Edinburgh\u2019s transport boss has said no council money will go towards funding the city\u2019s new tram line \u2013 even as questions have been raised over what external funding will be available.<\/p>\n
The remarks came after council leader Jane Meagher refused to rule out public money being spent on the project in response to a question by Liberal Democrat councillor Kevin Lang.<\/p>\n
She had been challenged on a promise made by her predecessor, Councillor Cammy Day, in December 2022 that no council tax money would be spent on the new tram line.<\/p>\n
Momentarily glancing back at Cllr Day, she said: \u201cThis is an area where I need to be better informed.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd I go back to my response to Cllr Thornley, which is until we know the scope of the tram extension, it\u2019s impossible to assess what kind of financial commitment will be needed on any part.\u201d<\/p>\n
Transport convener Stephen Jenkinson told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that Cllr Meagher misspoke, and that no council tax money or debt would be used to fund the tram.<\/p>\n
He said: \u201cIt is Labour group policy that the council tax payers of Edinburgh will not be asked to directly fund any future extension of our award winning tram network.\u201d<\/p>\n
It comes three days after a public consultation on the new route was launched, which Cllr Meagher had said already drew in over 2,000 responses.<\/p>\n
Cllr Lang said: \u201cWe\u2019re only days into this tram consultation and the position of the Labour administration has already fallen into chaos.<\/p>\n
\u201cTwo years ago, the Labour position could not have been clearer. They said no council tax money would be spent on the tram extension.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe new Labour Leader then makes a bombshell u-turn and says she won\u2019t rule out spending council tax on the tram.<\/p>\n
\u201cJust hours later, the Labour transport convener says they won\u2019t be using council tax money. Who do we believe?<\/p>\n
\u201cThe council is already facing a funding crisis, with a growing black hole in how we pay for our schools, social care, roads, and pavements in the years to come.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cLabour councillors need to come clean on how they would pay for the \u00a32 billion tram extension.\u201d<\/p>\n
And Conservative councillor Neil Cuthbert said: \u201cThe confusion on future funding options for a new north south tram line is deeply damaging and not helpful at all when Edinburgh residents are being asked for their views on the project.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s entirely reasonable to expect Edinburgh Council to have answers on where the money is coming from if they are serious about plans to expand the existing network.\u201d<\/p>\n
Earlier in the meeting, Conservative councillor and group leader Iain Whyte asked Cllr Meagher: \u201cGiven that the cost is now \u00a33bn and rising, can the council leader say, in any terms, where she thinks the \u00a33bn will come from when our loan debt is already \u00a32bn in this council?<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd can she justify \u00a344mn being spent to work up a business case?\u201d<\/p>\n
Cllr Meagher replied: \u201cAny European city I\u2019ve visited has a tram network, and it\u2019s vital for the infrastructure of any city.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd if we\u2019re going to meet our ambitious environmental targets, then we have to be very serious about what kind of public transportation we have.\u201d<\/p>\n
She began to say, \u201cI will begin to look into funding options if that would help\u201d, before her words were broken up by boos from other councillors.<\/p>\n
Earlier this month, it was reported that Scottish Government funding for the new tram route was not \u2018affordable in the current fiscal climate\u2019 \u2013 but that funding could be possible in the context of a more expansive mass transit plan for Edinburgh and the wider region.<\/p>\n
This came from minutes of meetings in January and March, which were released to a campaigner under freedom of information requests.<\/p>\n
Cllr Jenkinson said of the points raised: \u201cIt\u2019s far too early in the process to be getting into the fine detail of how an important project like this would be financed.<\/p>\n
\u201cBy the time we do get to a point where we need to actually start financing this project, I\u2019m hopeful that we will have a different Scottish Government in place.<\/p>\n
\u201cI look forward to working with the Scottish and UK governments to see what the art of the possible is with regards to funding a major transport initiative for Edinburgh, the Lothians and Scotland.\u201d<\/p>\n
At a media briefing on Monday, Cllr Jenkinson said: \u201cWe can answer the question as to how much, but where the money comes from is probably going to be the next stage.\u201d<\/p>\n
The tram extension is set to link Granton to the BioQuarter, and possibly points further east, with the new line linking up with the current one at either side of Princes Street.<\/p>\n
Among other questions, the consultation is asking residents about which route the new line should take between Granton and the city centre.<\/p>\n
One option would send it along the Roseburn Path, while the other would bring it up Dean Bridge and along surface streets to Crewe Toll.<\/p>\n
By Joseph Sullivan Local Democracy Reporter<\/p>\n