate.
6

Edinburgh Ian,

Not on a tram 06/03/2009 08:27:50
You can even sign-up to an anti-tram group on Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=71428551410
7

tog,

Edinburgh 06/03/2009 08:34:20
Please don't do this, it is not a good idea.
8

Old Cartha Boy,

06/03/2009 08:46:28
"Phil Wheeler, the council's transport convener, said: "It has always been our intention to bring trams and buses together under one operating company."

Love to see where this had been spouted before! Who said this project couldn't get any worse!

9

ddmc,

06/03/2009 08:54:58
make the councillors personally liable for cost overruns, that will quickly bring this farce to a halt or if they feel brave enough lets have a vote on the subject or are they still reeling from the congestion charge !
10

Old Cartha Boy,

06/03/2009 08:58:42
http://news.scotsman.com/14250/Jenny-Dawe-On-track-to.5045690.jp

Full version only in paper edition of paper - it reads like Hermann Goering has been appointed Chief Press Officer of TIE!
11

Alasdair MacWhirter,

Tidying the tool box 06/03/2009 10:30:42
Doubt if the transport convenor could spell 'integrated' never mind understand the concept.
12

bluehead,

edinburgh 06/03/2009 13:16:29
that should complete the destruction of the once wonderful bus service we used to have in Edinburgh ,for it will be lost amongst the maniacal tram system that nobody wanted except a few trampots
who did not seem to bother about millions of pounds going down the drain,this must be remembered at the next election so as to be rid of this labour lot
what a dreadful waste!!!!!
13

Eric The Archer,

Edinburgh 06/03/2009 13:44:09
I would like a list of the names (and parties) of the Councillors who voted for and against the tram project in the first place. This would be valuable when it comes to the next elections.
14

Old Cartha Boy,

06/03/2009 13:54:18
Re#13 - utterly agree with you but....so many have changed their tune since that vote! On that basis, Champagne Cardownie will have initally been seen as a man of the people, now he is the tram's ambassador!

I voted SNP in 2007 given their clear intention to stop the tram project - I'll not make that mistake again!
15

NorT,

Edinburgh 06/03/2009 14:25:56
people have being saying this since the tram was peroposed but nobody would listen. The bus fares are increasing reguarly so that they will be the same as the trams (Confirmed by Councillor Wheeler)The fare will be £3.50 before long as this will be at least the minimum that there will be on the trams.
16

JT fae Cardiff,

Edinburgh 06/03/2009 15:13:52
"when trams start operating in 2011"

...uhh huh. At this rate? Nae danger!
17

Andrew,

06/03/2009 19:36:36
I'm surprised that no one else has posted:-
"The Edinburgh Trusses and Bams Company"!! (TeeHee TIE)
18

allan58,

edinburgh 07/03/2009 11:12:02
We might as well kiss Lothian Buses goodbye now. This is a disaster waiting to happen. If it tram half line has to mertged with a bus company then let some cowboy operator like First or Stagecoach subsidise it or run it into the ground.
Edinburgh council - you should hang your collective heads in shame but, you wont because you don't have an ounce of honesty or integrity between the lot of you.

You will destroy one of the best bus services in the UK just to save your own pathetic faces. I sincerely hope the voters of Edinburgh do not forget or forgive you.
19

Euan,

Edinburgh 07/03/2009 12:16:37
This is an incredibly worrying scenario for Lothian Buses.

The proposed merger with the trams simply cannot be allowed to happen, if it does, it will be a death sentence for our award-winning bus company.

This is the last straw for Edinburgh's residents, the last straw.

We demand the tram project is scrapped with immediate effect and that this proposed merger is permanently put on hold indefinitely.




20

connor123,

edinburgh 07/03/2009 13:12:02
the good people of edinburgh have moaned about lothian buses for years and for at most times moaned for nothing.i have worked for bus companies all over the u.k and lothian buses by far is the best bus company outside london..
if the council does sell lothian to stagecoach,first,arriva or any other cowboy outfit... then the idiots at edinburgh council should be shot...


 

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