Big jump in number of journeys made on Edinburgh's trams

Journeys made on Edinburgh's trams rose by 19% in the last year to 6.6 million.

Bosses say it's largely down to a new timetable which increased capacity.

Also, trials are underway to double the frequency at the busiest times

Lea Harrison, Manager Director at Edinburgh Trams, said:

“I am delighted to see that the efforts of the team to deliver a fast, frequent and reliable service are continuing to prove popular with residents and visitors to the city alike.

“We have achieved some significant improvements in 2017 and have been recognised internationally as a world class operator. However, our focus is now very much on the years ahead and what we can do to sustain performance and where possible, do even better."

George Lowder, Chief Executive of Transport for Edinburgh, added:

“The tramway in Edinburgh not only connects Edinburgh Airport to the heart of the City Centre but it has also established itself as an integral part of Edinburgh’s transport network.

“These results are very encouraging as tram plays an increasingly important role in the future growth and prosperity of Edinburgh and the Lothians."

The results follows an announcement that Edinburgh Trams returned a pre-tax operating profit of £252,000 in 2016 against a forecast pre-tax loss.