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Edinburgh tram scheme faces funding crisis
22:00 28 Sep 2005
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A massive 164m funding gap is threatening to derail Edinburgh's plans for a tram network.
CJ understands the council must scale back its ambitious plans if it is to be approved by the Scottish Parliament. Cuts could include scrapping one of the scheme's two lines.
The project currently involves two tramlines, one to circle the city centre, and another to run west to Edinburgh airport and Newbridge.
However, the estimated cost of the project has risen by 66m in the past two years, from the original estimate of 473m to 539m. And costs are set to soar even further since these estimates did not include inflation.
Council sources say concern is mounting among officials and councillors alike that the scheme is too expensive.
A spokeswoman for TIE, the council's arms length company overseeing the scheme, said: "TIE will be putting a report before Scottish Parliament suggesting ways in which the funding gap can be filled."
CJ understands the council must scale back its ambitious plans if it is to be approved by the Scottish Parliament. Cuts could include scrapping one of the scheme's two lines.
The project currently involves two tramlines, one to circle the city centre, and another to run west to Edinburgh airport and Newbridge.
However, the estimated cost of the project has risen by 66m in the past two years, from the original estimate of 473m to 539m. And costs are set to soar even further since these estimates did not include inflation.
Council sources say concern is mounting among officials and councillors alike that the scheme is too expensive.
A spokeswoman for TIE, the council's arms length company overseeing the scheme, said: "TIE will be putting a report before Scottish Parliament suggesting ways in which the funding gap can be filled."
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