Edinburgh’s expanding tram system is enjoying a double celebration this week after announcing record-breaking passenger numbers in the run-up to its ninth birthday today (Wednesday, May 31).
On Friday and Saturday, Edinburgh Trams saw its busiest days ever, with tens of thousands of people taking advantage of extra services laid on for fans heading to the Harry Styles concerts at the BT Murrayfield Stadium.
In total, more than 100,000 customer journeys were recorded over the two days, representing the highest daily figures since the first trams ran between Edinburgh Airport and the city centre on May 31, 2014.
Lea Harrison, Edinburgh Trams Managing Director, explained:
The records began to tumble on Friday when 50,000 trips were made on the system, nearly three times the daily average. If that wasn’t impressive enough, we were just as busy on Saturday!
This new daily patronage record couldn’t have been set at a better time, illustrating the popularity of the city’s trams with both residents and visitors as the clock ticks down to next week’s opening of the new line to Newhaven.
Harry’s performance on Saturday has become the highest-selling stadium concert in Scotland, with over 65,000 fans flocking to Murrayfield on Saturday – a large proportion of them relying on the tram to get to and from the iconic venue.
The entire Edinburgh Trams team worked extremely hard to ensure fans and other passengers enjoyed safe and convenient travel around the city on concert days, and I would like to say well done to them all for their efforts during what has become another landmark week for the system, Lea added.