Edinburgh tram opens to public

[danieldbaigrie]

I do pay taxes, I just live in a different council area

[danieldbaigrie]

Nearly three years on and we still don't have it. Glad I don't pay my taxes to the City Council, what a waste.

[freqeist]

its a mistake.

[Streetcar1743]

When you mix both tram and bus service, more people will ride. I am all for a greener world. When you get more people riding, that means less road congestion. However, if the operator forgets to close the door on today's trams, the tram won't move. That is one thing you won't find on buses.

[samtron2000]

I don't understand why people are blaming bilfinger Berger!! Their tender was based on the surveys that had been carried out by the council/tie. These surveys were hugely inaccurate meaning the tender made by BB in good faith was far too low with regards to the amount of extra works involved. Tie have created this mess and BB are being made the fall guys. So far, litigation has found in their favour!!

[AntonHu]

Having lived with trams for years in Munich, The Hague and Berlin, I regard this as a crazy scheme. They take up lots of space, hinder the rest of the traffic and the tracks are a nightmare for cyclists and maintenance. Nobody has yet explained to me why modern trolley buses have not been adopted in UK - they work fine in Switzerland - but perhaps that's just too sensible.

[guderiank]

Every city that gets trams moans about the cost and the building but they are a long term policy and residents love them once use to them.

The crazy thing was getting rid of trams last century.

Admittedly Edinburgh had a great bus service on its main arteries but ive sat for ages on a bus from south bridge to Princes street cuss of jams.

When younger you just get off early and walk but not option for older persons.

[flyingvigil]

i spent some times in Edinburgh last month and from what I saw, there´s no way that the tram will be ready in 2011.. (or even 2012). :P

So now im curious as well..

[flyingvigil]

check Bilfinger Berger Website and see how much money they make this year..

[unclephil440]

If this project is ever completed the cost will be billions and the good people of Edinburgh will be paying the bill for ever.

[jonomutiny]

Another gigantic waste of fucking money - build some houses and employ more hospital staff, dont cut any essential front line services and do away with this bollocks, Hrrumph!!

[Trainbuff2008]

waste of money and the works suddenly stopped whats the holdup now? this won't benefit me at all and will still need to use the bus to get me to the city, there will be loads accidents the way people walk out in front of traffic and cyclists need i say more.

[mikeywatt1980]

mon the trams!

[samuel210386]

the bus traffic of edinburgh is amazing,there is alot of buses,and I can believe that trans will turn down street loading..........

[mrjsanchez1]

They will probably like it once it's built. Most of the major cities in the U.S.A have put trams(ligt rail) back in, once a city gets one open, the public starts complaining about not expanding the system fast enough.

[Bloodlovefreak]

Edinburgh tram opens to public . . . In the year 2050.

[TheMarkOfTheBeast1]

Once again the Scottish "government" squanders our taxes on another farce!

[fluffnikthegreat]

Bilfinger Berger now want a 30 month delay and to bump the price up even more.

This ill judged scheme should be scrapped before another penny is wasted.

[ravrik]

I am a citizen of Edinburgh and have done straw polls as I have been travelling round the city on buses. I would estimate that 90% of people do NOT want the trams (the laughable SINGLE line!!!) Where's the democracy in that? The powers that be should partake of joined-up government and use the money to make the streets cleaner and sater. Use the money to rid the streets of litter, louts and grafitti. Then Edinburgh will truly be a city worth visiting. If I was a lawyer I would sue them all.

[mikeywatt1980]

@ravrik im for it also at least 2000 of folk of my petition signed by 2500 folk want it, albeit there was a 234 against it but watch this space it will become a great network as people will push for expansion once its up and running (having lived in dublin i have witnessed it all mark my words

[flyingvigil]

@ravrik

democracy is just for other places like Iraq, for example. you dont have the same previlege .. :P 

[Pvemaster2]

I don't get what your problems are? Look at us, Amsterdam, we have like 14 tram lines, it's perfect dammit!

[Mahavishnu80]

@Pvemaster2

well a) edinburgh has major transport issues since it is so small and heavily conjested b) we spent hundreds of millions on our parliament which was a joke c) there is no need for a tram the distance from the airport isnt a lot they would have been better providing a free bus d) transport has been a nightmare since it started

[mikeywatt1980]

@Mahavishnu80 i drive to work every morning through town and never ever experienced a "heavily congested" part of edinburgh, its all gossip 4 years of driving yet nothing to complain about

[bombdoc42]

Does nobody EVER learn anything from history?

Trams have NEVER worked in Edinburgh. The hills are too steep and the roads too narrow..

Bunch of MUPPETS

[krizvasa]

It is very good idea to return trams to the city. They are space effective, environmentally friendly. They will encourage people to use public transport. I wish every city to have so clever government. Trams create cities much more human and nice...

[scatmando]

Mushrooms?

[krizvasa]

Yes. Mushrooms are tasty! And trams have a lot of advantages. Although it cause some problems during construction. It will really get more people to public transport. It happened in other cities and it will work in Edinburgh too! Do you have any questions? I can explain you advantages of trams and public transport.

[scatmando]

How will it put more people onto public transport? There is only one tram with one route, what happens if you are not using that route? Doh.

Caused some problems? lol Have you seen our once great city? We had a fantastic bus service so why the trams?

Mushrooms are also a hallucogenic and mind bending drug. Im sure they grow them on the roof garden at the council buildings, as that shower of shite come up with some barking ideas.

[krizvasa]

Cars require ten times more space then public transport - it is fact, trust me. But buses share road with cars (if they don´t have bus lane). Then buses are in traffic jam too. Drivers won´t use bus if they are stuck in same traffic jam as in own cars because they want comfort. But trams have often own dedicated tram track so they won´t stuck in traffic jam. This fact and tram comfort will encourage people to use public transport instead of cars! That´s it!

[krizvasa]

But I´ve never seen this nice city. Every time in history of urban public transport popularity and ridership decreased when tram system was deleted (It happened in lot of cities in 50s 60s). When was new opened it helped to change city from traffic jams to pedestrian zones. Mushrooms are really tasty lots of people in my country eat them and we have 140 km long tram network in Prague. We have metro too but public transport couldn´t work without trams.

[krizvasa]

Trams are high capacity and they will create new main piece of public transport in Edinburgh. I suppose system will be changed that lot of bus lines won´t lead to city center. But they will end near tram track. So lot of people will use tram plus bus or tram plus bike even tram plus car I suppose there will be park and ride parking lots.

[fluffnikthegreat]

That might work with a well planned tram system.

However what Edinburgh is getting is a single line from Leith Docks, where the only Park and Ride potential is for ships, to the Airport which does have Park and Ride potential.

[ScotmanUK2000]

@fluffnikthegreat

Er, no! The tram is now ONLY running from the city centre out towards Edinburgh Airport. Remember, the tram DOES NOT actually stop at the airport but about outside it.

[fluffnikthegreat]

Edinburgh has an excellent bus service with Bus Lanes to prevent delay.

The proposed tram line effectively replaces ONE bus route and will reduce the amount of road available to Bus Lanes as well as other traffic.

[mikeywatt1980]

@fluffnikthegreat can i get a bus from newhaven to the airport? i live there and work at the airport but yet to find a direct bus please tell me which one

[fluffnikthegreat]

@mikeywatt1980 There's no direct tram in phase one either.

[scatmando]

You dont half come out with some shite.............. Are you on the payroll?

[kester102]

hey take a look at nottingham trams now they are good and 5 years on there still here

and yes it caused major disruption in the short term but in the long term it has made the city a better place to be in its also made lots of contribution to the local econamy

dosen't that say some thing

[fluffnikthegreat]

Nottingham is a very different shape to Edinburgh; Edinburgh has water on one side and lots of big hills...

[madeleinemusic]

in every way and in all ways that i have looked at it..i find that the "elected" and the "unelected" "representatives" of the public have failed.

i am forced to face the unthinklable

for whatever reason

they act instead,AGAINST the best interests of the people.

It is the every day that matters...

the process...not the product..

when they have finished, if they are ever finished, the businesses in this town will be destroyed.

I am forced to recognise the unthinkable..

[madeleinemusic]

taxis shuttles and a lothian bus service of excellence, now taking a loss because people can walk past the tram works quicker and have now put up the fares

end date?

cost? in real terms?

[madeleinemusic]

"here is the mock up"...

"f*** up" more like

and cost?

is the parliament paid for yet?

[madeleinemusic]

"today is evidence of the reality of the tram scheme"

ten thousand scottish people are loosing their jobs each month

starting at the begining of the year in leith walk when the customers could not get to the shops because of trams diversions

now they have started on princes st.

Pensioners are seeing their pensions slashed by 80%

postmen, refuse collecters and enforcers being asked to take a cut in their wages

and the tourists are here with the roads in chaos

no end in sight completion?

[madeleinemusic]

all these diversions holes in the road cones and NEVER do you see anyone working!!! what a joke! place full of tourists and it looks like a dump!

[madeleinemusic]

businesses closed...yesterday lothian busses announces millions losses ...falling passenger nos. cos the whole of edinburgh is coned off with holes in the road and bottlenecks jams busses not moving...and the maintenance of these trams gone to a german company for 60 years!

[CraigSpawton]

Edinburgh is also a capital city, Leeds is nothing.

[bb1crew]

Edinburgh gets a tram. Leeds gets bugger all. Leeds is bigger than edinburgh and has more traffic and is in a bigger urban area... That's what idiots in charge can do. There'd be no West Lothian Question in another country.

[scottishlad1987]

boohoo leeds doesnt get a tram, edinburgh creates more money than leeds.

[tachotam]

biggest load of fucking shit this town has ever wasted money on as the fat cats in the chambers sit back say nothing after cocking it up again we should fill the holes in with them mind u shit spreads so it would take a lot to fill all the holes in princess street

[mikeywatt1980]

@tachotam where is princess street?

[michaelwright999]

Remeber the last 1 with my bent penny 1958 good luck to the new 1.

[ecksact]

5) I can't speak for Connelly or Connery but I've already explained why I am here. If you possessed the ability to read (as you would have done had you had a Scottish education) then you would have realised that.

[ecksact]

3) I can teach you fuck all. Clearly no-one could teach you anything. You've proven that.

4) People who go to uni aren't necessarily bright. Often just lazy and/or desperate. However perhaps she was brighter than you give credit for. After all she isn't with you any more. Clever girl!

[ecksact]

Oh dear. Let's analyse your comments shall we?

1) You haven't been to school for 37 years? Presumably that makes you 37 years old then.

2) Skilled manual worker. What does that mean? You're a good wanker? You can sweep floors with a broom?

[gallafey]

with fuel running out it is time for the to make a big come all over the uk

Blackpool did best thing keeping hold their trams, we all owe it to Walter Luft who in the 1930s saw that the tram still is best and set about mordenizing Blackpool trams others followed like Glasgow and Liverpool but their disapeard were blackpool kept theres , Manchester was the first to revive the tram it is time to reopen the tramway from Leigh to Bolton or maybe a trolly bus

[bittenof]

the fucking pissed up jocks will wreck it.they will piss on them and sleep on them.the big issue sellers will invade them.fuck the sweaty socks,let them crawl home

[Hullawthere]

Sounds just the ticket then pal, any spare change bye the way, ya wind up git.

[bittenof]

i suspect a scotch(they hate been called that)connection even though it says spain.dont forget to turn the deep fat fryer off before you go to bed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!­!!!!!

[Hullawthere]

Just here on my hols. thanks for the tip can't burn the deep fried paella.

Perhaps you reside in Englandshire, land of

[ecksact]

I'm a Sweaty Sock working in England with young people with social, emotional and behavioural problems. Your lack of social skills and poor grasp of grammar are indicative of why people like myself are needed in the south.If you'd like some educational, behavioural and/or social skills input feel free to drop me a message, though I'm willing to bet you lack the ability to write something other than "F****** Jock B******"

[bittenof]

the poor grasp of grammar is probably due to the fact that i havent been to school for 37yrs and am a skilled manual worker so the written word isnt my forte.you can teach me fuck all,my ex partner was at uni when i met her and wasnt the brightest person i had ever met and where did she work,a youth offending team!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.finaly if its so good in scotland why are so many of you not living there,billy connely,sean connery???????????????????????­.

[scatmando]

Ex partner?

No wonder she fucked of from you, Ya fucking welt.

And its Connolly not Connely you thick little englander wanker, ecksact was being sarcastic with you while I would gladly boot your balls............. If you have any. CUNT.

[bittenof]

oh and by the way,when you roll in at 3 in the morning full of the old tennants ,dont forget to turn the deep fat fryer off,you lot love your deep fat fried mars bars dont you.many house fires are caused by dffryers so be careful

[scatmando]

Theres always one.

Now you have bittenof more than you can chew you little englander wanker, so fuck off back to which stone you crawled from.

And its Connolly with an O ya thick fuck.

[The1stPoster]

Edinburgh? Ok, who gives a shite?

[scatmando]

Why watch the video? Fannybaws.

[gouldbourn]

edinburgh has the best bus service in britain..... if it aint broke dont fix it. how about lines above for electric busses as a compromise? too late now. 3 years of road works great.

[kalkinas1]

dnt read this(cuz it really wrks). u will gt kissd on the nearest frieday by the love of ur life. 2mara wll b the bst day of ur life hwever if you dnt post ths comment 2 at least 3 vids u will die withn 2 days

[pokemon5687]

1.Cubra sua boca com a mão

2. Faça um desejo

3.Feche sua mão (punho)

4.Ponha sua mão no coração durante 5 segundos

5. Envie isto para mais 3 vídeos

6. Amanhã vai ser o melhor dia da sua vida

[freeqwerqwer]

I think it's a complete waste of money.  Why don't you use that money to feed the poor starving people of Dafur???

[trainluvr]

Its interesting how at this late date everyday people express skepticism and annoyance at temporary distruption for something that has never failed to be a hit in ANY city it was introduced. Do these people not travel?

[chookter1]

Its a pile of very expensive SHITE!

[wk3790]

Potential terror threat!

[softesweet]

trams are cleaner than buses, for the air to breath

[adamkirrmusic]

one of my favorite cities!!

[dougsy1]

nobody want the trams. for a start it's a waste of money and time! when they had leith walk dug up they put down the wrong pipes so had do did it up again. and that's before a track line has even looked at the road! they would be better investint the money into getting all the road's fixed like the pot holes that cause so much damage to car's and so on rather than something that very few people want!

[theroyalshow]

Same old subjective views about a concept the people don't even understand.Half the people in the video are all worried about a short term cost in an utterly selfish way,look at all the areas that have trams,Sheffield,Nottingham, Manchester ,all of them have been a success with extensions muted for Nottingham as well as catalysts for economic growth and improvements in quality of life for residents. Cars are not the be all and end all or urban transport .

[starsign1981]

town*

[starsign1981]

i very welcome this new project. i come from bigger city and we have trams and it is so easy to get around the time. i don't need a car to get around the city and you save on your car insurance, petrol and time. PPl don't see the potential just now but i bet it will be fine in future

[fatalist1]

1.take ur middle finger and put on ur nose.

2.say a name of someone u like.

3.that person will ask u out or say they love u tomorrow.

4. here's the thing copy and paste to 2 other videos.

[Shadey3132]

i hate the trams im from edinburgh so i fink on the first day it will break down