Crystal Balls         

I've been gazing into my crystal balls (yes, they do make sitting a bit uncomfortable) to see what is coming.

Imagine for a moment that it is now July 2011:-

1. Tram start-up date has now moved out to October 2015. The delay has been blamed on the time taken to remove bits of bus debris from the guided busway,

2. Leith Walk is still in pieces and they still haven't found the 13 which fell down the hole near Dalmeny St, 6 months ago. Also the search and recovery team sent out to bring the bus back has failed to report back and must be regarded as missing in action. Next of kin have been informed,

3. It is hoped that the West End works will be completed early next month. This should allow the Edinburgh International Festival and Fringe to be reinstated. (As you will be aware these events were cancelled in 2009 and 2010 following the fiasco in 2008),

4. Princes St, which was due to be closed for 8 months in 2009, finally re-opened two weeks ago - complete with all the tram tracks and overhead equipment. Unfortunately the overhead was constructed for single deck trams and is too low to allow standard height double deckers to pass underneath. Management is currently debating whether to put the 1's, 8's, 10's, 11's, 15's, 16's, 17's, 19's, 23's, 25's, 26's, 27's, 34's, 37's, 41's, 42's, 44's, 45's and 47's on to the single deck roster, meanwhile these services have been diverted via Leith St, Bridges, Chambers St and anywhere else you can go to get back on route. A recent Management memo has warned that any driver colliding with tramway overhead equipment will be "subject to disciplinary action",

5. The future of the Airlink operation was recently discussed and it has been proposed that, on start-up of the tram service, Airlink vehicles will be rebranded to operate a 5 minute frequency service to Livingston and/or Bathgate. It is proposed that this service be operated on a 24/7 basis.

6. The entire Lothian Buses fleet now meets low floor/disabled access requirements apart from 354, 356, 360, 361, and 362 which have been retained for use on the X31 service. 366 - 371 (formerly branded for service 15) will be retained as back up vehicles for the new Livingston/Bathgate service,

7. Following representations from the "Nedettes And Their Buggies Association" (NATBA) the company has agreed to remove all seats from the nearside of all single deck vehicles to allow the carriage of up to 12 unfolded buggies per vehicle. In exchange for this NATBA has agreed not to attempt to bring buggies, folded or unfolded, on to double deckers.

Watch this space for more revelations, courtesy of Tram Tracker's crystal balls.

 

Tram Tracker