A bridge too far?

8:30am Friday 8th August 2008

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Work on a major new transport link in Colindale is feared to have dramatically overrun the original £12.4 million budget.

Barnet Council is “urgently” trying to address the overspend, but said the final cost of replacing a bridge in Aerodrome Road was not available.

A report to the council’s cabinet resources committee last month noted “the increase in the projected final costs” for the bridge replacement scheme.

One councillor suggested it could roll into millions unless negotiations to secure a reduced deal with contractors are successful.

Councillor Jack Cohen, leader of the Liberal Democrat group, called for full disclosure of the figures at the cabinet overview and scrutiny committee on Monday.

“There needs to be an investigation into how this has gone wrong,” he said.

“Quite clearly the Conservative administration has been shocked and worried by this and it doesn’t know where it is going to find the money from. It is clearly embarrassed by this.”

The work, due for completion in spring 2009, involved replacing two Victorian rail bridges with modern structures and lowering the road to allow buses to link between Colindale and Hendon.

A council spokesman said the authority was “urgently” looking at ways to cut spending on the project and added: “Cabinet members have been told there are many reasons why costs have risen, including unforeseen events and alterations and changes to the scheme demanded by Network Rail.

“The size of the overrun is not yet finalised and costs may have to be met by a contingency in the council reserves.”

Mr Cohen added: “They say it might come from balances and if the final figure is in the millions it could mean the people who are going to lose out are taxpayers and service users.”

Councillor Andrew Harper, cabinet member for environment and transport, said the financial issues would not diminish from the aim of getting the project finished on time.

He added: “We identified the bridge project a long time ago as being absolutely vital in supporting the [Colindale] regeneration and the major benefits it will bring to the people of Barnet in creating a successful suburb.”