Transport bosses in Edinburgh are drawing up plans to run hybrid tram-trains across the city’s tram and rail networks. The city council’s transport company, tie, has identified the technology as a means to integrate the networks and bring more people to Edinburgh. The tram-trains would operate on rail routes including the planned Borders line, and link to the tram lines in Edinburgh. A two-year trial of the technology will take place in Sheffield from 2010, with five tram-trains replacing conventional trains currently used on the 37-mile Penistone line between Huddersfield, Barnsley and Sheffield. Jim McEwan, tie’s business development director, said it might present plans to the Scottish Government before the trial is up. ‘Let’s start exploring this option,’ he said. ‘We can’t wait until 2010 when trams will start running.’