Chisholm Trail: Cambridge cycle route cost rises to £21m

Phase Two of the project would complete the route from Coldhams Lane to the city's central railway station

The estimated cost of part of a cycling route between a city's railway stations rose to £21m amid "shortcomings in project management", a report said.

The Chisholm Trail is due to link Cambridge's central station and Cambridge North station.

A report to the Cambs County Council showed the cost of the northern section has risen from the £14m budgeted.

A council spokesman said the transport committee would discuss the project next month.

Edward Leigh, from the Smarter Cambridge Transport campaigning group, said: "Sadly, once again the council's project management and cost controls are found wanting."

The Trail is being funded by the council and the Greater Cambridge Partnership (GCP) and the initial budget for the first phase - between Cambridge North and Coldhams Lane - was £8.4m in 2015. This was revised to £14.3m in March 2019.

'Budget underestimate'

The report said the £4.9m budget for the newly-erected Abbey-Chesterton Bridge had risen by £2m.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, the budget for the rest of phase one was around £9.3m, but had risen by £6.6m.

The first phase of the works would cover the area from Cambridge North train station to Coldhams Lane

The internal report said the project had "insufficient development and design" and "shortcomings in project management during the early stages" contributed to the budget shortfall.

A GCP spokesperson said it would listen to the committee meeting on 1 December "and respond to the outcome and any recommendations in due course".

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Mr Leigh said there was "a recurring pattern" of underestimating the cost of projects, and he also cited the £13m overspend on the Ely Southern Bypass.

He said: "The lesson is not being learnt - you can either invest more up-front, for instance in ground surveys, to eliminate risks, or you can set a contingency in the budget to cover what is not known.

"Time after time, the council is choosing to do neither."