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Just another Edinburgh knocking story?

on Mon, 10/29/2012 - 11:53

The first step to putting something right is recognising something is wrong.

This somewhat depressing story falls into that category and although a rather bleak assessment hopefully it marks at least the beginning of a change in attitude at the top.

WE need to see an end to head in the sand, rah-rah tub thumping with spin and hope taking the place of substance and planning.

Bad planning and bad execution have bad effects, for too long the city has acted as if it can simply wish and hope away anything bad and bask in the glow of the endless upbeat PR --- a city sticking it's fingers in it's ears and chanting "Lah-Lah-La! We can't hear you!" whenever any crticism is made.

Lesley Hinds seems to be trying to make some difficult choices as she comes to terms with the realities, and while 'more tram' may well be a good idea at some time, it won't be before the project has had a total redesign and the problem of displaced traffic has also been admitted and faced up to.

One of the fundamental objections to the tram is that it isn't something that disrupts only during it's construction but will go on disrupting the city after it starts to operate.  The tram isn't part of the new solutions it's an example of the old problems that need to change before the city can hope to move forward.

Although able to be presented as shiny, modern, and lovely ---no city should be without one----  and with all the statistical justifications provided by the large global companies who build and maintain the systems and infrastructure, the fact is that it is one of the compromises that the story highlights as having contributed to Edinburgh's demise.

Facing facts means facing all the facts, not just the ones one feels are easiest to tackle....  bashing on and just 'finishing' the tram is an example of the sort of thinking that got us into the mess, one wishes Lesley Hinds luck in changing the attitudes within the Council---she'll need it!



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