The £2 billion question for city's tram plan

Plus: More big university pay deals despite cash crisis; and Gen Z picks Edinburgh

Roseburn Path versus Orchard Brae as city decides £2 billion north-south tram route

The city council today launches a 12-week public consultation on the proposed route of its £2 billion north-south tram line.

The city aims to build a new line from Granton to the Royal Infirmary and BioQuarter at Little France, via the city centre, within the next 10 years.

The public consultation will examine potential routes and aim to settle the contentious question of whether to build along the highly popular Roseburn Path bike and walking route.

The alternative would see the line go through Orchard Brae and into the city centre over the historic Dean Bridge.

The results of the consultation will inform the business case which the city council hopes will secure the Scottish Government funding necessary to deliver the nine-mile track.

£2 billion? So, it’s a big deal? Yes. The new line would more than double the existing tram route, starting to create a proper network for the first time. In the longer term, there are aspirations to extend the line further into East and Midlothian, as well as over the Forth to Fife.

Why Granton to Little France? The new line would connect the emerging Granton Waterfront, where 3,500 homes are planned, with some of the city’s biggest employers and key public services. There will be stops serving the Western General, the Royal Infirmary, the University of Edinburgh and the BioQuarter, which is expected to grow enormously as a centre of hi-tech jobs.

That all sounds good… There is broad support for extending the trams, but the potential route has proved highly contentious, with determined protests against building over the Roseburn Path. The route is a prized green space, described as a “linear park”, which has become a key part of the city’s cycle route network.

So why build on it? The path has become increasingly popular since the tram route was first planned. It is also the quickest and cheapest route to build, with the least engineering challenges. The fact it is pretty straight and largely off-road means it would be easier to add additional services in future to meet an anticipated growth in demand.

What about Orchard Brae? It’s a tricky option. Taking trams over the A-listed, 200-year-old Dean Bridge is seen as a significant engineering challenge, as, to a slightly lesser extent, is the steep incline on Orchard Brae. However, it would save what is undoubtedly a much-loved and well-used green space. It would also serve more residential areas in the north of the city by staying on-street.

‘Facing the future’: The city’s transport and environment convener Councillor Stephen Jenkinson says: “Extending our hugely popular and multi award-winning tram service to the north and south of the city – and potentially beyond – would bring huge social, economic and environmental benefits, while helping us to face the challenges of the future.”

Your say: You can take part in the public consultation until Monday, 17 November, on the council’s consultation hub.

Watch out for more on the city’s tram plans in upcoming editions of The Inquirer.

YOUR EDINBURGH BRIEFING

TOP FOR GEN Z: Edinburgh has been named the best city in the UK for Gen Z to live, and one of the best in the world, by Time Out. best city for young people. The Capital was ranked number seven in the world in the survey of 20-somethings. It topped a number of categories, including for its green spaces and access to nature.

ON YOUR E-BIKE: Fifty e-bikes will be available to hire on the city’s streets from Wednesday, 3 September, under the Capital’s new bike hire scheme. You will be able to book the “dockless” bikes from as little as £2.20 for 20 minutes using the Voi app. They will start the day parked at several charging stations around the city.

DANCE LIKE NO ONE’S FILMING: Phones are to be banned from the dance floor when what is being billed as “Scotland’s biggest Halloween party” returns to the Royal Highland Showground. The huge Terminal V dance event will allow phones for keeping in touch with friends, but will place stickers over camera lenses to encourage people to stick to the ‘no photos’ rule. Organisers hope it will help clubbers immerse themselves in the experience without any distractions.

SUNSHINE FLIGHTS: Scotland’s first airside solar farm has been officially opened on 11 acres beside the runway at Edinburgh Airport. It has allowed the airport to operate solely on solar power between 8.30am and 7pm on a number of days.

CRIME GANG ‘CHESS’: Prison staff are being forced to play "a daily game of chess" to keep violent criminals apart, following the jailing of crime gang members, BBC Scotland reports. More inmates are being held in segregation than ever before, amid a rise in attacks linked to serious organised crime groups. The service's chief executive says the recent gangland feud in central Scotland has raised the temperature behind bars.

JACOBITE DRESS: A gown reputedly worn at the Palace of Holyroodhouse by an eighteenth century Scottish noblewoman closely allied to the Jacobite cause sold at auction at Lyon & Turnbull in Edinburgh for £20,160, achieving almost double the estimated price. The dress was just one of more than 80 lots of Property from the Earls of Airlie, belonging to the Ogilvy family, which went under the hammer, selling for a total of more than quarter of a million pounds.

UNIVERSITY BOSSES PAY UP: More University of Edinburgh staff are taking home salaries of more than £200,000 despite jobs being at risk due to financial pressures. A total of 35 employees received such packages in 2023/24, compared to 28 in 2020/21, The Herald reports

FIREWORK BANS DOUBLE: Fireworks will be banned in nine areas of Edinburgh this Bonfire Night, after councillors agreed to more than double the number of Firework Control Zones (FCZ) from last year. There will be 10 days of restrictions from 31 October in Niddrie, Balerno, Seafield and Portobello, Calton Hill, Corstorphine, Longstone, Sighthill/Broomhouse, Gracemount and Moredun. A public consultation showed "overwhelming support" for the zones following serious disorder in Niddrie last year.

MSP QUITS TORIES: Long-serving Conservative politician Jeremy Balfour has quit the party, saying the Scottish party has lurched to the right under the leadership of Russell Findlay. The Lothians MSP, who has also served as a Baptist Minister, will sit as an independent at Holyrood until the Scottish Parliament elections in May.

COUNCIL RECRUITING: The city council is advertising for a new £195,000-a-year Director of Place to replace Paul Lawrence after his promotion to chief executive last June. Among the favourites for the role will be the local authority’s former operations director Gareth Barwell, who has been doing the job on an interim basis since last year.

DRIVER ESCAPES JAIL: The bin lorry driver whose careless driving killed 11-year-old Thomas Wong in Cramond has been sentenced to 133 hours of unpaid work and banned from driving for a year. Ross Wallace, 29, of Prestonpans, pled guilty to causing Thomas's death by driving without due care and attention.

Pic of the week

THE BUSINESS

Exploring the potential for greater Festival gains

Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes has hosted a meeting with Edinburgh Festival Fringe to see how business can reap greater economic benefits from the Edinburgh festivals.

The meeting, including businesses, data experts and others, was to explore whether the Fringe’s ongoing digital transformation work – which has received Scottish Government support – can bring new opportunities.

She said: This year the Scottish Government has made a direct investment to support the Fringe Society’s development of its data and digital infrastructure to make it more accessible for artists, audiences and venues, and to explore how the Fringe platform can help Scottish artists and the sector as a whole capitalise on international opportunities.

“While increased funding across the culture sector has provided greater long term stability, festivals continue to face challenges around transport, accommodation, connectivity and long term sustainability in areas like workforce planning and skills development.

“We are committed to working with festivals in Edinburgh and across Scotland through a strategic partnership to address these challenges and grasp the significant economic opportunities festivals such as the Edinburgh Fringe brings to the country.”

CHURCH PLANS: Housebuilder Cruden has been granted planning permission to redevelop the former St John Vianney’s Roman Catholic Church site at Fernieside Gardens in Edinburgh. The plans will transform the 1950s building into a housing development delivering 35 much-needed new homes within one of the city’s well-connected 20-minute neighbourhoods.

SHOWROOM SOLD: Car dealer Arnold Clark has purchased the car showroom investment at 22 Seafield Road East from Buccleuch Property for £2.72m. The 20,031 sq ft building, part of Seafield’s “Motor Mile” sits on a 1.15-acre site and is let to Vertu Motors until November 2033.

THAT’S ENTERTAINMENT

REALLY HOT TO GO: Those lucky enough to have tickets to see Chappell Roan at Ingliston tomorrow and Wednesday nights sound like they are in for a treat. The superstar Hot To Go singer rocked the Reading Festival in front of a set featuring a fairy tale castle.

BUSKING IT: If you want to catch the musical stars of tomorrow, then you might be in luck at the Big Beach Busk. The fun - and the music - takes over the length of Porty Prom from noon until 6pm on Saturday.

LEITHIENDA: If you miss rave culture and the spirit of the Hacienda, then you can relive the experience in Leith. Leithienda Presents: Jon Dasilva – The Ultimate End of Festival Rave sees one of the legendary Manchester club’s original DJs taking to the decks at Leith Arches on Saturday night.

QUICK BITES

LET THEM EAT CAKE: Cake Box has launched a new Edinburgh store at 217 St John’s Road in Corstorphine. The doors officially opened at the weekend, with 100 slices of free cake given away.

NEW ON MENU: A new Italian restaurant, Scarpetta, has opened at 38 George Street in premises formerly owned by Caffe Centro – but it remains very much a family business. The new venue is being owned by couple Carmen Crolla and husband Antonio, who is the son of Caffe Centro’s owner.