The Kings Dyke Bridge – Saga..
I have never met or spoken with Councillor Ian Bates, Cambridgeshire County Council’s chairman of the economy and environment committee, – but his press release today at various publications can only be egg on his face as the Council spokesperson – I do not envy his position.
The news is out (sort of) and some of our councillors would have been aware of this financial disaster for some time.
Kings Dyke Bridge – latest costing £30 Million ++++
I put my hands up – I also grossly under-estimated the short fall (I expected it to be double the initial costs – I was wrong and say so) – Then I haven’t had any details like some for the last 5 years.
Now we look to James Palmer the Metro Mayor of the combined authority to dig and I mean dig deep into coughing up the shortfall. The shortfall as has been revealed today….
However more delays means more costs!!!!
Amongst the ‘spin’ given by Cllr Bates, some of which may well be true, the one thing he omitted was the ‘fact’ the considerable delay(s) will and must have contributed a great deal to the increases in costs.
The other well known fact being we in Fenland live on a very boggy landscape and this should have been well investigated before-hand.
No I don’t know the answers – what I do know is that this latest statement should be regarded as a public relations disaster……
More to come….There are a number of Cambs CC who are not be very happy about these latest revelations and may well causes hold ups….
For we poor residents who have waited 10 -20 or 40+ years for this Bridge to happen – we continue to wait …… and hold on a minute – how long is the actual Bridge itself – 80 metres…that’s NOT 800 metres but 80 metres, – 5 years to get this far – and some Councillors asking ME why I am making a mockery of the issue
Quote Cllr Bates Cllr Bates “Whilst the overall budget required has increased from earlier estimates to just under £30 million, an independent review of the project and construction costs reveal that the benefit of continuing with the scheme remains extremely high.”
Let us hope so for all of us…..
