Now the Scottish Government has confirmed that it will not provide the last instalment of funding for the Edinburgh tram project as it is no longer following the original plans to extend the line to St Andrew Square.

This may motivate unhappy opposition councillors to reverse their decision and continue with the original plans to run the tram route into the city centre, regardless of the extra money and trouble involved in that action.

The whole debacle demonstrates a clear lack of collaboration between the Scottish Government and the council in charge of the project. More involvement and intervention from those funding the work may have avoided such disparity between what they expected, and what is actually being delivered.

The Edinburgh tram project’s implementation (or lack of) will surely be a cause for future embarrassment as well as excess costs and delayed deadlines – but not as much embarrassment as it not even reaching the city centre. The only thing left to do is salvage the pieces and make the most of a bad situation.