Diversions as work restarts on the Edinburgh trams

Work will start again on the Edinburgh trams this weekend and is likely to cause travel disruption across the city as diversions are put in place.

Princes Street will be closed as the crumbling road surface is replaced and vehicles will be diverted along George Street.

Diversions will start to be phased in on Saturday morning and will all be in place by Monday September 19. Buses, taxis and bicycles will go along George Street and other traffic will be sent along Queen Street.

Work will stop over the Christmas period to allow the winter festival to take place and is due to finish by July 2012.

The repairs were supposed to start in July 2011 but were delayed as the council decided upon a new deal with contractors.

Council Leader Cllr Jenny Dawe said: "This is a first step in getting the works moving forward. We recognise the impact of putting the diversions in place. Disruption to visitors and shoppers on Princes Street will be kept to a minimum and we have liaised closely with local businesses to ensure the diversion goes as smoothly as possible for them.

"Our message is that Edinburgh is very much open for business and this will be communicated to the public through advertising, on-street signs and maps in the run up to the diversions going into place. The measures to avoid a clash with the very important winter festival season also remain in place."

Video shows the STV News report from May 2011 when the repairs were announced.

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