Edinburgh trams: Council ready to U-turn over route
Edinburgh trams: Council backs St Andrew Square option
(about 14 hours later)
Councillors in Edinburgh are expected to do a u-turn on the trams project and agree the line should terminate in the centre of the city.
Councillors in Edinburgh have voted to run the trams into the city centre ending the route at St Andrew Square.
Members voted seven days ago to run the lines to Haymarket, outside the centre.
At a special meeting they threw out the decision made just a week ago to terminate the line at Haymarket.
But at a special meeting later that decision is expected to be thrown out and a recommendation to end the scheme at St Andrew Square be agreed.
The U-turn comes after the Scottish government said it would withhold £72m of funding for the £1bn project.
On Tuesday, the Scottish government said it would withhold £72m of funding if the trams stopped at Haymarket.
SNP members backed their Lib Dem coalition partners and Labour members also decided at the last minute to support the St Andrew Square option.
The report which comes before councillors said: "The option to complete the project to St Andrew Square is believed to yield the best prospect of a return on investment relative to the original aims of the project and to deliver best value for the city, the council and the Edinburgh Tram Project."
It goes on to recommend the option to build from Edinburgh Airport to St Andrew Square/York Place be adopted.
The report further recommended agreement to fund the borrowing required "out of current and future resources as set out in the funding proposals and to allow the council flexibility to adopt alternative sources if considered appropriate".
The SNP group abstained last week when councillors voted to end the line at Haymarket, but now the party has said it would back its Lib Dem coalition partners in the new vote.
Last week, Labour and Conservative councillors joined forces to reject plans to borrow an extra £230m to run the line into the city centre.
Last week, Labour and Conservative councillors joined forces to reject plans to borrow an extra £230m to run the line into the city centre.
Instead, they supported a Labour amendment to stop the line at Haymarket - a move described as "bonkers" by the chief executive of Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce.
Instead, a Labour amendment to stop the line at Haymarket was passed. The move was described as "bonkers" by the chief executive of Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce.
In this latest vote 28 councillors backed the St Andrew Square option with 15 voting against.
Work is now due to restart on Princes Street on Monday and trams will run at the earliest in 2014.
The report which came before councillors at the special meeting said: "The option to complete the project to St Andrew Square is believed to yield the best prospect of a return on investment relative to the original aims of the project and to deliver best value for the city, the council and the Edinburgh Tram Project."
It went on to recommend the option to build from Edinburgh Airport to St Andrew Square/York Place be adopted.
The report further recommended agreement to fund the borrowing required "out of current and future resources as set out in the funding proposals and to allow the council flexibility to adopt alternative sources if considered appropriate".
The trams project, which is over budget and late, has been plagued with controversy.
The trams project, which is over budget and late, has been plagued with controversy.
The issue has divided Edinburgh's politicians, businesses and the public.
The issue has divided Edinburgh's politicians, businesses and the public.
The Tram Business Forum, made up of city business organisations, said its members wanted to a see a "viable tram route" which would mean the line going to "St Andrew Square at least".
The forum's Andy Neal said: "The forum was unanimous in recognising the commitment of the council to working with business organisations and businesses to help through rates relief and through additional marketing spend.
"But it was the firm view of all present that to have a substantial impact the council has to look at upping the ante in these areas.
"The route must come into the city centre to deliver promised economic benefits to hundreds of city centre businesses which have already suffered substantial disruption to trade, and to create a viable asset for the city."
Edinburgh resident Eleanor Logan said she ran an online forum about the project which received 1,270 responses.
She claimed it showed "overwhelming concern" over the council's management of the scheme, the costs and the impact on our future services and our current reputation.
Ms Logan added: "Whilst there is cautious support for continuation of the project it is not at any cost.
"We are worried about lack of financial control of the project, the lack of accountability and responsibility for decision making - the future of our schools and services and are not being heard."
