THE COST of the last 20 yards of a cycle path from Petersfield to Queen Elizabeth Country Park is set to push the bill for the route almost half a million pounds over budget.

And as well the cost rising by £477,523 to an estimated £1,565,523, the path will be almost a year late in opening.

It was due to open last autumn, now Hampshire County Council says it is expected to be completed in the ‘late autumn’ this year.

The council has agreed to cover the over-spend from the original estimated price of £1,088,000 and finish the path rather than leave it almost finished – but unusable.

The problem section was the last few yards, which dropped down into the country park car park alongside the A3.

A council report says: “Following land clearance, survey information meant a significant redesign of a retaining wall was required.

“Also needed were additional approvals from Highways England due to the proximity of the wall to the A3 and its bridge.”

The bridge is over the access road to the country park car park.

The report also reveals how starting the project, overseen by the county council, had to begin before all the paperwork was in place.

This was so grant money from the Department of Transport wasn’t lost.

As work progressed, additional surveys, design alterations and associated fees forced the cost up.

And the list of ‘extra costs’ continues: contract negotiations went on longer than expected, design changes, ground conditions not being as ‘anticipated’, all contributed to forcing up the cost of the project.

Also the Forestry Commission demanded the cycle path was wide enough for horses to use it – after work had started but before agreement had been reached over design of the path.

The report says: “Half the route had to be a macadam surface for cyclists, and half to be a material suitable for horses.”

And the Forestry Commission was unable to fell trees in the route of the path, so the council had to pay contractors to do it which “attracted an additional cost”.

Work re-started earlier this month on the path, but the council will not give a specific completion date.