The Edinburgh Reporter July 2023

South Queensferry

meeting to tackle

‘boy racers’

55

Policy can create jobs, lower energy bills and meet our climate obligations

Passenger numbers increase on trams

By STAFF REPORTER

A MEETING is being convened in South

Queensferry on 10 July to discuss the

problem of “boy racers” on the prom near

the Hawes Inn. Residents there say their

lives have been disrupted by late night car

based meet ups.

One local said: “They use this place as a

race track and play loud music when they

meet here. There can be anything up to 20

cars and they rev their engines and toot for

around five minutes at a time. Some come

from Fife or Corstorphine and then head

off elsewhere. It is always at night -

anything from 7pm to 2am. The police

have tried to help and took a couple

to court but this is having an impact

on people.”

The anti-social behaviour has recently

become worse, and locals feel that some of

it could be curbed by the closure of the car

park in the evenings as happened during

lockdown.

Local councillor Lewis Younie is calling

together various parties, including the

three Liberal Democrat councillors and

representatives from the Queensferry and

District Community Council.

By IAN MURRAY

MP for Edinburgh South

I WAS REALLY excited by the Edinburgh

launch of UK Labour’s “green superpower”

mission.

It is the most ambitious and the boldest

of policies that will create hundreds of

thousands of jobs, lower energy bills

permanently, provide energy security and

meet our climate change obligations.

It will tackle climate crisis and the cost-of-

living crisis at the same time. It is exciting and

you don’t say that about many political policies.

And it’s hugely important as UK energy

inflation stood at 40.5%, the highest in the

G7 which, combined with inaction from the

Tories in Westminster, is keeping UK inflation

at a stubborn 8.7%, much higher than most

of our peers.

Even before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine,

Labour was calling for a windfall tax on oil and

gas profits to help households but that solution

is sticking plaster when we need a long term fix.

Keir Starmer was in Leith, joining Anas

Sarwar to launch our green superpower mission.

It will create GB Energy, our proposal for a

publicly owned energy company, which will be

the vehicle to decarbonise our energy generation

by 2030.

Our 2030 zero carbon mission will double

onshore wind, treble solar, quadruple offshore

wind and invest in nuclear energy to cut your

energy bills. We will also insulate 19 million

homes over a decade, cutting bills by up to

£1,000 and gas imports by 15%.

Our mission will create 500,000 direct and

indirect jobs in clean energy and another

500,000 in insulation. These will be clean, green,

highly-skilled and well-paid jobs that will help

Britain lead the world in climate action and

domestic energy generation.

What is more, GB Energy will be

headquartered in Scotland, to ensure that any

transition includes those that work in the North

Sea oil and gas sector.

North Sea oil and gas will continue for

decades to come but we must demonstrate that

the jobs and energy can be replaced.

Of course, bringing down energy bills and

cutting our reliance on foreign thugs like Putin

are enormous collateral benefits to

decarbonising our economy but we are also able

to take international leadership in tackling the

climate crisis.

Someone is going to win the global race to

green energy and technology – why shouldn’t it

be the UK – although we are way behind.

A majority of voters for all the major parties

back a publicly owned energy company – GB

Energy, created by Labour but owned by you is

on the way.

It should be obvious then, that publicly owned

energy will lower bills, benefit our environment,

our economy and our international standing.

It will create jobs, provide energy security and

develop new supply chains.

It’s a win for everyone and only Labour can

deliver it.

Making the

UK a real

green

superpower

By DONALD TURVILL

Local Democracy Reporter

PASSENGER numbers have

doubled on Edinburgh’s trams

since the opening of the new part

of the line.

Cllr Cammy Day said that

patronage “remains high” and hailed

the success of the first few weeks of

the new line being operational.

He added that continued use by

residents and visitors will provide

funds to pay back money loaned

for the construction and allow the

council to begin preparations for

the next phase.

Four-and-a-half kilometres of

track and eight more stops have

been added to the network.

Passengers boarded the first

service to Newhaven after the

council leader cut the ribbon at

Picardy Place on 6 June.

Some services have been delayed

by drivers parking on the tracks

• and a councillor pointed out the
  project “isn’t quite complete” as work
  continues to finish public realm
  improvements along the route.
  Cllr Day said it was “important to
  remember the successes” rather
  than focus on negatives.
  He said: “In the last few weeks
  passenger numbers have doubled
  and numbers remain high. I want to
  again say a huge thank you to the
  people of Leith, the communities,
  businesses who have worked with
  us along this challenging time,
  particularly through some
  challenging years during Covid.

“It will now be over to Cllr Arthur

and the transport team to progress

the next phase.”

Edinburgh Council’s Conservative

group leader Iain Whyte said it was “a

project which isn’t quite complete

because there’s lots of work ongoing”.

He added the extension, originally

meant to be part of the first phase

which opened in 2014, had cost “£

million a mile when most tram

schemes were costing 40 odd

million pounds a mile”.

Cllr Whyte also highlighted the

project’s £207m price tag was

“considerably more” than the £165m

included in the contract when it was

put out to tender in 2017.

“Given all that, and no contingency

has been saved, how are we going to

pay back the loan?” he asked.

Cllr Day responded: “I understand

the final settlement has not

been reached yet and that will of

course be reported to committee

in due course.

“I think it’s more important to

remember the successes of this

tram; the first phase of the tram was

a huge success with numbers

exceeding the expectations and the

numbers in the first few weeks have

doubled and are remaining high.

“That patronage is what will pay

back the loan for the tram extension

and I’m hopeful that as we look to

extend into Granton and the south

of the city that we’ll have the

support of the Scottish Government

to extend that and find the

resources to support the next

extension of Edinburgh Trams.”

Thomas Haywood