Tram chief's resignation: 'It's vital that an able replacement is found quickly'

THE news that Willie Gallagher has quit as the boss of Edinburgh's trams project will be greeted with dismay and concern, coming as it does hard on the heels of the departure of bus chief Neil Renilson.

It means in the space of a month the project has lost not only the man charged with building the network but the chief executive tasked with operating it.

In terms of timing the departure of Mr Renilson is less damaging, given that the line is not due to be open for several years yet and there is plenty of time to find a suitable replacement to integrate the running of both buses and trams.

But the decision by Mr Gallagher to quit, for personal reasons could not have come at a worse time.

The project is about to enter a critical phase and with heavy criticism having already been levelled at the council and TIE for the disruption already caused by roadworks that is almost certain to intensify when work begins shortly on laying the first track.

Delivering what is the city's biggest ever civil engineering project was never going to be an easy task. But it would be surprising with his background if Mr Gallagher had taken it on not knowing that he and TIE would be put under considerable pressure to deliver on time and on budget. He must also have been aware of the implacable opposition from the likes of SNP leader Steve Cardownie to the building of the line and must have expected flak from businesses, the bus companies and motorists for the upheaval the work would inevitably cause.

There is a suggestion that some on the council sought to deflect much of the blame for the disruption on to TIE and formed a "hanging jury" when the closure of the Mound sparked such chaos. If one of the reasons for Mr Gallagher's departure is that he felt isolated and was not receiving the civic support he deserved then it serves them right and they must shoulder some of the blame for his departure.

Or perhaps it is the councillors who have gone into the project blinkered, believing that it was possible to close off Princes Street, the Mound, Leith Walk, Shandwick Place and Haymarket and that the transport fairy would wave a magic wand and make the congestion go away. All that ever could be hoped for was that disruption could be minimised.

But having made his choice, for whatever reasons, it is vital that the council makes arrangements to replace him as soon as possible. Maybe those left behind have picked up enough expertise from Mr Gallacher to finish the job for him. It remains imperative that the scheme, unlike many major public projects in recent years, remains on track and on-budget and without a firm hand the Holyrood-on-Wheels jibe has a chance of becoming reality.