White Elephant will cost more

Published: Friday, 05 November 2010

THE cost to the public of the White Elephant, otherwise known as Three Mills Lock (or Prestcott Lock), is set to rise, writes Allan Richards. Built at a claimed cost of £21.5 millions, it was promoted as the 'green' way to move construction material to the Olympic Park, saving thousands of lorry journeys.

Two million tonnes

It was originally expected that two millions tonnes of building material would be shipped through the lock by various contractors in 350 tonne barges.

However, as Tessa Jowell, the Labour Olympics Minister pointed out, only 600 tonnes of material, the equivalent of less than two barge loads had used the lock.

Confirmed

John Armitt, chairman of the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA), confirmed the ministers view stating:

"A plan to use the 2012 Olympics to rejuvenate London's canal network, with millions of tonnes of goods transported by barge, has failed despite more than £20m of public money spent on restoring disused waterways."

Contractor claim

Now it seems that the cost to us of the White Elephant may have risen. The contractor concerned is claiming £23.8m, some £2.3m higher than the BW stated cost of £21.5m.

Mark Benstead, BW's Director of Regeneration who left suddenly earlier this year had a personal target set to reduce the claim by up to £3.3m (i.e from £23.8 to £20.5m) by the end of March 2010 but failed to obtain resolution. The matter is now subject to arbitration.

Terrorist threat

To make matters worse, the Metropolitan Police and Olympic Delivery Authority are expressing concerns regarding the threat to security that the waterways impose on the Olympic site, particularly a bomb attack from a boat.

This new development may block plans to run a water bus service and moor boats close to the games. Towpath closures are also threatened.

British Waterways' Head of Regeneration, Richard Rutter, has however urged the police and ODA to mitigate the risk as an alternative to closure.