There have been calls from politicians for the Edinburgh Trams inquiry to be scrapped following news that £2.1 million has already been spent on the inquiry – even before a single witness has been called in front of Lord Hardie. The Inquiry was called to get to the bottom of why the Edinburgh Trams project went so far over budget and was severely delayed but despite the fact it started in June 2014 there is still a long way to go before lessons can be learnt.
Investigators are still sifting through approximately six million documents in relation to the project and it is anticipated that it will be the Spring before Lord Hardie calls the first witness to give evidence.
Although politicians from most sides of the political divide were eager for the inquiry to take place some are now going for it to be abandoned. One is Cameron Buchanan, Scottish Conservative MSP, who commented: “It should be abandoned before any more public cash goes in” whilst Labour’s MSP Sarah Boyack said: “I’m sure that the public is as bemused as I am at the rising costs.”
Despite these comments the likelihood of the Inquiry being stopped at this stage seems pretty remote.
It seems that despite so-called austerity there is never any shortage of money for ‘inquiries’, no doubt to be followed by the customary empty promise about ‘lessons learnt’
Enquiries are necessary to prevent future mistakes like this; however if they cannot be organised at a reasonable cost surely this is a negation of democracy? Authority MUST be able to prevent ridiculous costs like this or the whole concept of democracy is undermined. Are we dealing with grotesque salaries to officials here?
It is ironic when a public enquiry into overrunning costs on a project also overruns its costs. The outcome of so many similar enquiries is the conclusion “things like this must never be allowed to happen again” – but nevertheless they do.