The Cross City Tunnel (CCT) has been marked by controversy since its opening. About 30,000 cars a day are using the tunnel so far, about one-third of the expected traffic volume. The road changes have resulted in slow, tangled traffic.
There has also been substantial public concern since the CCT opened over whether: road closures and changes were necessary; the toll is too high; the contract was awarded to CrossCity Motorway Pty Ltd (CCM) fairly.
This audit is one of several reviews and inquiries into the CCT with each review addressing various aspects of the project. In this report we have focused on three key issues:
■ was the upfront payment a legitimate reimbursement of necessary expenditure?
■ were the variations to contract in the amending deed of December 2004 reasonable, and were they handled appropriately?
■ were the changes to surface roads based on a robust assessment against stated objectives?