THE words “Edinburgh” and “trams” has a long and painful history, as many in the capital will remember. With this in mind, it is perhaps rather surprising that the capital’s new council leader, Adam McVey, is backing plans for a major extension of the line, which would see the network run from York Place as far as Newhaven, via Ocean Terminal and Leith.

Under the proposals a year-long public consultation would see a final decision being made in October 2018. If given the green light, the line is expected open in the first half of 2022, at a cost of £165m.

Mr McVey points to a range of benefits to the city, including job creation, enhanced accessibility to public transport, reduced congestion and improved air quality. It’s also worth noting that the current scheme is now profitable and has exceeded passenger targets.

Critics, however, are bound to point to the debacle of the last build, which caused untold misery to the capital’s weary population - not least its business owners and road users - and eventually arrived three years late and £231m over budget.

Mr McVey clearly takes the view that the best way to exorcise past demons is to deliver an extension that is on time and on budget. If he is to succeed, however, he must prove that both he and the City of Edinburgh council have truly learned the lessons of the past.