Progress is continuing to be made on Edinburgh's ambitious tram project, the Council has said.

Yesterday (19 November), the overhead power lines between the Bankhead Tram Stop and York Place were switched on, meaning the entire airport to city centre route is now live.

Transport Convener Lesley Hinds said: "This is another significant milestone as we push towards completion of the project and as we prepare for testing. At ground level the live wires will go unnoticed but anyone who needs to carry out works within a ten metre vicinity needs to be aware of important safety measures."


The local authority has said authorisation is needed for any of the following works:

• Any work where part of the site such as tools, materials, machines, suspended loads or where people could enter the Edinburgh Tram Hazard Zone. For example, window cleaning or other work involving the use of ladders.

• Any work which could force pedestrians or road traffic to be diverted into the Edinburgh Trams Hazard Zone.

• Piling, using a crane, excavating more than two metres or erecting and dismantling scaffolding within four metres of the Edinburgh Trams Hazard Zone.

• Any excavation within three metres of any pole supporting overhead lines.

• Any work on sites near the tramway where vehicles fitted with cranes, tippers or skip loaders could come within the Edinburgh Trams Hazard Zone when the equipment is in use.

In a statement, Edinburgh Council added that the tram project remains within the revised budget of £776m, with work either ahead of schedule, or in line with the revised timescale.

The full route tram testing is scheduled to begin next month.

(JP/MH)