Wrangle as busway gets go-ahead

08 November 2006
 
The Government has granted powers for ~Luton Borough Council~ to build a £100M new guided busway serving employment areas, but its suggested funding package is unacceptable to the council.
The 12km Translink busway connecting Luton Airport, Luton town centre, and Dunstable and Houghton Regis, would meet the council objectives of ‘significantly improving the quality, reliability and frequency of bus journeys’ according to the Government.
But it looked unlikely to go ahead this week as the Luton council leader said the current stance of giving 50% of the cost as grant but wanting borrowing for the other half was ‘not acceptable’.
Cllr David Franks told Surveyor: ‘Loan costs for £50M would be around £3M a year. We will not lumber Luton taxpayers with this huge burden. Then there is the cost of running and maintaining the guideways.
‘If the Government promises to pay the full costs of building it, and if we are satisfied that it will be self-financing in running costs, then we will decide whether to go ahead. Not before.’
The council’s executive has been advised to carefully consider the potential financial risks of going ahead and is awaiting an externally-commissioned financial appraisal covering thae possibility of cost overruns or revenue shortfalls (Surveyor, 7 September). The Translink scheme was provisionally accepted for funding three Christmases ago.
Since then, the Department for Transport has changed its policy of funding major schemes so that, as long as authorities can provide 10% of the total cost, it will provide direct grant for 90% of the amount.
The changes are due to come in from next April.

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