Conservative councillors in Bath are seeking urgent answers from the Council over a number of major projects in the area on which work has suddenly halted.
The opposition councillors are seeking answers from Bath and North East Somerset Council over the future of the number of major road projects after it emerged that work has apparently been halted on the transport schemes.
It is understood that work has been halted by the Council’s contractor on various projects, including the Widcombe Parade diversion, Newbridge Park & Ride extension, London Road improvements and highway works at the new Keynsham Town Centre.
The reason for the halt in work is yet to be confirmed by the Council.
Conservatives have said they are asking searching questions of the Liberal Democrat-run authority to find out how the delays might affect the future of the Council’s transport projects.
Questions raised by the Conservatives include:
- How long the delays could last;
- Whether any prior-warning of the stoppage was given by the contractor;
- Whether there will be any additional cost to the Council of the delays;
- Whether any other planned projects will be affected;
- What contingency plans the Council has in place to get work re-started as quickly as possible.
Conservatives have also said they want to know why the Council has put ‘so many eggs in one basket’ by granting contracts for a number of important traffic schemes to a single company.
Conservative shadow transport spokesman Councillor Anthony Clarke said: “Clearly this unexpected halt in work to so many of the Council’s major transport projects is highly alarming for residents.
“We’re seeking urgent answers to a number of questions we have about the situation, not least when work is likely to re-start and what contingency plans the Council has in place for this sort of eventuality.
“We simply can’t have a situation where so many important road schemes are left half-finished over the Christmas period.
“There are also clearly questions to be asked about what monitoring and checks have been undertaken by the Council of the work undertaken so far, and why the Council has put so many eggs into one basket by granting so many important contracts to a single contractor.
“The Council needs to provide as full an explanation as possible as quickly as possible.”
The Council have not yet responded to a request from NOW Bath for a comment on the halting of the work.