City serves tram lawyers with biggest compensation claim in Scottish legal history
Plus: 'Unusual' bones near Arthur's Seat: new controlled parking zones; and Creative Edinburgh Awards
City council seeking record £222m compensation from global legal giant
The city council is seeking a record £222m compensation from the leading global law firm who advised it on the building of the city’s tram line, the Edinburgh Inquirer can reveal.
The local authority claims DLA Piper failed to give it adequate warning of the financial risks when it signed the contract for the disastrous construction of the tram line between the airport and the city centre in 2008.
The £222m claim is believed to be the biggest ever lodged in a Scottish court and one of the largest in UK legal history.
The building of the airport to city centre line went spectacularly wrong, with the cost rising from £545m to £852m, work taking six years longer than expected, and some shops going out of business due to the huge disruption.
So, this is big? It is significantly bigger than the previous largest case of its kind, the ongoing £166m claim Biffa Waste Services is pursuing against the Scottish Government over its abandoned deposit return scheme. £222m represents almost a quarter of the council’s entire annual budget (although less than 8% of the potential £2.9bn cost of the proposed north-south tram extension). However, most such cases are ultimately settled for an amount lower than the initial claim.
What’s really at stake? Apart from the huge sum involved, there is a lot riding on the case reputationally for both sides. The council’s credibility was badly damaged by the construction saga, while a successful claim for such an eye-watering sum would be a blow to DLA Piper, which is one of the biggest legal firms in the United States and globally.
High city hopes: The council has been bolstered by criticism of DLA Piper by Lord Hardie in his official inquiry into the construction of the tram line. He said the firm “gave primacy to the obligations owed to Tie (the council’s arms-length company set up to deliver the trams)” despite the council itself being its client for the project with responsibility for the budget.
What does DLA Piper say: The international law firm has not commented on the case, but it stoutly defended its position during the tram inquiry. Its representative Roddy Dunlop KC told the inquiry the risks the council were taking in signing the contract were “blindingly obvious”.
What happens next? The case originally began in 2013 and resumed last year after being put on hold due to the tram inquiry. It is expected to reach court next Spring, with an eight-week proof hearing in which the sides will lay out their case.
Record consultation response: More than 7000 responses have been lodged to the council’s consultation on its plans for the north-south tram line extension from Granton to Little France. Ahead of the consultation closing at midnight tonight, the city’s transport convener Stephen Jenkinson says the scale of responses may be a record.
Wealth fund talks: With the Scottish Government seemingly reluctant to commit to supporting the expansion of the trams at present, city council officials have opened talks with the UK Government’s National Wealth Fund. The fund set up by the Labour Government has £28bn to support infrastructure projects. The council says it is talking to them in a purely advisory capacity at this stage.
YOUR EDINBURGH BRIEFING
CREATIVE CREAM: Congratulations to the Edinburgh Open Workshop, which provides affordable workshop space for artists and makers in Leith; the brilliant Musselburgh-based Catherine Wheels Children’s Theatre Company; designer Ying Gao of Hello Art at Abbeyhill; Morvern Cunningham of Whale Arts and the Culture Collective; and all the winners at this year’s Creative Edinburgh Awards. You can find a full list of all the winners from Friday night’s awards at Tollcross Hall here.
‘GOD PARTICLE’ PRIZE: The late Professor Peter Higgs has donated his Nobel Prize medal to Edinburgh University where he predicted the existence of the so-called “God-particle” in 1964. His identification of the sub-atomic particle, also known as the Higgs boson, changed our understanding of physics. The medal will be kept at the university’s centre for research collections and displayed at events and exhibitions, including the upcoming Higgs Lecture in 2026.
UNUSUAL BONES: A large and “unusual” collection of animal bones has been found near Arthur’s Seat by park rangers following the serious wildfire there this summer. The remains are thought to be those of cattle, horses, sheep, goats and even cats and date back as far as the 16th Century. Study of the remains may shed new light on the long history of human habitation on and around the hill.
MURRAYFIELD’S GREATEST MOMENT: The moment when Scottish rugby fans paid an emotional tribute to Doddie Weir has been voted the greatest moment in Murrayfield Stadium’s 100-year history. The former Scotland and British and Irish Lions legend received the acclaim of the crowd when he delivered the match ball before a 67,000-crowd for Scotland’s match against New Zealand in 2017. Weir passed away in 2022, five years after being diagnosed with motor neuron disease.
NEW PARKING ZONES: Six new controlled parking zones are set to be introduced in neighbourhoods across the Capital. The move will see residents in Willowbrae North, Easter Road, Bonnington, Lochend, Roseburn and part of Leith having to pay for residents permits to park outside their homes. The first five zones were put on hold in 2021, after a consultation found a majority of residents were opposed, but the council’s transport committee has now agreed to start the process of introducing them in consultation with local community councils.
BARNTON JUNCTION: New cycleways, traffic lights and better crossings are being planned for the Barnton Junction to make it easier for people living locally to cross the busy junction by foot or bike.
‘BLAME CULTURE’: The chief executive of Historic Environment Scotland (HES), Katerina Brown, was suspended following a collective grievance by all seven directors of the Scottish Government’s heritage agency, in which she was accused of creating a “blame culture”, The Herald reports. Meanwhile, former HES chairman Dr Hugh Hall stood down after the Ethical Standards Commissioner opened an investigation into claims he misused expenses, according to The Scotsman. Dr Hall has dismissed the complaints as “spurious”.
BRUNTON THEATRE: A bid to have the Brunton Theatre in Musselburgh awarded listed building status has been thrown out by Historic Environment Scotland. The theatre complex is earmarked for demolition following the discovery of RAAC ‘crumbling concrete’. Local politicians and council officials had warned that listing the building would saddle the local authority with unaffordable repairs and hamper attempts to secure funding for alternative arts provision.
CLIMATE PROTESTS: As COP30 kicks off in Brazil, Scottish protestors gathered in Glasgow to champion the three values which have become the foundation of the UK’s climate campaigners: support to countries at the coalface of the climate crisis, a net zero transition which is fair for all of society, and action to mitigate climate change and protect nature.
Pic of the week
THE BUSINESS
Capital help as cryptocurrency scams increase
An Edinburgh-based charity set up to support those who fall victim to cybercrime and fraud today published a guide to help people navigate a jump in cryptocurrency scams.
The Cyber and Fraud Hub’s A Guide to Avoiding Cryptocurrency Scams has been developed in collaboration with Police Scotland and leading cryptocurrency platform Coinbase.
The new guide provides clear, accessible advice to help the public and organisations identify and avoid cryptocurrency frauds — including common warning signs and key advice should you find yourself affected by a crime of this nature. Coinbase provided expert insights on secure trading practices, safe storage of digital assets, and how to identify and report suspicious activity, ensuring the guide reflects the latest in industry best practices.
Alex Dowall, CEO of the Cyber and Fraud Hub, said: “Whilst the volatility of cryptocurrency can seem to offer innovation and opportunity, it can also attract organised criminals who exploit the public’s curiosity and trust. With cryptocurrency scams increasing year on year, this guide brings together insights from the police service and industry to help people recognise the warning signs, stay safe online, and report suspected fraud.”
Nick Wright, Coinbase UK, added: “Education is one of the strongest defenses against scams. At Coinbase, we combine cutting-edge security measures with user education to help people across the UK navigate the cryptocurrency economy safely and confidently. We’re proud to support this initiative to empower individuals and businesses to protect themselves from fraud.”
The guide is available to download free of charge from the Cyber and Fraud Hub’s website: cyberfraudhub.org/cryptoguide
DAIRY WIN: An East Lothian dairy business has scored a major first for Scotland’s dairy sector, Yester Farm Dairies has become the first to export Scottish cheese – its cottage cheese – to Spain. The win is the first success for a push involving The Scottish Dairy Growth Board, Scottish Development International and importer Iber Conseil working with the UK Government. It is hoped deals for other hard cheese producers will follow.
CREST OF A WAVE: Lost Shore Surf Resort at Ratho, Edinburgh has attracted visitors from 67 countries, generating an £18 million boost to the Scottish economy in its first year of operation. The destination, home to Europe’s largest inland wave pool, three times the size of Wembley Stadium’s pitch, has hosted well over 100,000 visitors, with surfers travelling from as far afield as Australia, Japan, New Zealand, Hawaii and Brazil to ride the waves in the heart of Scotland.
BEST BAR NONE: Renowned cocktail bar Panda & Sons, founded in Edinburgh by drinks pioneer Iain McPherson in 2013 has been officially named the No. 1 bar in the World in the 2025 Top 500 Bars list. The announcement was made at a ceremony in Florence and marks the latest global award for the business.
THAT’S ENTERTAINMENT
BOTANICS’ LIGHTS: The Christmas at the Botanics lights trail opens on Thursday and runs until 30 December. Adult tickets start from £14 off-peak.
CREATURE COMFORTS: Guilermo del Toro’s Frankenstein is proving a huge hit after being made available on Netflix. It has chalked up the second best rating on the Rotten Tomatoes review site for any Netflix original movie so far this year. The film, which was shot partly on location in Edinburgh’s Old Town and Gosford House and and Seacliff Beach in East Lothian, is close to the highest ever score for KPop Demon Hunters’ score.
CHRISTMAS AT THE FORT: The Winter Village Christmas market and funfair opens at Fort Kinnaird on Friday and runs through until 28 December.
QUICK BITES
STREET EAT: Malaysian street food is on the menu in Edinburgh, as Roti King open their first eatery in Scotland next month at 8 South Saint Andrew Street. Doors open on December 12.
NEW CAFÉ: A new café has opened in the west of Edinburgh. Café Cor’stone launched last week serving a selection of sandwiches, pastries, and coffee from the premises at 82 St John’s Road.