Airport welcomes new tram service

It now looks like the much delayed Edinburgh Airport to city tram service will be officially in operation by May 2014.

In a strange parallel with London City’s DLR it is likely to be opened by Scottish First Minster Alex Salmond who at one time opposed the scheme.  His contemporary, Ken Livingstone, an objector to LCY, was delighted to be seen opening the light railway when it came to that airport.

Test trams will run from the airport to Edinburgh Park Station on 6 October and testing from the airport to York Place will begin on 9 December.  Over the testing period there will be more than 150 tram journeys per day, five days a week.

Journey time from the airport to Waverley Station will be 33 minutes once every seven minutes from 06:00 until midnight Monday to Saturday with a reduced Sunday service.  The construction of the tramway caused many road closures and disruptions.  The cost is now put at over £1bn, at least twice the original budget figure.

Airport Chief Executive, Gordon Dewar, said: "This is fantastic news.  Trams will offer those arriving in Edinburgh an efficient, consistent and modern way to access the capital”. (see also BTNews 22 July) www.edinburgh.gov.uk/trams

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