Trams are great but let’s get them talking to their passengers

'The information display just blanked, and the trams just vanished,' said Susan Morrison

Yes, they are a lovely addition to our public transport options in the city, and it even looks as if Picardy Place will be much nicer than it’s ever been when it’s all done, dusted and planted.

But, and there’s always a but, the communication skills could do with a bit of a brush up. The nifty digital boards can suddenly go dark, a phenomenon I’ve witnessed a few times now. It’s literally never a good sign. I first saw this happen in August, up on St Andrew Square, when I was heading back to Leith.

The information display just blanked, and the trams just vanished, leaving baffled would-be passengers wandering around asking each other what was going on, and trust me, I am the last person you should ask for help, because I am always the last person to know anything.

Eventually I abandoned the platform and got on a trusty Number 10. That was in the summer. This week, waiting at Haymarket, when the temperature went into its first thermal shock of the winter, it was even less fun. After a long wait, the tram eventually did appear, packed to the gunnels.

On at least one occasion during the Fringe, when the trams were supposed to be running later, the service just stopped. Again, that board was blank. A tram appeared from Leith, but neither the driver nor the ticketing services assistant seemed to know what was going on. The lady inspector said, helpfully, that “naebuddy ever knows”.

Everyone understands that Edinburgh’s traffic flow can be up-ended in a split second, be it badly parked white vans, burst water mains or a crane falling over, but we live in a world with instant communications. Lothian Buses have cracked the comms code and are pretty good at keeping passengers informed. The trams are great. Let’s get them talking to their passengers.

Trams are great but let’s get them talking to their passengers - Susan Morrison