The Consequences of Political Grandstanding

Ah me, the triumphalist crowing of the opposition parties last year, as they forced through the Edinburgh trams project, was something to hear.

Tavish Scott, now leader of the LibDems, was in full pants wetting mode, and the other parties were similarly excited as they forced the first parliamentary defeat on the Scottish government.

Damage limitation ensued from the government, on a project which had not been fully planned or costed, and the budget was set at just over £500m.

Now of course we have the main contractor for this phase, namely Bilfinger Berger, turning around two days before work is due to begin, and demanding up to £80m more funding.

This is curiously close to the sum they lost recently on a Norwegian project, but the really important aspect of this is the sheer immorality of their actions.

To turn around and try to force additional payment for services, when the customer is already committed to expensive preparatory work, is unsupportable.

I watched the Politics Show today, and was horrified to see the numbers of people shopping in Princes St on Saturday, following the road closures.
The place was deserted, and if the road is to be closed until November, well, God help the businesses in Scotland's prime shopping street.
It would spell financial catastrophe for the area, to say nothing for the livelihood of the capital's pickpockets (see right)

One point which always struck me as strange was that, despite the great claims for utility being made for the route, there would be only one stop in Princes Street, putatively at the foot of the mound.
OK, there will be stops in Shandwick Place and St Andrews Square... but one stop seems just a little miserly, no?
Especially when compared to the numbers of bus stops already there.

This project has been ill conceived from the start.
Expensive, pandering to political points scoring, and delivering questionable value for money to the area.

And now, Bilfinger Berger appear to be trying to take TIE for a ride.
In the process, they are also making the opposition parties look like prize mugs.

My own view on this is simple.
Fill in the holes, resurface the roads, and tell these chancers to hop it sharpish.

Oh yes, and whenever the LibDems start dreaming up notions for their pet projects, send them off to the sandpit to play with their toy trains.