RICS hits back over award
THE Royal Institution Of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) has hit back at criticism aimed at them after it named the Mersey Gateway ‘North West Project Of The Year’.
John McGoldrick, a member of the campaign group Scrap Mersey Tolls said: “It is odd that a group of chartered surveyors have given an award to a bridge whether tolled or not, but the fact that the new bridge means that a crossing which was free for over 50 years is now tolled makes this award even stranger.
“The chair of the panel of judges says the bridge will ‘bring major economic benefits to the area’.
“The reality is that tolling a previously free crossing will have negative economic impacts.
“Perhaps the RICS should stick to valuing houses.”
Now the RICS has responded to Mr McGoldrick’s comments.
Will Rees, chair of the judging panel for the RICS Awards, North West, said: “The suggestion by John McGoldrick that it is ‘odd that a group of chartered surveyors have given an award to a bridge whether tolled or not’ is down-valuing what is one of the UK’s largest civil engineering and transport schemes, not to mention one of the Government’s Top 40 priority projects in the National Infrastructure Plan.
“The project also involved the expertise and collaborative effort of several organisations and ● professions to significantly upgrade the area’s road networks and collectively remove a notorious congestion black spot over the Mersey, making journeys to and from the area quicker, easier and much more reliable.
“RICS professionals work in the land, property, construction and infrastructure sectors and the annual RICS Awards, North West celebrate inspirational community-led initiatives in the region across all these sectors, so the suggestion from Mr McGoldrick that ‘RICS should stick to valuing houses’ is ignorant and demeaning of our profession. Furthermore, it’s worth noting that it isn’t just surveyors who judge the RICS Awards, North West.
“Our judging panel is made-up of over 16 property professionals from a range of disciplines including architects, engineers, town planners and conservation professionals – as well as surveyors – to ensure the judging process is fair and unbiased.
“We understand that there are concerns and issues around the tolling of the Mersey Gateway project, but residents in close proximity to it are eligible for a free pass and £250million was saved against the budget set by Government in 2011 which was re-invested to provide a local user toll.”