Wembley's steel arch too unsafe to be raised
The new Wembley Stadium’s 440-foot high arch has been declared unsafe to raise into position, it emerged today.
Project bosses say that “some minor rectification works” are being carried out and they have pledged the showpiece arch will be lifted in the spring.
Safety checks revealed that more work was needed on the complex steel structure.
Ashley Muldoon, project director for Multiplex Construction UK, the main contractor for the Wembley Stadium project, said: “There are no structural problems with the construction of Wembley Stadium.
“Extensive quality assurance checks are carried out on-site on a regular basis. These are procedural and on occasion, some rectification work is required.
“The project is running ahead of schedule and Multiplex is confident that we will deliver it on time and to budget.”
Michael Cunnah, chief executive of Wembley National Stadium Limited, said: “The new Wembley is an incredibly ambitious project, on a scale never seen before.”
The new stadium remains on target to open in 2006 and the 2006 FA Cup final is set to be the first match.
