Extend trams into Fife? What could possibly go wrong!

the troubled edinburgh tram scheme could be extended as far as Fife, according to new documents.

the move would be part of a ten-year strategy to save the city from gridlock and meet environmental commitments, its transport chief has said.

As part of the City Mobility Plan, council bosses would expand the network to areas including the ‘north and south of the city as well as to Newhaven, and explore the potential to extend routes to the west of the city and into Fife, West, Mid and east Lothian’.

edinburgh’s tram line opened in 2014 – five years late and hundreds of millions of pounds over budget.

But transport and environment convener Lesley Macinnes told the edinburgh evening News: ‘We need to make bold, transformational decisions if we are

‘We need to make bold decisions’

to become carbon neutral by 2030, while delivering a truly accessible and sustainable transport system.

‘of course, this vision doesn’t stop at edinburgh’s boundary, and it’s essential we consider travel to and from the city from neighbouring areas.’

however, critics said the scheme would be too expensive. Lib Dem transport spokesman Kevin Lang said there was ‘no chance of anything like this being delivered in the next ten years’.

he added: ‘if we are to meet our 2030 targets and turn edinburgh into a carbon neutral city then solutions will need to come from elsewhere.’

A Scottish Government spokesman said: ‘We understand that there are no current plans to ask the Scottish Government for funding for any extension of the tram network. therefore the approval of the business case is a matter for the city council.’