Scottish Tramway & Transport Society

The New Trams for Edinburgh

Please have a look at all our pages concerning the new Edinburgh tram.

The position in August 2008 -

History

Following public consultation in 2003 plans for a new Tramway network for Edinburgh were agreed by the Scottish Parliament. Following approval and funding preparation works commenced in 2007 and trams will run again in the streets of Edinburgh by 2011.

A three line network was originally planned.

Line 1

Loop from St Andrews Square, proceeding along Leith Walk, west to Granton, South to Haymarket and along Princes Street to St Andrews Square.  Provision for a depot a Leith was provided. A bus feeder to Western General Hospital was agreed.

Line 2

Haymarket to Edinburgh Airport with a shuttle between Edinburgh Airport and Newbridge. To serve central Edinburgh to the western outskirts of the City.

Line 3

Waverley to Newcraighall via Cameron Toll and the Royal Infirmary.

Line 1 - Public consultation commenced on 14^th May 2003 and closed on 10^th July 2003 . Following careful consideration of the comments a private bill was introduced to the Scottish Parliament on 29^th January 2004. The Bill was passed on 29^th March 2006 and received Royal Assent on 8^th May 2006.

Line 2 –Public consultation was between 14^th May and 10^th July 2003. The Bill was introduced before the Scottish Parliament on 29^th January. The Bill was passed on 22^nd March 2006 and received Royal Assent on 27^th April 2006.

Line 3 – This proposal has been shelved due to initial lack of funding.

Pre – Construction

Following financial backing by the Scottish Executive, The City of Edinburgh Council, and other developers including Forth Ports Plc, funding being released in March 2007, the initial works to prepare the streets for the trams commenced in 2007. Phase 1a was agreed for construction of a line between Edinburgh Airport and Newhaven. Phase 1b will be the construction of the Granton to City Centre via Craigleith and Roseburn line.  

The initial phase of the construction involves the relocating of the utilities away from the areas where the tram will run. This has been an opportunity for the Gas, Electric, Phone, Water, and other underground services to be updated. The work involved in relocating the services is being carried out by Carillion.

The second phase will be the construction of the track for the trams and the other infrastructure which will be required. This part of the work will be completed by two well respected firms, Bilfinger Berger UK Ltd and Siemens. They will also have the responsibility of maintenance of the track and infrastructure when the trams are running.

Construction

Phase 1a will see the line from Edinburgh Airport to Newhaven completed. This will incorporate some parts of the approved Line 1 and some parts of Line 2 and see the construction of approximately 18.7km of double track line, and 1.4km of single track line. The Depot will be situated at Gogar.The running length is approximately 18 km.

The Trams

When the construction work is completed the 27 trams will start to arrive. These are being supplied by Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles of Spain. An option for a further 4 is available. The first tram will be delivered in April 2010 and commence passenger service in July 2011.

Transdev will operate the tram service for Transport Initiatives Edinburgh (an arms length subsidiary company belonging to the City of Edinburgh Council). Transdev globally operate tram networks in Nottingham England, Australia, France, Spain and Portugal.

The trams will be 42856 mm long, will be able to carry up to 250 passengers (manufacturer specification was 332,  80 seats and 252 standing, but amended for Edinburgh route traffic requirements), they will have low level floors allowing easy access for the less able or those with prams, buggies, pushchairs and bicycles. The top speed is 70 km/h, standard 1435 mm gauge, with 750v DC overhead supply.

The tram will consist of 7 articulated carbodies supported on 4 bogies. Constructed of ferritic stainless steel on the side panels and the roof, and corten steel on the underframe. They will have 6 doors on either side and are bi-directional. Vehicle height 3400 mm, exterior width 2650 mm, and low floor height 350 mm. Access height at 300mm. Start up speed 1.2m / s2. Total power 12x80 kW.

The end bogies are motorised along with one of the intermediate ones. The other intermediate bogie is to be a "trailer". The motor bogies will have 4 motors, fitted in longitudinal direction, and entirely suspended. They will be equipped with resilient wheels, rubber primary suspension, and coil and spring secondary suspension.

The Trams will be owned by the City of Edinburgh Council who also operates Lothian Buses. Branding will be the same for all modes of transport. Through ticketing is envisaged and tickets will only be available in advance out with the trams. A conductor and driver will be on all vehicles. Parts of the tram will be cordoned off for off-peak running. A penalty fare system of £40 or 10 times the single fare will be in place. Pre purchase of tickets or season tickets will speed up the journey time as less waiting at stops will be required.

The Tram Stops

All the tram stops will have ticket purchase facilities. Security will be provided both on and off the trams with CCTV and a customer services operative will be stationed on the tram along with the driver. A panic alarm will be available at the stops and inside the tram.

The 22 stops for the initially agreed Phase 1a will be -

Edinburgh Airport; Ingliston Park & Ride; Gogarburn (and depot access); Gyle Centre; Edinburgh Park Central; Edinburgh Park Station; Bankhead; Saughton; Balgreen; Murrayfield Stadium; Haymarket Station; Shandwick Place; Princes Street; St Andrew Square; Picardy Place; McDonald Road; Balfour Street; Foot of the Walk; Bernard Street; Port of Leith; Ocean Terminal; Newhaven.

Tram Lines & Distances

All distances provided are in metres.

(x1) = single line ; (x2) = double line

The planned work detailed in Line 1

981 (x2) Queen Street to York Place to Leith Walk

1167 (x2) Leith Walk Great Junction Street Duke Street Constitution Street

829 (x2) Constitution Street Tower Street 285 (x2) North of Ocean Drive to Tower Street

62 (x2) Constitution Street to Ocean Drive (where the depot was originally planned)

90 (x2) Constitution Street to Ocean Drive (link line)

317 (x2) Ocean Drive to Rennie’s Isle

207 (x1) Ocean Drive to Ocean Point Development

205 (x1) Ocean Drive to Ocean Point Development (reverse direction)

1155 (x2) Ocean Drive to Ocean Terminal Building, North Leith Sands Lindsay Road

and Newhaven Place

128 (x2) spur adjacent to Ocean Terminal Building

51 (x2) chord linking above

The planned work detailed in Line 2

Part of the section along from Haymarket to Queen Street was duplicated in the Bill for Lines 1 and 2.

463 (x1) Princes Street near Sir Walter Scott Monument along princes Street to South St Andrew Street and to Queen Street

495 (x1) Princes Street along South St David Street, west side of St Andrew Square

1724 (x2) Princes Street from Sir Walter Scott Monument to Rutland Place Shandwick Place and West Maitland Street

680 (x2) West Maitland Street Haymarket Railway Station Roseberry House and Haymarket Yards

1650 (x2) Haymarket Yards Russell Road Roseburn Street over the Water of Leith and Balgreen Road

105 (x2) Russell Road to Balbirnie Place

1188 (x2) Balgreen Road to Saughton Mains Street

3150 (x2) Saughton Mains Street Broomhouse Road South Gyle Access and Lochside Way

1100 (x2) Lochside Way Lochside Avenue South Gyle Broadway Car Park of Gyle Shopping Centre  

4032 (x2) Car Park Gyle Shopping Centre Meadowfield Farm Access (construction of Gogar Depot) Gogar Castle Gogar Mains Farm Road Ingliston Park & Ride South of Edinburgh Airport (for airport terminal building)

Acknowledgments and further information -

www.tramtime.edinburgh

www.transdevplc.co.uk

www.tie.ltd.uk

www.edinburgh.gov.uk

www.scottish.parliament.uk

www.caf.es

Photographs are displayed on our Edinburgh Tram pages. Please have a look through these either using the slide show facility or by clicking on an indivdual picture. Page ii  has some information of current progress.