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Call for Inquiry and changes on Cairngorm |
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Call for Inquiry and changes on Cairngorm |
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BSCG welcomes calls for a wide ranging
investigation into the circumstances surrounding HIE's support for the
funicular project. The following article appeared in the Scotsman of Feb
17 2004 and comes in the wake of new information about the rising cost
to the tax payer of the funicular railway on Cairngorm.
The Scotsman 17th Feb 2004 JOHN ROSS A CALL has been made for the chairman and chief executive of Highlands and Islands Enterprise to be sacked, after it was revealed that the final cost of the Cairngorm funicular project was £5 million more than thought. HIE is also being urged to give up ownership of the land on which the mountain railway was built. It was revealed last week that the funicular cost £19.6 million, rather than the £14.8 million previously quoted, a 32 per cent difference. HIE, which revealed the true costs only after questions from journalists, blamed higher than expected engineering bills and other fees for pushing up the figure. But Dr Adam Watson, of the Centre of Ecology and Hydrology and an authority on the Cairngorms, called for the sackings. "HIE chairman Jim Hunter and chief executive Sandy Cumming should be sacked for playing loose with taxpayer’s money over the funicular and not disclosing to the public the massive extra spending," he said. Dr Watson said that HIE’s financial commitment on the funicular goes beyond the £19.6million reported, in that the agency has committed itself to paying £3million to £3.5million to dismantle the railway and buildings and reinstating the site, if the project fails. He also says that HIE hired a contractor from Yorkshire to carry out work on reinstating sensitive vegetation on the mountain, rather than use local expertise. Dr Watson resigned as the environmental adviser to HIE on the project after he claimed that work damaged vegetation and soil. The Badenoch and Strathspey Conservation Group has also called for an inquiry into the project. Dr Gus Jones, the group’s convener, said that HIE has refused to discuss the knock-on effect on other fragile businesses of putting money into Cairngorm Mountain Ltd, the company which runs the funicular. He said: "Their claim last week that no other project was denied funds as a result of the extra £5million poured into the funicular is ridiculous, as obviously this money could have been put to other use." A HIE spokesman said: "The environmental work carried out on Cairngorm was unique in scale and complexity. The practical measures adopted were fully agreed in advance with the Highland Council and Scottish Natural Heritage, who continue to monitor recovery of the vegetation. All indications are that the work undertaken has been extremely successful." He added: "The £3million to £3.5million referred to was the cost, estimated in 2001, of dismantling and removing the funicular railway. Clearly, this would only be applicable in the event of complete and final failure of the project. The sum is not part of the final project cost of £19.6 million announced by HIE last week." ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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