Trams are last piece of the jigsaw to complete city’s modern renaissance

Yesterday in this very paper, local MSP and Scottish Government minister Angus Robertson extolled the “success of the existing line” and improving “capital connections”. That’s pretty much game, set, and match in my book.

Not only have the trams transformed Leith and strengthened our city centre, but they also take the strain on major events at venues like Murrayfield. Nearly 77,000 passengers used the trams on the Saturday of the Oasis concert. Indeed, I’ve been amazed myself at how quickly the trams shift people after a concert at Murrayfield.

The council has begun a consultation on the next phase of the trams. Given the success of the regeneration of Leith, it’s as certain as it can be that trams will turbocharge the success of the regeneration of Granton and Craigmillar that’s already underway. They will also add around 15 to 20 per cent to property values along the route.

There are concerns. The active travel route through Roseburn is rightly both well-loved and well-used. Thankfully the proposals that are being consulted on retain the active travel route, so hopefully concerns can be allayed. Trams aren’t just about getting people around the city; they’re an investment in Edinburgh and Scotland’s future. It’s no coincidence that area around the first tram line is the area with the largest private investment in Scotland in modern times.

The area around Princes Street has seen over £600 million in investment on the back of the trams, and that doesn’t include the £1 billion St James Centre, built on the expectation that it would be at the centre of a tram system. They will help fuel the biggest engine of the Scottish economy – Edinburgh – to deliver more jobs and more prosperity. Here’s hoping the cash can be found to deliver the last piece of the jigsaw to complete the city’s modern renaissance.

Donald Anderson is Director, Playfair Scotland