Press Release
1st October 2002
West Station Bridge –
Minister to Investigate Hold-up
Deputy Transport Minister, Lewis
Macdonald, has publicly pledged to investigate the delays dogging
the replacement of the West Station Bridge in Greenock’s
West End.
While the funds to replace the bridge have been made available, the plans have been drawn up and the contracts returned, work on the major project has not yet begun. This is despite an assurance given by the Minister to MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Duncan McNeil, this March that replacing the bridge is a high priority. Work, Mr Macdonald said at the time, was expected to begin in early summer.
Responding to a question from Mr McNeil during a Scottish Parliamentary debate on Transport, the Minister said he was "happy to investigate the matter."
Mr McNeil asked the Minister:
"I welcome the investment and the priorities, but does the minister recognise that barriers exist to the delivery of improvements? For example, work on the A78 West Station bridge in my constituency has been dogged by delay, which has caused great inconvenience to constituents and to business. Will the minister investigate that matter and bring it to a speedy conclusion?"
Mr Macdonald responded:
"I am happy to investigate the matter, as I am happy to investigate any case in which an agreed transport priority has been stalled for reasons that can be addressed."
Speaking after the debate, Mr McNeil said:
"I am glad that the Minister has undertaken to investigate this delay.
"Replacing the West Station Bridge is, admittedly, a complex operation. But it is extremely frustrating, when the plans have been drawn up, the contracts have been returned and the money is in place, that work still cannot get underway.
"It is clear that something or someone
is holding up progress. I look forward to the Minister finding
who is responsible for the blockage, banging some heads together
and getting this vital project back on track."
ENDS
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