Edinburgh Tram Extension: Impact on Residents and Local Economy

This paper discusses the extension of Edinburgh tram from York place to Newhaven and the impact caused to the residents. The extension of tram has numerous effects on the local economy during the construction phase. Once the tram starts carrying out its operation, there are certain benefits that will accrue as a result of its usage making it beneficial to residents.

Edinburgh Tram Extension
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Edinburgh Tram Extension
Introduction
This paper discusses the extension of Edinburgh tram from York place to Newhaven and the
impact caused to the residents. The Edinburgh normally operates between the Edinburgh Airport
and a temporary terminus at York Place and the Edinburgh tram distance between York Place to
Newhaven is about 4.6 km and the project is estimated that $ 1 spent will provide a return of $
1.64. There were reasons why the extension of tram was required from New York to Newhaven
were;
 Support the local economy by improving accessibility.
 Reduction in traffic congestion.
 To ensure the transport sector is safer and more secure.
 Provision of social benefits
Impact of tram extension on the local during the construction phase
The extension of tram has numerous effects on the local economy during the construction phase
as discussed below
Air Quality
The changing the road pattern directly and indirectly will affect the quality of air which will be
caused by the construction operations taking place during the extension of the tram from New
York to Newhaven. The tram itself will not be causing air pollution but during the construction
of tram system, the vehicles being used in transportation of materials needed during the
construction will also contribute heavily in air pollution thus causing climate change due too
much emission of carbon dioxide (Cairney, 2012, p. 189)
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Edinburgh Tram Extension
Traffic disruptions
During construction of the tram, numerous heavy vehicles are used in the transportation of
construction materials to the working site. Both the cyclist and pedestrians will be affected as a
result of the congestion caused in the road. These will have impact on those using road such as
foot-travelers as well as cyclists therefore, there is need of ensuring that pedestrian needs are
considered every time. During the construction, certain pathway and footway. The construction
will also affect the cycleway and footway along the Rose burn Railway Corridor giving rise to
alternative routes within the city. (Thomas, 2013, p. 87).
The parking area as well as properties needs to be maintained to deal with issue affecting the
flow of traffic on those using the road to travel to different areas within the city. All the road
congestion need to be eliminated and this can be done by ensuring that redesigning and testing of
the road junction is done (Brailsford, 2016, p. 189).
This traffic problem affecting the residents living in the city will decrease as people tries to cope
up with operation of tram. To do away with conflict between trams and cyclist, the lanes will be
marked to ensure the cyclist are given their own path to use when travelling around (Lindsay,
2011, p. 551).
Use of Land
There are some alterations that will take place in land during the construction of tram thus
changing the routes, however, there will be numerous change in routes since most of them exist
along the road. The principal impacts are:
• Most of the public houses will be demolished together with various houses belonging to
the local to allow the tram construction to take place.
• Unused bridges will be demolished to allow the extension of the tram.
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Edinburgh Tram Extension
• Widening of roads will take place to allow enough space for tram extension.
Geology, Soils and Contaminated Land
Adoption of appropriate construction procedures will help in mitigating the pollution caused to
the environment and this is upon the contractor to ensure proper processes are put in place. The
effects of soil disaggregation and compaction are seen during the construction phase. The heavy
vehicles used during the construction participate heavily in land contamination thus there is need
of carrying out site evaluation to ensure that the activities associated with land contamination are
mitigated (Alm, 2006, p. 128).
Urban Landscape and Townscape Impacts
The construction of tram system alters the physical appearance of land thus affecting the
townscape and the landscape. The tram erection will be permitted by re-laying the street surfaces
along the route, but it will be accomplished to match the current surface. Interfering with the
landscape to allow the construction of tram will interfere with the road junctions showing a bad
picture of the city. Trees and shrubs which contribute in making Edinburg green will also be
interfered with and this will make the city scarce from vegetation since many of them will be
destroyed to give space for tram to pass through. (Anderson, 2014, p. 231)
Ensuring Edinburgh which appear nicely is perceived as one national cultural assets in Britain
and as the utmost extremely cherished Scottish townscapes, they are need of ensuring that high
quality design is used in the tram system and the people in charge of tram design are devoted to a
high quality design in all areas. This will be attained by subsequent necessities detailed in a
Design Manual, which has been ordered and is presently established in discussion with the City
of Edinburgh Council, Historic Scotland and the World Heritage Trust (Roomy, 2013, p. 273).
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Edinburgh Tram Extension
Visual Impact
There is visual environment adored by the extension of the tram from New York to Newhaven
by those visiting, staying and operating in the area. People will not be allowed to use certain
routes due to the built up of the location and the waterfront from Grafton to Leith. (Mekie, 2014,
p. 230).
The overhead wiring will cause visual impacts from houses, flats and tourist locations along
much of the tram route, wherever the proposed development is clearly noticeable. This will be
most significant in the New Town. The necessities in Design Manual as well as cautious
engineering will help in minimizing the visual impact through the city, but there will be an
important outstanding effect (Morrison, 2018, p. 564). Along the Rose burn corridor,
replacement planting and screen hedges will be introduced to help screen views opened up by
necessary clearance of existing planting.
Ecology and Nature Conservation
The widening of footway along the seawall at Star Bank Road will be experienced during the
extension of tram and it will be affecting the Firth of Forth and a special area for Wild Birds
directly. The birds’ habitat will be interfered with as a result of the construction despite the birds’
contribution in the outlook of the city. There is need of ensuring that the methods being
employed during construction does not interfere in any way or the other with the stay of birds
since they make the city looks beautiful. The suitable construction method that will be used by
the contractor in charge will mitigate the disruption to birds as well as doing away with pollution
of the high-water mark during erection. Providing birds roosts in new structure will be reduced
by the effect of widening the footway permanently (Morrison, 2018, p. 228).
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Edinburgh Tram Extension
Most of matured vegetation which makes the city beautiful will be interfered with during the
construction of tram along the Rose burn Railway Corridor therefore, affecting the Urban
Wildlife Site along the corridor. Habitats identified in action plan for Lothian Biodiversity will
be affected as a result of tram extension to Newhaven. (Brailsford, 2016, p. 337).
Noise
The extension of Edinburgh tram system will cause noise disturbance in various ways:
 through erection;
 right through tram operation preceding households.
 indirectly through the Line One effect road patterns in traffic movement.
Noise pollution is normally caused by the vehicles transporting the construction materials, the
machines used in the construction process and this affects the workers carrying out the
operations and also the local community carrying out their operations within the construction
site. Noise pollution leads to health problems such as hearing problems. Issue relating to noise
should be mitigated by ensuring the contractor employ a suitable method that minimise noise.
(Chen, 2017, p. 432).
Tram operations also cause vibrations which interferes with buildings and local people around
and as a result of vibration, numerous may experience hearing problem and shaking also the
temporary structures built around by the residents for carrying out their businesses. The vibration
also interferes also interferes with learning program especially to those students in school due to
lack of concentration (McCloskey, 2008, p. 97).
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Edinburgh Tram Extension
Water Quality
The construction of tram system contributes to water pollution. The quality of water can be
interfered with as a result of construction operations. There is oil spillage and digging of land
during site preparation which makes the water dirty due to dust. The preparation of land during
the extension also interferes with the drainage system in the area, bursting of water pipes thus
making the water harmful for human consumption (Gillon, 2014, p. 160).
Cultural Legacy
Some of the historical, cultural and archaeological sites identified along the route add up to 86 in
total. The extension of Edinburgh has a great impact on the cultural heritage thus making the
city or the country to lose its culture due to the construction taking place for example demolition
of Scheduled Ancient Monument and Caledonian Ale House (John, 2013, p. 332). There are
mitigations that needs to be put in place to ensure these particular cultural sites are protected
from distractions. Most of these particular cultural sites are good for children who are growing
up or even those visitors who wants to no more concerning the culture of those people living in
this particular city (Menga, 2014, p. 88).
Impact of tram extension of the tram line on the local economy once it is
operational
Once the tram starts carrying out its operation, there are certain benefits that will accrue as a
result of its usage making it beneficial to residents. The extension of the tram greatly affect
employment, Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and income positively as explained below.
Employment
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Edinburgh Tram Extension
The extension of tram line will provide employment to the local people. Direct employment will
be provided to citizens such that the residents will be employed in Edinburgh tram to carry out
the operations. The residents will also be employed indirectly since they will be selling their
products, goods and also food stuff to the passengers who bordered the tram in the station.
Induced effect of employment will be greatly realized when the people employed in the tram
spend their income in the community.
As a result of tram construction there are some sectors has greater effect in employment both
directly and indirectly and from the table it can be seen construction activities highly affect
employment in Edinburgh followed by manufacturing sector, hotel and catering sectors, mining
and quarrying sector and the table is closed with the least sector contributing less to employment
which is Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing.
Income
The extension of tram to Newhaven will contribute greatly to high income since most of the
income from this project will be gotten from the tram fares paid by passengers and this will
enable growth in economy thus increasing per capita income.
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Edinburgh Tram Extension
From the table above, all construction activities have a bigger influence on the income generated
by the country. Hotel and catering sector takes the second position followed by the transport
department. The least sector having minimal impact on income generated is the water and waste
sector.
Gross Domestic Product
As a result of this tram, the employment of residents will increase which in turn will increase
peoples living standard. Due to high living standard, the gross domestic product of the country
will increase (Veitch, 2009, p. 98).
During the construction phase, the construction of the Tram from New York to Newhaven causes
negative impacts to the local community and this include, contamination of water and air, traffic
disruption as well land scape interference.
Socio Economic Effects
The extension of the tram system will have brought socio economic impact and this may include
opportunities for direct employment and indirect opportunity by enhancing accessibility of other
jobs. The number of unemployed residents in the area will reduce and in case of indirect
employment, many businesses around the tram areas will boom since the passengers will be in a
position of buying goods from the traders thus increasing the economy of a country. (Dabrowski,
2008, p. 567).
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Edinburgh Tram Extension
Thirty job opportunities per annum can be filled as a result of the tram extension as a result of
countless approachability to job opportunities in North Edinburgh. Employment opportunities
will also increase in areas along the tram route for example Leith, Newhaven and Granton.
(Marvin, 2008, p. 543).
As a result of construction of tram, there are certain positive impacts that have been realized as
shown in the Scotland table above.
Procurement and contractual arrangement for tram extension
The project capital cost is estimated to be 165.2m dollars including the inflation as well as the
risk through the project completion. The city of Edinburgh is a key employment hub which
attracts a workforce from both within the city and areas surrounding. The shortlisted bidders who
will invited to tender for the contract are Dragados, Farrans, Neopul and Colas.
The same project team who delivered the tram successfully to York Place has worked closely
with the market over the past 1 year developing a contract strategy that meets market expectation
and the requirements of the council. The contract entails the design and construction of all tracks,
overhead line, road infrastructure, tram stops, system infrastructure and public realm between
York Place and Newhaven. If the project the go-ahead, it is anticipated that the contract will be
signed in the late 2018 with the new line start operating in
Assumptions in Edinburgh tram extension
 It assumed that the project will cost 165.2m dollars including risk and inflation through to
project completion.
 The overall construction programme will take approximately 3 years plus 4 months for
testing and commissioning.
 From this project, 1 dollar spent will provide 1.64 dollars in return.
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Edinburgh Tram Extension
Conclusion
During the construction of tram system, there were numerous impacts it caused to the residents
for example the contamination of air and water, traffic congestion and interfering with the
landscape but later after the completion, certain benefits such as creation of employment,
increase in income and GDP will be realized as a result of tram extension from York place to
Newhaven.
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Edinburgh Tram Extension
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