The incredible new £2.9bn tram network set to boost major UK city

A major UK city is planning to build a new tramline to improve connectivity between its northern and southern parts. Edinburgh Council has released the £2.9 billion plan for public consultation.

The Council leaders intend to add a new line from Granton in the North of the city to the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary in the south. However, the Edinburgh Council is trying to decide whether the route should run between Crewe Toll and the city centre via Orchard Brae and across the A-listed Dean Bridge, or along the former railway line and now pedestrian corridor at Roseburn Path. According to the estimate, the new line is likely to cost somewhere between £2bn and £2.9bn, once the route is decided. The consultation, which will last for 12 weeks, will open on Monday.

Transport convener, Stephen Jenkinson, said projections for Edinburgh's population growth over the next two decades meant "doing nothing was not an option".

He said the tram network extension was a "bold and ambitious solution". He added: "Edinburgh is the fastest growing city in Scotland, with more than 60,000 new residents expected over the next 20 years. Whilst this shift is a true sign of our success, it brings real pressure on our communities, and crucially on the city's transport infrastructure on which we all rely.

"The new developments we will see along the tram route will be key to Edinburgh's prosperity for generations to come."

However, plans to route the tramline through Roseburn Path-once part of the disused north suburban railway-have drawn strong criticism from campaigners, who argue the proposal threatens a valued green corridor.

The council said a "dedicated walking, wheeling and cycling corridor" would be incorporated into the design and segregated from the tramway by fencing. The projected cost for developing the route is estimated between £350 million and £480 million, with proponents claiming it would allow for faster construction by sidestepping the need for road closures.

However, campaign organisations such as Save the Roseburn Path have warned that the consequences for public access, local trees, and wildlife could be "devastating" to those who use and cherish the area.

Scottish Conservative MSP for Lothian region Miles Briggs said: "It's right that the public is consulted on such a major proposal.

"And given the track record of Labour and the SNP when it comes to delivering trams in the capital, local people will be desperately hoping that, whatever route is agreed, the project stays on time and on budget this time."