COSTS to repair and look after the Twin Sails Bridge have been £249k overbudget, the Echo has learned.
The controversial £37m bridge has seen several planned maintenance repairs and unexpected breakdowns and problems over the years.
Since BCP Council’s formation as an authority in April 2019, BCP Council has budgeted £800k for Twin Sails Bridge.
But an Echo Freedom of Information request has revealed the authority has actually spent £1,048,743 on the bridge.
These numbers span April 2019 to March 2024 – BCP Council was asked for the costs to the most recent repairs that lasted from May to August.
The authority refused this request because it is considered “commercially sensitive” information, but didn’t rule out providing the information once the financial year was over.
Responding to questions from the Echo, Glynn Barton, BCP Council’s new chief operations officer, said the spending on the bridge “shows exactly how much we recognise its importance” to residents.
He said: “The Twin Sails bridge is a critical piece of infrastructure that provides a vital link between two highly populated areas of Poole and sees thousands of vehicles drive across it every single day.
“In addition, many pedestrians and cyclists use it to cut time from their journeys, and the bridge lifts at least 15 times per day to allow marine traffic access to and from the Back Water Channel.
“The level of investment into the bridge across five years shows exactly how much we recognise its importance to those who work, learn and live in our area.”
On the most recent work this summer, Mr Barton said the costs have been subject to inflation seen across the country.
“This, coupled with the complexity of a structure that requires specialist expertise, has led to the increase in spend on the bridge,” he added.
“To mitigate against these rises, our teams continue to pursue best value through the council’s rigorous procurement process and by utilising the experience and knowledge of our dedicated staff, who are working on solutions to these specific issues.”
He added: “All of us want the bridge to operate as reliably as possible and we understand the frustration residents felt during the works this summer.”
For 2024/25, the council has allocated £206k for the Twin Sails Bridge (the same as the past two years).
HERE are the full figures of the spending on Twin Sails Bridge broken down per financial year.
2023/24
Budget: £206.4k
Spend: £408,255
2022/23
Budget: £206.4k
Spend: £190,215
2021/22
Budget: £106.4k
Spend: £82,330
2020/21
Budget: £140.5k
Spend: £103,282
2019/20
Budget: £140.5k
Spend: £264,661
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