At this time last year we were getting ready to let everyone else on the tram. Edinburgh Trams had been running test journeys and press trips for a while, but it was on Saturday 31 May 2014 that the first paying passengers stepped aboard. And in the year since then there have been just under 5 million passenger journeys made on board the now familiar tram fleet.
The operator told The Edinburgh Reporter that this figure overtakes the initial targets set by about 3%, and that around 370,000 more passenger journeys will be made in the year than they first estimated.
A customer satisfaction survey by Passenger Focus revealed 5% overall customer satisfaction and 99% service reliability, making the tram one of the top performing means of public transport in the UK.
Tom Norris Director and General Manager of Edinburgh Trams said: “The first birthday is a very exciting day for all of us because it rounds up a hugely significant year for everyone involved. We’ve beaten our targets and we’re on the right path. The success we’ve worked so hard to achieve is down to the commitment and hard work of everyone involved in delivering the service day in, day out.
“We were absolutely delighted with the initial surge of interest when we launched, but even more grateful that the local and visiting public have continued to give us their support.
“We have developed the service over the first year and we’ll continue to improve and adapt to keep our passengers happy, whilst being ready to take advantage of opportunities that come our way. The airport is growing, TFE is developing well, a new tram stop will link us to the Fife line and our city is going from strength to strength. We’re ready to be at the centre of that development and part of the continued success of Edinburgh.”
Councillor Lesley Hinds, Chair of Transport for Edinburgh, added: “To have had nearly five million passengers on board the trams since their launch is a massive achievement, and it’s thanks to the support of the public that we’ve had such a successful first year.
“Credit must also go to the team, whose efforts and professionalism ensure Edinburgh Trams provides an excellent service to passengers every day. As it continues to develop as a key element of the city’s transport offering we now look forward to its future as part of the city’s modern, integrated transport system.”
Highlights of the first year included major spikes in passengers heading to Murrayfield Stadium for the One Direction concert, Celtic FC’s Champions League matches and Scotland Rugby’s Six Nations games, plus significantly increased passenger numbers during Edinburgh’s summer and winter festivals.
Edinburgh Trams has a fleet of 27 and currently employs 130 staff including drivers, Ticketing Services Assistants (TSAs), control centre operators and maintenance engineers.
By the time the trams started taking paying passengers aboard last year The Edinburgh Reporter had made a few videos of a variety of journeys. You can watch some (or all) of them here:
Between them, tram drivers and TSAs completed 77,525 journeys over the year covering 674,467 miles up and down the route. The depot was manned for 8,760 hours by staff on a rota system.
The tram line is 14km long with 15 stops (16 once the Edinburgh Gateway is complete) and a journey from the airport to the city centre takes approximately 35 minutes. In 2014 the service contributed 3 million new passengers to the Transport for Edinburgh group with Lothian Buses also carrying an extra 3 million passengers more than in 2013.
The service carried 21,000 passengers on its first day and 130,000 in its first week.
Top two photos : Photographer Ian Georgeson, 07921 567360
Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.
