26 August 2011
Political point-scoring over trams must stop
Letter as sent to Scottish newspapers this afternoon:
Anyone observing the Edinburgh trams saga from elsewhere in the world must be utterly bewildered. We have a great capital city of which we should all be proud and a scheme for a modern light rail system of the type that any comparable city in Europe would take for granted.
If we have any ambition at all to compete in the world the development of the tram scheme should transcend party politics. Instead we have a national government that has sat on its hands and wilfully watched things go wrong and petty squabbling among local politicians who we might instead expect to provide concerted leadership. In failing to support the completion of the tram project to St Andrew Square, the city’s SNP, Labour and Conservative councillors have sacrificed the long-term transport needs of the city.
There is no doubt at all this is a transport enhancement that Edinburgh and Scotland badly needs and the current farcical state of affairs is damaging to Scotland’s international reputation.
It is now time for politicians of all parties to set aside their political point-scoring and work together to ensure rapid completion of the whole scheme. Scotland might then begin to gain some respect internationally.
Yours faithfully
Paul Tetlaw
Transform Scotland