Call to cut council expenses - your views online

Edinburgh council called on to slash Lord Provost’s £525,000 budget amid cost of living crisis

Fran Platt

I don’t know why anyone gets a car through their job! If you need a car you buy one with the money you earn if you can afford it. And why two cars? And paying for their wine when they are working? It’s so archaic. Such blatant hypocrisy here!

Robert Muir

Is that the same SNP that until recently were in power in Edinburgh and enjoyed the trappings and never thought of giving them up?

Sarahjane Wood

I’m finding myself agreeing with the SNP councillors on this one. My only complaint is that £100,000 is not cutting enough.

Alan Murray Carrick

Am I missing something here? That’s the public purse and the free loaders (parties) don’t generate any income towards the Scottish economy. Why do we use public transport and they don’t?

Jane Russell

They are all the same, looking out for themselves.

Andrew Emmerson

Use a bike! They are spending a fortune on cycle lanes, so set an example and cycle everywhere.

Calum MacLeod

I’ll play devil’s advocate. Edinburgh is an international city and regularly receives very high profile visitors from around the world. We require to present a particular image to the world. Included in that we have to entertain at an appropriate level if we want to be taken seriously. You may recall the whole royal family attended the queen’s lying in state, to use an example. I think the city should have an official limousine for official events too. Just my view.

Nicholas Burns Cumming

They could start by selling that private number plate, which is valued around £500,000.

Edinburgh trams

Passengers will finally be able to use the tram link from Leith to Newhave June 21 this year. The project was originally due to be completed in spring 2023

Pauline Maloney

That’s great they are near to opening, just a shame every business you may have visited closed because of the trams being built, so nothing to go to on the line. Well done Edinburgh council, really thought that through, good job!

Brian Dunajski Meiklejohn

Will the Guinness book of records be there? Another thing Edinburgh is infamous for.

David Brown

Walked down there on Sunday. Absolute horror show. Used to be three lanes each way up Leith Walk, two for cars and one parking. Now there eight cycle lanes and the trams and cars share a single lane and zero parking. Don’t mention the side roads, all now blocked off, or the pointless one from Leith Walk to London Road encouraging all traffic to join the already packed traffic at the roundabout at the Omni. God bless the sacrifice all they local independent business did in closures for this complete sh*tshow.

Gary Morwood

This will end up the exact same way the York Place/Airport line. Rushed to get it open then realise that a lot of snagging wasn’t actually completed. Therefore, if it opens late spring as they say, it certainly won’t be completed to a decent standard.

Giuseppe Riesi

Why do we need go to Newhaven? There’s nothing there.

Kevin McLaughlin

It’s only taken about 16 years, but bravo CEC.

Jason Van Hagen

I, for one, can’t wait to get my drunken tram return ticket lift from ‘Carrick Knowe’ to ‘The Shore’

Alex Hunter

June 21 late spring? That's the date of the summer solstice.

Giorgos Mikrogiannakis

Exactly how does June 21 count as "late spring"? Still, glad that's it's almost over though!

Craig Fitzy Fitzgerald

Bottom half to town is down to one lane for buses cars and trams...looks to me like it's going to be a nightmare.

Tom Coutts

Will it end up getting right in the sea where it belongs?

John Davies

The standard of finish to many areas of the construction suggests it won’t be long before remedial work will be needed! Disgraceful waste of public money on a project which was never needed. If council had spent just half on improving infrastructure and the already great bus services they had then it would already be miles better than it currently is.

Graeme Gifford

No point in trams going to Leith/ Newhaven, most of the shops will be shut in a few years.

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