A417 Missing Link campaign!

[Isleworth1961]

Bit of drone footage of progress so far:
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/video/cars/gl ... edgntp&t=0

[Truvelo]

Didn't realise work had actually started. At least it means there's no possibility of it being scrapped now.

[Big L]

Didn't realise work had actually started. At least it means there's no possibility of it being scrapped now.

I admire that kind of optimism.

[Bryn666]

The Goat Path in Lancaster County, PA, says hello...

That said, finishing the A417 here is an easy win and a lot harder to find legitimate arguments to cancel unlike most of the A303.

[freebrickproductions]

The Goat Path in Lancaster County, PA, says hello...

Coughs in AL 13 in Franklin County, AL, as well.

Okay, admittedly, AFAIK this one hasn't officially been cancelled, but the funding for the project ran-out ten or so years ago at this point, after the three pairs of bridges were built and the first several miles of the new alignment were graded in the early-2010s, and no further work has been done on it.

Of course, there are also plenty of other unfinished stubs of interstates and other freeways that got cancelled after work had begun on them due to the "freeway revolts" that lasted into the 1970s, such as I-40 in Memphis (which got rerouted onto a section of the already-complete I-240 when the originally planned alignment was unable to be completed) and I-170 in Baltimore.

[roadtester]

I wouldn't say it's completely safe from being binned just because it's already started but I'd have thought there are more obviously juicy cancellation options - A303, lower Thames crossing - which are less advanced and more expensive, which might mean it wouldn't be an immediate target, allowing it to get to the point of no return.

It's amazing to see even just the limited early works in the video and to think it's really happening. I always thought this would stay in the 'too difficult' drawer during my lifetime.

[IAN]

Are there any examples of major UK roads that have been cancelled after construction has commenced? Surely the contractors would be entitled to huge compensation, which would be another reason to continue? I know of cases where companies have gone bankrupt after commencing construction of building projects but never for a road.

[RichardEvans67]

Didn't realise work had actually started. At least it means there's no possibility of it being scrapped now.

I seem to remember reading that the expected start date was around about last October. As for the chance of being cancelled. Well they haven't done all that much yet, but they should be well into it by the time of the election. So I think it would be unlikely to be cancelled after the election. (That's if Labour even want to cancel road schemes).

[wrinkly]

It's almost unknown for anything to be cancelled once a main contract has been awarded. For example, the main works had not yet been awarded for HS2 phase 2a.

[RichardEvans67]

Are there any examples of major UK roads that have been cancelled after construction has commenced?

I'm not sure whether this counts :
https://www.google.com/maps/@51.5113327 ... ?entry=ttu
It was going to lead to a Thames crossing in East London. The crossing got canceled, but this part of the flyover had already been build, so ended up modified.

[RichardA35]

Are there any examples of major UK roads that have been cancelled after construction has commenced?

I'm not sure whether this counts :
https://www.google.com/maps/@51.5113327 ... ?entry=ttu
It was going to lead to a Thames crossing in East London. The crossing got canceled, but this part of the flyover had already been build, so ended up modified.

Remembering also our old favourite of the M1-A1 Stirling Corner Link.
In other parts the French Nuclear site at Penly has had two excavated and prepared reactor construction sites sitting idle for about 10 years awaiting a build.

[wrinkly]

There are lots of places where things that were built included preparatory work for a possible future scheme that was never built, but that's not the same as cancelling a contract that has been let.

[darkcape]

Probably the last wave of Smart Motorway schemes which were converted to barrier upgrades etc?

[RichardEvans67]

There are lots of places where things that were built included preparatory work for a possible future scheme that was never built, but that's not the same as cancelling a contract that has been let.

Yeah many are not full road schemes. Although in the one a linked to, there is quite a lot of unused or unnecessary flyover. Flyovers aren't cheap, so I'm in two minds about whether that counts.

[wrinkly]

Yeah many are not full road schemes. Although in the one a linked to, there is quite a lot of unused or unnecessary flyover. Flyovers aren't cheap, so I'm in two minds about whether that counts.

The question can't be answered for certain without knowing what was in the contract(s) that was/were awarded, but cancelling a contract can be expensive for an authority.

[fras]

Didn't realise work had actually started. At least it means there's no possibility of it being scrapped now.

HS2 ? (sorry, only joking !)
I've been this way many a time, and if any road was needed this is it, but sad to see the Air Balloon gone.

[fras]

The Goat Path in Lancaster County, PA, says hello...

That said, finishing the A417 here is an easy win and a lot harder to find legitimate arguments to cancel unlike most of the A303.

No thousand year-old pear tree in the way, I assume !

[jackal]

This will be much too far into construction to be cancelled post-election, as will the Black Cat scheme.

That said, I don't think a main works contract is that much of a barrier to a scheme being cancelled by a new government. As mentioned above, this sort-of happened with smart motorway schemes (which were radically de-scoped). Just last year main works contractors dropped out of several large schemes:

https://www.constructionnews.co.uk/civi ... 9-07-2023/
https://www.constructionnews.co.uk/civi ... 2-07-2023/
https://www.constructionnews.co.uk/civi ... 9-06-2023/

These schemes are not yet cancelled, but they demonstrate that a main works contract only lasts as long as the parties want it to. Unfortunately I suspect some big schemes will be pulled post-election, main works contracts notwithstanding.

[RichardEvans67]

The Goat Path in Lancaster County, PA, says hello...

That said, finishing the A417 here is an easy win and a lot harder to find legitimate arguments to cancel unlike most of the A303.

No thousand year-old pear tree in the way, I assume !

Nahhh. Just the dust of the old tree, which is now sacred and can not be disturbed .

[Big L]

Passed along the A417 today. Lots of earthworks going on, impressive really. Sadly, no time to stop for photos.