Firms vie for tram deal

The firms are on a long list of contenders to act as project managers for the scheme, drawn up by client Tie. Interviews took place with candidates this week and a shortlist is due to come out at the end of this month.

The Scottish Executive backed plans for two tram lines in the city earlier this year. The lines will run from the city centre to the Leith and Granton districts in the city, and from central Haymarket to Edinburgh airport. Another route from Waverley station to south-east district Newcraighill was scrapped in March.

The lines are due to start running in four years. The Scottish Executive has already provided £375m of the £470m needed for the lines.

The Edinburgh scheme is going through a different procurement process from recent schemes in England, including the new tram lines in Nottingham and Croydon. Client Tie has already hired an operator for the system, Transdev Edinburgh Tram, rather than following the PFI model whereby the same firms build and operate the systems.

Tie is also procuring a design team for the scheme as well as a project manager. The latter deal will start later this year and is expected to run for more than a decade, until 2018.