Contractors to begin again on Trams to Newhaven from Monday

June 13, 2020 12:15 pm

Following a two month shutdown as a result of coronavirus the contractors working on the tram extension will begin again from Monday 15 June 2020.

As a result of the easing of lockdown announced by The Scottish Government the construction industry is allowed to restart subject to adhering to certain guidelines.

There are four main sites: Lindsay Road, Melrose Drive, Constitution Street and on Leith Walk. All of these were mothballed while the contractors were prevented from working on site. Although work on Leith Walk will not commence until 22 June, the others will begin again on Monday, and some preparatory works will be carried out on Leith Walk from 15 June.

Traffic management will be installed on the evening of 19 June 2002 on Leith Walk, operational from Saturday 20 June 2020 at 5am. This will mean that Lothian Buses will be diverted and Leith Walk will be reduced to one lane city bound between London Road and Crown Place. This will remain in place for the foreseeable future, and is in accordance with the needs of all emergency services and public transport providers.

There will be daily briefings, physical distancing and health and safety ambassadors involved in keeping workers and the public safe. Many of the project staff will continue to work from home where possible. Workers will also have access to PPE which they may choose to wear. There are logistics hubs at Mitchell Street, Foot of the Walk, Dalmeny Street, Albert Street and Montgomery Street which will reopen on Monday, 22 June to support local businesses with deliveries and despatches. All communal bins that are currently situated on Leith Walk will be moved to the side streets.

Council Leader Adam McVey said:“With the site preparation works now completed and with updated advice from the Scottish Government, I am delighted that main construction works can now restart. As I’ve said previously, the safety of workers and the public is of utmost importance during this time and all works will be undertaken in compliance with the Government’s guidance on construction working and to allow physical distancing.

“We are continuing to review the construction programme and working patterns to look at ways in which we can mitigate against the impact of the 13-week COVID-19 shutdown given that we expect there to be less traffic on the roads.”

Depute Leader Cammy Day said:“The Trams to Newhaven project is being delivered for the future of our city and is one of a number of schemes that are crucial to the sustainable, long-term development of the city, helping decarbonise the way we travel. It is exactly the kind of investment we need post-COVID-19 to ensure Edinburgh is a thriving, forward-looking place for people to live and work in and to deliver much needed housing, jobs and investment into north Edinburgh.”

Alejandro Mendoza Monfort, Project Director of Sacyr Farrans Neopul, the main infrastructure contractor, said:“SFN are delighted that we can restart our works on the Trams to Newhaven project. We understand the importance that this project will have for Edinburgh’s future and are committed to ensuring that we continue to mitigate the impact of coronavirus. During this pause period, concentrated efforts have continued behind the scenes to develop and test a series of robust systems and procedures, whilst ensuring the highest level of health, safety and wellbeing can be provided.

“We have used this time to adapt to our new working world and developed new operating procedures that provide information, guidance and site-specific measures that will be implemented when conducting works to mitigate the impact, so far as reasonably practicable, of the virus.”

Mike Thomson, Director of Morrison Utility Services, said:“We are very pleased to restart the main construction works on the Trams to Newhaven project. The safety of colleagues and the public is a key focus and we will ensure that our working practices are fully compliant with the guidance given by the Scottish Government. We’ll also continue to work with the City of Edinburgh Council and SFN to look at ways in which we can drive efficiencies.”

Find out more about Trams to Newhaven on the project website.