Latest news with #bridgeToNowhere
The Independent
5 days ago
- Business
- The Independent
No money left to finish road connecting £50m ‘bridge to nowhere', Lincolnshire council admits
A UK council that spent £50 million building a ' bridge to nowhere' has admitted that it cannot afford to complete the project without external funding. Lincolnshire County Council finished building the bridge last year as part of a £110 million project to ease traffic on the A16 route around the west side of Spalding. On Monday (June 2), the council confirmed that £33 million was missing from the budget to complete the connecting 6.5km sections of the Spalding Western Relief Road. Original plans for the project, which started construction in 2022, proposed a '7.3m-wide single carriage road in five sections'. The council budget for 2025 to 2026 allocated £27.7 million in funding towards finishing the southern section of the road. Estimated costs to complete this section of the relief road are between £50 million and £60 million. According to the council website, no funding has been identified for the southern or middle sections of the relief road. 'Contributions from developers are expected to be the primary source of funding for both,' it adds. Aerial pictures show the route comes to a quick stop at the end of the completed bridge. The project is not expected to be finished until at least 2030 as the council looks to secure funding. A spokesperson for the council's highways department said: 'Construction of the north section of the Spalding Western Relief Road was completed in October 2024. 'In the approved 2025/26 council budget, there is currently £27.7m earmarked towards building the southern section of the Spalding Western Relief Road in the future. However, the current estimated cost of building this section is between £50-60 million, which means external funding will be needed. That is why we are continuing to work closely with South Holland District Council to identify funding opportunities, including remaining in touch with Homes England. 'In addition, no funding has yet been allocated or secured for the middle sections of the relief road as these are intended to be built in the long-term, as outlined in the South East Lincolnshire Local Plan.' The council added that the northern section of the relief road had opened up land allocated for an initial 1,100 homes as outlined in the South East Lincolnshire Local Plan.
The Sun
5 days ago
- Business
- The Sun
Council slammed for £50million ‘bridge to nowhere' as officials admit they ‘can't afford to finish half-built road'
A COUNCIL has been slammed for building a "bridge to nowhere" that may never be finished. The £50 million bridge was part of a project started by Lincolnshire County Council in 2022 to ease traffic on the A16. 3 3 3 On Monday, May 2, officials admitted the project - known as the Spalding western relief road - might not be completed. It comes as the council are seeking up to £33 million in "external funding" in the hopes of finishing the development. They cited "turbulent" years for the shortage of cash, including rising costs during the pandemic, inflation, and problems caused by the national economy. This led the council to scrap nearly £28 million in funding in 2023 for their road projects. As a result, the relief road has been left with a "road to nowhere bridge." Residents and campaigners have been left frustrated by the lack of progress on the project. They have criticised it as a waste of taxpayer money, as aerial photos showed that the ongoing work had suddenly stopped. In a YouTube video about the project, Jon Jefferson who runs Auto Shenanigans, was critical of the "road to nowhere bridge." Commenters on the video shared their own frustrations with similarly unfinished projects across the UK. One wrote: "We have an unfinished roundabout with NO finish date for when it will ever open. Total p*** take of the tax-payers." Another sarcastically commented: "Awesome. A road with no traffic and rail lines with no trains." Others expressed their disappointment at the state of British infrastructure, writing: "It's got to the point I'll be dizzy with astonishment and suspicion when a road project success story comes along." Construction of the north section of the four-mile-long, five-section road was completed in October 2024 - including the bridge. This 0.6 mile stretch of road, was complete with a T-junction for later extension, and a bridge over a railway between Doncaster and Peterborough. The council's highways department told The Times: "Construction of the north section of the Spalding western relief road was completed in October 2024. According to the department, £27.7 million has been set aside for the southern section of the road in the upcoming 2025-26 budget. This is still much lower than the estimated cost of £50 to £60 million, leaving developers trying to find other sources of funding to make up the shortfall. They said: "The current estimated cost of building this section is between £50 and £60 million, which means external funding will be needed." The council said they are working closely with South Holland district council to "identify funding opportunities, including remaining in touch with Homes England." They added: "In addition, no funding has yet been allocated or secured for the middle sections of the relief road as these are intended to be built in the long term." According to the project description, "the primary source of funding for both [southern and middle roads]" is likely to come in the form of contributions from developers. Their ongoing plans are outlined in the South East Lincolnshire Local Plan. Project bosses have estimated that the project will now take until 2030, with the financial issues causing significant setbacks. The completed northern section of the road has freed up land that could be used for 1,100 properties. Parts of the project remain fenced off.
Telegraph
6 days ago
- Business
- Telegraph
‘Bridge to nowhere' costs council £50m
A council has spent £50 million on a 'bridge to nowhere' after running out of money to make the connecting road. Lincolnshire county council has confirmed its latest budget falls short of the estimated cost to complete the planned Spalding Western Relief Road. The bridge, completed last year and crossing over the East Coast Mainline, was built as part of the £110 million project to ease traffic on the A16. But aerial pictures show the route comes to an abrupt stop, and the project will not be finished until at least 2030 because the council cannot afford to complete it sooner. In its 2025-26 budget, the authority has earmarked £27.7 million towards building the southern section of the road, but this falls short of the estimated cost of £50-£60 million. A spokesman for the council said: 'Construction of the north section of the Spalding Western Relief Road was completed in October 2024. 'In the approved 2025-26 council budget, there is currently £27.7 million earmarked towards building the southern section of the road in the future. 'However, the current estimated cost of building this section is between £50-60 million, which means external funding will be needed. 'That is why we are continuing to work closely with South Holland district council to identify funding opportunities, including remaining in touch with Homes England. 'In addition, no funding has yet been allocated or secured for the middle sections of the relief road as these are intended to be built in the long-term.' The council also said the northern section of the relief road had opened up land allocated for housing in the South East Lincolnshire Local Plan, an initial 1,100 homes. It also said a new roundabout had already unlocked land for housing on either side of the railway and a significant start had been made on-site, with these homes soon to be added to the available housing stock.
Telegraph
22-05-2025
- General
- Telegraph
The £22m ‘bridge to nowhere' that was built 12 years ago – and still hasn't opened
'It's taking an awfully long time for that concrete to dry, isn't it!' chuckles 72-year-old Dave Smith. The retired engineer and long-term Croydon resident shakes his head as he peers through the metal fencing at the workmen sipping coffee on the steps up to the pedestrian bridge – the bridge that should allow him to carry his heavy shopping bags across the tracks at the north end of East Croydon station. Instead he's lugging them for an extra five minutes around the station because the £22m bridge – installed back in January 2013 and opened on the western side of the station in December 2013 – still isn't open on the eastern side. Behind this increasingly shabby-looking scheme appears to be a familiar tale; a combination of official incompetence, inaction and buck-passing. And it might sound somewhat trivial, but this is the 10th busiest station in Britain – 20 million people started or ended a journey there last year, and 3.3 million people changed trains at the station in 2024. Though the structure – known locally as the 'bridge to nowhere' – will finally open to some extent this October, people who use the station were shocked to learn that Network Rail will not be installing ticket barriers at the eastern end. 'This means that occupants of the series of new tower blocks built by developers Menta in the Addiscombe area [on the east] will have to cross over the bridge to the west to buy tickets or tap in before doing a U-turn and fighting their way back through the crowd if they're using platforms on the east,' says Steven Downes, editor of Inside Croydon online newsletter.'That's utterly ridiculous, and will create real congestion during rush hour at such a busy station. Croydon council really needs to insist that Network Rail put in the required barriers.' Inside the station, staff agree with Smith and Downes that 'there is absolutely no logic to the plan,' but they say Network Rail 'has run out of money' for ticket barriers. They roll their eyes over the fact that the now rather tatty-looking 12-year-old bridge (which is missing floor tiles in several places) clearly needs 'remedial work' before it can finally open to the east. The only people who use the fenced-off area, I'm told, are staff from a nearby cafe who go there to take vape breaks. Just how has it taken so long to open a bridge that has been completed for the best part of 12 years? 2010: a 'truly exciting' new structure As part of plans for Croydon's large-scale regeneration as a commuter town – with a new shopping centre and hoped-for hipster café culture – Croydon council agreed to invest £6m of public money in a new footbridge linking office buildings at Landsdowne Road in the west, with the proposed residential tower blocks on the east side of East Croydon station. Network Rail committed to investing £10m and Transport for London (TfL) £4.4m in the bridge. Craig Marks, CEO of Menta Developments, agreed to spend £2.3m to build steps and a pavement link up to the bridge between their two planned towers (and proposed 54-storey residential block, nicknamed the 'Mental' tower) on Cherry Orchard Road. Then Conservative councillor (now mayor) Jason Perry told the Croydon Advertiser that the 'truly exciting' new structure would be 'enormously valuable' to station users, easing congestion and stimulating new development in the area. 'But the fly in the ointment was Croydon council's planning department,' says Downes. 'When giving permission for the bridge and the development on the east side, it appears nobody thought it would be a good idea to give Menta a deadline for improving their access link on Cherry Orchard Road. It was all left open-ended.' 2012: Lego-like bridge will bring 'joy' A council report revealed that, 'until the Menta scheme delivers the link bridge, there would be a circa 16-metre physical gap' between the existing walkway and the new Network Rail bridge. On the grounds that this 'would seriously compromise' the objectives of the investments made by the London borough of Croydon (LBC), TfL and Network Rail, it was proposed that LBC fund the construction of a temporary link bridge costing £2.7 million, in a 'worst case scenario', designed to last 15 years, Ultimately, this was avoided. The old underpasses (suitable for those unable to use steps) beneath the north end of East Croydon station were often closed as development work on the station began. The Lego-like white and yellow bridge – designed by Studio Egret West and Hawkins\Brown – was installed in November 2012. One hundred metres long and weighing 700 tonnes, the structure was made in 10 prefabricated sections for ease of transportation and assembled on an adjacent station site. Over 22 hours on a Sunday in November, the bridge was constructed as slowly as possible so as not to alarm passing train drivers. Its yellow sections were intended to bring 'joy' into the lives of pedestrians. 2013: Gatwick airport passengers face epic luggage challenge The bridge opened to the public in January but lacked exits at both east and west, only providing linking access between platforms. Steep steps proved a challenge to those arriving from Gatwick airport who'd haul their baggage up to the top, only to realise that there was no exit at either the east or west sides (even though there were no signs warning that it only linked the platforms). They would then have to lug their suitcases back down the steps and along to the southern end of the station to get back to the street. The western exit opened in December 2013. 2013 to 2024: Eleven years of disuse and a ticket-gate 'bombshell' Menta built six residential tower blocks along Cherry Orchard Road (including one block providing affordable and social housing on the other side of the road). Plans to build the sky-scraping 'Mental' tower were abandoned. In 2018, Inside Croydon ran a report on issues with the slippery surface of the bridge, which was partially open to the elements. In 2019, a new planning consent was put in place and, in 2023, Menta's Craig Marks announced that he had finally commissioned the construction of the bridge link to Cherry Orchard Road. By March 2024, the link was ready to be attached to the rest of the bridge. But the bridge wasn't opened. Teachers from the local primary school said 'it was a relief when things finally got built... it was an ugly mess for years with the whole thing boarded up'. The former Labour councillor for Addiscombe West, Jeremy Fitzpatrick, explains that at the 2024 annual meeting of the East Croydon Community Organisation (ECCO) in July, representatives from Croydon council, Menta and Network Rail agreed to answer questions from the community. It was here that around 100 local residents learnt that no party would take financial and legal liability for the link between Cherry Orchard Road and – after 11 years of disuse – the bridge required considerable maintenance work to make it safe. Once that work was completed, one party would need to accept responsibility for extensive ongoing maintenance. Network Rail's representative told the group that this had been put out to tender, but that the quotes for the work which had been returned were higher than they were prepared to pay. This resulted in the contract being retendered, meaning that, at the very earliest, the issue would not be resolved until well into 2025. Both Croydon council and Network Rail acknowledged that communication with the public had been 'inadequate' and promised to do better in future. Fitzpatrick then asked if the east exit would be fitted with ticket barriers and 'they dropped the bombshell that it would not'. Network Rail's spokesman said the installation and staffing of those barriers would be too expensive. 2025: A petition to get it fully open – and provide proper ticket gates Through a metal fence, Addiscombe residents can admire the open courtyard (planted with silver birch trees) that Menta has finally built to allow access to the bridge. On the side of one of the towers flanking the steps, a designer has attempted to lift the mood with a little urban poetry, in blossom-pink caps. 'A THOUSAND MEMORIES CASCADE FROM TREE TO TREE' it shouts. Although only the trees (and the odd workman) will be making any memories there until at least October. One resident of the tower tells me that 'it's ridiculous that we still can't use the bridge – and even more absurd we're not getting ticket gates at this end. I don't believe Network Rail can't afford them. As for staff, there always seem to be about ten guys on that bridge, especially late at night.' At the western end of the bridge, Jeremy Fitzpatrick is handing out flyers calling on Network Rail to 'LISTEN TO THE COMMUNITY and PROVIDE A TICKET GATE at the top of the Cherry Orchard Road stairs!' The former councillor barrister encourages commuters to scan a QR code on the leaflet which enables them to join the nearly 1300 people who've already signed the petition calling for ticket gates at the east end of the bridge. A spokesman for Network Rail says that: 'The original consent and funding was for ticket gates on the west end of the bridge. Should funding become available in future we would be happy to consider gates on the east end. For now, the bridge will still be a quicker route into East Croydon for people who live nearby.' When pushed for a figure on how much ticket gates and staffing would cost, he explained that: 'There's no set figure for how much a gate is.' Adding an entrance to a station suddenly brings in lots of other aspects, including staffing and revenue risk too. He adds: 'Network Rail is finalising plans for the bridge, which includes works to repair the surfaces and now introduces new balustrading and new partitioning to the public and passenger side. The full length of the bridge will open later this year.' Labour MP Natasha Irons (first elected in July 2024) says she has been 'badgering' Network Rail and the council to get the bridge finished. 'I've written to the mayor, Jason Perry, and to the council. Sarah Jones [MP for Croydon West on the other side of the bridge] and I met with Network Rail staff at the bridge and you can see it has been built to have a ticket gate at the east end. It's stupid not to put one in. But Network Rail will always say they don't have any money – because they don't.' A spokesperson for Croydon council said: 'We fully understand and share our residents' frustrations about the delays in the opening of the footbridge linking the east and west side of East Croydon Station. We are pretty clear we would like the ticket barrier [at the east exit] and are continuing to pursue this with Network Rail.' Menta CEO Craig Marks stresses that Menta has met all of its obligations, 'at no cost to Croydon or Network rail, and will be maintaining the entrance area on our land in perpetuity, including the new lift access we have also delivered in that area to the Network Rail (NR) bridge. We have invested around £2m in constructing the 'link piece' to connect to the NR bridge and intend to donate this also at no cost to Network Rail when the bridge is opened.' A savvy student at the Fairfield School of Business (located opposite the east exit) tells me: 'For 13 years, the council, Menta, Network Rail and government have all just gone round in circles blaming each other for the situation.' She shrugs and confides: 'Call me a cynic, but I think the mayor just wants to push everything through as quickly as possible now, so the bridge is open in any form before the next mayoral elections in 2026.' Steven Downes agrees. 'It will open without those gates. A classic example of spoiling the ship for a ha'porth of tar.'
