THE long-awaited laying of the first piece of track on the capital's tram route is set to be put back yet again – to the middle of the Edinburgh Festival.
The Scotsman has learned that plans for the landmark move, expected within the next three weeks, are likely to be put back by up to three months.
It is thought the laying of the first tracks might have been even later had the city council and its
tram company not agreed to scrap a planned ban on work during the festivals season.
The claims emerged a day after politicians had demanded answers over the late running of work to move underground pipes and cables. It emerged earlier this year that this is running at least eight months behind schedule and it was revealed yesterday that only a third of the work has been done on parts of the route.
Leith Walk had earlier been earmarked for the first tangible signs of trams returning to Edinburgh after almost 53 years, until the move to lay the first track there was shelved to give traders a break from roadworks over Christmas.
Princes Street was then pencilled in for the first tram tracks in April, but it was announced last month that they would instead appear there by early June under a new programme drawn up, following the resolution of a dispute with the German-led consortium in charge of constructing the rails, power lines and tram stops.
However, more delays over the moving of underground pipes and cables, and the decision to scrap the festivals embargo, has led to yet another new timetable having to be created.
City council chiefs last night insisted the programme timetable was still on track and the rails would be in place within weeks.
But sources close to the project said the earliest the tracks were likely to appear would be well into July or early August.
It is thought the date could have been as late as September had the city council not decided to scrap the planned embargo on all tramworks during the festivals period.
One insider said: "The business community has already been warned that it could be late July or early August for the tram tracks going down.
"No-one is keen to admit it at the moment, while there are still problems with the utility works to be overcome, but the new timetable being drawn up will put the laying of the first tracks back a fair bit. It was vital the festivals embargo was scrapped."
Jane Wood, chairwoman of Essential Edinburgh, the body representing the interests of retailers in the city centre, said it had been promised the first tracks would be in place by July.
"We haven't heard anything about things slipping any further. It's a hugely symbolic thing for the city to see, as it will make it seem as if we're halfway down the journey. It doesn't mean much to people that pipes and cables are being moved around.
"The big priority is to limit disruption on the Christmas shopping period and ensure the deadline of having all work on Princes Street finished by the end of November is met."
Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce spokesman Graham Bell said: "This work will be done when it has to be done – we just want everything finished as soon as possible."
Officials at TIE, the council's tram firm, and the council last night insisted the current timetable had not changed since the one announced last month.
A council spokeswoman said: "We have been informed by TIE and the contractor that track laying will start in Princes Street in the middle of June."
CITY PAMPERINGONE of Edinburgh's beauty spots will be turned into a spa in the latest initiative to help businesses cope with the impact of tramworks.
St Andrew Square Gardens, which was closed to the public until this time last year, will play host to a day of massage, manicures and makeovers later this month.
The event is being organised as part of the "Open for Business" campaign aimed at offsetting the impact of tram-related disruption.
Free demonstrations, product promotions and advice will be on offer at the "urban spa" on 24 May. The first 100 people through the gates will receive a bag of product samples and offers that can be used around the capital that day.
