Multiplex project manager Ashley Muldoon calls steel contractor "incompetent, unmotivated and devious."
Multiplex project manager Ashley Muldoon gave a storming performance from the witness stand today in the latest round of the Wembley High Court battle.
Muldoon slammed steel subcontractor Cleveland Bridge as "incompetent, unmotivated and devious" in a scathing attack in his witness statement. He added: "That is my summary of my involvement with CBUK."
However, Muldoon denied that his view of the Darlington steel subcontractor led him to dismiss claims made by CBUK's as early as 2003 that continued "late and incomplete designs" provided by designers Mott Stadium Consortium were leading to delays on the project, entitling CBUK to an extension of time and appropriate compensation.
Muldoon admitted that design delays and changes had caused delays on the project, saying: "There were general design problems, including with Mott Stadium Consortium." And in a sign of further litigation to follow the current dispute, Muldoon acknowledged that the possibility of launching a professional negligence claim against Mott MacDonald was an issue that Multiplex was "taking quite seriously" as early as January 2004.
However, he said that Cleveland Bridge also had some responsibility for the steel programme being delayed, and revealed that Multiplex representatives had visited the site of Cleveland Bridge's fabrication plant in Darlington to investigate the level of fabrication taking place.
He said: "We were expecting them to work to a programme. They didn't work to a programme, let alone an accelerated one."
Under cross-examination, Muldoon strenuously denied that Cleveland Bridge was entitled to large extensions of time as a result of design changes. It emerged that in December 2003, Cleveland Bridge told Multiplex it already believed it was entitled to an extension of 50.5 weeks on its steel programme.
The case continues.
