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£512m trams contracts set to go public



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Published Date: 31 May 2008
THE council's director of city development has promised to allow public scrutiny of the contracts recently signed for the £512 million tram scheme.
Dave Anderson, director of city development, said documents which summarise financial details of the tram contracts would be made available under freedom of information legislation.

The promise was made at a lively public meeting to discuss the city's tram project held at the city chambers.

Mr Anderson told the meeting: "We have a city that is growing and we need a way of transporting these extra people.

"I believe the trams will be a big boost for Edinburgh and are entirely the right way we should be developing our transport infrastructure."

Ian Robertson, secretary of the West End Community Council, said: "There are clearly a whole range of public opinions about trams.

"All viewpoints however agreed that Edinburgh deserves, and expects, the best transport solution for the city, its citizens and visitors."





The full article contains 162 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
Page 1 of 1

 
1

CB,

Somewhere in the EU 31/05/2008 11:52:07
It's encouraging that for this large public sector development there has been a high degree of transparency in the procurement procedures. That's a good sign, indicating that scrutiny is being applied properly to the finances. How unlike the Parliament fiasco, for example!
2

alex paterson,

embra 31/05/2008 12:55:20
Public scrutiny of the contracts,wonderful but who will understand them,words of a clown D.Anderson,the city is expanding and we need ways of transporting these people,the housing department could have told you that.
3

Jenny MacArthur,

31/05/2008 18:21:13
Six hours after publication, and only two comments!! Where are all the crazed anti-tram obsessives today? Come on guys, get your moan-muscles going. I'm missing the laugh you always give me with your pathetic whining.
4

Plantagenet,

01/06/2008 00:37:54
3. Sorry Jenny, can't be bothered, it obviously doesn't matter what the public think about the trams, they're coming (on time I hope) whether we like it or not. I wonder if the trams will have a bit down near the driver where all the numpties crowd together thus hindering respectable passengers who are trying to get off, now there's something I might moan about. Do you think at a tram stop there will be enough room for the same numpties to stand beyond the good, orderly people who are trained in the art of queuing, to then move forward, push on to the vehicle thus denying access for the poor souls who try to behave in a civilised manner. Nope, sorry Jenny, I just can't think of anything to moan about today.
5

Mallory,

Edinburgh 01/06/2008 06:41:36
Hope we get to see how much money has been received from developers towards the cost of TRAMS, and what is promised for the future, and on what conditions.

Hope we get to see how much money was received by the council for the sale of common good assets and land to the developers along with details of the rejected tender bids.

I know of at least one landowner near the route who is unable to pursue plans for his own business expansion as the TRAMS project has yet to decide on the final route for the tracks. Apparently no-one at the project knows if compulsory purchase legislation will be used.



6

Niadh,

Edinburgh 01/06/2008 09:46:35
Ah Good.
Now we'll get to see exactly what loopholes have been built into the costings for the project that will allow the cost to skyrocket as it did with the Scottish Parliament building.
7

Niadh,

Edinburgh 01/06/2008 09:49:19
Jenny.
I am not against the trams per se.
What I am against is the cost and what appears to me to be a very poorly thought out layout/design for what is the apparent goal.
The previous edinburgh trams were removed because they were not flexible enough and were replaced with buses.
Why are we now taking what looks like a step backwards???
8

rs,

in ma house 01/06/2008 10:21:51
AND KNOW DOUBT THEY WILL BE AS CLEAR AS MUD

9

celtic4,

USA 02/06/2008 00:45:26
I am curious. Seems all I read lately is that both Scotland and England are hurting for money. So...512 million pounds? Who is paying for all these millions of pounds projects? And if it is government, who is hurting for money? And why is Gordan Brown thinking of a bank loan??? I am just curious.
10

Julian,

EDINBURGH 02/06/2008 03:20:49
#5 Plantaganet,

The fact that the trams are inevitable has never stopped the "scrap the trams" lot before. As Jenny says, where are they?

One points which nobody seems to bring up and, I've never heard a proper explanation to, is why are our streets being dug up twice?
11

Citylocal Fife,

Fife News 02/06/2008 08:09:41
Trams - the complaints will start again in earnest once the various council devised stealth taxes start to filter through, as I don't suppose that there will be much in the way of equity release from the Wendy House, or the merest sniff of a bail-out from Mr Darling & Mr Brown to alleviate the problem of overspend/underestimation.
12

Annoyingboi,

Edinburgh 02/06/2008 14:07:16
Trams are a complete and total waste of time and money
13

Euan,

Edinburgh 02/06/2008 17:48:30
Edinburgh will be scarred forever with the construction of this disgraceful tram line.

#13 has hit the nail on the head.
14

Ian down under,

Kawerau 04/06/2008 22:56:01
Would somebody please fund a trip to Dublin, Manchester, Nottingham, Sheffield and virtually every mainland European city for all the anti-tram people. Let them see the benefits and the way that those places thrive and their people get around more easily than the Edinburgh people do.
I suspect that their only complaints then would be why such a small network and why not underground along Princes St and why not more rail links including to the airport.
What have the anti-tram lobbyists got against Edinburgh? I think they are secret Weedgies who hate the idea of the Capital moving more freely than their place.........basically they are traitors to our great city.

 

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