South Wales Evening Post - 1 December 2008
Work on an £11 million revamp for Swansea's tired Quadrant bus station has been delayed yet again — it now won't get underway until next summer.
The shock revelation has led to criticism of the council, which just four months ago promised work would start in January.
Makeover plans have been in the pipeline for around six years.
Now, the council says it is aiming to award the contract in May, with work starting soon afterwards.
The revelation came in a joint statement from council leader Chris Holley and cabinet member for environment John Hague.
"The panto season is clearly with us again," said Labour leader David Phillips, who hit out at the further delay to a scheme designed to transform the city's shabby transport hub.
"John Hague is being pressed into playing Prince Charming to Chris Holley's Baron Hard-up.
"When the Lib Dem-led administration took power in 2004, it was on the basis of an assurance they would build a new bus station."
Last August, Chris Holley promised a January start to the redevelopment which will see the creation of a new concourse, 20 bus bays, three coach stands, new offices, a Shopmobility centre and travel shop.
At the time, he said: "It will give all our partners in the city centre the confidence that we, as an administration, are going to deliver what we said we were going to deliver."
He said the council was sending a message that the development of Swansea was not going to be slowed by the economic downturn.
Now, however, he says a start can not be made before May or later.
Councillor Holley said in response to the latest criticism: "I would call this a Welsh Assembly pantomime.
"This has been a stop-go wait for transport grant for the past six or seven years.
"The bidding for transport grant has been a farce and delays have been down to the Assembly for not getting its act together.
"We have had numerous discussions with the Welsh European Funding Office and the final outcome means we now have to re-tender the work on the bus station.
"That will cause a two to three-month delay on the start.
"We have started some of the enabling works already.
"We had intended starting the main work in February, rather than January, because the traders didn't want us starting demolition during the January sales."
