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Wednesday, 9th December 2009

Ex-trams chief crosses to bridge role

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Published Date: 02 July 2009
THE councillor formerly in charge of Edinburgh's tram project has been appointed the new convener of the organisation responsible for the Forth Road Bridge.
Phil Wheeler, now the city's finance convener, takes over the helm at the Forth Estuary Transport Authority (FETA) after being ousted as Edinburgh's transport leader in May.

Councillor Wheeler, a former compliance manager at the Royal Bank of Scotland, will now head up the FETA board, which is made up of local councillors from Edinburgh, Fife, Perth and Kinross and West Lothian.

Fife councillor Tony Martin, FETA convener for the past two years, will become vice-convener.

Cllr Wheeler said: "Tony has successfully steered FETA through a period of significant change, during which tolls were abolished and the organisation went through a major programme of restructuring. Thanks in large part to the leadership provided by Tony working together with the bridgemaster and his team, the organisation has come through these changes with its reputation enhanced."

Cllr Wheeler, who was criticised for his handling of the tram project, swapped roles with former finance convener Councillor Gordon Mackenzie in May.





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  • Last Updated: 02 July 2009 10:22 AM
  • Source: Edinburgh Evening News
  • Location: Edinburgh
  • Related Topics: Edinburgh transport plans
 
1

alfonsa pedrosa,

embra 02/07/2009 12:10:31
I wonder how long it will take him to make a mess of his new job,and who will pick up the pieces.
2

Amenemhat,

02/07/2009 12:12:37
#1 that's a lot of pieces, it's a big bridge,

just make sure they never get a budget to squander
3

Peter - very disappointed/concerned,

Edinburgh 02/07/2009 12:22:51
So Phil's been:-

i) in charge of Edinburgh's tram project
ii) now the city's finance convener
iii) next he is appointed the new convener of the organisation responsible for the Forth Road Bridge.

Makes you wonder you wonder what Lodge our Phil is in.
4

Mince Pie Supper,

02/07/2009 12:28:43
That's the Bridge fu*ked then.
5

lulach mac gille coemgain,

02/07/2009 12:33:12
The Forth Road Bridge is Falling Down
Falling Down
Falling Down
THe Forth Road Bridge is Falling Down
Now here comes Wheelie!
6

Skip McClendon,

02/07/2009 12:38:24
This should be interesting. Unlike his rapidly shrinking tram "network", Phil can't just chop bits off the bridge to try to stay within his made-up budget. If he attempts the same trick with the bridge, it will end up falling into the Forth.
7

The Diplomat,

EDINBURGH 02/07/2009 13:05:11
...and with Willie Gallagher picking up some public appointments since his "I want to spend more time with my family" move, the tram project is seen as a good spawning ground for future career moves - why!
8

Mince Pie Supper,

02/07/2009 13:09:24
We could build a Bridge mockup and then put it on display in Princes Street, followed by Constitution Street and then forget about it and let it gather dust down the Ocean Terminal.
9

AKH,

Dalkeith 02/07/2009 13:54:25
Scrap the Forth Bridge and commission a tunnel instead.
No problem with high wind closure and it should be quicker and cheaper than a bridge to contruct.
10

An angry man,

Edinburgh 02/07/2009 14:51:24
Rumour has it he was also Michael Jackson's doctor.
11

An angry man,

Edinburgh 02/07/2009 14:52:09
And safety consultant on the Titanic.
12

An angry man,

Edinburgh 02/07/2009 14:55:00
And the airship R-101...One could go on, and on, and...
13

An angry man,

Edinburgh 02/07/2009 14:59:50
How does he manage to avoid burning his house down every time he boils a kettle?
14

An angry man,

Edinburgh 02/07/2009 15:01:54
I mean, we're all in favour of employing people with special needs, but this is ridiculous.
15

An angry man,

Edinburgh 02/07/2009 15:05:38
Do you think when they come to film his life story that Michael Crawford will be available? "Ooh, Betty, I messed up the Royal Bank, and the trams, and the bridge..."
16

Sally Longlegs,

edinburgh 02/07/2009 15:11:33
We had all better learn to swim.
17

Jaco Pastorius,

Tegucigalpa 02/07/2009 15:13:51
You should have no problem, Sally, with those long legs of yours.
18

Statsman,

Edinburgh 02/07/2009 15:37:37
He has a track record of making a balls up of transport projects - so he gets a new role running a transport project.

Typical council incompetence.
19

Dragonlord,

02/07/2009 16:21:27
Why do we continue to reward failure?
20

An angry man,

Edinburgh 02/07/2009 16:42:50
I've been racking my brains to think of where he might go when the bridge project goes pear-shaped, and then - eureka! The NASA space shuttle programme is hoping to go out with a bang when it ends in 2010. Hey Phil, fancy a stint in Houston, Texas? I think you'd feel at home. I've heard there's lots of cowboys there.
21

sceptic,

livingston 02/07/2009 16:57:15
Buggins turn!
22

Thomas the Tank,

Edinburgh 02/07/2009 19:15:54
#23, more like musical chairs. And the way they have to keep recycling the same deadbeat failures demonstrates just what a completely useless waste of space the rest of the toytown cooncillor rabble is. Which of course is why the 'officials' can keep selling them one crackpot, green loony scheme after another. Emperor's New Claes, anybody?
23

Ian down under,

Musselburgh 02/07/2009 22:36:08
Maybe I'm out of touch, maybe I'm thick but is this Wheeliebin bloke a civil engineer? If he is not then why not? I would worry that someone with no engineering expertise is in this job, not because they have to do the hands on planning and management but because they need to understand what is going on.
This is a real 'British disease' having lay people and toffs running things rather than experts.
24

noreen09,

EDINBURGH 03/07/2009 09:40:55
this is great news if yoou look at it the right way(hahahahaha)yes i am joking take on idiot from a job he already has messed up bringing the city of edinburgh to a stand still for years to come and put him in a job were he can completely bring both ends of the bridge to a stand still for years this gives us plenty to look forward to,i am surprissed anyone wants to come here
25

Niadh,

Edinburgh 03/07/2009 11:13:10
If you think this is bad you have no idea.
Keith Brown, minister for schools and skills has appointed Willie Gallagher to the board of the Scottish Qualifications Authority.
Sounds too much like a jobs for the boys especially given his recent history
26

Skip McClendon,

03/07/2009 11:17:51
You know, I'm thinking about it and maybe it's another anti-car wheeze by CEC. Hire Phil to build a bridge that will then end up poorly planned, massively over-budget and probably too short, so that anyone daring to try to drive to Edinburgh from Fife ends up floating in the Forth and then on out to sea.

 

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