THE main contractors on Blackburn’s much-delayed new £4.7 million bus station were dramatically sacked by the council yesterday.

Borough regeneration boss Phil Riley said terminating the contract with Thomas Barnes was ‘decisive action’.

MORE TOP STORIES:

The move, which saw the former market site being locked up by security staff, followed weeks of legal negotiations between the council, the Bury-based construction firm and project managers Capita.

The council is now looking for a replacement contractor.

Critics immediately questioned the delay in taking action with Blackburn traders boss Tony Duckworth saying: “It’s about time.”

Barnes boss Thomas Barnes hit back at the contract termination by claiming they had ‘expressed our concerns over the bus station’s design’.

Last month the Lancashire Telegraph revealed lawyers had been called in over a dispute between design and project managers Capita and Barnes.

A statement said the council was ‘concerned at the relationships between the various parties working on the contract and the impact that has had on project delivery.’ The Lancashire Telegraph understands the two parties were in dispute over the question of whether the novel steel structure supporting the fibre-glass roof and the plate glass side panels was sufficient to support the structure in all conditions.

The council will now go out to tender for a new main building contractor which could take four to six weeks but town hall bosses are hopeful the latest deadline for completing the bus station of December - a full year later than planned - will be met.

Cllr Riley said last night:“We have taken decisive action to ensure that the bus station progresses alongside the other major schemes in the town centre including the Cathedral Quarter.

“We have terminated the contract with Thomas Barnes and we are proceeding with procuring a contractor to complete the development.

“It is important that people understand we have been acting under legal privilege so we have been unable - rather than unwilling - to provide an update before now.”

Thomas Barnes, director of Thomas Barnes and Sons plc, said: “Naturally we’re are extremely disappointed to have been required to leave site by the council, particularly as we have had productive discussions about completing the bus station in a realistic timeframe.

“We were certainly working to achieve completion as set out in our contract with Blackburn Council.

“We had also taken proactive measures with the council to ensure the bus station’s completion in a manner that was mutually agreeable with all parties.

“However, we have, on numerous occasions, expressed our concerns over the bus station’s design and what this means in terms of delivering a safe transport hub given the budgets and resources available.

“At all times we have strived to deliver a project that was guided by the parameters of the design put forward on behalf of the council.

“As yet we still haven’t been given a full explanation why the council no longer wanted us involved at such a late stage in the project.”

In recent days no workers had been seen working on the main bus station structure and traders on the new Blackburn market and Railway Road have been demanding action, answers and financial compensation over the delays.

The bus station, part of the £40 million Pennine Reach public transport improvement scheme, had been due to open by Christmas last year, but the timing was revised to January, and then to early spring and then to summer.

In April regeneration director Brian Bailey said it was on schedule to open this month.

Blackburn and District Chamber of Trade president Mr Duckworth said last night: “It’s about time action was taken.

“I am glad the council has acted and given some explanation of what is going on although that explanation is completely inadequate.

“This delay has created uncertainty and cost traders across the town centre money.”

Tory regeneration spokesman Colin Rigby said yesterday: “The council needs to get a move on.

“What I want to know is how did the council allow this key project to get into this mess and why they allowed the delays to happen and continue.

“Rather than go out to tender I think they should look at Eric Wright, contractors for the Cathedral Quarter, which is ahead of schedule, to take over.”

East Lancashire Chamber of Commerce president Mike Damms said last night: “Given the scale of the delays and the importance of the project I am not surprised at this decision.”

A Capita spokesperson said: “Capita is continuing to work with the council on the delivery of the Blackburn bus station.”

Borough bosses remain confident that their resolution, involving a specialist London-based firm of legal and construction experts, will not leave council taxpayers having to pick up a large bill for the delay.

There remains the prospect that the dispute could yet end up in the courts.

The nearby £33 million Cathedral Quarter project is on track for completion in December.

The bus station delay has hindered other major schemes in the town centre regeneration including selling the top part of the market site, currently used as a temporary bus station, to a high quality retailer and could affect the completion date of the whole Pennine Reach scheme.