NEWS RELEASE

Thursday 21st December 2006

WELCOME FOR COUNCIL 'YES' VOTE ON EDINBURGH TRAMS
SNP branded as "anti-public transport and anti-Edinburgh"

TRANSform Scotland (1), the campaign for sustainable transport in Scotland, today (Thursday 21 December 2006) welcomed the 'yes' vote at a meeting of the City of Edinburgh Council on the business case for the Edinburgh tram network (2), but attacked the SNP for its "anti-public transport and anti-Edinburgh" opposition to the tram scheme.

The vote on the trams held at this morning's Full Council meeting went 56-1 in favour of the scheme, with Labour, the Lib Dems and the Tories in favour of the scheme, and only the one SNP councillor in opposition.

Paul Tetlaw, Chair of TRANSform Scotland, and who gave a deputation to the Council meeting, said:

“Today's vote is very welcome indeed, and is a great Christmas present for the people of Edinburgh and south-east Scotland, who will benefit from cleaner, safer, more accessible and more reliable public transport services in the coming years. It is a vote for common sense, and a decision that will help Edinburgh flourish.”

Regarding the SNP's opposition to the tram scheme, Paul Tetlaw said:

"The SNP have demonstrated their complete lack of ambition for Scotland and its capital city. By opposing trams, the SNP have shown they would be happy to deprive Scotland's capital city of the public transport system that it needs. Trams will build on Edinburgh's excellent bus network and help us move towards a world-class public transport system.

"If the SNP intend to go into next year's Holyrood elections saying that, if elected, they would reduce investment in Edinburgh's public transport network, then they shouldn't be surprised if they are branded as anti-public transport and anti-Edinburgh."

Earlier this week, a group made up of eighteen businesses, retailers, educational institutions and major employers wrote a joint letter to each of the 58 City of Edinburgh Councillors urging them to vote yes at today's meeting (3).

Last weekend, eleven major Scottish charities, voluntary organisations and campaign groups announced that they had individually written letters to all of the City of Edinburgh Councillors in support of the proposed Edinburgh tram network (4).
The preceding week saw the launch of a campaign by students from the University of Edinburgh calling on Transport Minister, Tavish Scott, to make funding available for Tram Line 3.

ENDS

NOTES TO EDITORS:

1. TRANSform Scotland campaigns for a more sensible transport system, one less dependent on unsustainable modes such as the car and the heavy lorry, and more reliant on sustainable modes such as walking, cycling and public transport. Its 64 member organisations (see: <http://www.transformscotland.org.uk/members/members.html>) include local authorities, national environmental organisations and local cycling and rail campaigns.

2. More information on the proposed Edinburgh tram network can be found at: <http://www.tramtime.com>

3. The eighteen businesses, retailers, educational institutions and major employers that wrote to the City of Edinburgh Councillors in support of the trams included: Forth Ports plc and Edinburgh Airport; John Lewis and Marks and Spencer; the University of Edinburgh, Heriot-Watt University and Telford College; Standard Life and Oracle; Edinburgh City Centre Management Company and Edinburgh International Conference Centre; Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce, the Scottish Council Development and Industry and the Institute of Directors, Scotland.

4. The eleven charities, voluntary organisations and campaign groups that wrote to the City of Edinburgh Councillors in support of the trams are: Capability Scotland, The Cockburn Association, Friends of the Earth Scotland, The National Trust for Scotland, RSPB Scotland, The Scottish Association for Public Transport, Scottish Environment LINK, Stop Climate Chaos Scotland, TRANSform Scotland, Voluntary Health Scotland and WWF Scotland.

5. TRANSform Scotland's briefing sent to all City of Edinburgh Council councillors in advance of today's Full Council vote on introducing trams to Edinburgh is available at <http://www.transformscotland.org.uk/info/docs/2006-12-21_CEC_trams.pdf>.

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