Supplementary note from the Department
for Transport Question 102 (Mr Alan Williams)
USE OF CONSULTANTS TO AUDIT LIGHT RAIL PROPOSALS
Since 1999 the Department has used independent
consultants to supplement its own review of certain aspects of
the appraisal process:
— Modelling, demand, patronage, and
monetised benefit forecasts.
— Capital costs and risks.
On both of these areas the specialist knowledge
and independence that an external audit could bring were thought
to be an advantage.
The Department has commissioned this work through
two call-off contracts. The first contract was set up specifically
for this work, and three firms successfully bid:
On later schemes the Department has used and
continues to use TRL through another technical services call-off
contract.
The table below sets out which firms have been
used for each aspect of the external audit.
| Scheme | Date
| Cost Audit | Modelling Audit
|
| Manchester | 2000 | Ove Arup
| Ove Arup |
| Midland Metro Extensions OBC | 2000
| Ove Arup | Ove Arup |
| Leeds Supertram | 2001 |
Ove Arup | Ove Arup |
| Merseytram Line 1 OBC | 2001
| Ove Arup | Ove Arup |
| South Hampshire Rapid Transit | 2001
| Ove Arup | Ove Arup |
| Blackpool | 2002 | W S Atkins
| W S Atkins |
| Merseytram Line 2 | 2003 |
— | TRL* |
| Nottingham Line 2 | 2004 |
SDG | SDG |
| Merseytram Line 1 FBC | 2005
| — | TRL* |
| | |
|
Footnotes:
* On-going
OBC—corresponds to the business case before Provisional
Approval/Approval in Principle granted.
FBC is the term used for the business case after Provisional Approval/Approval
in Principle.
Merseytram Line 1 has not been subject to a further cost audit
as the FBC will contain the costs from actual bids.
Merseytram Line 2 is still under consideration.
| 
