Heads should roll over the latest Derry to Coleraine rail upgrade fiasco, Foyle SDLP MLA Colum Eastwood has said.
Mr Eastwood made the comment after DRD Minister Danny Kennedy admitted Translink’s original costing of £20m for phase two of the rail project was “not based on fact” and that a realistic estimate would be around £40m.
The minister said the “guesstimate” by Translink would cause the signalling project to be delayed for the second time in a little over a year.
The Foyle MLA said: “I find it absolutely astonishing that Translink did little more than guess the cost of a project involving tens of millions of pounds of public money. The officials not only got it wrong but were shockingly off the mark to the tune of around £20 million – double the cost originally budgeted for.
“This hugely important scheme has been shelved for a second time due to another Translink blunder. The situation is wholly unacceptable to the people of the North West. Translink and the senior officials responsible for this fiasco must be held to account – heads should roll over this botched job.”
Mr Eastwood welcomed Mr Kennedy’s commitment to prioritise getting the project back on track but added that the minister must shoulder responsibility for the latest delay.
“The buck ultimately stops at the minister’s desk and he must take responsibility for the ineptitudes of the bodies he is answerable for. He now needs to seriously consider whether Translink has the expertise to oversee tendering processes such as this.”
“The minister must also ensure there are no further delays to this vital infrastructure upgrade,” Mr Eastwood concluded
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