Construction on the new bridge crossing at London (Site 1) has been officially suspended following a directive from the World Bank to halt all activities while the project undergoes a formal review.
The stop-work order, was issued on June 17, 2026, while an order was made to secure and protect all work areas until formal clearance is granted to contractors Bally & Bally Investments and Fresh Start Construction Company . Trintoplan Consultants Limited out of Trinidad was awarded the project.
The sudden suspension follows mounting tensions between the project’s contractors and the consulting engineers regarding the site’s slow progression and several unresolved design concerns, this publication has learned.
St Vincent Times understands that earlier in June, consulting engineers assessed that the construction was approximately two months behind schedule. However, Bally & Bally Investments forcefully pushed back against this assessment, attributing a “substantial part of the delays” to unresolved matters falling squarely under the Engineer’s responsibility.
A primary point of contention is a severe social safeguard issue stemming from the bridge’s alignment, which reportedly angles directly toward existing local shops and residential homes. Cameron Balcombe, Managing Director of Bally & Bally Investments, stated that the contractor has been unable to proceed with critical road and drainage systems while awaiting formal direction on how to resolve this sensitive alignment issue.
Just one day before the World Bank halted the project, Bally & Bally flagged a major construction hazard regarding the approved “River Lining Details” drawing. After reviewing the site conditions, the contractor warned that constructing a newly designed concrete key would require demolishing part of the existing road structure, as the key is located directly beneath the current road alignment.
St Vincent Times understands that the contractor urgently requested revised drawings to avoid compromising the existing road infrastructure.
Compounding these technical and safety challenges are alleged communication and project management bottlenecks.
The St Vincent Times also understand that deep frustration was expressed in multiple circles that the Chief Resident Engineer does not reside in St. Vincent and The Grenadines. Additionally, it is understood that the project’s Clerk of Works, lacks the “requisite technical expertise” to effectively discuss detailed project matters with their team.
Prior to the shutdown, Bally & Bally Investments maintained that their team was committed to delivering the project and was prepared to accelerate works once outstanding approvals were provided. The World Bank’s intervention, now puts the future timeline of the London bridge project into uncertainty as local stakeholders await the results of the comprehensive review.