One of Scotland’s most expensive and high-profile transport systems is running at just 25 per cent capacity, new figures have revealed.
Research by the Scottish Conservatives has shown that, on average, three-quarters of the space on Edinburgh’s trams network is unfilled.
It is the latest in a series of blows for the project, which has been criticised for running too slowly, despite coming in hugely over-budget.
A Freedom of Information request has revealed there is a capacity of 250 on every tram, with the vehicles making a total of 85,000 journeys per year.
And while passenger numbers rose in 2015 to 5.3 million, that is still well short of the potential for more than 21 million people to board trams each year, the data shows.
The overall project, which is subject to a public inquiry costing millions of pounds, was mired in difficulties from the beginning.
Costing the taxpayer nearly £800 million, it was delivered late and covers a fraction of the distance initially proposed.
Scottish Conservative MSP for Lothian, Miles Briggs said:
“The one saving grace people in Edinburgh thought they could take from the trams was that they would be worth the wait eventually.
“However, with three-quarters of spaces unfilled every year, it seems even that consolation hasn’t come to pass.
“This was a hideously disruptive and expensive project but, having been operational for a while, millions of spaces on these trams are going spare.
“Passengers are complaining that they continue to be slower than the bus, and some residents are so furious with the inconvenience they caused they refuse to get on them.
“It’s clear there is still significant work to do to make this project a success, and I hope bosses use these numbers as a catalyst for doing exactly that.”
To see a full copy of the Freedom of Information request received by the Scottish Conservatives, visit:
http://www.scottishconservatives.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Trams-FoI.pdf