TramForward welcomes Edinburgh tram decision

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TramForward, the campaigning arm of the Light Rail Transit Association welcomed the forward looking decision of Edinburgh Council on the 30th June 2011 to continue with the construction of the 13.5km light rail line from the Airport to St Andrew’s Square.

The LRTA endorses the statement of Sue Bruce, Chief Executive of Edinburgh Council, that members were deciding on how Edinburgh was going to grow and develop in the future.

The Council recognised that a modern light rail system was a ‘catalyst for inward investment, jobs, regeneration and cleaner air, as well as being more capable than an all-bus system of growing public transport patronage and reducing dependence on the motor car’.

‘Successful citie’s such as Frankfurt and Karlsruhe power their light rail systems with electricity from hydro and solar energy and this would be a useful option for Edinburgh, the group said.

It is important to understand that in mainland Europe, new light rail and tramway construction projects do not bear the cost of utility modernisation or improvements to the highway to the extent that they do in the UK.

These costs are treated as general improvements to the city’s infrastructure and are met from the budgets of other departments.

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