The Thames garden bridge project should arguably be scrapped now rather than risk losing more public cash on a project inspired more by politics than value for money, a report has concluded.

The findings by Margaret Hodge, a senior Labour MP who formerly chaired the public accounts committee, could spell the end for the controversial plan for the flora-filled link across the river in central London.

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Hodge was commissioned last year by London’s mayor, Sadiq Khan, to examine whether the project gave value for money for the public funds invested. She was not asked to consider whether the Thomas Heatherwick-designed bridge was a good idea in itself.



Her report points to multiple failings from the start, arguing that the business case for the bridge, run by a charity reliant on corporate donations, was always weak, and the purpose of the bridge had been confused and unclear.

The tendering process, under which Heatherwick’s team was chosen to design the structure and engineering company Arup selected to lead the construction, was “not open, fair or competitive”, Hodge found.

“Decisions on the garden bridge were driven by electoral cycles rather than value for money,” she said of the project, begun under Boris Johnson when he was London mayor. Johnson declined several requests to speak to Hodge for the report, she said.

“From its inception, when there was confusion as to its purpose, through a weak business case that was constructed after contracts had been let and money had been spent, little regard has been had to value for money.”



The costs to the taxpayer of a link originally intended to be built solely from private donations had increased numerous times, Hodge said.

“What started life as a project costing an estimated £60m is likely to end up costing more than £200m,” she wrote.

The Garden Bridge Trust, the charity leading the project, had lost major donors and only secured £69m in private pledges, leaving a gap of at least £70m, Hodge found, with no new pledges obtained since August 2016.

She recommended that Khan refuse to give any more funding guarantees until the trust had secured enough private finance, and said it may be better if the project were scrapped.

The trust’s recent accounts showed its finances were “in a precarious state”, the report said, and public support appeared to be ebbing away, making it even less likely new pledges could be found.

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“The project has already used £37.4m of public money and the agreement to underwrite cancellation costs by the government could bring the bill to the taxpayer up to £46.4m,” the report said.

“I believe it is better for the taxpayer to accept the loss than to risk the additional demands if the project proceeds. In the present climate, with continuing pressures on public spending, it is difficult to justify further public investment in the garden bridge.”

Hodge told the Guardian that she was not recommending the project be scrapped, and that it was up to the Garden Bridge Trust to “take a grown-up decision” on whether they could raise the necessary private pledges.

“I think you’ve got to probably give them an opportunity to say they can do it,” Hodge said. “I’m pretty sceptical of their ability to do that, partly because of their record and partly because it is now such a controversial project. If you’re a big philanthropist you would not be putting money into this – people want good vibes out of investing.”

Hodge said it appeared the project had enjoyed special treatment under the support of Johnson as mayor, saying that the trust’s business plan was “incredibly weak” and based on unconvincing evidence.

The Garden Bridge Trust said it would seek a meeting with Khan to discuss the way forwards, but insisted it was not about to abandon the project.



Lord Mervyn Davies, who chairs the organisation, said: “The trust remains as determined as ever to make the garden bridge happen which will bring huge benefits to London and the UK.”

Khan’s office said the report “raises some very serious questions about the way the project has been handled”, which would take time to be considered.

A spokesman said: “The mayor has been absolutely clear that he will not spend any more of London taxpayers’ funds on the garden bridge. It is the Garden Bridge Trust that remains responsible for raising the necessary funds and delivering the project.

The planned structure would extend from Temple on the north side of the Thames to the South Bank and feature 270 trees and thousands of other plants.



While proponents argue that the bridge would be a big tourist asset and a useful pedestrian link, critics argue it is in an overcrowded section of London already well served by bridges. They also question why taxpayers’ money should be spent on a link that will be privately run, can set its own rules, and close at night and for corporate events.