Frustration continues at Shire Hall as not one of the six defects on the Guided Busway has yet been fully completed.

NOT one of the six defects on the Guided Busway has yet been fully completed.

Frustration at Cambridgeshire County Council is increasing with each passing week as the authority looks for its contractor, BMA Nuttall, to finish the work necessary prior to taking control of the northern section of the busway.

CCC has said it will not take responsibility for the busway until all the defects, which include flooding of the cycle paths, standing water in the St Ives Park and Ride site, and water leaking onto steal work supporting the bridge over the River Great Ouse, have been rectified.

It means there is still no new date for the opening of the St Ives to Cambridge stretch of the project. The busway is now well over a year behind schedule and millions of pounds over budget.

CCC has said that the project and the contract will be reviewed when the scheme in finally completed - the council had been under pressure to hold a inquiry into the busway project.

Its stance has received support from Department for Transport officials for a Busway review.

Senior councillors expect one of the council’s cross party scrutiny committees to carry out a review of the Busway project once completed.

A public report is also expected to be presented to the council’s cabinet.

Part of the review will assess how the standard civil engineering contract the council has with BAM Nuttall for the project has worked.

Councillors and transport bosses in charge of the project have agreed to share the results of the review with the DfT to help the Government conduct any policy review it may choose.

Roy Pegram, the county council’s cabinet member for growth, infrastructure and strategic planning, said: “It is a good project management discipline to have a review once any major project has been completed to learn lessons for future schemes. The Busway will be no different.

“Our primary concern at the moment is to make sure BAM Nuttall complete the route to the high standards set in the contract.

“Part of our review will fully explore why the contractor has not completed the route on time.”