Politics: Skye Bridge deal attacked by MPs

Skye Bridge deal attacked by MPs

TAXPAYERS and tollpayers using Skye Bridge may not be getting value for money because the Scottish Office failed to look at alternatives and the terms of construction were not determined competitively, a Commons committee says.

The pounds 39m bridge was one of the first projects carried out under the Conservative government's private finance initiative, which brought private funds into public projects.

The cross-party Commons Public Accounts Committee says the bridge should be a lesson to government departments and agencies. A better comparison of alternative options is needed, it says; tollpayers' interests were insufficiently protected; and the financial terms of the d