好色先生TV

The project team on London鈥檚 controversial Garden Bridge stand to pocket millions of pounds of taxpayers鈥� money whether or not the project goes ahead.

A damning review into the Thomas Heatherwick-designed scheme, authored by former public accounts committee chair and Labour MP Margaret Hodge, puts the total cost of delivering it at 鈥渘orth of 拢200m鈥�, or of cancelling it now at 拢46.4m.

Hodge urged London mayor Sadiq Khan to cancel the project 鈥� which was originally meant to be privately financed, but faces a funding gap of 鈥渁t least 拢70m鈥� 鈥� to protect taxpayers from further costs.

The Garden Bridge Trust has a scheduled meeting with Khan鈥檚 officials shortly after Easter, where it will present an updated business case for raising the private funds required to cover the 拢3.5m-a-year running costs. But it is understood Khan will not be present and the bridge鈥檚 fate will not be decided at the meeting.

Hodge鈥檚 report reveals the project鈥檚 designer Heatherwick Studio had been paid 拢2.6m for work on the project by November last year, while Arup had been paid 拢8.4m by April 2015.

Meanwhile the joint venture between French contractor Bouygues and Italian steelwork contractor Cimolai, which signed a contract with client the Garden Bridge Trust to build the project in January 2016, stands to get paid an undisclosed amount if the project is cancelled.

The government and City Hall agreed to underwrite the 鈥渇inancial risks鈥� of this contract, the report confirms.

Hodge鈥檚 review does not provide a full breakdown for the 拢46.4m cancellation cost. But it states the project has already used 拢37.4m of public money before work has even begun - way above the 拢18.2m total cost of designing, building and completing the capital鈥檚 Millennium Bridge down river, designed by Foster + Partners and Arup and built by Sir Robert McAlpine.

Bouygues and Arup referred commercial enquiries to the Garden Bridge Trust. Arup added it had no intention to cancel its contract with the Trust as a result of the Hodge report.

Hodge鈥檚 review was also critical of the procurement processes run by Transport for London (TfL) in early 2013 that ultimately selected Heatherwick Studio as the bridge鈥檚 designer and Arup as engineer and project manager.

This week one of the losing bidders in the design contest, .

Neither procurement contest was 鈥渙pen, fair or competitive鈥�, Hodge said, adding her review had 鈥渞evealed systemic failures and ineffective control systems at many levels鈥�.

Both Heatherwick Studio and Arup 鈥� which had been working on designs for the bridge with actress Joanna Lumley before the procurement processes was launched 鈥� got preferential treatment from TfL in their respective contests, including advice to reduce their fees to remain competitive, the report finds.

However, Hodge noted that she found 鈥渘o evidence to suggest鈥� Arup was aware it had been 鈥渟ingled out鈥�.

Hodge reports that TfL officials came under 鈥減ressure鈥� from City Hall - then led by Boris Johnson - to speed through both procurements.

She added: 鈥淒ecisions on the Garden Bridge were driven by electoral cycles rather than value for money鈥�.

A Heatherwick Studio spokesperson said: 鈥淲e still believe in the immense public value the Garden Bridge will bring to London 鈥� We reasonably relied on the professionalism of public officials to ensure proper process was followed.鈥�

Sir Mervyn Davies, chair of the Garden Bridge Trust, said: 鈥淲e will be studying the report in detail and seeking a meeting with the mayor of London to discuss next steps.鈥�