PortyJambo Posted September 20, 2023 Share Posted September 20, 2023 1 minute ago, Spellczech said: You are comparing 11.5miles/ 43mph top speed to 330 miles/ 225mph top speed. It is like comparing from 20th century to 21st century... No, I'm comparing overspends, not top speeds and distance... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spellczech Posted September 20, 2023 Share Posted September 20, 2023 2 hours ago, EIEIO said: Some seemed to have been learned on the project to complete the line to Newhaven. Though it should have been "easy" as they presumably made some progress during the first abandoned attempt. I'm in favour of trams and improved rail links but the original project was managed disgracefully. As others have said what's the point of an inquiry ? No one was sacked or put in jail for their actions or lack of. Public enquiries are basically to provide stats for one political party to hit another over the head. Even the one in power likes them though as generally they take so long that they can deflect saying "lessons have been learned" in the meantimes...Meanwhile lawyers and experts who could've been better used being involved in the original project make money from stating the obvious... I'll never forget my father telling me that a consultant is defined as "someone you pay a lot of money to tell you what you already know". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spellczech Posted September 20, 2023 Share Posted September 20, 2023 1 hour ago, PortyJambo said: No, I'm comparing overspends, not top speeds and distance... So what are they (in % terms)? 100% for Edinburgh? What for HS2? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PortyJambo Posted September 20, 2023 Share Posted September 20, 2023 21 minutes ago, Spellczech said: So what are they (in % terms)? 100% for Edinburgh? What for HS2? In 2012, HS2 was estimated at £33bn, but it's now £90-100bn...and that's for a reduced line, so it has that in common with the trams. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FWJ Posted September 20, 2023 Share Posted September 20, 2023 The M74 extension and Aberdeen bypass were well over (£ hundreds of millions over) original estimates too. The Queensferry Crossing was - I think - on time and on budget. Maybe we should let those designers & builders to all our major infrastructure stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuart Lyon Posted September 20, 2023 Share Posted September 20, 2023 The Queensferry crossing came in under budget but was 8 months late. There were then issues with icing that led to short closures. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hereford_hearts Posted November 14, 2023 Share Posted November 14, 2023 (edited) I'm my humble opinion, any large infrastructure project in the UK should be given to Tesco. I live in the west Midlands, and years ago Tesco wanted to improve one of their stores off junction 5 of the M42. Their solution - Build a new store in the carpark. Knock down the old store, rebuild it double the size. Knock down the store in the carpark, and relay the carpark. All done in 4 months, the store was never closed, and I bet it came in on budget! Edited November 14, 2023 by hereford_hearts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henrysmithsgloves Posted November 14, 2023 Share Posted November 14, 2023 3 hours ago, hereford_hearts said: I'm my humble opinion, any large infrastructure project in the UK should be given to Tesco. I live in the west Midlands, and years ago Tesco wanted to improve one of their stores off junction 5 of the M42. Their solution - Build a new store in the carpark. Knock down the old store, rebuild it double the size. Knock down the store in the carpark, and relay the carpark. All done in 4 months, the store was never closed, and I bet it came in on budget! That's Tesco value for you😬😄 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luckyBatistuta Posted November 14, 2023 Share Posted November 14, 2023 🪝 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FWJ Posted November 14, 2023 Share Posted November 14, 2023 6 minutes ago, luckyBatistuta said: 🪝 Was that not ASDA? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luckyBatistuta Posted November 14, 2023 Share Posted November 14, 2023 8 minutes ago, FWJ said: Was that not ASDA? Bottom left hand corner of my post😁 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FWJ Posted November 14, 2023 Share Posted November 14, 2023 5 minutes ago, luckyBatistuta said: Bottom left hand corner of my post😁 Too clever for me 🤔 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luckyBatistuta Posted November 14, 2023 Share Posted November 14, 2023 31 minutes ago, FWJ said: Too clever for me 🤔 🪝 it’s not funny now I’m having to explain it…in fact it isn’t, but was in my wee childish mind at the time 🤣 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FWJ Posted November 14, 2023 Share Posted November 14, 2023 Sorry! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuart Lyon Posted November 30, 2023 Share Posted November 30, 2023 https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/politics/council/edinburgh-trams-wouldnt-have-gone-ahead-if-officers-hadnt-lied-about-costs-4428115 Outrageous! Why wasn't the lying Council employee sacked? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pablo Posted November 30, 2023 Share Posted November 30, 2023 Stop messing about and start on the North-South line now. Huge improvement to the City. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wonfiveone Posted November 30, 2023 Share Posted November 30, 2023 Based on over fifty years major project’s quantity surveying and project management experience, in my opinion, the ability to deliver a construction project on time and within budget is wholly dependent on the quality and experience of the design team consultants, as well as an early involvement of a premier league contractor. All too often in the case of publicly funded projects, costs are presented based on best case scenarios arising from inexperience and what can only be described as sketchy design information to produce a figure that the client wants to hear to make the project go head, with no or very limited assessment of the financial risks involved. In addition, inadequate allowances are often deliberately made for the exclusions and identified risks on the basis that if properly allowed for, then these would effectively kill the project. A further more contentious factor is the public procurement requirement to assess tenders on the basis of not only price but is known as the “quality” with disproportionately high weightings given to the “quality” in order that there is considerable scope for the public body to appoint a favoured contractor at the expense of value for money. Apologies to anyone reading this who is involved in public procurement if the foregoing sounds very cynical but that is my view as to why publicly funded projects invariably go horribly wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wonfiveone Posted November 30, 2023 Share Posted November 30, 2023 3 hours ago, Stuart Lyon said: https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/politics/council/edinburgh-trams-wouldnt-have-gone-ahead-if-officers-hadnt-lied-about-costs-4428115 Outrageous! Why wasn't the lying Council employee sacked? Do the Council actually sack employees? More likely to be promoted rather than sacked, in my opinion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuart Lyon Posted December 7, 2023 Share Posted December 7, 2023 https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/opinion/columnists/edinburgh-councils-integrity-is-at-stake-over-tram-inquiry-investigation-john-mclellan-4435638 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Findlay Posted December 7, 2023 Share Posted December 7, 2023 5 hours ago, Stuart Lyon said: https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/opinion/columnists/edinburgh-councils-integrity-is-at-stake-over-tram-inquiry-investigation-john-mclellan-4435638 In a nutshell. They are all just a bunch of crooks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuart Lyon Posted December 7, 2023 Share Posted December 7, 2023 3 hours ago, John Findlay said: In a nutshell. They are all just a bunch of crooks. Agreed! Barefaced liars and charlatans. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ked Posted December 7, 2023 Share Posted December 7, 2023 8 hours ago, Stuart Lyon said: https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/opinion/columnists/edinburgh-councils-integrity-is-at-stake-over-tram-inquiry-investigation-john-mclellan-4435638 There is little or no integrity from holders of public office. Prime ministers lie. First ministers lie Ministers claim 11 grand and want pity when caught. As for the council in Edinburgh. The same council who committed fraud against its own citizens through the compulsory repair scandal. We have tens of billions filtered to the rich during a pandemic. No one held to account unless its 10 years after the fact. Thieving from the public purse is OK if you hold office. That's why you have career politicians. And they are all at it. Imagine the petty thievery that goes on and never comes to light. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maroondevo52 Posted December 7, 2023 Share Posted December 7, 2023 3 hours ago, Ked said: There is little or no integrity from holders of public office. Prime ministers lie. First ministers lie Ministers claim 11 grand and want pity when caught. As for the council in Edinburgh. The same council who committed fraud against its own citizens through the compulsory repair scandal. We have tens of billions filtered to the rich during a pandemic. No one held to account unless its 10 years after the fact. Thieving from the public purse is OK if you hold office. That's why you have career politicians. And they are all at it. Imagine the petty thievery that goes on and never comes to light. Spot on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spellczech Posted December 8, 2023 Share Posted December 8, 2023 On 30/11/2023 at 10:49, Wonfiveone said: Based on over fifty years major project’s quantity surveying and project management experience, in my opinion, the ability to deliver a construction project on time and within budget is wholly dependent on the quality and experience of the design team consultants, as well as an early involvement of a premier league contractor. All too often in the case of publicly funded projects, costs are presented based on best case scenarios arising from inexperience and what can only be described as sketchy design information to produce a figure that the client wants to hear to make the project go head, with no or very limited assessment of the financial risks involved. In addition, inadequate allowances are often deliberately made for the exclusions and identified risks on the basis that if properly allowed for, then these would effectively kill the project. A further more contentious factor is the public procurement requirement to assess tenders on the basis of not only price but is known as the “quality” with disproportionately high weightings given to the “quality” in order that there is considerable scope for the public body to appoint a favoured contractor at the expense of value for money. Apologies to anyone reading this who is involved in public procurement if the foregoing sounds very cynical but that is my view as to why publicly funded projects invariably go horribly wrong. Should send that an an email to every Edinburgh councillor. At least they then might know to ask questions... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wonfiveone Posted December 8, 2023 Share Posted December 8, 2023 8 hours ago, Spellczech said: Should send that an an email to every Edinburgh councillor. At least they then might know to ask questions... I would if I thought it would make any difference. Again based on my previous experience in seeking help with any problems with the Council, is that of a half hearted interest in the problem at best, arising from a far too cosy relationship with the senior management, in my opinion. Incidentally, I should have added in my original post, the lack of notices for contractors in the Public Contracts Scotland portal relating to this Council’s projects.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.