Guernsey Press

Road survey is a job for specialists, says PSD

PUBLIC Services has justified spending up to £12,500 on a survey of island roads by saying it spends nearly £3m. on repairs and maintenance each year.

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PUBLIC Services has justified spending up to £12,500 on a survey of island roads by saying it spends nearly £3m. on repairs and maintenance each year.

It followed questions at a parish surgery over why the department had spent the sum on a UK consultant when local expertise could have been used instead.

The department said it was aware of fewer than 10 companies in the UK able to carry out they study.

'They have to meet certain quality standards, and they provide a consistent assessment that you would not get using a piecemeal approach,' the spokesman said.

'As it has never been done before in Guernsey, we do not believe there are any firms locally who have similar experience.'

The department also rejected the suggestion that the company was employed just to examine potholes. 'The firm was appointed to survey the condition of every single road in Guernsey – some 300 miles – and not just to report potholes,' the spokesman said.

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