Press Release

SMITH PROPOSES TRAM LINE AMENDMENT

27/3/06

Margaret Smith, Liberal Democrat MSP for Edinburgh West, has tabled an amendment to the Edinburgh Tram (Line One) Bill, which is to be debated in the Scottish Parliament on Wednesday 29th March. Ms Smith has proposed her amendment to reject the Bill in light of the failure of the proposed Tram Line 1 to include a direct stop at the Western General Hospital in her constituency.

Margaret Smith said:

“Under the Private Bills system, this is the first opportunity that I - as a local member - have had to try to amend this bill, in order to include a stop directly at the Western General . The Bill itself was introduced on 29th January 2004.

“I am supportive of trams and the need for a tram network in the city but it is important that the trams take people where they want to go. I therefore think that it is crucial that this first line should serve the Western and that subsequent lines should link to the new Royal Infirmary.

“The Western General Hospital is one of the largest employers in my constituency. It hosts a regional cancer centre and a number of other significant regional services, including cardiology. It therefore provides services to patients from across Scotland.

“A direct service to the Western would serve not only patients and staff but the many thousands of people who use Crewe Road South daily and, in so doing, would be better in terms of social inclusion. It would also remove the need to use the Drylaw-Craigleith section of the Roseburn Corridor, at least.

“NHS Lothian remains unconvinced, as do I, that the proposed feeder bus will prove adequate to properly service the 15000 travellers who use Crewe Road South every day. I believe it is essential that the hospital is served directly by the best public transport service available. A feeder bus is most definitely a second best option.

“I have consistently argued, in principle, for the establishment of a tram network in Edinburgh, but I have also consistently argued that failure to serve the Western General is the wrong decision and a missed opportunity. That is why I have proposed that the Bill be amended.”

NOTES TO EDITORS

1. *S2M-4129.1 Margaret Smith: Edinburgh Tram (Line One) Bill—As an amendment to motion (S2M-4129) in the name of Jackie Baillie, leave out from "agrees" to end and insert "does not agree that the Edinburgh Tram (Line One) Bill be passed because the tram route does not directly service the Western General Hospital."

2. MSPs that are not on the committee considering a private bill are not afforded an opportunity to propose amendments to that bill until the final bill, as amended, is published, and the bill is to be debated by the Parliament at its final stage. Official advice was given that an amendment altering the route of Tram Line One at this stage may not be competent as it would not give affected parties an opportunity to object, and could therefore run the risk of violating human rights requirements, under the terms of the Scotland Act. Any route amendment would also require consequential amendments to the schedules outlining the construction process, plus new maps and documents together with a probable revision to the Book of Reference setting out who is affected. This involves expertise beyond that which is immediately accessible to parliamentary members and staff. For these reasons, Ms Smith has lodged an amendment to the Convener’s motion that the bill be passed, setting out her reason for doing so (footnote 1, above).

3. In 2005, the Western General took 55,000 admissions, and more than 125,000 outpatient attendances.