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'What happened to transparency you can trust?' Councillor calls for A46 bill to be made public

Local News by James Smith 1 hour ago  
Work has at last resumed on the A46 Stoneleigh Junction (image by Nub News)
Work has at last resumed on the A46 Stoneleigh Junction (image by Nub News)
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A Kenilworth councillor is continuing to push for answers on how much the taxpayer will have the pay for the much-delayed and over-budget A46 'bridge to nowhere' project.

The new Stoneleigh Island junction was due to be finished in the summer of 2022 but nearly four years later, construction has only just resumed again.

Today (March 20) concrete is due to be poured on site as works to connect the stranded bridge gather pace, years after it was first craned into place.

But with residents still yet to be told how much the problematic infrastructure project will eventually cost Warwickshire County Council, Cllr Richard Dickson has once again called for answers.

"Today, Friday, is concrete pouring day at the A46 bridge to nowhere," the Liberal Democrat councillor told told Nub News.

"After all our chasing.

"A staggering 400 cubic metres of concrete.

"But, as well as being more than two years late, residents still don't know what the final bill will be.

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"What ever happened to transparency you can trust?

"A staggering amount of money, as well as concrete, is being pouring into this project."

Originally due to cost £38 million, the last published estimated cost was £57 million. This is more than two-and-a-half times the £21 million mooted when the project was initially taken forward by a Conservative cabinet in 2016.

The £38 million was brought together by a mix of funding partners but Warwickshire County Council is alone in being on the hook for every penny spent beyond that. 

Problems associated with a lack of available material for the accesses and subsequent cost overruns resulted in a redesign of the scheme which pushed back the finish date to the summer of 2027 – five years later than planned.

Construction resumed on site in January this year.

An update was given to councillors in December but this was held in private, despite the protests of Green Party councillors.

Previously, the council has cited commercial sensitivity throughout its protracted negotiations with contractors Colas for keeping the numbers secret.

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The project is now hoped to be completed in the summer of 2027.

     

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