Agenda item

Report of the City Surveyor.  

The Committee considered a report of the City Surveyor regarding the Millennium Inclinator.

The City Surveyor highlighted that approximately £1.3 million had been spent on maintaining the Inclinator to date which was inclusive of the sum of £752,000 spent on its replacement in 2012 in time for the London Olympic Games.

A Member commented that he felt that the course of action now recommended within the report was the best option at this stage. Another Member questioned why the Inclinator had been installed in the first place but conceded that the proposal to allow the City Surveyor to commence discussions with the developer of the Millennium Bridge Development to deliver a long-term option of replacing the Inclinator with a more suitable alternative.

Another Member agreed with the proposal that advice now be sought from Kone on the best way to maintain the Inclinator with that service regime then forming part of the new tender exercise which was to be undertaken in the near future to set a new maintenance contract in place. He also questioned whether there was evidence to suggest that the lift was still being misused and, if so, how this might be tackled.

A Member questioned whether alternative structures would be looked at longer term given that technology and materials had moved on since its initial instalment. She referred to the fact that, at present, it impacted negatively on views of St Paul’s.

The Chairman noted that discussions with the developer of Millennium Bridge House were an option at this stage but that it was important for Members of the Committee not to pre-judge anything at this stage.

The City Surveyor concluded by clarifying that she was currently liaising directly with Kone on this matter and that Kone currently managed all TfL lifts. Once the tender exercise had concluded and costs were known, an update would be provided to the Planning and Transportation Committee.

RESOLVED – That Members:

·         Agree that the City can adopt the same approach as TfL to maintain the Inclinator and go back out to the market with very specific requirements. Kone, who maintain the Inclined Lift at Greenford Station, would also be invited to bid for the contract;

·         Agree that the City Surveyor can obtain a quote from Kone to replace the Inclinator with one of their own manufactured ones to assess whether it is better value for money to do this or to continue to maintain the current one; and

·         Allow the City Surveyor to open discussion with the developer of the Millennium Bridge House Development to deliver the long-term option of replacing the Inclinator with a more suitable alternative.