NEWS RELEASE
Wednesday 9th May 2007

NO TRAMS, NO DEAL:
Edinburgh trams critical to Green deal with SNP

TRANSform Scotland [1] has today (Wednesday 9th May 2007) called for the Scottish Green Party to make the go-ahead for the Edinburgh tram scheme [2] a minimum requirement for any coalition deal at the Scottish Parliament. [3]

Paul Tetlaw, Chair of TRANSform Scotland said:

"The Greens should make the go-ahead for the Edinburgh tram scheme a minimum requirement for any deal with the SNP.

"It would be shameful for the Greens to allow themselves to provide a green gloss for environmentally damaging plans to switch money away from public transport and into more new road-building.

"The trams have support from the overwhelming majority on Edinburgh Council, and from a wide range of Scottish charities, businesses, retailers, educational institutions and major employers. We will be encouraging all of these groups to register their opposition to any proposal to remove funding from the Edinburgh tram scheme." [4]

ENDS

NOTES TO EDITORS:

[1] TRANSform Scotland

TRANSform Scotland is the national sustainable transport alliance, bringing together rail, bus and shipping operators, local authorities, national environment and conservation groups, businesses and local transport groups.

We can be contacted at Lamb's House, Burgess Street, Leith, Edinburgh, EH6 6RD. Tel 0131 467 7714; fax 0131 554 8656; email <info@transformscotland.org.uk>; web <http://www.transformscotland.org.uk>.

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

[3] According to today's Edinburgh Evening News <http://edinburghnews.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=719162007>, the SNP have announced they plan to deprive the Edinburgh tram scheme of funding.

[4] In December 2006, the trams received support from 18 major businesses, retailers, educational institutions and major employers:

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 and Enterprise; the Scottish Council Development and Industry; and the Institute of Directors, Scotland.

The trams also received support from 11 major charities, voluntary organisations and campaign groups:

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.

All wrote to The City of Edinburgh Councill to express their support for the tram scheme.

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


END OF NEWS RELEASE