Edinburgh tram extension rolls forward to Newhaven
March 14 2018
BAM Colas Rail, Dragados, Farrans Sacyr Neopul and Sisk Steconfer have been selected to progress their bids for the infrastructure project ahead of a final business case being presented for the project.
All four shortlisted bidders will be invited to tender from mid-April, encompassing all works from the design and construction of tracks to power cables, shelters and public realm work.
A decision on whether to plough ahead with the extension and award the construction contract will be taken at the tail end of 2018.
The first phase of the tram link connecting Edinburgh Airport with St Andrew Square was finally completed in 2014 following years of delays and cost overruns.
7 Comments
#1 Posted by TramsRcool on 14 Mar 2018 at 12:24 PM
Good. Hopefully they won't balls it up like last time.
#2 Posted by Artisan2 on 16 Mar 2018 at 10:09 AM
Is this another expensive 'vanity project', designed to create more hazards for urban cyclists? Or have all the Phase 1 problems been overcome by improved design for Phase 2?
#3 Posted by KMCA on 16 Mar 2018 at 10:20 AM
So this is essentially a tram route to Ocean Terminal, connecting Leith and Newhaven with quite a bit of disruption to the city.
What exactly is the issue with phase 2b, using the tram infrastructure as a driver for waterfront development in Granton? Relatively little disruption, at a fraction of the cost, which could transform the entire Roseburn - Granton corridor.
What exactly is the issue with phase 2b, using the tram infrastructure as a driver for waterfront development in Granton? Relatively little disruption, at a fraction of the cost, which could transform the entire Roseburn - Granton corridor.
#4 Posted by Egbert on 16 Mar 2018 at 10:23 AM
Apart from the fact that the bidding contractors appear to have been created by the Random Infrastructure Consortium Name Generator, this is really positive news - good to see this moving forward. Let's get it built.
#5 Posted by Bonvivant on 16 Mar 2018 at 10:54 AM
It certainly looks likely to go ahead. Can you imagine the fuss if the council actually took any notice of any meaningful consultation and cancelled it, resulting in compensation for the bidders?
#6 Posted by lanarklad on 16 Mar 2018 at 12:35 PM
KMCA. No issue with 2a per se other than 2a principally delivers city centre commuting and population density projections for Granton have lowered since the lines were planned. In meantime, completing line 1 connects system to hugely dense population of Leith Walk/Leith and spurs development. They've run the numbers and it will make line 1 a lot more profitable.
#7 Posted by KMCA on 16 Mar 2018 at 14:46 PM
#6 lanarklad. Thats understandable. However, infrastructure, at its best, delivers growth. The impact of that growth would be more keenly felt in Granton, but I get the point that presently it needs a profitable business case to maintain its funding.
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