£14 million spent on controversial new bypass, before any work begins

12.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Mon 14th Jan 2008

Sheffield's Lib Dems have raised concerns over costs for the controversial new bypass.

Sheffield's Lib Dems have raised concerns over costs for a controversial new bypass. Through a freedom of information request, they have found that nearly £14million has been spent on the controversial new A628 Mottram/Tintwhistle bypass before even one bit of road has been laid. Lib Dems are calling for 'value for money' for taxpayers.

The proposed A628 Mottram/Tintwhistle bypass has been in the pipeline for some time and has been the subject of a public enquiry which started in June 2007. The enquiry has run into trouble and been halted on two occasions due to discrepancies found by the Highways Agency within its own evidence. The enquiry is currently on hold and is now not likely to re-start for some time.

Due to this delay, taxpayers have shelled out nearly £14m just to 'progress' the scheme even though no physical work has started on the scheme. Lib Dems understand that the public enquiry alone has already cost £4m, even though it has only sat for 15 days out of the 25 weeks it has been running.

Lib Dems have criticised the Highways Agency for their incompetence and are calling for the matter to be resolved in order to prevent the bill for taxpayers becoming any higher.

Cllr Sylvia Dunkley, Liberal Democrat Shadow Cabinet member for Transport, said: -

"This incompetence has not only been frustrating for everyone involved, it has come at a huge cost to the taxpayer. To spend £14m on this relatively short stretch of bypass before a single bit of road has been laid is simply unacceptable."

"Taxpayers deserve value for money, but this notion seems to be lost on the Highways Agency who have wasted vast amounts of money through their own incompetence. This investment could have been put towards other solutions to congestion in the local area, such as improved public transport links across the Pennines."

"The Highways Agency must now get things right and prevent the bill for taxpayers becoming even higher. This issue must be resolved one way or the other sooner rather than later."