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| Halt London Garden Bridge project, says RIBA president | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The project to build a Garden Bridge over the Thames in London should be halted following claims that the winner of a contest to design the bridge was selected unfairly, the head of the Royal Institute of British Architects has said. | |
| Jane Duncan, the president of the RIBA, said she was extremely concerned by the allegations and that the procurement process should be stopped and scrutinised before more public money is put at risk. | |
| Related: London's garden bridge: the end of the road? | |
| Questions have been raised over how the designer Thomas Heatherwick was selected for the £175m project and the fairness of the procurement process, after it was revealed Heatherwick and the London mayor, Boris Johnson, promoted the Garden Bridge in San Francisco, before the official 2013 Transport for London (TfL) contest. | Questions have been raised over how the designer Thomas Heatherwick was selected for the £175m project and the fairness of the procurement process, after it was revealed Heatherwick and the London mayor, Boris Johnson, promoted the Garden Bridge in San Francisco, before the official 2013 Transport for London (TfL) contest. |
| “The allegations relating to the procurement of the Garden Bridge are extremely concerning. All those who bid for work have a right to expect that their submissions will be judged fairly, transparently and in accordance with the law,” Duncan told the Architects’ Journal. | “The allegations relating to the procurement of the Garden Bridge are extremely concerning. All those who bid for work have a right to expect that their submissions will be judged fairly, transparently and in accordance with the law,” Duncan told the Architects’ Journal. |
| “Given the high-profile nature of this project, the amount of public money at stake and the seriousness of the allegations, we would urge that the project is put on hold and the whole procurement process is then opened up to detailed scrutiny.” | “Given the high-profile nature of this project, the amount of public money at stake and the seriousness of the allegations, we would urge that the project is put on hold and the whole procurement process is then opened up to detailed scrutiny.” |
| Johnson met Heatherwick two weeks before TfL invited Heatherwick Studio to tender successfully for the project, beating Marks Barfield and Wilkinson Eyre. | Johnson met Heatherwick two weeks before TfL invited Heatherwick Studio to tender successfully for the project, beating Marks Barfield and Wilkinson Eyre. |
| His submission, released after a freedom of information request, was an elaboration of his original design. Joanna Lumley, the most high-profile cheerleader of the project, is an associate of Heatherwick’s studio. | His submission, released after a freedom of information request, was an elaboration of his original design. Joanna Lumley, the most high-profile cheerleader of the project, is an associate of Heatherwick’s studio. |
| The meeting with Heatherwick was omitted from the mayor’s official report to the London assembly, despite the inclusion of his main activities being a statutory requirement. | The meeting with Heatherwick was omitted from the mayor’s official report to the London assembly, despite the inclusion of his main activities being a statutory requirement. |
| The trip to San Francisco with Heatherwick was also omitted from the monthly report. In December, Johnson dismissed the allegations that the process was unfair as “a load of cobblers”. | The trip to San Francisco with Heatherwick was also omitted from the monthly report. In December, Johnson dismissed the allegations that the process was unfair as “a load of cobblers”. |
| Duncan said she was not casting aspersions on the standard of the designs by Heatherwick. | Duncan said she was not casting aspersions on the standard of the designs by Heatherwick. |
| “This is by no means a comment on the work of the immensely talented Heatherwick Studio and Arup teams,” she said. “Our concerns are about the fairness and transparency of the procurement process.” | “This is by no means a comment on the work of the immensely talented Heatherwick Studio and Arup teams,” she said. “Our concerns are about the fairness and transparency of the procurement process.” |
| A spokesperson for the mayor of London said: “An audit of Transport for London’s procurement process has already found that it was open, fair and transparent; and the mayor does not intend to halt a project that will be a spectacular new addition to London. | A spokesperson for the mayor of London said: “An audit of Transport for London’s procurement process has already found that it was open, fair and transparent; and the mayor does not intend to halt a project that will be a spectacular new addition to London. |
| “Work on building the bridge is due to begin this year and is widely supported by Londoners and businesses on both sides of the river.” | “Work on building the bridge is due to begin this year and is widely supported by Londoners and businesses on both sides of the river.” |
| The Garden Bridge Trust, which is handling the project but was set up after the procurement process was concluded, refused to comment on Duncan’s interview. | The Garden Bridge Trust, which is handling the project but was set up after the procurement process was concluded, refused to comment on Duncan’s interview. |
| Last month it was revealed by parliament’s spending watchdog that the chancellor, George Osborne, had offered Johnson funding for the bridge without oversight from the Department of Transport. | Last month it was revealed by parliament’s spending watchdog that the chancellor, George Osborne, had offered Johnson funding for the bridge without oversight from the Department of Transport. |
| The National Audit Office said the £60m of public money being poured into the Thames bridge is at greater risk than the private funds, and a “high degree of uncertainty” hangs over the scheme’s value for money. | The National Audit Office said the £60m of public money being poured into the Thames bridge is at greater risk than the private funds, and a “high degree of uncertainty” hangs over the scheme’s value for money. |