Millions paid for consultants as Edinburgh's £207m tram extension construction set to start within weeks

CONTRACTS worth millions of pounds for consultants to help build the tram extension are due to be approved by councillors this week.
Project managers for the construction of the tram extension will be Turner & Townsend, the firm brought in to help the council complete the original tram project.Project managers for the construction of the tram extension will be Turner & Townsend, the firm brought in to help the council complete the original tram project.
Project managers for the construction of the tram extension will be Turner & Townsend, the firm brought in to help the council complete the original tram project.

Following completion of an initial phase of the £207 million project, the construction phase to take the tram line down Leith Walk and on to Newhaven is due to start in November.

And a report to the council’s finance and resources committee on Thursday recommends appointing three firms of consultants which have already been involved in the early stages of the work.

Read More
Edinburgh Trams: Councillors approve controversial £207m tram extension to Newha...
Following completion of an initial phase this month, construction of the tram line from York Place down Leith Walk to Newhaven is due to start in November.Following completion of an initial phase this month, construction of the tram line from York Place down Leith Walk to Newhaven is due to start in November.
Following completion of an initial phase this month, construction of the tram line from York Place down Leith Walk to Newhaven is due to start in November.
Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Project managers Turner and Townsend will be awarded a £6,799,000 contract for construction and commissioning of the tram extension.

Atkins Ltd will be handed a £1,195,000 contract for engineering support and design development.

And Anturas Ltd will provide a project director and support communications management under a £776,337 contract.

Turner and Townsend were brought in to help the council complete the troubled original tram project after it decided effectively to remove its own arms-length tram company TIE.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Turner and Townsend and Anturas were also involved in phase two of the major Water of Leith Flood Prevention Scheme between Murrayfield and Roseburn, which included new flood defence walls, embankments and flood gates, as well as two new bridges.

The total cost of the three contracts is £8,770,337, which is already allowed for within the Edinburgh Tram York Place to Newhaven Project budget.

The council will also agree on Thursday a sum of £2,656,348 for Scottish Water to review and sign off the design of diversionary routes for water pipes in the way of the trams.

Finance convener Alasdair Rankin said: “Taking trams to Newhaven through one of the most densely populated urban areas in Scotland is a highly complex project which requires dedicated, specialist knowledge and expertise.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“One of the key lessons learned from the previous tram project was the value of employing highly qualified experts with a proven track record in delivering successful major transport and infrastructure projects.

“The team from Turner & Townsend, for example, was instrumental in delivering passenger services from the airport to York Place and their work in preparing the final business case and on the project to date has been invaluable.”

Related topics: