City chiefs hear tram-train plan to get South Sub back on track

TRAM-TRAINS would run on Edinburgh's South Suburban rail line under plans to be considered by city leaders.

Officials have been asked to carry out a study into the possibility of running the hybrid trams from Newcraighall to Haymarket, where they would transfer to the city's new tram line out to Edinburgh Park.

The move represents a reprieve for the ailing South Sub project, after councillors yesterday rejected council officials' recommendations to rule out the project on cost and rail capacity grounds. Council-backed tram firm TIE today said it would be keen to get involved with the tram-train project, which could link in with plans for a third tram line in the south of the city.

A recent report by consultants Halcrow concluded that an electric/diesel powered tram-train service from east to west of the Capital would attract up to 1.5 million passengers a year, but require an annual £4.2m public subsidy.

Council officials will explore ways of funding this subsidy on a par with other rail services in Scotland, as well as investigating other rail options still open such as extending train services from Fife through Waverley and around the South Sub.

Tram-trains, which are already in use in Europe, are to be trialled in the UK for the first time in 2010. They will replace standard trains on the Penistone Line between Huddersfield, Barnsley and Sheffield for a two-year trial.

Willie Gallagher, executive chairman of TIE, said: "TIE would welcome any opportunity to get engaged in a city project on the development of a tram-train proposal for a future South Suburban line."

The city's Labour transport spokesman, Councillor Ricky Henderson, launched a successful motion calling for a cross-party commitment to the South Suburban at the transport committee yesterday.

He said: "All the political parties went into the last election with a commitment to work towards the reopening of the line, and it would have been disgraceful if this issue had become another broken promise."

E-Rail – a private company formed to fight for the re-opening of the South Sub – has already secured £8.5m from landowners along the route.

The money had been secured against the fact that properties along the line would be expected to increase in value by ten per cent.

Andrew Robb, general manager of E-Rail, said: "We are agnostic when it comes to the type of service, whether it is hard rail or tram-train, because the model we have put in place will apply to either mode of fixed transport.

"This was a very disappointing report from Halcrow and I am pleased that the outcome of the council meeting is that more work will be done on the South Sub."

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