I love trams. I love unearthing old tram lines in Glasgow and Edinburgh, I love the pace of them, I love how they still carry an air of superior public transport status from the bygone days of the "trolley buses".
Most European cities and Blackpool all have trams, so Edinburgh (who haven't had trams since 1956) have decided to bring 'em back. In theory, this is a wonderful idea, adding another dimension to Edinburgh's reliable, clean city transport and increasing interest from tram fanatics.
Unfortunately, the reality is grim. This is where things get grizzly, and I will appear grumpy. But I hope you see my point! The trams are taking ages, which is causing upheaveal, disruption and general grievances to the people of Edinburgh. There seems to have been a hold up on production, and the project is taking an era to complete. They have quoted 2012 and I realise there has been a dip caused by the global recession, but it's still a bit irritating.
Moreover, and it really, really saddens me to think this way, but considering the project is funded by the city council and the Scottish Government, then surely at the moment there are better ways in which we could be spending our money? Politics and reviewing should rarely if ever entwine, but I feel that we have too many cuts to deal with at this moment in time to pour money into something that's surplus to requirements. I don't know as much about the project as maybe some locals do so please enlighten me if I am wrong. But buses travel to most areas in the city, there are trains, and at the moment Scotland is being faced with some serious blows that may send us spiralling back to the not-so-hallowed days of Thatcher. Time will tell on that one, but I digress...
...so much to my dismay, I am inclined to feel that at this point in time, this project is frivilous. There are cuts here, there and everywhere that inevitably will affect not only museums and attractions that we enjoy, but also severely threaten the physical, mental and financial health of the country at large. Admittedly Cameron is Thatcher in a skirt, so although I am expecting to see a second blow thrown from the next Hammer of the Scots I don't know if his reign will be as severe as the bitter economic winter that she brought in behind her. Let's hope not, but to get back to it, I currently feel as though our money could be invested into something safer and more necessary for this point in time rather than on a project that, although wonderful in its own way, is perhaps the least of Edinbugh's worries in the years to come.
For someone who didn't want to bring politics into it, I've not done a very good job at keeping them out. Oops. No offence is intended and debate is welcomed should you disagree with my opinion - it is just an opinion, after all. read more