THE Ebbw Valley line project was dogged by protracted negotiations and disputes between Blaenau Gwent council and the Assembly, a report said.

A Wales Audit Office report yesterday said that many major Welsh transport projects have cost substantially more and taken longer to complete than expected.

But within the report auditors said that the Ebbw Vale line project was hit by by lengthy talks and “generally difficult relationships” between the organisations building it - at one point resulting in a six-month long delay.

Costs rose on the project from initial estimates of £15 million to a final cost of around £48 million, the WAO said.

The line opened in 2008 but the report said there was a dispute between Blaenau Gwent, the Assembly and the contractor about the cost of remedial works needed so that what was built by contractors could be signed off by Network Rail.

The report also showed that initial estimates for dualling the heads of the Valleys missed the actual costs by millions.

Improvements on the A465 between Abergavenny to Gilwern were estimated initially at £25.7 million but eventually cost at £57 million.

Meanwhile dualling between Tredegar and Downlais Top cost £57.8 million, up on initial estimates of £46.8 million.

Among its recommendations, the WAO said the Assembly needs to improve its information systems, project and contract management.