THE deafening silence over Poole Bridge’s reopening date continued at the Borough of Poole (BOP) yesterday.

Civic officials are still refusing to set a date, despite their assurance, last month, that the bridge would open mid-January.

The Echo understands BOP engineering manager John Rice, and head of growth and infrastructure Julian McLaughlin, even met contractors on site six days ago for a progress update. But still no information is being given to beleaguered residents.

Our calls to council leader Janet Walton went unanswered yesterday.

However, Cllr Ian Potter, cabinet portfolio holder for planning, regeneration and transportation, has written to the Echo to say he’s contacted the council’s chief executive requesting a full review into the delays.

It also emerged that the company carrying out the Poole Bridge work, Interserve, is now being closely monitored by a team of government officials following the collapse of Carillion,

Meanwhile, the people of Hamworthy are saying they are been treated with contempt - with the £4.7 million renovation now more than six months late and likely well over budget.

The BOP-managed project’s finishing date has been pushed back seven times since it started in September 2016. BOP’s refusal to confirm any opening date, or indeed give any details at all over the past week, has turned a fiasco into a disaster - eclipsing last summer’s public toilet row.

Poole Quay Forum chairman Bill Constance said: “I think now the council and Interserve just need to be honest with us all and just tell us, very simply, what is going on and when they think the bridge is going to open.”

Also, an online petition calling for a public inquiry to be held into how the bridge project has been handled, has already been backed by more than 1,600 people.

Petition organiser Neil Stewart said: “Someone independent needs to investigate exactly what failures have taken place and who is responsible.”

The Poole Bridge project is part of a wider £23m package by Dorset Local Enterprise Partnership to encourage growth.

The work has included demolishing and replacing the approach spans, abutments and footpaths.

Work has been hampered by a number of uncharted utility cables at the site, says the council, including underground power lines, and unmapped remnants of bridges that pre-dated the 1927 structure. A section of buried quay wall was also found by workers.

Then, towards the end of last year, it emerged delays for parts at a factory in the Czech Republic had forced the contractor to install temporary walkways alongside the bridge.

Now, a series of overnight closures are needed - when the bridge eventually opens - to install the permanent pathways. Interserve found itself in the news in October after confirming it was in danger of breaching covenants with lenders after a difficult year.