Modernization and development of the site and buildings of the Mons railway station

At the request of the Federal Parliament, the Court of Audit examined the modernization and development of the site and buildings of the Mons railway station. That project underwent major changes during its design phase: the competition launched in 2006 envisaged a pedestrian bridge over the tracks while preserving the old station, while the final design approved in 2011 included the construction of a new multimodal bridge-shaped station. This evolution had consequences for the budget, which in 2021 had risen to almost 332 million euros. A series of serious incidents occurred during the implementation. These were mainly related to the bankruptcy of the tenderer who had to build the metal structure of the station in bridge form. This also affected the budget and for the planning. With regard to public procurement, the Court finds that the designation of the winner of the architectural competition was marred by certain shortcomings. Most of the contracts concluded for the implementation of the project comply with the applicable legislation.