Cllr Brodie shares this latest news. Ed
After a walkabout in his ward last week with Cabinet member Cllr Ian Ward and an officer from the Highways PFI contract management team, Cllr Geoff Brodie (Newport East, Independent Labour) is calling for more honesty over the unlikely delivery of the Core Investment Programme (CIP) by Island Roads.
Cllr Brodie has been sceptical about delivery of the seven-year CIP for some time now. It was on the basis that all roads would be improved and resurfaced by April 2020 that many IW Councillors supported the PFI back in 2012. Cllr Brodie was one of them, something he now regrets, though it was overwhelmingly approved.
Seven months until end of CIP
With just seven months to go, it is clear the programme will not be achieved. Newport East itself has 15 roads still to be re-surfaced, many well used. Some of these are in an appalling state and similar roads can be found across Newport and the other Island towns.
Cllr Ward was able to see some in Newport East during the walkabout, including one narrow street used twice daily by numerous buses transporting children from a local special school.
New assessment tool
Cllr Brodie understands that Island Roads are now using a new assessment tool that grades roads as in better condition than previously and allows them to delay improvement works until after the CIP without being fined for non-compliance.
Brodie: “I feel misled about this contract”
If this is the case and the IW Council is unable to successfully challenge this, then Cllr Brodie says,
“We really need the IW Council and Island Roads to be open and transparent about what is happening.
“Residents of wards like mine are expecting the roads to be re-surfaced soon, but this clearly isn’t going to happen in the near future.
“I feel misled about this contract and many of my residents feel misled. It is time for some honesty.”
