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Campaigners call for Metrobus £2.4m buyout
A campaign group is calling on the mayor of Bristol to “pay off” North Somerset Council to the tune of £2.4million to allow the city to drop the controversial Metrobus transport scheme.
Last month, Bristol24/7 exclusively revealed a secret report which showed how costs to build part of the controversial network have soared by more than £9m since the summer.
Having studied the report, the Stop BRT2 group now say that the £9.1m shortfall figure presented in the report is a “severe under-estimate” and is “not a full and honest portrayal of the complete shortfall by the (anonymous) officer who wrote the report”.
The group is urging George Ferguson to consider paying North Somerset Council £2.4m, its 20% share of the Metrobus £12m preparation costs, to buy them out of the legal agreement between Bristol and North Somerset councils.
Pip Sheard from Stop BRT2 said George Ferguson and Bristol City Council were “headed towards a Metrobus financial meltdown”.
“We urge him to cut his losses, settle any outstanding debt with North Somerset and dump the white elephant before its too late,” she said.
In a direct call to Ferguson, she added: “Please listen to local residents who elected you. Your election vision promised us ‘a city deal with Government that includes rail, tram and bus alternatives to the flawed BRT (Metrobus)’ which you described as a ‘poor scheme looking for Government funding’.
“Open your eyes to the unfolding financial Metrobus fiasco in your own back yard and dump this scheme now before it is too late.”
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