| Page 1 of 2 | 1 | 2 |
|
|
Garden bridge paused
From:
http://www.theguardian.com/politics/...-garden-bridge Extract: The future of London’s proposed garden bridge has been called into further question after the city’s new mayor, Sadiq Khan, halted preparatory work on the structure over fears this could involve more public money being spent. Khan officially backs the plan for the 367-metre tree- and plant-filled bridge, but only on the condition that no more public funding is made available for its construction. So far, £60m of public money has been committed to the £175m structure. Part of the initial work has involved London Underground strengthening the structure of Temple tube station by the Thames so the north end of the bridge could sit on top of it. Transport for London’s (TfL) finance and policy committee had been due on Friday to formally approve £3m in extra spending on this, but Khan has ordered a halt so the funding can be examined by the committee, according to the Architects’ Journal. It comes just over a week after the National Audit Office announced it was investigating another element of the public funding for the bridge – the £30m of £60m given by the Department for Transport. Separately, the Charity Commission is looking into the spending of the Garden Bridge Trust, which is behind the project. The trust was due to repay the £3m for the work at Temple tube, so it is possible the work will begin again. However, Khan’s decision both risks delaying completion of a project due to open in 2018, and illustrates how less sympathetic the new mayor is to the Thomas Heatherwick-designed bridge than his predecessor, Boris Johnson. .... Continues |
Quote:
that completing the project would provide the taxpayer with better value for money than cancelling it as 40 million had already been spent. I note this report says 60 million has been "committed" so far. What is the difference between the 40 million spent and the 60 million committed? |
Garden bridge paused
Sounds a bit odd: a charity benefiting the Garden Bridge.
|
Garden bridge paused
On Mon, 11 Jul 2016 03:44:42 -0700 (PDT), Offramp
wrote: Sounds a bit odd: a charity benefiting the Garden Bridge. The charity represents those behind the bridge: https://www.gardenbridge.london/abou...n-bridge-trust |
Garden bridge paused
Robin9 wrote:
'Recliner[_3_ Wrote: ;156717']From: http://tinyurl.com/zvmm6lr Extract: The future of London’s proposed garden bridge has been called into further question after the city’s new mayor, Sadiq Khan, halted preparatory work on the structure over fears this could involve more public money being spent. Khan officially backs the plan for the 367-metre tree- and plant-filled bridge, but only on the condition that no more public funding is made available for its construction. So far, £60m of public money has been committed to the £175m structure. Part of the initial work has involved London Underground strengthening the structure of Temple tube station by the Thames so the north end of the bridge could sit on top of it. Transport for London’s (TfL) finance and policy committee had been due on Friday to formally approve £3m in extra spending on this, but Khan has ordered a halt so the funding can be examined by the committee, according to the Architects’ Journal. It comes just over a week after the National Audit Office announced it was investigating another element of the public funding for the bridge – the £30m of £60m given by the Department for Transport. Separately, the Charity Commission is looking into the spending of the Garden Bridge Trust, which is behind the project. The trust was due to repay the £3m for the work at Temple tube, so it is possible the work will begin again. However, Khan’s decision both risks delaying completion of a project due to open in 2018, and illustrates how less sympathetic the new mayor is to the Thomas Heatherwick-designed bridge than his predecessor, Boris Johnson. .... Continues Very strange. Just two weeks ago, Mr. Khan was saying that completing the project would provide the taxpayer with better value for money than cancelling it as £40 million had already been spent. I note this report says £60 million has been "committed" so far. What is the difference between the £40 million spent and the £60 million committed? I wonder how they've managed to spend so much already? Has much work been done on the ground? Have any materials been ordered or components fabricated? Or has the expense just been on the design and architecture work? I don't think Khan is actually a fan of the project, but is probably trying to devise a way of getting out of it without TfL getting dumped with a big cancellation charge. By freezing TfL's contribution he either offloads the cost increases on to the bridge's supporters, or forces them to be the ones to cancel it, letting TfL off the hook. Either way, he gets to dump the blame on Boris for his sloppy management of the contract. |
Garden bridge paused
In message
-septe mber.org, at 14:49:49 on Mon, 11 Jul 2016, Recliner remarked: I note this report says 60 million has been "committed" so far. What is the difference between the 40 million spent and the 60 million committed? I wonder how they've managed to spend so much already? Has much work been done on the ground? There's some piling work going on in the river, whether it's for the garden bridge or not, I don't know. -- Roland Perry |
Garden bridge paused
Mulch.
|
Garden bridge paused
Roland Perry wrote:
In message -septe mber.org, at 14:49:49 on Mon, 11 Jul 2016, Recliner remarked: I note this report says £60 million has been "committed" so far. What is the difference between the £40 million spent and the £60 million committed? I wonder how they've managed to spend so much already? Has much work been done on the ground? There's some piling work going on in the river, whether it's for the garden bridge or not, I don't know. Apparently not. It now looks like the bridge will get canned, after £38m has been spent before any actual construction work. Apparently Boris is the only cabinet minister in favour, and there's no enthusiasm in City Hall. http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-36890524 So this is another Boris project that's hit the skids, after his estuary airport (no support, Heathrow expansion now more likely), cable car (still running, but little used) and new Routemaster bus (no more open platforms, no more to be ordered). His only legacy might be the cycling stuff. |
Garden bridge paused
On Tue, 26 Jul 2016 04:52:06 -0000 (UTC)
Recliner wrote: Roland Perry wrote: There's some piling work going on in the river, whether it's for the garden bridge or not, I don't know. Apparently not. It now looks like the bridge will get canned, after £38m has been spent before any actual construction work. Apparently Boris is the only cabinet minister in favour, and there's no enthusiasm in City Hall. Can't say I'm surprised. A nice idea in times of plenty, but completely inappropriate right now when the money could be spent on far more important projects. airport (no support, Heathrow expansion now more likely), cable car (still running, but little used) and new Routemaster bus (no more open platforms, Wonder how long before the doors close on the cable car. Its obviously losing money and that can't be sustained for long. no more to be ordered). His only legacy might be the cycling stuff. Was it actually Boris that initiated that? I have a vague recollection of the ground work being done by Ken. -- Spud |
Garden bridge paused
On Tuesday, 26 July 2016 09:19:10 UTC+1, wrote:
no more to be ordered). His only legacy might be the cycling stuff. Was it actually Boris that initiated that? I have a vague recollection of the ground work being done by Ken. That's what I thought. |
Garden bridge paused
38,000,000 smackeroos on 50 tonnes of manure and a few commissioned songs from Rambling Syd Rummpo! It's just not good enough!
|
Garden bridge paused
"Recliner" wrote in message ... Roland Perry wrote: In message -septe mber.org, at 14:49:49 on Mon, 11 Jul 2016, Recliner remarked: I note this report says £60 million has been "committed" so far. What is the difference between the £40 million spent and the £60 million committed? I wonder how they've managed to spend so much already? Has much work been done on the ground? There's some piling work going on in the river, whether it's for the garden bridge or not, I don't know. Apparently not. It now looks like the bridge will get canned, after £38m has been spent before any actual construction work. Apparently Boris is the only cabinet minister in favour, and there's no enthusiasm in City Hall. Anyone have any idea how you can spend 38 million on just talking about something it seems nuts tim |
Garden bridge paused
On 26/07/2016 09:28, Offramp wrote: On Tuesday, 26 July 2016 09:19:10 UTC+1, wrote: no more to be ordered). His only legacy might be the cycling stuff. Was it actually Boris that initiated that? I have a vague recollection of the ground work being done by Ken. That's what I thought. The broad concept - and indeed name - of the "Cycle Superhighways" merged towards the end of Ken's second term. They concept has developed since they were first launched, with far more of a focus on segregated cycleways. I'm no fan of Mr Johnson (never have been, but even less so of late), however I think he can justifiably claim some credit for them. They were disruptive to build, and involved reallocating road space away from vehicles. Hopefully now the concept has some momentum that the current and future Mayors can latch on to. |
Garden bridge paused
On 26.07.16 5:52, Recliner wrote:
Roland Perry wrote: In message -septe mber.org, at 14:49:49 on Mon, 11 Jul 2016, Recliner remarked: I note this report says £60 million has been "committed" so far. What is the difference between the £40 million spent and the £60 million committed? I wonder how they've managed to spend so much already? Has much work been done on the ground? There's some piling work going on in the river, whether it's for the garden bridge or not, I don't know. Apparently not. It now looks like the bridge will get canned, after £38m has been spent before any actual construction work. Apparently Boris is the only cabinet minister in favour, and there's no enthusiasm in City Hall. http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-36890524 So this is another Boris project that's hit the skids, after his estuary airport (no support, Heathrow expansion now more likely), cable car (still running, but little used) and new Routemaster bus (no more open platforms, no more to be ordered). His only legacy might be the cycling stuff. I was on a Borisbus at the weekend, in the heatwave. The lack of windows made for a rather unpleasant ride. |
Garden bridge paused
On Wed, 27 Jul 2016 08:00:41 +0100
Mizter T wrote: On 27/07/2016 00:33, wrote: I was on a Borisbus at the weekend, in the heatwave. The lack of windows made for a rather unpleasant ride. You've only just noticed? They're not nicknamed Roastmasters for nothing. I'd love to have been a fly on the wall in the design meeting and hear the rational for not including them when they knew they weren't putting in proper air con to compensate. How an old and well respected bus manufacturer can make such a blunder beggars belief. -- Spud |
Garden bridge paused
wrote:
On Wed, 27 Jul 2016 08:00:41 +0100 Mizter T wrote: On 27/07/2016 00:33, wrote: I was on a Borisbus at the weekend, in the heatwave. The lack of windows made for a rather unpleasant ride. You've only just noticed? They're not nicknamed Roastmasters for nothing. I'd love to have been a fly on the wall in the design meeting and hear the rational for not including them when they knew they weren't putting in proper air con to compensate. How an old and well respected bus manufacturer can make such a blunder beggars belief. Perhaps it doesn't get warm enough in Belfast for them to realise that the buses would need proper aircon in London? Of course, that would need the engine to keep running even more of the time in hot weather. |
Garden bridge paused
In article ,
d wrote: On Tue, 26 Jul 2016 04:52:06 -0000 (UTC) Recliner wrote: Roland Perry wrote: There's some piling work going on in the river, whether it's for the garden bridge or not, I don't know. Apparently not. It now looks like the bridge will get canned, after £38m has been spent before any actual construction work. Apparently Boris is the only cabinet minister in favour, and there's no enthusiasm in City Hall. Can't say I'm surprised. A nice idea in times of plenty, but completely inappropriate right now when the money could be spent on far more important projects. Even in times of plenty, it's a stunningly poor execution. It should be a public space - not a semi-private one. Also, a long way east. But that's another argument. airport (no support, Heathrow expansion now more likely), cable car (still running, but little used) and new Routemaster bus (no more open platforms, Wonder how long before the doors close on the cable car. Its obviously losing money and that can't be sustained for long. It's the thurd best tourist attraction that TfL run - after the meuseum and the heritage bus routes. (Acton is for transport nerds, not tourists). no more to be ordered). His only legacy might be the cycling stuff. Was it actually Boris that initiated that? I have a vague recollection of the ground work being done by Ken. I think it's fair to say that Boris' administration pushed cycling a long way. While there was work prior to his administration, the game-changing stuff happened under him. -- Mike Bristow |
Garden bridge paused
d wrote in :
On Wed, 27 Jul 2016 08:00:41 +0100 Mizter T wrote: On 27/07/2016 00:33, wrote: I was on a Borisbus at the weekend, in the heatwave. The lack of windows made for a rather unpleasant ride. You've only just noticed? They're not nicknamed Roastmasters for nothing. I'd love to have been a fly on the wall in the design meeting and hear the rational for not including them when they knew they weren't putting in proper air con to compensate. How an old and well respected bus manufacturer can make such a blunder beggars belief. -- Spud Especially as the exact same mistake was made with FRM1 in 1966: http://www.routemaster.org.uk/pages/history-1-FRM David |
Garden bridge paused
On 27.07.16 8:00, Mizter T wrote:
On 27/07/2016 00:33, wrote: On 26.07.16 5:52, Recliner wrote: [...] Apparently not. It now looks like the bridge will get canned, after £38m has been spent before any actual construction work. Apparently Boris is the only cabinet minister in favour, and there's no enthusiasm in City Hall. http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-36890524 So this is another Boris project that's hit the skids, after his estuary airport (no support, Heathrow expansion now more likely), cable car (still running, but little used) and new Routemaster bus (no more open platforms, no more to be ordered). His only legacy might be the cycling stuff. I was on a Borisbus at the weekend, in the heatwave. The lack of windows made for a rather unpleasant ride. You've only just noticed? They're not nicknamed Roastmasters for nothing. I was on one a few years ago, though I thought that they would have installed windows that open by now. What's with the exhaust on them, BTW? Somehow I was under the impression that it may not have properly vented. |
Garden bridge paused
tim... wrote:
"Recliner" wrote in message ... Roland Perry wrote: In message -septe mber.org, at 14:49:49 on Mon, 11 Jul 2016, Recliner remarked: I note this report says £60 million has been "committed" so far. What is the difference between the £40 million spent and the £60 million committed? I wonder how they've managed to spend so much already? Has much work been done on the ground? There's some piling work going on in the river, whether it's for the garden bridge or not, I don't know. Apparently not. It now looks like the bridge will get canned, after £38m has been spent before any actual construction work. Apparently Boris is the only cabinet minister in favour, and there's no enthusiasm in City Hall. Anyone have any idea how you can spend 38 million on just talking about something it seems nuts It does, and it now seems the funding gap is even wider than thought: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-37112199 |
Quote:
designed this new bridge as well. He's quite a boy, isn't he? |
Garden bridge paused
Paul Corfield wrote:
On Thu, 18 Aug 2016 08:07:57 -0000 (UTC), Recliner wrote: It does, and it now seems the funding gap is even wider than thought: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-37112199 Cancel it, kill it, get rid of it, don't give Heatherwick one penny of public money for his disastrous design. I'm not against the design, but London doesn't need a new footbridge so close to Waterloo bridge, and it doesn't need a small, new, hideously expensive g arden in the middle of the river. And there's no reason why so much, or indeed any, of the funding should come out of London's public transport budget. If it was felt that Temple Tube station really needed a new footbridge link to the South Bank, it would cost a small fraction of what Boris committed TfL to spend on this redundant bridge. But I've not heard any clamour for such a link. There are many other places on the Thames that could use new bridges, and no doubt there are plenty of bits of derelict land that could be turned into new public parks. But this project is an over-priced solution to a non-existent problem. |
Garden bridge paused
Robin9 wrote:
'Recliner[_3_ Wrote: ;157610']tim... wrote:- "Recliner" wrote in message ...- Roland Perry wrote:- In message nal-septe mber.org, at 14:49:49 on Mon, 11 Jul 2016, Recliner remarked: I note this report says £60 million has been "committed" so far. What is the difference between the £40 million spent and the £60 million committed? I wonder how they've managed to spend so much already? Has much work been done on the ground? There's some piling work going on in the river, whether it's for the garden bridge or not, I don't know.- Apparently not. It now looks like the bridge will get canned, after £38m has been spent before any actual construction work. Apparently Boris is the only cabinet minister in favour, and there's no enthusiasm in City Hall.- Anyone have any idea how you can spend 38 million on just talking about something it seems nuts- It does, and it now seems the funding gap is even wider than thought: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-37112199 I didn't realise the man who designed the "roastmaster" designed this new bridge as well. He's quite a boy, isn't he? That's one of the questions Sadiq has raised, as Heatherwick wasn't chosen using a proper procurement process. In fact, the decisions all seem to be based on how well Joanna Lumley knew people. Quote: Lumley has known Heatherwick for a long time – at least since 2004, when her autobiography described him as a designer of “incomparable originality” – and Johnson for much longer. When the Heatherwick Studio submitted its bridge design to Transport for London in 2013, it listed “Joanna” as an associate who had worked with it for more than a decade – she had been “involved with the strategic development of a number of the studio’s self-initiated public projects in London”. And when, on a BBC show the same year, Alan Yentob gently quizzed Lumley about how Johnson had reacted to her plan, she said: “I’ve known Boris since he was four, so he was largely quite amenable.” Human beings are, of course, social animals and tend to combine in their own interest (some Dorset labourers were transported to Australia for it). The question now arising is whether this London combination broke the rules. Thanks to the Freedom of Information Act and some diligent work last year by the Architects’ Journal, we know that Lumley wrote to Johnson soon after his re-election in 2012 saying she wanted to talk to him “most earnestly” about her bridge – and that the mayor replied that, much though he would like to hear her ideas, his packed diary meant that instead she would need to meet his deputy mayor for transport and chief of staff. Nonetheless, this meeting had its effect. Transport for London decided that “a new footbridge … connecting the South Bank with the Temple area” was a feasible idea. No mention of gardens there, or in the invitation-to-tender document that followed in 2013, when TfL invited three architects to submit footbridge designs and gave higher marks to Heatherwick in the “relevant design experience” category, despite the other two firms having designed many more bridges than Heatherwick Studio, which, at that time, had only one to its name. Its winning design was for what Lumley had always wanted, a garden bridge, though that can hardly have come as a surprise to her given that Heatherwick and Johnson were together promoting the garden bridge idea on a trip to San Francisco in January, 2013 – before TfL decided in favour of the Heatherwick design. The last and most recent disclosure prompted Jane Duncan, president of the Royal Institute of British Architects, to call this week for a halt to the project and an investigation into the procurement process, given “the amount of public money at stake and the seriousness of the allegations”. The RIBA isn’t the first body to worry. Last month the National Audit Office said that a “high degree of uncertainty” hung over the bridge’s value for money, and that the taxpayers’ £60m was at greater risk than the private funding. From https://www.theguardian.com/commenti...-joanna-lumley |
Garden bridge paused
"Recliner" wrote in message ... Robin9 wrote: 'Recliner[_3_ Wrote: ;157610']tim... wrote:- "Recliner" wrote in message ...- Roland Perry wrote:- In message nal-septe mber.org, at 14:49:49 on Mon, 11 Jul 2016, Recliner remarked: I note this report says £60 million has been "committed" so far. What is the difference between the £40 million spent and the £60 million committed? I wonder how they've managed to spend so much already? Has much work been done on the ground? There's some piling work going on in the river, whether it's for the garden bridge or not, I don't know.- Apparently not. It now looks like the bridge will get canned, after £38m has been spent before any actual construction work. Apparently Boris is the only cabinet minister in favour, and there's no enthusiasm in City Hall.- Anyone have any idea how you can spend 38 million on just talking about something it seems nuts- It does, and it now seems the funding gap is even wider than thought: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-37112199 I didn't realise the man who designed the "roastmaster" designed this new bridge as well. He's quite a boy, isn't he? That's one of the questions Sadiq has raised, as Heatherwick wasn't chosen using a proper procurement process. In fact, the decisions all seem to be based on how well Joanna Lumley knew people. And yet, despite all this further discussion, I am no nearing to finding out what the 39 Million pounds wasted so far, has been spent on. For those that don't realise, this insignificant, to a national government, amount is TWICE the total costs of the wibbly-wobbly bridge, so we could have had normal bridge here by now, with cash left over for a second one somewhere else. tim |
Garden bridge paused
tim... wrote:
"Recliner" wrote in message ... Robin9 wrote: 'Recliner[_3_ Wrote: ;157610']tim... wrote:- "Recliner" wrote in message ...- Roland Perry wrote:- In message nal-septe mber.org, at 14:49:49 on Mon, 11 Jul 2016, Recliner remarked: I note this report says £60 million has been "committed" so far. What is the difference between the £40 million spent and the £60 million committed? I wonder how they've managed to spend so much already? Has much work been done on the ground? There's some piling work going on in the river, whether it's for the garden bridge or not, I don't know.- Apparently not. It now looks like the bridge will get canned, after £38m has been spent before any actual construction work. Apparently Boris is the only cabinet minister in favour, and there's no enthusiasm in City Hall.- Anyone have any idea how you can spend 38 million on just talking about something it seems nuts- It does, and it now seems the funding gap is even wider than thought: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-37112199 I didn't realise the man who designed the "roastmaster" designed this new bridge as well. He's quite a boy, isn't he? That's one of the questions Sadiq has raised, as Heatherwick wasn't chosen using a proper procurement process. In fact, the decisions all seem to be based on how well Joanna Lumley knew people. And yet, despite all this further discussion, I am no nearing to finding out what the 39 Million pounds wasted so far, has been spent on. I know, it's baffling. I wonder if it will turn out that consultants chosen by the sainted Joanna have been billing large amounts? For those that don't realise, this insignificant, to a national government, amount is TWICE the total costs of the wibbly-wobbly bridge, so we could have had normal bridge here by now, with cash left over for a second one somewhere else. Yup, and London doesn't even need another bridge there; it's too close to Waterloo bridge. A couple of perfectly serviceable, simple footbridges could have been erected in more useful places along the river. And, for not much more, we could probably have had a nice new riverside park somewhere as well. |
Garden bridge paused
On Friday, 19 August 2016 10:27:56 UTC+1, tim... wrote:
And yet, despite all this further discussion, I am no nearing to finding out what the 39 Million pounds wasted so far, has been spent on. For those that don't realise, this insignificant, to a national government, amount is TWICE the total costs of the wibbly-wobbly bridge, so we could have had normal bridge here by now, with cash left over for a second one somewhere else. I think that if the project had run its course and cost about 70 million then people might have shrugged and said, Seems a lot but there you go. As it is people are looking at a big sore thumb. |
Garden bridge paused
tim... wrote:
"Recliner" wrote in message ... Robin9 wrote: 'Recliner[_3_ Wrote: ;157610']tim... wrote:- "Recliner" wrote in message ...- Roland Perry wrote:- In message nal-septe mber.org, at 14:49:49 on Mon, 11 Jul 2016, Recliner remarked: I note this report says £60 million has been "committed" so far. What is the difference between the £40 million spent and the £60 million committed? I wonder how they've managed to spend so much already? Has much work been done on the ground? There's some piling work going on in the river, whether it's for the garden bridge or not, I don't know.- Apparently not. It now looks like the bridge will get canned, after £38m has been spent before any actual construction work. Apparently Boris is the only cabinet minister in favour, and there's no enthusiasm in City Hall.- Anyone have any idea how you can spend 38 million on just talking about something it seems nuts- It does, and it now seems the funding gap is even wider than thought: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-37112199 I didn't realise the man who designed the "roastmaster" designed this new bridge as well. He's quite a boy, isn't he? That's one of the questions Sadiq has raised, as Heatherwick wasn't chosen using a proper procurement process. In fact, the decisions all seem to be based on how well Joanna Lumley knew people. And yet, despite all this further discussion, I am no nearing to finding out what the 39 Million pounds wasted so far, has been spent on. For those that don't realise, this insignificant, to a national government, amount is TWICE the total costs of the wibbly-wobbly bridge, so we could have had normal bridge here by now, with cash left over for a second one somewhere else. http://www.cityam.com/249834/sadiq-k...ead-new-garden |
Garden bridge paused
I saw an update in the Times on Saturday, but their articles are nonhyperlinkable, so here's a BBC update:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-39524979 "A project to build a bridge covered with trees and shrubs across the Thames in London should be scrapped, a review has found. Dame Margaret Hodge's review said it would be better to ditch the Garden Bridge than risk uncertain costs. Three months ago the Garden Bridge Trust admitted its future was in doubt after publishing accounts which showed a £70m shortfall in funding. Initially £60m of public money was pledged on planning for the bridge. Transport for London pledged £30m, but £20m of that was to be a loan, and the rest was from central government. Dame Margaret says £37.4m had already been spent, and even if the bridge did not go ahead it would cost the taxpayer £46.4m." Is even worse than wot I funk. |
Garden bridge paused
Offramp wrote:
I saw an update in the Times on Saturday, but their articles are nonhyperlinkable, so here's a BBC update: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-39524979 "A project to build a bridge covered with trees and shrubs across the Thames in London should be scrapped, a review has found. Dame Margaret Hodge's review said it would be better to ditch the Garden Bridge than risk uncertain costs. Three months ago the Garden Bridge Trust admitted its future was in doubt after publishing accounts which showed a £70m shortfall in funding. Initially £60m of public money was pledged on planning for the bridge. Transport for London pledged £30m, but £20m of that was to be a loan, and the rest was from central government. Dame Margaret says £37.4m had already been spent, and even if the bridge did not go ahead it would cost the taxpayer £46.4m." Is even worse than wot I funk. Yes, it keeps getting worse in every report. And as discussed here previously, it's extraordinary how much public money has apparently been spent so early in the project, with the plans not even finalised and no physical work done. A great deal must have been spent on architects, consultants, lawyers, engineers, PR firms, etc. Here's a more detailed report: http://www.publicfinance.co.uk/news/...s-hodge-report Extract: The £200m Garden Bridge project does not offer taxpayers value for money and should be scrapped, a review by Margaret Hodge has concluded. The report, commissioned by London mayor Sadiq Khan, published today, found the £60m cost to taxpayers for the scheme, which is significantly over-budget, could not be justified. Hodge, who is the former chair of the Public Accounts Committee, said she found “too many things wrong” with the development and implementation of the Garden Bridge Project. “Value for money for the taxpayer has not been secured. It would be better for the taxpayer to accept the financial loss of cancelling the project than to risk the potential uncertain additional costs to the public purse if the project proceeds,” she added. “In the present climate, with continuing pressures on public spending, it is difficult to justify further public investment in the Garden Bridge.” She urged the mayor to not to sign any guarantees until it is confirmed that the private capital and revenue monies have been secured by the Garden Bridge Trust. The review found that decisions on the Garden Bridge were driven more by electoral cycles than value for taxpayers’ money. The costs of the project have escalated from an early estimate of £60m to over £200m today. Also, risks to the taxpayer have intensified, Hodge said, and the original ambition to fund the Garden Bridge through private finance has been abandoned. The Garden Bridge Trust has lost two major private donors and can count on pledges of only £69m, with no new pledges secured since August 2016. A public sector contribution of £60m would still leave a gap in capital funding of at least £70m. Moreover, very little progress has been made on raising money to fund the ongoing maintenance of a completed bridge, the report said. The two TfL procurement rounds for the scheme were deemed neither open nor fair, revealing systemic failures and ineffective control systems at many levels. Hodge concluded that the Garden Bridge Trust’s finances are in a precarious state and many outstanding risks remain unresolved. Responding to the report, Sadiq Khan confirmed that he would not invest any further public money in the proposed bridge, which would span the River Thames from Temple station to the South Bank, and had been scheduled to open in 2019. |
Garden bridge paused
In message
-septemb er.org, at 15:44:10 on Sun, 9 Apr 2017, Recliner remarked: The review found that decisions on the Garden Bridge were driven more by electoral cycles Boris bikes in charge. What could possibly go wrong! than value for taxpayers’ money. -- Roland Perry |
Garden bridge paused
On Sunday, 9 April 2017 16:47:15 UTC+1, Recliner wrote:
The review found that decisions on the Garden Bridge were driven more by electoral cycles than value for taxpayers’ money. I'd like to read a fuller version of that! It sounds very important. |
Garden bridge paused
Offramp wrote:
On Sunday, 9 April 2017 16:47:15 UTC+1, Recliner wrote: The review found that decisions on the Garden Bridge were driven more by electoral cycles than value for taxpayers’ money. I'd like to read a fuller version of that! It sounds very important. This timing looks like the bridge might have been intended to influence the 2015 general election and 2016 mayoral election: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gard...nning_approval However, I don't think that was the main factor of the timing. Much more likely, Boris wanted to get it all approved and construction underway while he was still mayor, as he knew his successor was unlikely to share his enthusiasm for La Lumley's grand vision. Had he followed the proper procurement procedures the process would have taken longer. The outcome would still have been the same --no bridge-- but it would have cost less to get there. |
Garden bridge paused
On 09/04/2017 21:34, Offramp wrote:
On Sunday, 9 April 2017 16:47:15 UTC+1, Recliner wrote: The review found that decisions on the Garden Bridge were driven more by electoral cycles than value for taxpayers’ money. I walked along the relevant bit of the south bank the other day and found that a good many trees had small notices attached, posted by those opposed to the bridge, pointing out that these quite attractive and inoffensive trees would all be demolished if the garden bridge was approved. -- Clive Page |
Garden bridge paused
Offramp wrote:
On Sunday, 9 April 2017 16:47:15 UTC+1, Recliner wrote: The review found that decisions on the Garden Bridge were driven more by electoral cycles than value for taxpayers’ money. I'd like to read a fuller version of that! It sounds very important. https://www.london.gov.uk/sites/defa...e_review_0.pdf Theo |
Garden bridge abridged
Clive Page wrote:
On 09/04/2017 21:34, Offramp wrote: On Sunday, 9 April 2017 16:47:15 UTC+1, Recliner wrote: The review found that decisions on the Garden Bridge were driven more by electoral cycles than value for taxpayers’ money. I walked along the relevant bit of the south bank the other day and found that a good many trees had small notices attached, posted by those opposed to the bridge, pointing out that these quite attractive and inoffensive trees would all be demolished if the garden bridge was approved. Looks like it's all over bar the shouting: Garden Bridge: London mayor Sadiq Khan withdraws support http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-39734050 I suspect that Sadiq was always privately against it, but had to let it fail on its own terms. That way, Boris gets the blame for the embarrassing failure of the project, and waste of public funds. |
Garden bridge abridged
On Friday, April 28, 2017 at 10:10:45 PM UTC+1, Recliner wrote:
Clive Page wrote: On 09/04/2017 21:34, Offramp wrote: On Sunday, 9 April 2017 16:47:15 UTC+1, Recliner wrote: The review found that decisions on the Garden Bridge were driven more by electoral cycles than value for taxpayers’ money. I walked along the relevant bit of the south bank the other day and found that a good many trees had small notices attached, posted by those opposed to the bridge, pointing out that these quite attractive and inoffensive trees would all be demolished if the garden bridge was approved. Looks like it's all over bar the shouting: Garden Bridge: London mayor Sadiq Khan withdraws support http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-39734050 I suspect that Sadiq was always privately against it, but had to let it fail on its own terms. That way, Boris gets the blame for the embarrassing failure of the project, and waste of public funds. Yes, this was discussed in detail on yesterday's James O'Brien radio show on LBC. I've never had a high opinion of our Mayor, but I think he got this one right. The entire project has been a disgrace and I'm glad it was not allowed to come to fruition. |
Garden bridge abridged
On Sat, 29 Apr 2017 02:36:39 -0700 (PDT)
wrote: On Friday, April 28, 2017 at 10:10:45 PM UTC+1, Recliner wrote: Clive Page wrote: On 09/04/2017 21:34, Offramp wrote: On Sunday, 9 April 2017 16:47:15 UTC+1, Recliner wrote: =20 The review found that decisions on the Garden Bridge were driven more= by electoral cycles than value for taxpayers=E2=80=99 money. =20 I walked along the relevant bit of the south bank the other day and=20 found that a good many trees had small notices attached, posted by thos= e=20 opposed to the bridge, pointing out that these quite attractive and=20 inoffensive trees would all be demolished if the garden bridge was=20 approved. =20 Looks like it's all over bar the shouting: =20 Garden Bridge: London mayor Sadiq Khan withdraws support http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-39734050 =20 I suspect that Sadiq was always privately against it, but had to let it fail on its own terms. That way, Boris gets the blame for the embarrassin= g failure of the project, and waste of public funds. Yes, this was discussed in detail on yesterday's James O'Brien radio show on LBC. No doubt inbetween questioning the IQ of anyone who voted Brexit, wondering what the problem is of uncontrolled immigration and extolling the virtues of multiculturalism while living in his middle class bein pensant enclave in Chiswick. He's the biggest dick on radio. -- Spud |
Garden bridge abridged
On Saturday, April 29, 2017 at 1:03:05 PM UTC+1, wrote:
On Sat, 29 Apr 2017 02:36:39 -0700 (PDT) wrote: On Friday, April 28, 2017 at 10:10:45 PM UTC+1, Recliner wrote: Clive Page wrote: On 09/04/2017 21:34, Offramp wrote: On Sunday, 9 April 2017 16:47:15 UTC+1, Recliner wrote: =20 The review found that decisions on the Garden Bridge were driven more= by electoral cycles than value for taxpayers=E2=80=99 money. =20 I walked along the relevant bit of the south bank the other day and=20 found that a good many trees had small notices attached, posted by thos= e=20 opposed to the bridge, pointing out that these quite attractive and=20 inoffensive trees would all be demolished if the garden bridge was=20 approved. =20 Looks like it's all over bar the shouting: =20 Garden Bridge: London mayor Sadiq Khan withdraws support http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-39734050 =20 I suspect that Sadiq was always privately against it, but had to let it fail on its own terms. That way, Boris gets the blame for the embarrassin= g failure of the project, and waste of public funds. Yes, this was discussed in detail on yesterday's James O'Brien radio show on LBC. No doubt inbetween questioning the IQ of anyone who voted Brexit, wondering what the problem is of uncontrolled immigration and extolling the virtues of multiculturalism while living in his middle class bein pensant enclave in Chiswick. He's the biggest dick on radio. -- Spud I agree with your opinion of him, and I'd add self-righteousness to his list of failings. My problem is that after ten o'clock there's little else worth listening to on the radio while I'm driving. |
Garden bridge abridged
|
| All times are GMT. The time now is 06:53 AM. |
|
Powered by vBulletin®
Copyright ©2000 - 2025, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright 2004-2006 LondonBanter.co.uk