Sunderland Echo: Road bill jumps to £21.3m
An in-depth study by the National Audit Office (NAO) found the cost to build the Southern Radial Route has risen a staggering 25.4 per cent.
The super-route, which will divert A19 traffic out of Grangetown and Ryhope and make it easier to get in and out of Hendon, was originally estimated to cost £17million.
But a study carried out by the group revealed that the cost has already risen to £21.3million.
The hike in costs ranked the route seventh out of 19 overrun road projects in the region - with the difference between the initial estimated price and the final price totalling £217million.
Colin Taylor, research director at the Taxpayers' Alliance, has slammed the overspend. He said: "Public sector capital projects in the North East are routinely over budget. This costs taxpayers millions of pounds because the politicians, civil servants and regional officials in charge lack the management experience and subject knowledge to run them efficiently. The Government needs to get a grip to give North East taxpayers better money."
But the Department for Transport defended the overspend. A spokesperson said: "There is no suggestion that money is being wasted here. The report does not say that schemes are costing more than they should do, but that they cost more than the Highways Authority originally estimated.
"The NAO acknowledges that robust estimating is a challenging task given the timescale of major road projects.
"The Highways Authority is currently developing a more robust cost-estimating system in line with recommendations."
Last month, the Echo revealed that the road wasn't set to be fully open until autumn - more than two years after work started in August 2005.
The first section, from Stockton Road to Sea View, was opened last year and the second section, from Sea View to Salterfen Roundabout, will open this month.
The final section, from Salterfen Roundabout to Spelter Works Roundabout, is due to open in September or October.
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