The Edinburgh tram works: the bane of our life, the reason why it takes ages to get into the city centre nowadays. It has been the theme of most of our complaints, especially for those living in Leith and Newhaven. However, last night (March 13) marked the beginning of the testing process for the trams. Locals saw the ‘ghost tram’ slowly riding down Leith Walk and beyond as curious bystanders watched with anticipation while the engineers carried out safety checks.
The new tram line, that cost a whopping £207 million, was originally due to be active in Spring 2023. Even though that will now happen by June 21 now, we’ll take what we can get and will be glad to see Leith functioning normally again.
As the testing process continues along the newly-built Trams to Newhaven line within the next few weeks, locals should expect to see the trams travelling at higher speeds.
The Trams to Newhaven line connects Leith and Newhaven to York Place. The construction began on the in November 2019, which is projected to finish ‘on time’, according to the council, despite a 13-week delay caused by the first Covid-19 lockdown.
What is more, transport and environment convener for Edinburgh Council, Scott Arthur, welcomed the first test, writing on Twitter: “It was a privilege to spend a couple of hours this evening with the team taking the 1st test tram to Newhaven. […] Leith has put up with a lot, but the pain is almost over.”
After the newest line is over and done with, the council could be planning links to Granton once more. The area is also facing major developments over the next few years, such as the transformation of its historic gas holder, a new National Galleries of Scotland attraction and collection centre, and a significant railway station redevelopment into a creative industries hub. Granton is also believed to be an up-and-coming area for arts now, so we look forward to all that is to come.