Anyone any clue how a bridge that was on schedule prior to the elections 2 months ago..

[WankersHacksandThieves]

...is suddenly 6 months overdue due to poor weather?

I'm not moaning about the delay per se, 6 months on a project that size is pretty decent. But at election time it was lauded as being on time and on budget when it clearly wasn't, it was 6 months behind - i don't think we call call the last couple of months weather poor and certainly not worse than we would normally have.

[HirplesWithHaggis]

It's not 6 months overdue. It was, and remains, ahead of the contractually agreed schedule, which is for completion next summer - July, I think. However, it was progressing so well that it was hoped that it would open at the end of this year, and now that's not going to happen. It's looking more like May or June next year. Still ahead of schedule.

It is also about £250,000 under budget. And the Forth Road Bridge is still there and still usable. And I'd rather have the new bridge built safely and well, than in a rush.

[WankersHacksandThieves]

So where exactly did I say I'd rather they rush it and it open it earlier? I was talking about the duplicity of the election campaign.

According to a staff member quoted in the press it's behind schedule, according to every story I can find, it;s behind schedule, as far as I can see the scheduled date was Dec 16 but they had hoped to open it earlier. Regardless, the date they were talking about being on time for was Dec and now it will be 6 months later, due to bad weather over a 2 month period.

[cdtaylornats]

Its under budget because they used cheap Chinese steel

[HirplesWithHaggis]

The "target date" was December this year, with a further six months allowed in the contract before any penalty clauses kick in, to allow for contingencies like, oooh, shit weather. (In Scotland, who'da thunk? ) And of course the tragic death of one worker, and serious injury to another.

So it's not really behind schedule at all, certainly not to the point where it needs screaming headlines.

Where would you prefer the gvt to obtain cheap steel? Bearing in mind that Scotland no longer produces the quality necessary, since Ravenscraig was closed down. It's not coming in under budget because of cheap steel - that's what was budgeted for, after tenders were put out and so on.

[WankersHacksandThieves]

Hirples that's not the point I was making, I said in my OP that I didn't think a 6 month delay on the project was bad at all. The point was that SNP used the "fact" that it was on time and under budget as a point in their campaign. It can't have suddenly become 6 months behind due to weather in the last 2 months so they knew it was going to be behind whilst campaigning. It's the duplicity that's the point. 6 months late is an insignificance in the grand scheme of things.

[HirplesWithHaggis]

It's just such a nothing story, sorry. I agree 6 months isn't significant, but they're still within the contractural agreement so I don't see it as "behind" or "overdue". It's still "on time" and "under budget", though the initial target of December will be missed. I just can't get worked up about it, especially if you consider the utter shambles of the Edinburgh trams.

Politicians being duplicitous, who'da thunk that either?

[cdtaylornats]

I would have preferred them to buy steel in England or Wales or anywhere not dumping steel on the markets to destroy other peoples industry. But then again had to keep her new masters happy.

[bloodymaria]

I don't understand what you don't understand. It's a big project, things change constantly. Giving the politicians the benefit of the doubt, they may have been correct in thinking it was going to plan at the time of the elections. Since then, there's been a tragic accident, that's probably been a big factor on slowing things down but possibly more sensitive to blame the weather for the sake of headlines rather than the poor guy that died.

[StealthPolarBear]

Don't worry op I understood your point. The point is about spin not construction.

[WankersHacksandThieves]

Exactly Stealth. They've said they lost 20 something days in April and May. By my maths, being generous that's a month. There is no way that when they were using it a selling point that it was on time. So you are left with them bare faced lying or being incompetent, take your pick. They are the party in charge, they should be called up on stuff like this.

[LunaLoveg00d]

It's just like the Scottish parliament building construction and the Edinburgh trams all over - is there really NOBODY in Scotland who can manage major projects to budget, and on time?

And yes I get the point of the thread, the SNP were holding up the early completion of the bridge as a personal feather in their cap, which was a lie.

[HirplesWithHaggis]

I think some of the "delay" is taking into account the fact there will be more shit weather before completion. Had they finished in December they would have avoided the very worst of the winter weather at the start of next year, as it is there will be more days missed for safety reasons.

Yes, SNP are in charge and should be held to account. But I'm a bit more concerned that the BBC are making such a big fuss about this while pretty much ignoring the Tory election expenses scandal. Where are the demands for withdrawal or suspension of the party whip from apparently dozens of Tory MPs? Natalie McGarry had the SNP whip suspended, and has not yet been charged with any criminal offences, though she is under investigation. Michelle Thomson also has the whip suspended, and she has yet to be even interviewed by the police, five or so months in.

Why the difference, when the Tories are in charge and should be called up on stuff like this?

[cdtaylornats]

And what about the SNP election expenses - did the constituencies Nicola visited in her helicopter pay for it or was that a central cost?

[HirplesWithHaggis]

That complaint has already been made and answered; it was legitimately a central cost. What have you to say about the police investigations into the Tories? And their attempts to have the police silenced?

[WankersHacksandThieves]

its maybe not surprising that no charges have been made in Scotland given the state of the police force. at least the southern forces aren't scared that the tories will sack them.

[HirplesWithHaggis]

Seriously, that's your best argument? That Police Scotland and the PF's office and all associated with them are scared of being sacked by the Scottish gvt? All of them, not a single renegade, every one of them brainwashed/terrified of the SNP? Pshaw, to use a good old British expression.

And how does that tie in with the BBC not reporting a scandal that Channel 4 have been pursuing for weeks, with actual police involvement?

[WankersHacksandThieves]

NAh, not the best argument but im away for the weekend with poor wifi and a tiny phone so that's it for now.

[prettybird]

M74 extension. M80 completion. Both large projects that were completed on time/early and on/under budget.

[prettybird]

(Posted by accident)

....personally, if I were project managing that (and I have been a project manager in a previous role), I would take a conservative approach: the May is still a month "early" according to the contract, it allows for another bad winter and better to exceed/improve on expectations and open earlier than May than to have more bad press if it slips again.

I also find it highly hypocritical of some opposition politicians, who opposed the new bridge on the basis that "it wasn't necessary", to now be complaining at the delay and the consequential extended use of the Forth Road Bridge If they'd had their way, there wouldn't be a new bridge bearing completion

[HirplesWithHaggis]

Well, this is interesting... What's the motivation for a supposedly impartial BBC to warp reportage like this?

[trixymalixy]

Oh look a squirrel!! So because the Tories have lied then that makes it ok for the SNP to have lied. Is that really what you are saying?!

The Tories should be brought to account for the expenses scandal but that has fuck all to do with this post. You are embarrassing yourself by trying to deflect from the duplicity of the SNP.

The point of this thread is that the SNP knew the bridge was delayed before the election and lied about it.

Projects go over time and budget all the time it's not a surprise and no one really cares about it. The story here is more lies and spin from the SNP who hold themselves as morally superior to other politicians, when they are all the same. When are people going to open their eyes?!

[ItsAllGoingToBeFine]

The point of this thread is that the SNP knew the bridge was delayed before the election and lied about it.

But it's not delayed

[trixymalixy]

Mr Brown stated: “Due to adverse weather conditions in April and May 2016 exceeding expectations and resulting in an increase in days lost to weather, they are unable to achieve the target opening date of December 2016.”

No delay here, nothing to see, move on.

oh look, even the mouthpiece of the SNP calls it a delay

[HirplesWithHaggis]

Did you read my link, trixy, and watch the (very short) videos in it? The SNP did not know the December target date would be missed so no, they weren't lying.

My "squirrel" point was about how our national broadcaster chooses to report the news - or, in the case of potentially massive election fraud, not report it at all, while creating headlines about a story we all agree is bollox. Why would they do that?

[trixymalixy]

Really, you post that biased shite and expect anyone to take it seriously.No, sorry he's as bad as wings.

The contractors have said that the government knew in January.