The presiding officer in the M1/Grayston Drive pedestrian and cyclist structural bridge collapse inquiry has dismissed the sitting of the commission until next year.

The inquiry was supposed to resume on Monday 29 August with continued testimony from an expert witness representing Form-Scaff. However, Presiding Officer Lennie Samuel received a “short notice” request for additional information, leading to the postponement of the inquiry.

The Form-Scaff witness Gary Farrow, a mechanical engineer from Australia, was unable to deliver additional information requested by Murray & Roberts on time before the sitting.

Murray & Roberts reportedly sent Farrow a list of 72 questions a week ago. The commission felt that this was too short a time for him to respond to the questions, and be ready on time to appear before the commission.

“I am sitting with a challenge now, because we could not contact other witnesses on time to appear before the commission. We did not want to prejudice the Form-Scaff witness by subjecting him to intense interrogation without enough time to prepare,” said Samuel.

The Inquiry was expected to sit for seven consecutive working days until 6 September 2016.

Samuel said the commission was now in a predicament after the seven lost days. “Next year we will be faced with added pressure because of time. I appeal to all affected parties to commit to time schedules when requested to submit statements and reports, so as to mitigate further delays”.

The M1/Grayston Drive Pedestrian and cyclist structural bridge collapse inquiry was announced by the Department of Labour in October 2015, and started its work in February 2016 with an understanding that the inquiry was to last six months. However, following delays caused by late submission of statements/reports, the non-availability of legal representatives it is now expected to be completed next year.

The next sitting of the Inquiry is now scheduled for 27 to 31 March 2017.

The commission has lined up 26 witnesses, five of which have been cross-examined to date.