Date: 22 May 2008
Trams will be running in Edinburgh in early 2011. Approval of the tram Final Business Case was granted by the City of Edinburgh Council in December 2007 and construction work is well underway on the streets of Edinburgh. Once the trams are completed, the people of Edinburgh and its visitors will have a high quality, safe, modern, integrated public transport system.
Throughout 2008 multi-utility diversion works have started in the city centre, including Shandwick Place where work started on 1 March for five months. Works have continued in Leith Walk and started in Constitution Street on 31 March where sections of the street will be closed until September 2008. The tram infrastructure work will start in June 2008 and this will overlap with the completion of the multi-utility diversion works in December 2008.
Throughout the tram construction tie is committed to ensuring that Edinburgh remains Open for Business. Support has been offered to businesses through the Retail Business Rateable Value Reduction Scheme, Small Business Support Scheme and Open for Business Marketing Programme.
The Small Business Support Scheme was extended in April 2008 to include a further 200 businesses, which are situated within 100 metres of a work site, and by May 2008, £600,000 had been paid out to businesses. The Edinburgh Open for Business group has an investment of £300,000 over three years, which is funded by tie and the City of Edinburgh Council. This programme supports businesses through producing advertising and marketing material to help ensure that the Open for Business message is communicated clearly during the construction period.
During the construction of Edinburgh's 21st century tram network, the project team would like to thank all the members of the Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce for your support and patience in helping to build a new and modern transport system.
For more information on the project: call the Customer Helpline on 0131 623 8726 or visit www.tramsforedinburgh.com
tie sponsored our Premier Series Dinner in April 2008
