ALMOST 12 years on from "ambitious plans" to create a new tram or bus link between West Fife and Edinburgh, the idea is back on the table.

Last week, Edinburgh City Council unveiled a long-term strategy looking at how people travel in and out of the capital, with the possibility of a further expansion of the tram network in the city.

It also wants to "explore the potential" of extending the route – or a bus rapid transport system – across the Forth and into Fife and Dunfermline's former MP thinks this time it could happen.

In October 2008, the Press reported that regional transport body Sestran was recommending that land be set aside for a new public transport corridor, for either a Bus Rapid Transit or Light Rail Transit system, running through Dunfermline, Rosyth and Inverkeithing and linking with the still-to-be-built Queensferry Crossing.

The aim was to alleviate pressure on the roads as Dunfermline continued to expand with thousands of houses being built in and around the town.

The Dunfermline and West Fife MP at the time, Willie Rennie, had welcomed the move and had said: "Transport into the centre of Edinburgh from Inverkeithing is OK. But if you want to travel by train or bus to the outskirts of Edinburgh or to West Lothian, especially from Dunfermline or Rosyth, you can forget it.

"This must be tackled if we are to have any success at persuading people out of their cars."

Very little has changed and, speaking to the Press this week, the Scottish Lib Dem leader and North East Fife MSP said: "You can almost reproduce that quote now!

"It's frustrating that anything to do with transport improvements takes so long; it really moves at a snail's pace although I think everyone was traumatised after the construction of the trams network in Edinburgh and all the problems that came with it.

"Certainly, the Forth Road Bridge is well underused and we need to create more channels across the river for people going to and from Edinburgh.

"I could see the trams being part of the solution. The beauty of them is you know exactly where you're going and it's an environmentally-friendly option.

"Electric buses will take some time to get moving on the scale we want so trams are an option.

"I could see it happening, especially with the corridor across the old bridge there."

The Edinburgh City Council's draft city mobility plan is a 10-year strategy and money from the City Deals could help fund improvements.

Mr Rennie added: "There's a bit of excitement in the capital about extending the trams and one of my colleagues said it would probably be 2030 by the time it happened.

"But that shouldn't distract from taking action right now to try and improve services between Fife and Edinburgh.

"We definitely need to look at more travel options, especially to the outskirts of Edinburgh, and trams and buses should definitely be in our thinking for the longer term."