New £2.9 billion Edinburgh tram line rubbished as 'vanity project' as council told to fix potholes instead

Lothian independent MSP Jeremy Balfour also said he welcomed the Scottish Government confirming it had no plans to fund the north-south route, which is estimated to cost up to £2.9 billion.

Nearly 11,500 responses to a consultation on the line’s route between Granton and the BioQuarter near the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh have been received by the council.

The local authority will consider these in 2026, but the largest number of submissions to a council consultation for years is thought to have been triggered in part by the controversial option to run trams along the Roseburn Path, a former railway line which has been used by walkers and cyclists for decades.

The first line, between Edinburgh Airport and York Place at the east end of the city centre, was completed in 2014 and extended to Newhaven in 2023.

Mr Balfour asked Transport Secretary Fiona Hyslop on Thursday to confirm that ministers would “not allocate any further funding to the extension of the tram network in Edinburgh”.

The cabinet secretary told him: “Work has recently begun to develop a proposed mass transit system for the south east Scotland region known as Sestransit, led by the regional transport partnership.

“This project is an important recommendation from the [Scottish Government’s] second Strategic Transport Projects Review and aims to improve connectivity across the region, potentially comprising a mix of tram and bus-based transit modes, including bus rapid transit.”

She said the review was “quite specific about the needs of a cross-region system, and that’s what we’re anticipating will be developed.”

Ms Hyslop said: “The Scottish Government has no plans to fund a standalone extension of Edinburgh’s tram network, which is a separate project being promoted by the City of Edinburgh Council.”

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Mr Balfour said: “Any extension of the Edinburgh tram would be a vanity project by the city council, and the council would be far better spending its money fixing potholes and mending the pavements which are so badly maintained.”

City council transport convener Stephen Jenkinson has said the tram line would be “potentially transformational” and the Edinburgh’s transport networks “must continue to develop to keep up with a growing city and region”.

Responding to Mr Balfour’s comments, he said: “We’ve said from the outset that we would need to explore a range of funding options, and this hasn’t changed.

“By developing the business case, we’re enhancing our ability to secure funding, regardless of the source.

“We’re already having advisory discussions with experts at the National Wealth Fund on future funding and financing options.

“I’d also stress that any Scottish Government funding wouldn’t be required until well into the next Parliament, so the cabinet secretary’s comments today do not impact our plans.

“From mitigating the impacts of population growth, through to addressing the climate, nature, and housing emergencies – as well as driving forward our city’s economy and tackling poverty - we need to look for ambitious solutions.

“Doing nothing, as some seem to be suggesting, is simply not an option.”