'Unprecedented price increases' - Quote for repairs, new drainage and footpath for 'diabolical' Cwmbran road is over £250,000

This story was updated on 25 April 2022. The figure incorrectly used was ‘over £260,000’. This was changed to ‘over £250,000.

The lowest quote to bring an unadopted “diabolical” Cwmbran road up to a standard where Torfaen Council will take on responsibility for its future repairs is over £250,000.

In July 2021 the council was given £194,000 from the Welsh Government to carry out work to Brook Street in Pontrhydyrun. An ‘unadopted’ road doesn’t come under the ownership of the council so they don’t have any responsibility for any repairs or maintenance. Those costs fall to the residents of the street.

Contractors on the South East Wales Highways Framework submitted quotes. The lowest tender was £257,668.58. Rachel Jowitt, chief officer neighbourhoods, planning and public protection, will make a decision to go ahead or not on Wednesday 20 April 2022.

Google Maps estimates Brook Street is 112 metres long.

She has been given a report that says that the Welsh Government has given the council an extra £100,000: “Upon return of the tenders, it was realised that there was insufficient funding to complete the works and the tender cost exceeded the Lot 1 value. This was mainly due to tenderers having to review all items within the framework due to the unprecedented price increases that is currently being felt across the whole industry on all elements of Labour, Plant and Materials. To enable the works to proceed Welsh Government agreed to award us the additional £100,000 required to complete the scheme on the basis that the works will be completed by June 2022.”

Water-filled potholes on Brook Street in Cwmbran

Residents received a letter in March that said to bring the work up to “adoptable standard” the “main work” would include:

new footpath
full new road construction
new road drainage system
a turning head near the allotments.

If the quote is approved the work will begin this month and take about three months to complete. The work is being funded through the Road Safety Capital Grant. The £194,000 grant should have been spent by the end of the 2021/22 financial year but the council has been given an extension for the work to be completed by June 2022.

A Torfaen council spokesperson, said: “The council has received additional funding from Welsh Government to meet the higher than anticipated costs and enable this work to proceed. An explanatory letter, including a proposed plan was sent to all residents affected by the works on March 11. Once the contract has been awarded a further letter will be sent outlining the planned works, timescales and details of the contractor.”