Plug pulled on controversial Isle of Wight project

29 November 2007

The Isle of Wight Council has abandoned its long-proposed plan to rebuild a stretch of road which fell into the sea in 2001, despite spending £2.9M on the project and suffering a blow to its reputation.

With costs spiralling to £18M from an initial £5.6M, the cabinet finally decided to pull the plug on the Undercliff Drive scheme last week and pursue alternative options.

The council will now look into upgrading an alternative route via Whitehill, as well as various options for Undercliff Drive, including maintaining single-lane working, closing the road at particular points or developing a ‘green way’ along the road.

Controversy has surrounded the scheme since contractor High Point Rendel was not appointed through a competitive tendering process.

A number of council officers have been suspended for their roles in the issue, with two senior officers receiving pay-offs last month for their involvement in the investigation (Surveyor, 18 October). But the cabinet conceded that the Government was unlikely to fund the project, given the spiralling costs and a negative benefits cost ratio of –2.8.

Even if the Department for Transport agreed to provide the funding, the council would still be required to fund most of the shortfall between £12.8M – the value of the bid made to the DfT for funding in September 2003 – and £18M.

However, a report to cabinet warned that doing nothing was not an option, because the road would fail progressively at key locations, resulting in a series of land-locked stretches of road and eventual loss of properties. It conceded that the ‘high profile’ nature of the project had affected the reputation of the authority, and had a financial impact on the council and its residents.

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Plug pulled on controversial Isle of Wight project

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