The announcement of a £320m to construction company Bam Nuttall to carry out the lion’s share of work on the Arundel Bypass just months after Highways England announced which route it would put out to consultation has been slammed by Arundel and Courtwick Labour candidate for West Sussex County Council, Michael Ward and Labour candidate for Fontwell, Jane Mote.

The £480m grey-route announced as Highways England’s preferred choice was only supported by 7% of people when it went out for initial consultation last year. In Highways England’s own published guidelines it will need a Development Consent order and before that there are three stages of public consultation that must happen before the road is approved:

  • Statutory community consultation and application for development consent
  • Examination by Planning Inspectorate and
  • A decision by Secretary of State for Transport

Before this consultation has even started the main contract has been announced  in leading construction industry magazines.

Highways England is quoted as saying  “Having an appointed contractor on board is a significant step in terms of progressing this much needed project and we are looking forward to working with BAM Nuttall, Aecom and Mace as part of Linkconnex collaborative partnership under our Regional Delivery Partnership (RDP) Framework”

Labour has strongly opposed the by-pass plans on environmental, community and economic grounds. Candidate for Arundel and Courtwick Michael Ward says this announcement – at a time of ‘purdah’ when controversial announcements should not be made – flies in the face of democracy. He is calling for an immediate enquiry into breaches of the democratic process.

“We are literally being sold down the river. The final and significant phase of consultation has not even started and they have started moving on site. This is a travesty for local democracy. I will be doing everything I can to challenge this decision and ensure local people are given the consultation that was promised.”

Jane Mote, Labour candidate for Fontwell which covers the villages of Walberton and Binsted that will be severely affected by the Grey Route, is also condemning what she calls a ‘flagrant disregard for democracy.”

She said: “The rush to start on a highly controversial project without fulfilling consultation promises is undemocratic and I will be investigating it. We cannot allow ancient villages to be devastated, communities divided and nature destroyed without any input from those most affected.”

 

I will be doing everything I can to challenge this decision and ensure local people are given the consultation that was promised. Michael Ward, Candidate for Arundel and Courtwick
Michael Ward, Candidate for Arundel and Courtwick
We cannot allow ancient villages to be devastated, communities divided and nature destroyed without any input from those most affected. Jane Mote, Candidate for Fontwell
Jane Mote, Candidate for Fontwell
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