Why I don't Rate Trams

When the SNP gained power one of their first moves was to cancel the proposed Edinburgh Airport rail link and local tram system and divert the Billions these would cost into smaller public transport schemes in more deprived areas (Such as reinstating the Airdrie to Bathgate line) I though this was an overall good idea, Rather than spend the money on the Captial, which gets everything else, there seemed to be an intention to provide public transport for those who actually needed it.

Edinburgh is a tricky city to build new things in. This is due to its large numbers of listed buildings, old layout and the fact that if you build anything new in Edinburgh someone will call it an eyesore. In Edinburgh they don't like new things. However what Edinburgh hates even more is other areas getting money it wanted.

Now Edinburgh did do a lot of work with its bus lanes and busses. Most of it is good. Busses don't require much in the way of infrastructure beyond existing roads and bus lanes and sinage has made it a prefered way of getting around the outlying parts of edinburgh. The one glitch in this bus system is the stupid guided bus routes, which basically take all the disadvantages of rail (Costly structure, road blocked if a unit breaks down) with the disadvantages of busses (Low speed, running on deisel) and the only advantages is that its a bus only road. ANyway, with both those cancellations there was much wailing and gnashing of teeth from Edinburgers, particularly regarding the tram system. See the kickbacks for the expensive laying of track and purchase of materials had been paid and some people were in real trouble if teh sceme didn't go ahead. So the whinged and it got reinstated.

Now, I'm really big on public transport, but I really don't like trams. It isn't personal, but they have been superseeded by an altogether better invention, the trolley bus, which was invented over 50 years ago. However whenever a light suburban transport system is proposed, its trams.

Trams are rarely a good solution to light urban transport. They require rails (WHich in turn need maintenance) space on the roads (like busses) and in some ways can be held up by traffic (Although at least Edinburghs bus lanes should help alleviate this)So, what is this mystical trolley bus I rant about? It is an electric bus, powered from overhead wires, think like a tram but with rubber tyres. So, this can run on bus routes and the normal road and all they need are suspended cables, which would be used for trams anyway. In fact some of the newer models used in china can actually fuinction on bateries over medium distances to allow overtaking and operation short distances away from powered areas (In fact I'm amazed no-one's devised a hybrid trolley bus) So, even using something as basic as the trolleys that used to run in Glasgow in the 1960s, what you have is a tram that needs no rails, not only saving money but also the disruption installing rails into the road causes.So why aren't they used. Well, frankly its a mystery. My personal theory is lack of awareness. Everyone remembers Trams from Glasgow, they're nostalgic, and they've been installed in a few other places. Many European cities installed tram systems after WWII and still maintain them. They're seen as a source of pride, more a tourist attraction than a practical solution. WHich while in keeping with Edinburgh, isn't really what the city needs. Sadly Trolley busses are at best forgotten and at worst known by their old nickname "Silent death". See rubber tyres and electric motors are silent, and people who didn't look both ways when crossing the road often got hit by a trolley bus where they'd have heard a car or tram. But nowadays people like silence, its desirable. Trams won't offer that, there will be all the clanking and squealing associated with steel on steel.

My inner cynic says that there are more kickbacks, both on installation and maintenance, of tramlines, thats why they are popular. But if Glasgow decides it needs more suburban transport, I'm campaigning for trolley busses.