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Review of city tram plan awaited Mixed report for transport plans
(about 1 hour later)
A report into two major transport projects in the Scottish capital is to be published by the spending watchdog. Scotland's auditor general has identified a number of problems in the project to build an underground railway station at Edinburgh Airport.
Auditor General Robert Black was asked by the Scottish government to urgently review the planned Edinburgh trams and airport rail link for the city. However, he has given the city's trams development a clean bill of health.
Labour and the Liberal Democrats have criticised the move. Robert Black was asked to review the schemes after the new Scottish government expressed cost concerns.
However, the SNP administration has concerns that the two projects do not represent value for money. They have been costed at about £600m each. Finance Secretary John Swinney said the report had raised serious issues. He is to present his assessment to the parliament on Wednesday.
Two weeks ago, the auditor general was called in to review how the figures had been arrived at. The government had concerns that the two projects did not represent value for money. They have been costed at about £600m each.
Two weeks ago, Auditor General Robert Black was called in to review how the figures had been arrived at.
Labour and the Liberal Democrats had criticised the move.
Mr Swinney said: "The report raises a number of serious concerns about governance and development issues which we would have expected to be in better shape than the auditor general finds them, particularly in relation to the Edinburgh Airport Rail Link (Earl).
"This vindicates my decision to seek further scrutiny of the projects the new government inherited and provides further assessment on which decisions can be made."
Policy decisionsPolicy decisions
The projects were backed by the last parliament, although no final decisions have been taken on their future.The projects were backed by the last parliament, although no final decisions have been taken on their future.
The new government said its priority was to protect Scottish tax payers and ensure that major transport projects benefited travellers and the economy. The new government said its priority was to protect Scottish taxpayers and ensure that major transport projects benefited travellers and the economy.
Although the Tories and Edinburgh City Council welcomed the move in order to bring further clarity, Labour and the Liberal Democrats suggested the auditor was being used to overturn policy decisions. Although the Tories and Edinburgh City Council welcomed the move in order to bring further clarity, Labour and the Liberal Democrats suggested the auditor general was being used to overturn policy decisions.
Meanwhile, a recent survey of commuters in Edinburgh claimed support for plans for a tram network in the city.Meanwhile, a recent survey of commuters in Edinburgh claimed support for plans for a tram network in the city.
More than three quarters of 850 workers and students on the city waterfront said they would use the tram, according to the work by transport body Transform Scotland.More than three quarters of 850 workers and students on the city waterfront said they would use the tram, according to the work by transport body Transform Scotland.