Tuesday August 26th 2025
Edinburgh tram stop at St Andrew Square
Written by Midlothian View Reporter, Liam Eunson
The Edinburgh city council are seeking the public’s views on proposed new tram routes from Granton in the north of the city to the Edinburgh BioQuarter and Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh in the south, that includes a potential expansion to Midlothian and East Lothian.
Working closely with the Midlothian and East Lothian Councils and regional transport partnership, SEStran, the Edinburgh City Council is in talks for a potential future mass transit connections beyond the BioQuarter and Royal Infirmary.
These plans include exploring a ‘tram-train’ (a light rail vehicle that can operate on tram or rail tracks) concept with Network Rail on the old Edinburgh South Subarban Railway (ESSR).
This Midlothian expansion plan is only a small element in the overall proposed routes. After the previous existing expantion from Edinburgh Airport to Newhaven in 2023 was a success, now carrying over a million passengers a month, the new consultation will inform the development of a Stragetic Business Case for the expansion which will be presented to the Transport and Enviornment Committee in 2026.
Alongside the potential Midlothian and East Lothian expansion, the proposed new route is broken down into two other sections.
City Centre to BioQuarter and Royal Infirmary:
The proposed route would begin at Princes Street on the existing tram infrastructure, allowing bus and rail interchange in the heart of the city centre.
The route would then cross the North Bridge, and run through Nicolson Street, Newington and on to Cameron Toll, then west towards the BioQuarter and Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh.
Granton to City Centre:
From Granton to Ferry Road / Crewe Toll there is a single proposed route. From Ferry Road / Crewe Toll to the following section, two alternative route options are being considered: the Orchard Brae corridor or the Roseburn Path.
For Orchard Brae, the route would head to the west end of Princes Street along Orchard Brae, Queensferry Road (via the Dean Bridge) and Queensferry Street.
It is estimated that this option would cost between £650m – £850m and is forecast to carry around 3.75m passengers per annum by 2042.
For Roseburn Path, the route plans to connect to the existing line west of Haymarket via an old railway line which winds from Ferry Road/Crewe Toll before reaching Craigleith and heading towards the west end and city centre.
This option is estimated to cost between £350m-£480m and is forecast to carry around 4.25m passengers per annum by 2042.
The entire route is forecast to cost between £2bn-2.9bn, depending on the final options selected, and carry around 38m passengers by 2042.
Transport and Environment Convener, Councillor Stephen Jenkinson said: “I’m pleased that we’ve reached this key stage for expanding our multi award-winning tram service.”
“We need to prepare for the future. Edinburgh is the fastes 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 success, it brings real pressure on our communities, and crucially on the city’s transport infrastructure on which we all rely.”
“Managing this growth also means tackling the climate, nature and housing emergencies. To meet these significant challenges, we need to look for bold and ambitious solutions and the tram extension is central to this.”
In February 2024, the Roseburn Path was initially identified as the preferred route, however the Transport and Environment Committee instructed that the consultation should present objectively the pros and cons of both the Ropseburn and Orchard Brae routes.
Concerns amongst locals have risen regarding the Roseburn Path with a new crossing beside Dean Bridge being considered to save the path. Technical advisory firm, Jacobs, have said that a second Dean Bridge is not viable stating that a new bridge over the Water of Leith at Dean Valley could generate ‘possible negative public reaction’ and ‘a new structure could mimic the original’. Despite a new bridge being one of the many options considered, Jacobs recommendation is ‘by far’ the Roseburn Path corridor.
Despite this, the consultation being presented with pros and cons examines the potential to install high quality walking, wheeling and cycling routes alongside the proposed Roseburn Path tram line, looking into the potenytial to protect and enhance the local ecological network.
Councillor Stephen Jenkinson added: “Edinburgh Trams already offers a reliable and fast service, allowing residents and visitors to move around sustainably and efficiently, and with some of the cheapest fares in the country. The broader benefits of cleaner air and emphasis on active travel surrounding the network are equally as important.”
“Our overarching vision is to truly link our city for the benefits of all. From our flagship £1.3bn development at Granton Waterfront through to the city centre, our world-famous universities, cultural hubs, brilliant local businesses, new housing developments, hospitals and beyongs; our transport network must move with the times.”
“The new developments we will see along the tram route will be key to Edinburgh’s prosperity for generations to come.”
Other potential Midlothian and East Lothian options include connections with Musselburgh Railway Station and Queen Margaret University and to Shawfair with interchange opportunities to Midlothian and the Scottish Borders.
Map of proposed future tram network
The full details of all the potential new routes mentioned above can be found in the Consultation Hub, here. The consultation is open from yesterday (25th of August) until the 17th of November and residents can give their views via the Consultation Hub or at in person drop-in sessions.
The drop-in sessions are planned for:
– Blackhall Primary School on the 2nd of September
– Craigmiller Library on the 8th of September
– Southisde Community centre on the 10th of September
– Granton Station on the 15th of September
– Cameron Toll Shopping Centre on the 16th of September
– North Edinburgh Arts on the 29th of September
– Waverly Coiurt on the 1st of October
