View topic - Cobham

Construction News claim that the contract for building the sliproads to the new Cobham services will go to tender in March 2010, and the project will take 20 months to build. I'm mystified as to how they've worked this one out as Extra still reckon the services will be open by "early" 2010.

Does anyone know whether any work has started at the site (probably not if there's no exit), and more importantly, can you build a junction in four motnhs?

Why can't they be built by the same contractor as the one building the services?

This is rare in that MSA construction is actually affecting the motorway itself. There'll be some sort of legal hurdle which means the Highways Agency have to organise their own contractor for safety reasons.

Hello, a newbie here. Driving past what I imagine to be the site today, I saw what looked like a lorry, mini digger, a small section of builders' fencing and a couple of blokes standing by them. I don't know if they were related to this or just to do with the farm. The other day I called in at New Barn Farm and there seemed to be no activity at all. There has definitely been no start on the slip roads. I would have thought those would have needed to be constructed first. The lanes down from Cobham are very narrow and would not take builders' vehicles. I had to pull off the road to let another car through.

Welcome to the site!

That is slightly worrying, given that the services are supposed to open any time now. I have a feeling building the sliproads is going to affect the flow of the M25, so they're waiting for the Highways Agency to decide how they're going to go about that. Might be time for me to send an email to Extra to find out how things are coming along at their end.

Have Extra managed to keep a project on time yet?

I've just checked with them, and the opening of Cobham has been put back to late 2011/early 2012. As far as delays go, that's quite a big one!

I'm guessing it's all down to shenanigans with the Highways Agency and contractors, that's the only reason I can think of for a delay at such a late stage.

The lorry, digger, etc had gone today. All that is left is a tool container, so the gear that was there the other day may have been to do with the farm. This is a shame, as I stopped at Beaconsfield the same day. I had forgotten just how good it is. Mum and I found it a really useful stop before the M25. The missing western service area is a real issue that needs to be sorted out as soon as possible.

Has the farm not closed yet then?

It doesn't look particularly active. All the fields are grass. That isn't stating the blindingly obvious - they are not arable, and at the same time have no livestock in them. However, the farmhouse looks to be going as usual. There is no "For Sale" sign and it is not boarded up. With reference to my first post, there must be some access to the site which doesn't involve using Bookham Road, which is extremely narrow. Progress should be fairly easy to follow if I have the site correct.