Editor's Blog1 min ago
Boris Johnson's Vanity Project Bridge And £37Million Wasted
So the Garden Bridhe has been officiallykicked into the long grass, but not before £37million of tax payers money has been wated on it.
It was Johnson's pet project, and there was dodgy dealings over who got the contract to design and build it.
Should Johnson be barred from public office for his malfeasance ?
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It was Johnson's pet project, and there was dodgy dealings over who got the contract to design and build it.
Should Johnson be barred from public office for his malfeasance ?
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// The project to build the Garden Bridge spanning the river Thames in London has officially been shut down, after more than £37m was invested in the scheme before building work had even begun.
In April, Mr Khan wrote to the Trust's Chairman, Lord Mervyn Davies, saying such a guarantee would "expose the London taxpayer to too much additional financial risk. I am simply not prepared to risk a situation where the taxpayer has to step in and contribute significant additional amounts to ensure the project is completed," he said. //
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In April, Mr Khan wrote to the Trust's Chairman, Lord Mervyn Davies, saying such a guarantee would "expose the London taxpayer to too much additional financial risk. I am simply not prepared to risk a situation where the taxpayer has to step in and contribute significant additional amounts to ensure the project is completed," he said. //
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Of course the supporters of the bridge could always save their project by offering to fund it 100%, with no public money being made available for it in any eventuality. But I doubt that will happen.
The “Garden Bridge” was a vanity scheme which would benefit few Londoners or tourists (there are adequate crossings nearby) but would be used copiously for “corporate events” (when it would be closed to the plebs who have stumped up for most of it, natch). Hopefully the money saved can now go towards a much needed lower Thames crossing (a proper bridge that takes cars and things) connecting Beckton with Abbey Wood. This has been “promised” for at least 25 years and the land needed on each side of the river has remained largely derelict for most of that time.
The “Garden Bridge” was a vanity scheme which would benefit few Londoners or tourists (there are adequate crossings nearby) but would be used copiously for “corporate events” (when it would be closed to the plebs who have stumped up for most of it, natch). Hopefully the money saved can now go towards a much needed lower Thames crossing (a proper bridge that takes cars and things) connecting Beckton with Abbey Wood. This has been “promised” for at least 25 years and the land needed on each side of the river has remained largely derelict for most of that time.
Naomi,
Unfortunately commissioning wasteful IT projects did not stop when the Tories were elected in 2010. One of the first thing Cameron's Government did was to embark on a costly IT scheme for Universal Credit. It never worked and had to be scrapped.
Tora, The Millenium Dome was the brainchild of John Major's Conservative Government.
Unfortunately commissioning wasteful IT projects did not stop when the Tories were elected in 2010. One of the first thing Cameron's Government did was to embark on a costly IT scheme for Universal Credit. It never worked and had to be scrapped.
Tora, The Millenium Dome was the brainchild of John Major's Conservative Government.
This comment on the BBC website may go some way to explain why there is disappointment among some of the project’s supporters:
“Let's not forget Hodge’s report found that deputy mayor for transport, Isabel Dedring, and Tfls director of planning, Richard de Cani, saw that the team of Thomas Heatherwick and Arup was a foregone conclusion with manipulation of the bidding process.
Both Dedring and de Cani now enjoy senior positions at Arup, where most of the £37.4m of public funding was spent.”
It’s incredible that £37m of public money can be spent in the design stage of a £200m project. But when money is no object (i.e. you’re spending somebody else’s) it’s easy to do.
“Let's not forget Hodge’s report found that deputy mayor for transport, Isabel Dedring, and Tfls director of planning, Richard de Cani, saw that the team of Thomas Heatherwick and Arup was a foregone conclusion with manipulation of the bidding process.
Both Dedring and de Cani now enjoy senior positions at Arup, where most of the £37.4m of public funding was spent.”
It’s incredible that £37m of public money can be spent in the design stage of a £200m project. But when money is no object (i.e. you’re spending somebody else’s) it’s easy to do.
how many public figures have acted like this, ymb? (Did you read the full story?) This isn't just a case of money being wasted; governments of all colours do that when schemes go wrong, as others have noted re IT schemes in particular.
But this one is more than just a proposal that didn't pan out; it seems to have involved deeply dodgy dealings in the Johnson regime in London.
But this one is more than just a proposal that didn't pan out; it seems to have involved deeply dodgy dealings in the Johnson regime in London.
// spending someone elses money" - judge - that's socialism isn't it? //
Seems we have a lot of 'Socialists' in the Conservative Government...
// A private bathroom reportedly costing £44,000 has been built in Jeremy Hunt’s new office, it has emerged.
The 15ft-by-8ft shower suite has ceiling-high slate tiles and sensor-activated lights and a large vanity mirror so he can “freshen up” privately after cycling to work, according to a report in The Sun.
The bathroom is part of a wider refurbishment at the Department of Health at Wellington House in London’s Waterloo, which costs £25m of taxpayers’ money. //
Seems we have a lot of 'Socialists' in the Conservative Government...
// A private bathroom reportedly costing £44,000 has been built in Jeremy Hunt’s new office, it has emerged.
The 15ft-by-8ft shower suite has ceiling-high slate tiles and sensor-activated lights and a large vanity mirror so he can “freshen up” privately after cycling to work, according to a report in The Sun.
The bathroom is part of a wider refurbishment at the Department of Health at Wellington House in London’s Waterloo, which costs £25m of taxpayers’ money. //
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