Monday May 25th 2026
Edinburgh trams
Written by Midlothian View Reporter, Liam Eunson
Campaign group Tram Trains for Edinburgh (TTfE) has welcomed Edinburgh Councils resolution to request government action on the on a project feasibility study that will look into reopening the ‘South Sub’ rail line for public use.
TTfE was founded in August 2025 to ‘promote the construction and use of public transport in Edinburgh by the use of tram-train technology and to integrate such developments with the existing tram and/or rail networks’, launching a new campaign after many years of previous failed attempts.
This project, supported by a study by Heriot-Watt University students, looks to bring back passenger services on the Edinburgh South Suburban Railway (South Sub) using tram-trains.
With the SNP group on Edinburgh Council wasted no time in pressing the Scottish Government to fund the South Sub feasibility study, as promised in their election manifesto, an amended motion was passed by council on Thursday that confirmed its strong support for the project.
Alongside the motion, the council mandated the CEC Transport Convener to ask the new new Scottish Transport Minister, Stephen Flynn, to provide funds for the feasibility study within the next six months.
TTfE explained that they believe that ‘in comparison to many transport projects, which would be years in the making, the South Sub represents a quick win’. They also added that they believe the project is ‘defined, based on an existing rail route, likely to demonstrate a positive benefit/cost ratio and an opportunity to get ‘shovels in the ground’ soon’.
Chair of Tram Trains for Edinburgh, Rob Falcon, explained:
“The City Council directly requesting that the Scottish Government funds the feasibility study, represents a further milestone in getting this project done for the benefit of the City and the wider Lothian region. The voting in the Council indicated broad support for the project across the political parties, in a way not demonstrated before. We urge the Council to set ambitious objectives and keep up the pressure on the newly elected government.”
The campaign group explained that thew new Transport Minister would be well advised to give it his prompt attention.
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