A report published today has confirmed the Council plans to appoint new contractors to correct defective works on the Guided busway if BAM Nuttall continues to ignore the problems as expected.
BAM Nuttall 's Chief Executive made a public statement in April pledging all six defects on the northern section would be fixed months ago. But the contractors have backtracked and now say the works are not defective including a cycleway that is underwater and impassable for more than half the year. The Council and bus operators both want the problems fixed before bus services begin.
At the meeting on 14 December Cabinet Members will be asked to approve fixing some of the outstanding defects once the route is handed over to the Council. The expansion joint included in BAM Nuttall's original design proposal, but not installed by the contractor, at the River Great Ouse viaduct will be fitted to stop water and de-icing salt leaking onto the steel below the bridge that would risk damage to the bridge structure.
Adjustments to the levels of the car park surface and drainage at the St Ives Park and Ride are also needed because water currently collects on the car park BAM Nuttall designed and built. If the route opened before this is corrected it would be a potential hazard during freezing conditions. Council plans are also underway to adjust flooded sections of the cycleway between Swavesey and St Ives, but the work on site will not be able to begin until the cycleway has dried out in the summer. To warn people that parts of the path next to the guideway are flooded, and therefore closed, additional gates will be installed at the entrances to the defective sections with clear warning signs.
BAM Nuttall will be liable for the Council’s costs of correcting defective works. The costs will be deducted from the 5% of the contract value that is being held back from BAM Nuttall (called retention) that should be paid to BAM Nuttall after completion. Since February 2009 the Council has also been deducted almost £14,000 a day from BAM Nuttall for late delivery - a total that is expected to exceed £9 million by the time BAM Nuttall complete the project.
BAM Nuttall stated publically last week that they have scheduled all the remaining work to be complete before Christmas but Council Busway bosses doubt the contractor will hit the date the company set for itself.
The Council has always promised to deliver a Busway that is high quality and that's exactly what we plan to do.
Numerous delays by BAM Nuttall have been infuriating for residents, businesses and the Council but the plans we have to correct the necessary defects will make sure the final jobs can move ahead at speed once the route is handed over by BAM Nuttall. It is frustrating that BAM Nuttall has not chosen to make good on their earlier promises and correct all the problems, but if, as we expect, we have to put the defects right BAM Nuttall will be charged for the costs and not taxpayers.
Councillors and officers working on the project have said for some time that we would all be pleasantly surprised if the contractor finished construction and completed the documentation that acts as a guarantee for the work before Christmas but as expected they are unlikely to hit the date.
Contributed by John Reynolds
John Reynolds is the County Councillor for Bar Hill – he can be contacted at:
Hollytrees
4 Bar Hill
Cambridge
CB23 8SF
T 01954 200571
E john.reynolds@cambridgeshire.gov.uk