Should Edinburgh extend its tram network for £2bn?

The public is being asked about extending Edinburgh’s tram network, which could cost up to £2.9bn.

A 12-week consultation on the project, which could see a new line built between Granton and the Edinburgh BioQuarter, went live on Monday.

A range of costs released ahead of the consultation put the price between £2bn and £2.9bn, depending on which route the trams take.

The higher price is related to a more expensive route to the northwest of the city, with the line running beyond the BioQuarter to East Lothian.

Members of the public are being asked for their opinions on the new route.

Route decision

Council leaders are deciding whether the route should run between Crewe Toll and the city centre via Orchard Brae and across the historic, A-listed Dean Bridge — or along the Roseburn Path — a former railway line now used as a pedestrian walking path.

One option for the north of the city is for trams to run along Roseburn Path, a trail on a former railway line running north-northwest from a point west of Haymarket Station.

However, campaigners have criticised these plans, due to the path’s popularity as a walking and cycling route.

The Roseburn route is said to result in faster journey times, as trams would avoid mixing with traffic.

Officials have said a dedicated walking, wheeling, and cycling corridor would be included in the design.

The consultation runs until November 17 and can be viewed online. LDRS

Council officers estimate a routing along the path would cost between £350m and £480m, while bringing in an estimated 4.25 million passengers per year by 2042.

An alternative route could see the tram run across the Crewe Toll roundabout from Granton, go past the Western General Hospital, up Orchard Brae and connect with the Princes Street tramline at Queensferry Road in the west end of the city.

The Orchard Brae route would avoid any changes to the path, and see trams stop next to the hospital on Crewe Road South.

A routing along Orchard Brae would cost £650m and £850m, and an estimated 3.75 million passengers would travel there every year by 2042.

However, it would also mean running the tram across the 193-year-old Dean Bridge, part of Edinburgh’s Unesco world heritage site.

An additional extension to East and Midlothian will also be considered.

Places east of the Royal Infirmary that could be served by a longer line include Niddrie, Fort Kinnaird, Newcraighall Park and Ride, Queen Margaret University, Musselburgh station, and Shawfair.

The consultations’ findings will not definitively decide the route of the new tramline but will “inform the strategic business case” that will be presented before the transport and environment committee next year.

‘Prepare for the future’

Edinburgh’s transport boss, Labour councillor Stephen Jenkinson, said the new line would let the city “prepare for the future”.

It comes as the city’s population is expected to grown by 60,000 new residents in the next 20 years.

“I’m pleased that we’ve reached this key stage for extending our multi award-winning tram service” he said.

“We need to prepare for the future. Edinburgh is the fastest growing city in Scotland, with more than 60,000 new residents expected over the next 20 years. Whilst this shift is a true sign of our success, it brings real pressure on our communities, and crucially on the city’s transport infrastructure on which we all rely.

“Managing this growth also means tackling the climate, nature and housing emergencies. To meet these significant challenges, we need to look for bold and ambitious solutions and the tram extension is central to Edinburgh Trams already offers a reliable and fast service, allowing residents and visitors to move around sustainably and efficiently, and with some of the cheapest fares in the country.

“The broader benefits of cleaner air and emphasis on active travel surrounding the network are equally as important.

“Our overarching vision is to truly link our city for the benefit of all. From our flagship £1.3bn development at Granton Waterfront through to the city centre, our world-famous universities, cultural hubs, brilliant local businesses, new housing developments, hospitals and beyond; our transport network must move with the times.

“The new developments we will see along the tram route will be key to Edinburgh’s prosperity for generations to come.

“I’d encourage everyone to engage with this consultation and help to shape the next chapter in the history of Edinburgh’s transport.”