Investigation set to be launched into handling of Sadlers Farm (From Echo)
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Investigation set to be launched into handling of Sadlers Farm
9:00am Thursday 7th February 2013 in News
Investigation set to be launched into handling of Sadlers Farm
AN INVESTIGATION will be launched into the handling of the £63million Sadlers Farm roadworks scheme.
Essex County Council has announced it will be carrying out an internal review of the multi-million-pound project once it is finished to assess where improvements could have been made along the way.
This comes after news the roadworks, which are running 11 months behind schedule, may not be fully completed for another three weeks after contractors Birse missed another deadline to finish the junction.
It is the fifth deadline that has been missed since the project started in August 2010.
A spokeswoman for the council said: “We will be reviewing this scheme to see what improvements could be made on future projects. There will also be an audit period once the scheme has been completed, consistent with all major projects of this size.”
The Echo asked the council whether they will be seeking any financial compensation for the delays, or imposing any fines on the company.
The council did not clarify but confirmed they intend to hold “contractual discussions” with Birse once the scheme is completed.
However, doubts have been cast over whether the review will have any positive impact on future schemes.
Keith Barber, of Clinton Road, Canvey, said: “I know the council will probably want to be seen as doing something about how it has all gone, but I’m not sure what will be gained from this review.
“I don’t think they will learn anything from this, as they haven’t learnt lessons from other roadworks. I mean how many times have they changed Tarpots? You used to have traffic lights there years ago which didn’t work, which is why they installed the mini roundabouts. Then they put the traffic lights back, it just didn’t make sense.”
The Sadlers Farm revamp was due to start in April 2010 but was delayed until August 2010 because of problems with the funding from the Department for Transport meaning the original deadline of March 2012 was pushed back to the end of May 2012.
Heavy snow was blamed for contractors missing the May deadline, meaning work ran into the summer where two further deadlines were missed last year.
The work ceased during the Olympics which meant contractors were set a final completion date of January 31 2013 which was missed last week.
The council spokeswoman added: “It should be noted that ECC has a very good record for delivering major transport schemes on time and on budget. Recent examples of this include A12 junction 28 in Colchester, junction improvements on the A414 in Harlow, two park and ride schemes in Chelmsford and access improvements at Witham and Braintree Freeport stations.
“It should also be noted that Sadlers Farm is one of Essex’s largest transport infrastructure schemes in three decades, and we are pleased with the way it has been operating since last summer.”
Comments are closed on this article.
Comments (26)
9:35am Thu 7 Feb 13
mys842 says...
10:24am Thu 7 Feb 13
jayman says...
10:54am Thu 7 Feb 13
upset says...
11:01am Thu 7 Feb 13
mys842 says...
there were over-zealous project managers, as always, trying to rush a project that should have taken longer, in order to make it for the olympics.
11:02am Thu 7 Feb 13
Thecountrysgonetopot! says...
11:05am Thu 7 Feb 13
Thecountrysgonetopot! says...
11:30am Thu 7 Feb 13
Eugene Speed says...
11:33am Thu 7 Feb 13
Kim Gandy says...
11:42am Thu 7 Feb 13
mys842 says...
11:52am Thu 7 Feb 13
A Pedant says...
12:01pm Thu 7 Feb 13
go get em says...
Bit like the council really !!
12:29pm Thu 7 Feb 13
maxell says...
12:54pm Thu 7 Feb 13
lennyfy says...
1:11pm Thu 7 Feb 13
spike99 says...
They were able to have a look at all these much vaunted plans before any work started. Everybody who looked at them all agreed that the plans were badly thought out, messy and would cause untold problems.
However, The Council in their infinite wisdom decided they knew better, and carried on regardless. Now we have found out about all the problems, overspend, mess and whilst some parts are admittedly better, Tarpots is still a nightmare.
I have lost count how many times that junction has been changed, altered and messed about with, and I am going back to the early sixties!
My Brother got to know several of the workmen at Tarpots (God alone knows they were there long enough!) and even they knew that the work was going to cost more and over run - they told him!
I wait for the next installment of "Tarpots Changing" with baited breath...........won
der what we will get next time!
1:25pm Thu 7 Feb 13
whataday says...
The Essex CC Spokeswoman might be pleased but many local people are not. This has been a nightmare for local residents. Think you would have to go a long way to find another mess such as this has been and is still continuing. Road signage is absolutely appalling and confusing for locals as well as people who haven't been here before/or for a long time.
I wonder how many more cars I am going to encounter coming the wrong way round the new roundabout set up who think because they can turn right from A13 towards Canvey that it is still the old set up and continue to drive against oncoming traffic towards Benfleet.
My feelings are they could have constructed the underpass with minimal disturbance to the old roundabout system (i.e. left it as it was). The only alteration which needed to happen there was to have designated left hand filter roads to and from new A13.
If anybody is surprised that these works have over-run yet again their necks must be buried in the Sahara desert
.
1:41pm Thu 7 Feb 13
whataday says...
ds
1:52pm Thu 7 Feb 13
whataday says...
Another piece of idiocy where local residents comments in consultation period were NOT heard
2:32pm Thu 7 Feb 13
Ivanna Goodhump says...
It takes forever to get round and one stops two or three times when there is no traffic anywhere else.
2:35pm Thu 7 Feb 13
GentleGiant says...
I hope this investigation will also look at how ECC handled the development and the action or lack of action by certain councillors and other employees of ECC.
4:31pm Thu 7 Feb 13
iknowbetter says...
4:41pm Thu 7 Feb 13
John T Pharro says...
Can I add to this list of things wrong with this project, the ridiculously short slip road from Canvey Way to A13.
4:42pm Thu 7 Feb 13
John T Pharro says...
Can I add to this list of things wrong with this project, the ridiculously short slip road from Canvey Way to A13.
6:53pm Thu 7 Feb 13
alsopuzzled says...
We came last in the pecking order.
8:16pm Thu 7 Feb 13
John T Pharro says...
8:17pm Thu 7 Feb 13
John T Pharro says...
8:46am Fri 8 Feb 13
upset says...