The leader of Warwickshire County Council has vowed to "make sure we get a better deal" on the overdue and over-budget A46 'Bridge to Nowhere' near Kenilworth.

Cllr George Finch, whose party took control at Shire Hall in May, described the inherited project as a "poisoned chalice" and suggested "we may have been failed" by the Conservative councillors in charge before them.

At Thursday's meeting of the cabinet – the Reform UK panel of councillors in charge of major service areas – Cllr Finch insisted "we cannot be wasting any more time" and that the matter would come to the next meeting of cabinet on Thursday, October 16, although political opponents were quick to jump on the absence of new transport and planning portfolio holder Cllr Jennifer Warren.

'Bridge to Nowhere' latest

Plans for a roundabout over the A46 at Stoneleigh Junction to improve road capacity and safety were announced in December 2020 and due to be completed in the summer of 2022. 

Originally set to cost £38 million, that bill is set to spiral beyond £57 million with the final £1.97 million of funding allocated to be spent in the financial year 2026-27.

That suggests the project will stretch beyond March 2026, the point at which it will have been delayed for twice as long as the entire project was initially scheduled to take. 

As things stand, the bridge that towers over the arterial route to and from Coventry remains unconnected with thousands of vehicles passing under it each day. 

The initial problem was a lack of available materials to finish the job which was followed by a dispute with contractors Colas over who was responsible.

Warwickshire County Council is on the hook for any cost overruns and set aside an additional £16 million to cover the extra bill – more money than it had been due to contribute in the first place. 

While the Tories took plenty of bashings over it during their time in office, frustration has grown with Reform UK perceived not to have got to grips with the situation, leading to the Liberal Democrat opposition writing to the government imploring them to intervene. 

A summer update on the council website reported that the redesign of the bridge's wing walls "has now largely been completed" with technical approvals due to follow in late September.

The council will be able to publish a new timetable for completion once designs for the temporary construction-related and permanent works are signed off but no timescale for the release of that information has been published.

Questions and answers

The project is listed in the council's quarterly finance reports with Cllr Richard Dickson describing a five-word notification that "this scheme has been delayed" as a "statement of the bleeding obvious".

Noting Cllr Warren's absence, he asked: "Is there any member of the cabinet who can say how much longer this is going to be delayed for, how it is going to be resolved and whether it is going to cost taxpayers any more money than it already has?"

Deputy leader Cllr Stephen Shaw, who is also the county's finance lead, told him a decision would come forward next month.

Cllr Finch then added: "This is a project that has been going on for years under the previous administration and something we have adopted.

"We have been speaking to the Conservatives who were there before and it is a bit of a poisoned chalice to be completely honest. That is why we are going to have to make sure we are getting a better deal.

"When we are in rooms with the officers and the powers that be that are in charge of this project, we have to make sure we get a better deal. We cannot be wasting any more time on it which is why we are going to cabinet next month regarding the A46."

He invited Cllr Dickson to approach Cllr Warren for more detail but that proved a bone of contention. 

Cllr Warren was appointed in early August after predecessor Cllr Nigel Golby had failed to attend public-facing meetings at which he was due to take highways decisions and cabinet meetings where he was due to participate in decision making.

Those absences remained unexplained until Cllr Golby stood down citing health problems and while Cllr Warren did lead her first public-facing meeting last month, Cllr Sam Jones was among those to seek assurance over an issue that blighted the first few weeks of the new administration. 

"As was previously pointed out, we have yet to have a transport portfolio holder present (at a cabinet meeting during Reform UK's tenure)," said Cllr Jones. 

"One absent transport planner you get a pass for – teething issues, I can put up with that – two is becoming a pattern. Can you guarantee they are going to turn up?" 

Cllr Finch replied: "Councillor Warren is precise, clinical, she is a very, very good portfolio holder. 

"When I spoke to her on this issue, she wants to find out the significant issues that went on before. Again, it is a legacy issue. I believe we may have been failed by the previous administration but we need to look at all options there.

"I get your point and it is unfortunate that Councillor Warren isn't here but she will be next time. Again, it is a bit more political sniping from you."

Cllr Jones said: "Thanks for the guarantee. I look forward to it."