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It's the Capital trams that are just the ticket



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Published Date: 25 July 2008
FOLLOWING Shirley Anne Somerville MSP's piece 'No need for trams as buses are just the ticket', I'm grateful for the opportunity to expose the naivety and blatant opportunism of the SNP's attitude towards the trams.
It's completely illogical to draw the conclusion that because Edinburgh's buses are so good, there's no need for the trams. It's a statement that lacks vision and ignores the great deal of substantial growth in housing and jobs that we can expect in
Edinburgh in the coming years.

The SNP has been quick to try to capitalise on the anti-tram sentiment. Yes, it is deeply inconvenient and unsightly to have so much of the city's roads dug up. But such huge capital infrastructure and investment for the future will cause short-term pain for long-term gain.

We can all see from the price of diesel at the pumps and the pinch in our pockets that the cost of fuel is rising and that affects bus operators just as it does families, older people and businessmen. It is not Scotland's oil that we should be focusing on, but Scotland's energy potential; whether that be wind, wave, biomass or other forms of renewable energy. All of these can be used to generate electricity and that's what the trams will run on.

Lothian Buses has made it absolutely clear that there will be no significant reduction in bus services. Just 15 buses will be taken off the road and that's a response only to a duplication of service. The trams will in fact enhance the bus service.

I do have sympathy for the local businesses currently suffering a downturn in trade and perhaps there are questions over the suitability of the compensation arrangements. However, the benefits that the trams will bring in connecting up communities and new business will far outweigh any short-term disadvantage.

The SNP should realise that the small-minded opportunism which runs through every thread of its politics serves only to embed grievance rather than promote a progressive vision for the future of our wonderful city.

George Foulkes is a Labour MSP for the Lothians




The full article contains 362 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
Page 1 of 1

  • Last Updated: 25 July 2008 12:09 PM
  • Source: Edinburgh Evening News
  • Location: Edinburgh
 
1

SNP Tactical Voting,

25/07/2008 12:28:50
"benefits that the trams will bring in connecting up communities "

What communities weren't connected before the trams came along?


"It's completely illogical to draw the conclusion that because Edinburgh's buses are so good, there's no need for the trams."

If the Edinburgh buses were bad there would be more of a pressing need for a replacement (i.e. trams)

"But such huge capital infrastructure and investment for the future will cause short-term pain for long-term gain."

Businesses are going out of business. It is short term pain for no long-term at all for some of these people. You can't put a price on that.

"We can all see from the price of diesel at the pumps and the pinch in our pockets that the cost of fuel is rising and that affects bus operators just as it does families, older people and businessmen."

"Lothian Buses has made it absolutely clear that there will be no significant reduction in bus services."

So with the same number of buses, and trams on top of that, then the public are effectively paying an even higher price (diesel plus tram electricity costs) to get around when before they were just paying for diesel.

Further, if we have the same number of buses on the streets and then trams on top of that to contend with, then the streets will be more congested, not less. This is before we have a tram breaking down and causing the trams behind to get delayed. (You know how easy it is to lift a broken tram off the tracks?)

"there are questions over the suitability of the compensation arrangements. "

Yes, there most certainly are. These businesses deserve adequate compensation and this will no doubt be tacked on to the bill for Edinburgh citizens. Oh well, the Council tax freeze was nice while it lasted!
2

calum,

25/07/2008 12:34:10
George Foulkes, an utter irrelevance. And meanwhile, more locals and visitors die on the A9 whilst the £1/2 billion+ tramSET get built in Edinburgh. Shame on you, George.
3

Road Raga,

EDINBURGH 25/07/2008 12:42:01
#1 and 2 PANTS ! the trams are the best thing to happen in Edinburgh for decades.

Maybe you should moan that LONDON has this week been given £16 BILLION from OUR taxes to pay for their crossrail scheme, YEY more taxpayers cash for LONDON.
That would pay for the A9 dozens of times over.
4

calum,

25/07/2008 12:46:16
#3 PANTS! The Transport Budget is devolved, it is the responsibility of the Scottish Government, no-one else.
5

I love to eat Sellotape,

25/07/2008 12:50:19
Pants are good things. People need pants to help them through the day. Don't speak of them in such disparaging terms.
6

Jasbar,

25/07/2008 13:29:29
Yes Calum. Let's be quite clear.

George Foulkes and the other Edinburgh Tramites are responsible for the recent death on the A9. They set the priorities. They are responsible for the poor condition of that road. It is as if they themselves killed the victim.

Remember we couldn't afford to pay for our own hospital. £182 m to build, it will cost us all over £1.3 Billion over thirty years.

Yet we sold the qurtermile site for a paltry £10 million so that half million pound pads could be built on it. Anyone believe that there were no brown envelopes involved here?

While we don't know for certain whether Foulkes is financially corrupt, isn't he certainly morally politically corrupt? How could anyone with half a reasonable mind, free from vested interest, possibly accept the priorities forced on us by our politicians.

And back to the final refutation of Foulkes. His argument is worthless because he didn't put it to the public test in a referendum.

It's this attitued that has seen his Labour Parety stiffed in Glasgow East. Good riddance Labour. May you spend forever in the political wilderness. It's what you deserve.

It's what arrogant plinks like Foulkes have brought you to.

7

Jasbar,

25/07/2008 13:33:06
£600 million to replace 15 buses?

Foulkes, you're mad.
8

GraemeH,

Edinburgh 25/07/2008 15:02:55
Is it any wonder the SNP are doing so well when complete f##kwits like Foulkes represent Labour?

There is not one argument he gives that stacks up. Nothing justifies spending £700m on a single tram line which has a worse economic case than doing nothing at all.
9

barra,

Edinburgh 25/07/2008 16:51:41
Quote We can all see from the price of diesel at the pumps and the pinch in our pockets that the cost of fuel is rising and that affects bus operators just as it does families, older people and businessmen. end of quote

So how do you produce electricity for trams? Is there some cheap sourse that we don't know about?
10

Jasbar,

25/07/2008 17:09:05
Just think, the trams will replace 15 buses.

So, how is the income that has previously been generated by those 15 buses going to cover the operating costs of the tram line?

If the trams are a "white elephant", then it's politicians like foulkes who are the "turkey".

Or is that us for allowing this to happen.
11

Road Raga,

EDINBURGH 25/07/2008 18:37:17
If the A9 needs upgrading so much, then scrap the $600 million M74 extension, all 5 miles of it.
Edinburgh needs trams, not more roads.
12

NorT,

Edinburgh 25/07/2008 20:05:13
Why does the EEN give any column inches to Foulkes. The wijust shut up - nobody listens to him. Anyway with his girth I think he will have problems getting on a tram.
13

Jasbar,

27/07/2008 18:09:09
As I said Road Raga, £600 million to replace 15 buses. And you reckon Edinburgh needs trams. When it already operates the best bus company in the nation?

You're just as mad as Foulkes.

You're not him, are you?

14

Jasbar,

27/07/2008 18:10:08
Scallywag, why would anyone need to fool a fool?

15

PeeBee,

Chippenham 29/07/2008 15:14:28
The anti-tram brigade are just showing their own ignorance of the subject. In France they know better, paste this URL into your browser to see photos of all their systems. Apart from Marseilles, Lille, Lyon, and Saint-Etienne these are all new systems built since 1985. I doubt the citizens of these cities would prefer buses!
http://www.trams-in-france.net/reload.htm?startseite.htm


 

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