Calls for Edinburgh's Sheriffhall roundabout to be redesigned to accommodate new tramline to Dalkeith

CITY leaders will use a government-ordered review of the Sheriffhall roundabout revamp to press for changes to accommdate a new tram line to Dalkeith.

The plans for a £120 million flyover to tackle congestion and long delays are to be reconsidered as part of the budget deal agreed between the Scottish Government and the Greens at Holyrood.

Edinburgh City Council was already seeking major changes to the design, saying it should include bus lanes and space in the longer term for trams.

The review now gives them more time to argue the case.

The city’s senior transport manager Ewan Kennedy told councillors: “My starting point will be that the tram should fly through the middle of the roundabout. That’s the priority and ambition we should be taking forward and that’s the basis of the discussion I will be having with Transport Scotland.”

The idea of extending the Capital’s tram network to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, the Bio-Quarter and on to Dalkeith was first suggested some time ago and the route has already been safeguarded in Edinburgh’s Local Development Plan.

The council’s transport and environment committee noted the local authority had officially for the design to take account of the proposal.

Green councillor Claire Miller, however, remained unimpressed.

She said: “I’ve made no secret of my view that I don’t support spending £120m on a single flyover at Sheriffhall. So much more could be done if that level of funding could be switched instead to public transport and active travel.

“While an improved junction could potentially improve things for buses and bikes and maybe even in the very long term for trams as far as Dalkeith, there is a very high risk that the result will simply be more cars, leading to the same congestion.”

Tory transport spokesmanNick Cook said he feared rge review would delay the project.

“Such a delay would be of huge concern, as would any attempt by Greens to exploit the delay to seek alterations disproportionately focussed on their extreme environmental agenda, rather than the improvements working commuters require.”