Edinburgh Trams Set To Start Next May

Edinburgh's trams will begin taking passengers by May next year, the city council has said.

The first section of the tram route was completed and handed over to the council in March and since the summer, work has been under way to install overhead and underground cables. 

The trams will be operational by May next year, Edinburgh City Council said. 

Transport convener Lesley Hinds said: ``I'm very keen for it to be finished even earlier if possible.'' Tram testing between the airport and Edinburgh Park will begin in early October while test trams will be running along the entire route by early December. After six years of construction, the streets of the capital will be clear of roadworks by October 19, according to the council. 

``I've asked that all of these time-frames are reassessed at the beginning of next year so that any further gains in progress can be factored into our plans,'' Ms Hinds said. 

The trams project has been hit by problems including a long-running dispute between the council and its contractor. 

Work restarted last year on a more expensive but much shorter line. 

It was originally intended that trams would run from Edinburgh Airport to Newhaven in the north for £545 million but will now terminate in York Place in the city centre and cost £776 million.