Edinburgh Council has released a series of images showing that Edinburgh's troubled tram appears to be taking shape, with track being laid in the city centre and key parts of the infrastructure nearing completion.
The timing is, of course, a salve, to help sooth the inevitable frustrations that everybody in Edinburgh will be experiencing due to the endless tram works at Edinburgh's now busiest time of year. And to assure visiting media that all will be good soon enough.
The city's tram works are apparently keeping on schedule (check the trams completion schedule) and within the revised £776 million budget.
From the aerial photo of Edinburgh Airport (above) to the terminus at York Place (final picture) it's clear that things are moving along. However, with the trams not due to open until Summer 2014 there is still a long way to go.
Construction at the RBS Gogarburn tramstop
Overhead line poles installed at Edinburgh Park
Bridge construction at South Gyle Access
Tracklaying on Shandwick Place
Princes Street after it re-opened to traffic West of Waverley Station in June 2012
Tracklaying at St Andrew Square
Tram works at York Place
Road works have now been completed on Princes Street (the second round of works there). Work on electrification and overhead tramlines on Princes Street is due to start in a matter of weeks.
“The fact that we are now laying track in both Shandwick Place and South St Andrew Street is a great indication of the progress being made," says Lesley Hinds, ECC Transport Convener.
“While we still have a long way to go I think people will start to see visible signs of the project being delivered from now on."
The latest disruption was caused by closing down York Place. All but bus traffic was rerouted through quieter residential streets from 14th July. Road works are due to continue until the end of 2014 with the overhead lines scheduled for completion in early 2014.
Responding to fears about elevated levels of pollution in peripheral residential streeets, caused by the rerouted tram traffic, Hinds said the council is "considering possible ways of easing traffic levels".
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