Hamilton Mayor Lawson Mapp has hit back over comments made by Minister of Transport Ewart Brown blaming the Corporation of Hamilton for the delay in opening the city?s new bus terminal. As reported last week, passengers will now have to wait until next year before the multi-million dollar station opens, due to the discovery of an unsafe wall.

The wall, between City Hall and Washington Street North will have to be knocked down and replaced, amid fears that it could otherwise come crashing down on passengers.

The discovery of the problem means that the project will not open as expected at the end of this summer, and could eventually clock in almost one year than originally planned.

Last week, Minister of Transport Ewart Brown said: ?The fact that the Corporation was unable to address the concern of its wall in time for the previously scheduled opening of the terminal is extremely disappointing.?

Dr. Brown went on to criticise the Corporation for only deciding to move on the issue on the eve of the planned opening, despite his department having consistently advised it to address the problem.

However, in a statement released yesterday, Mr. Mapp said that the latest delay could not be blamed on the Corporation.

?An earlier inspection by the Corporation in 2003 concluded that the wall did not pose any danger. Problems with the existing wall came to light in the first half of 2005, and the Corporation ultimately agreed to replace the wall,? he said.

He added that the site will be handed over to the contractors on October 3, and that the project will then be completed within fourteen weeks.