A damning report on the chaos that beset Edinburgh’s tram line says its true cost has soared to well over £1bn because of a “litany of avoidable failures”.
The long-awaited report from a public inquiry into the project calls for new powers to prosecute businesses that make “false statements” to councillors, and substantial changes in the way Scotland oversees tram projects in future.
Lord Hardie, a retired judge, concluded that Tie, the company originally set up to deliver the line, but also Edinburgh Council and Scottish ministers, shared the blame for its huge cost overruns, delays and the resulting damage to the city’s economy.
