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Pictures power

on Fri, 07/13/2012 - 18:35



The revelation in the Scotsman (reported on this site as well), that the Tram bosses have blown £1 Million on crisis management advice and spin, prompted some to wonder what these people do that's worth paying 'em the average person's wage every 4 or 5 weeks for 4 years---??? 

A few weeks ago two residents walked the tram route finding little evidence of work underway--- so a few days ago the spin doctors earned their corn by telling the Council they should mount

It wasn't that good a view anyway...was it?

on Mon, 07/09/2012 - 14:44

Try and spot the difference between spin and reality below.

  • One is a made up artists impression which was used widely to promote the Tram where the OLE (Overhead line engineering) is almost invisible.


  • The other is the emerging reality, a real 'site' for sore eyes in a World Heritage Centre.  


  • Hopefully Edinburgh won't be the first City in the world to have it's status revoked because tourists find it no longer looks like it does in the brochures. Or perhaps the Council expect tens of thousands of tram enthusiasts will flock to the city each year to admire the new and improved views?

A Childs Death in the Making?

on Mon, 07/09/2012 - 13:36

This link connects to a cyclist's blog and the question in the title above is his question.

Perhaps the council will try and pass the cyclist off as 'a Nimby'.... as they have with every other group, presumably they won't throw their other usual jibe of being 'pro car' as even they will may realise that one won't wash.

Perhaps they will accuse him of alarming the public and spreading misinformation.

Nor should he rely on the photographic evidence in his article to carry any weight at all--after all the Council's scientific department have ignored the evidence of their own eyes in assessing

Edinburgh Council face revolt over street shutdown

on Fri, 06/29/2012 - 22:21

The story in the Scotsman contains a familiar and increasingly disingenuous line from the Council.

This is that although the disruption, upheaval and mess across the City traffic system is horrendous it will be worth it in the end and go back to 'normal'.

This isn't so. .

The tram is designed to be very large and relatively fast..just like London Underground or Tyneside metro trains.

Having a relatively high average speed, like those successful Light Rail systems, it also needs the trackway to be as empty as possible.

Health stats, pollution, legionaella and inertia

on Wed, 06/27/2012 - 16:57

A pertinent blog on the Edinburgh Guide site that merits a read.

Although starting from a possible cover-up around the recent Legionella outbreak it moves into the bizarre situation around the large traffic (ie pollution) in residential streets.

At a council meeting a while back now I remember a fairly worrrying contribution from a person representing Lothian Health when asked about the upsurge in people experiencing respiratory conditions in a defined area sufficent to lead to hospital admission being necessary.

Fears that this may be the first signs of traffic related pollution allying to

Tram responsible for tree planting?

on Sun, 06/17/2012 - 12:19

Latest news from the tram project in the Scotsman/Scotland on Sunday

Planting trees is good news.... that needs to be said.

BUT, to specifically link it to the tram project is irrelevant.

The City wasn't in a position where it couldn't plant trees before and NEEDED to blow £776,000,000 [and counting] to create an excuse to plant trees.

The real issue with the tram project as designed is the directly caused traffic congestion and pollution it creates (by nicking old main roads for it's exclusive use)--- this pollution is proven to create respiratory conditions in children, strokes and

System overloaded by objections

on Sat, 06/16/2012 - 09:43

Latest news is that Edinburgh Council's systems are collapsing under the weight of objections to TROs around the city and especially the one concerning the Charlotte Square development.

Whether this is because the City is finally waking up to the destination towards many TROs, in themselves small in scale, are taking the city as a whole; or because like much else within the council the systems are not up to it is not known.

What is true is that many more people are suddenly realising what the overall effect is to be, that the flip side of a Barcelona style centre for visiting now and again

Ironic or what?

on Wed, 05/23/2012 - 09:57

Art reflecting life with a poster urging everyone to send a drawing of a tram to their MSP today and urge them to back the Edinburgh tram project.  

Ironically, you'll see the poster shows a tram!!-- not the light rail train that Edinburgh is actually planting on the main roads across the city.

The caring sharing sharing tram can integrate with traffic, bikes and people of course---but the space hungry Light Rail system we are building can't share--it needs all the space for itself.

And so the overweight squatter forces the traffic (that's not just cars folks, but vans, buses, LGVs and

Edinburgh Council

on Fri, 05/04/2012 - 16:17

The tram is like something out of Greek Mythology or Norse's siren song beguiles, and then the hideous reality destroys.

The Leith and Newhaven Retirement home for the Bewildered and Befuddled already the final resting place for the careers and reputations of such as David 'Hell on Wheels' Mackay, Richard Jeffrey, Tom Aitchison and dear old 'tie'  is having to rearrange the chairs in the TV lounge to accept Jenny Dawe and Gordon Mackenzie after the electorate delivered their verdict on the last five years in which they have stumbled around the insoluble chaos of the tram project.