Yet more delays could hit the Helensburgh to Dumbarton cycle path – as design contractors on the project are due to finish next week.
A report has revealed that WSP, which has overseen designs on the proposed route, has agreed that its current design contract will end on Friday, March 15.
But several elements of work remain unfinished, with the likes of ground investigation, drainage design and a flood risk assessment not expected to be complete by then.
The path is currently earmarked for completion in the first three months of 2030 – almost 30 years after the project was green-lit by Scotland’s then transport minister, Labour’s Sarah Boyack.
The new report also says there is a question mark over funding to complete the outstanding design requirements, and a warning that the council may have to fund them itself.
The report will go before Argyll and Bute Council’s Helensburgh and Lomond area committee on Tuesday.
Executive director Kirsty Flanagan said: “WSP have provided an outline list of design outputs which they don’t expect to deliver by March 15. As such, consideration will require to be given as to how these design outputs can best be delivered to enable the project to complete all required design stages.
“WSP have informed officers that they don’t expect to complete the following design outputs within the remaining time of their commission: ground investigation, habitats regulation appraisal, planning application, utility C4, drainage design, flood risk assessment, land valuation, archaeological assessment.
“It is also acknowledged that the scaling back of WSP’s design outputs prior to the termination date of their contract on March 15 will result in a hiatus in relation to providing information requested by landowners including, for example, detailed drainage designs.
“Officers will be writing to affected landowners to inform them of the termination of WSP as the design contractor and that, once a new design team are in place, they will be in touch with landowners to progress the discussions.
“While the design work has, to date, been funded by jointly by the Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT) capital programme and Transport Scotland’s PFE (Places for Everyone) programme, the decision to de-fund the SPT Capital Programme in 2024/25 results in the project being fully reliant on securing 2024/25 PFE funding or internal council funding in order to complete the outstanding design requirements.”
Ms Flanagan also said that the council can seek a compulsory purchase order (CPO) once the route is fully defined, with permission having to be authorised by Scottish ministers.
She added: “The whole CPO process can happen fairly quickly, where there are parties willing to agree on the acquisition and compensation.
“In this case the council is dealing with a number of landowners (12 in total) and the service is aware of some who have already indicated their intention to contest any acquisition or CPO.
“In that case the matter can take up to two or more years depending on the complexity and whether and how the matter is disputed by one or more parties.
“Once a CPO is made then it must be used within a limited time, usually three years, otherwise it will expire.”
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