Airport welcomes new tram service
Edinburgh Airport has welcomed today’s announcement that the city’s much delayed tram service, which will connect the airport to the centre of town, will be up and running by May 2014, two months ahead of its most recent forecast for completion.
The city council said that by October 19 the streets of the Scottish capital would be clear of the roadworks which have blighted Edinburgh since the project started six years ago.
Airport chief executive Gordon Dewar said: "This is fantastic news. Trams will offer those arriving in Edinburgh an efficient, consistent and modern way to access the capital.
"Not only that, but when the links with our national rail network at Haymarket, Edinburgh Park and importantly Gogar are complete, it will provide real integration and slash journey times across Scotland."
Test trams will run from the airport to Edinburgh Park Station on October 6 and testing from the airport to York Place will begin on December 9. Over the testing period there will be more than 150 tram journeys per day, five days a week.
The tram project has cost £776 million, well over the original budget, and is years behind its original schedule.
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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