Government Must Learn Lessons from Edinburgh Trams Project

Submitted by actionman on Sun, 27 Feb '11 6.44pm

Whichever party wins the next election for the Scottish Parliament they must take careful note of the way that the Edinburgh trams project has been mishandled and take steps to avoid any repeat of the waste of public money that has been evident throughout this project.

What should worry voters in Scotland is that there might be some chance that additional public money should be wasted on this project.  Better now to cut our losses and see what can be completed with the small amount of money that remains. Then, when the economic situation has improved, more money can be spent on finishing the project.

As voters and tax payers the last thing we all need is for this disaster to be drawn out any longer.  Get the capital city back to normal - or as near normal as possible after it has been assaulted by the tram surgeon's knife.  So a new Scottish Government is warned "not one penny more for the Edinburgh Trams" until economic conditions greatly improve.

The other major pitfall that must be avoided at all costs is to allow Transport Initiatives Edinburgh (tie) to be allowed to get their hands on the second crossing project for the Forth.   They have been proved incompetent and wasteful of public money and should be dissolved as a company.   If the authority running the Forth road bridge project are sensible, they will avoid employing anyone who has had connections with tie - they are tainted with failure.