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Rising costs of bypass protest
5/12/2007
GROUPS opposing the £184m Mottram-Tintwistle bypass could be left out of pocket.
Opponents of the scheme face additional costs for preparing their case because of a series of errors which has put back a public inquiry by several months.
They want the Highways Agency, responsible for the delays, to foot the bill for the increased costs.
The inquiry, which started in June and was scheduled to last 10 weeks, has been adjourned again after the Highways Agency discovered fresh errors in its revised evidence.
The hearing was due to resume earlier this month after it was halted in September when the agency admitted it had made a ‘significant error’ in its evidence.
It came to light after a question from an opponent of the scheme.
The agency’s traffic model had miscalculated the amount of vehicles that would use the bypass.
The inquiry was also adjourned after its opening day because of the late submission of ‘substantial evidence’ from the Highways Agency regarding its environmental statement, which had already been revised in February.
Emma Lawrence, of the Save Swallow’s Wood campaign, said: "An enormous amount of time and money has been wasted since the inquiry began in June.
"All their evidence, all our evidence, and that of all the other objectors and supporters is not worth the paper it’s written on," she added.
The Highways Agency is investigating whether it or its consultants are responsible for the error and who is liable.
The proposed 3.5-mile bypass is designed to divert traffic away from the A628 and congested roads through the villages of Mottram, Tintwistle and Hollingworth.
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8/12/2007 at 11:26