New Civil Engineer
Mark Hansford

Since joining NCE Been the first construction journalist into Iraq following the second Gulf War (and won IBP News Reporter of the Year as a result), was on the scene in tsunami-struck Sri Lanka, reported on a fatal bridge collapse in Portugal, covered a tunnel blaze in Baltimore, and exposed fundamental design failings in the Windsor's Jubilee River. My most moving experience to date was talking exclusively to acquitted Hatfield engineer Nick Jeffries over how he is putting his life back together after his five-year ordeal. Worst experience to date has to be getting lured into a night out in Scotland with the ICE graduates and students, waking up with a raging hangover with the grim reality dawning that I had missed my flight home. Never again. Areas of Interest Engineering disasters, design cock-ups and personal traumas are a staple of NCE, but fortunately are few and far between. Water and environment issues are my main area of responsibility.

Scottish and Southern to take legal action over Glendoe hydro scheme

22-May-2013
Energy firm Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE) has confirmed it is to take legal action against contractor Hochtief for losses it has incurred on the Glendoe hydro scheme.
Tender irregularities disrupt another Highways Agency maintenance deal

22-May-2013
The Highways Agency has revealed that irregularities in tender bids has forced it to switch its procurement approach for the Area 8 Asset Support Contract.
More HS2 tunnelling mooted after consultation exercise

14-May-2013
The government is to look at lengthening a second tunnel on the High Speed 2 project after listening to affected businesses.
Private finance speeds up French high speed rail

8-May-2013
Bankers and contractors on France’s latest high speed rail line have expressed disbelief at the UK’s reluctance to seek private finance to build High Speed 2 (HS2).
Mott MacDonald hits global acquisition trail

7-May-2013
Mott MacDonald chairman Keith Howells has heralded last week’s purchase of South African consultant PD Naidoo & Associates as the beginning of a “braver” and “more strategic” era.
NCE in line for major publishing prize

1-May-2013
NCE has been shortlisted for the Business Magazine of the Year award by the Periodical Publishers Association (PPA).
Balfour Beatty demotes construction boss

30-Apr-2013
Balfour Beatty UK construction boss Mike Peasland has been demoted and put in temporary charge of the firm’s struggling regional business.
A14 tolling scheme ‘totally mad’

25 April 2013
Former transport secretary Lord Adonis has described plans to toll part of a planned upgrade of the A14 in Cambridgeshire as “totally mad”.
Paste in place

25 April 2013
Great strides are being made across the industry to roll-out the use of building information modelling (BIM) as a means to drive efficiencies and betterdecision making into construction projects.
Kier given until next week to table May Gurney bid

18 April 2013
Contractor Kier has been given until 26 April to say whether it will table a bid to take over contractor May Gurney.
Princess Anne urges engineers support for disaster relief

3-Apr-2013
Princess Anne has implored engineers to come forward and support the efforts of engineering disaster relief charity RedR to help it cope with a record demand for its services.
May Gurney merger will strengthen financial status, says Costain boss

28-Mar-2013
The need for greater financial clout was Costain’s driving force behind its proposed merger with May Gurney, chief executive Andrew Wyllie has explained.
Aecom revealed as Britain's biggest recruiter of civil and structural engineers

28 March 2013
Aecom added more civil and structural engineers to its books in the last calendar year than any UK-based consultant, exclusive research by NCE can reveal.
World class performer

28 March 2013
It is hard to get past the numbers. In the last calendar year fee income at programme manager Turner & Townsend soared 20% from £204M to £244M, and the number of civil and structural staff it employs has surged with it, from 1,996 to 2,303. Turnover for the financial year to 30 April 2012 was up 16% on the previous year to £275M and pretax profits were up from £18.7M to a healthy £23.6M.
Checking in with the checker

28 March 2013
London 2012’s Olympic Stadium has made heroes of athletes and engineers alike. But unsung heroes involved in the creation of the 2012 Games’ centrepiece remain.
Getting the records on track

28 March 2013
Construction of the London 2012 Olympic venues demanded groundbreaking engineering and radical new approaches to sustainability from the supply chain, starting with drainage systems from Aco.
Costain acquisition three years in the making

27-Mar-2013
Costain’s proposed “transformational” acquisition of May Gurney, announced last night, comes after three years of failed takeovers by the contractor.
High Speed 2 judicial review claims thrown out

15-Mar-2013
Judge Justice Ouseley has this morning thrown out all but one of the claims against the route of High Speed 2.
Water prepares for a new age of procurement

14 March 2013
This year is set to be busy for contractors and consultants alike. The biggest year of capital spend in the £22bn AMP5 programme coincides with clients coming to market to start negotiations for AMP6, the next round of asset management planning between 2016 and 2020.
CH2M Hill plans major push into UK water sector

13-Mar-2013
Programme manager CH2M Hill wants to recruit 170 engineers into its 600 strong UK-based water operation this year, NCE can reveal this week.
Making a splash in the gulf

7 March 2013
It has only been open a month but already it’s got more than 50,000 Facebook fans. Mark Hansford finds out why the people of Abu Dhabi are going mad for a water park.
Aecom buys into Russia

6-Mar-2013
Aecom has expanded its operations in the former Soviet bloc with the acquisition of Lend Lease’s project and construction management operations serving the Russia and Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) market.
The biggest recruiters of civil and structural engineers set to be named

1-Mar-2013
The biggest recruiters of civil and structural engineers are set to be named by NCE later this month when we reveal the state of the market in our exclusive Consultants File.
Rail regulator questions Network Rail's climate change resilience commitment

28 February 2013
Network Rail must improve the resilience of Britain’s railways in adverse weather conditions such as snow and heavy rain the rail regulator said this week.
Network Rail under fire over broken rails

28 February 2013
Network Rail is accelerating track maintenance work on the East Coast Main Line after the number of broken rails on the route hit a four year high.
Amey's £385M Enterprise buy moves it into utilities

28 February 2013
Newly merged business to invest in engineering graduates and apprentices.
It's a great place to be an engineer

21 February 2013
Bringing London Underground’s 150 year old network up to speed through a multibillion pound, multiyear investment is nothing short of a “heroic challenge”, according to the man in charge of making it happen.
Innovation gun fired on Bank job

21 February 2013
Major changes are afoot at London Underground with respect to how it can inspire innovation and cost savings from its supply chain.
Single contract for road maintenance

21 February 2013
Four local authorities adopt new highway maintenance contract form.
May Gurney/WSP takes on Suffolk County Council highways deal

19-Feb-2013
Suffolk County Council has revealed a May Gurney/WSP joint venture is to take on its £400M highways maintenance contract a month after Balfour Beatty walked away from the deal.
NCE/ACE Consultants of the Year Award - shortlist announcement soon

18-Feb-2013
The eagerly anticipated shortlist for the highly-valued NCE/ACE Consultants of the Year award is to be officially announced on 5 March.
HS2 calls for industry innovation as it seeks 20% project savings

7 February 2013
Project leader urges consultants and contractors to help deliver 20% efficiencies
Why box ticking is causing procurement chaos

7 February 2013
Since the start of the year NCE’s news pages have been filled with accounts of a succession of procurement problems. Mark Hansford learns how box ticking has replaced engineering judgement.
High Speed 2 needs Crossrail 2 to work

7 February 2013
Former transport secretary Lord Adonis and London mayor Boris Johnson have joined forces to press the case for Crossrail 2 to be incorporated into plans for the High Speed 2 rail link from London to the north.
Buyout saves Leeds contractor Hewlett

7 February 2013
A management buyout has this week saved around 300 jobs at Leeds-based contactor Hewlett within days of the firm going into administration.
Sellafield clean up 'a rip off'

6-Feb-2013
The URS- led consortium charged with spending £1.6bn a year decommissioning the Sellafield nuclear site is ripping off taxpayers, the Public Accounts Committee of MPs has claimed.
Chile to build mega-bridge

31 January 2013
International contractors to bid for twin span suspension structure.
Detailed proposals for HS2 route north of Birmingham unveiled

28-Jan-2013
Detailed proposals for the route of High Speed 2 (HS2) north of Birmingham, including the locations of new stations, have been unveiled by prime minister David Cameron.
Middle East restarts construction boom

24 January 2013
Atkins poised to snap up two signature road bridges in Abu Dhabi
Spate of rail projects to flood Middle East in next two years

24 January 2013
Engineers in the Middle East are eyeing up $88bn (£55bn) of rail projects set to be built in the region in the next 10 years.
Firing on all fronts

17 January 2013
Construction of the first of two Crossrail tunnels below the Thames got underway last week with the launch of the first of the project’s slurry tunnel boring machines (TBMs). Mark Hansford updates on progress on the £14.5bn project.
Stricken tower crane hanging from building after helicopter crash in London

16-Jan-2013
A tower crane is hanging precariously from a 180m tall building in central London this morning after being hit by a helicopter.
Carl Bass: Why BIM's future is written in the cloud

20 December 2012
Software company Autodesk has a grand vision for Building Information Modelling. Its chief executive officer Carl Bass tells Mark Hansford how cloud computing and a different approach to marketing its products will change the way contractors do business.
Sustainable Infrastructure: Giving government confidence to invest

20 December 2012
With High Speed 2 in judicial review, plans for the Thames Tideway Tunnel about to go before the Planning Inspectorate and the very future ownership of Britain’s highway network up for debate, the challenge of uniting short-term public need for economic growth with long-term sustainable infrastructure development has never been greater.
Airport maintenance: A global approach to airport infrastructure

20 December 2012
Changes are afoot in the way airport owners maintain their critical assets. It means the next 12 months could be a time of opportunity for those able to offer a fully integrated asset management approach.
Roads: Green light for expansion

20 December 2012
Roads were the big winner in chancellor George Osborne’s Autumn Statement, with schemes worth £1.5bn winning funding and getting the go-ahead to start construction in the next three years.
Programme management: Delivering a high performance future

20 December 2012
After the incredible success of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games just about the most exportable skill Britain offers today is that of programme management.
Protestors block Bexhill link road construction

17-Dec-2012
Tree-climbing environmental activists evoking the spirit of Swampy forced East Sussex County Council to stop work on the £86M Bexhill to Hasting link road over the weekend.
Brazil restarts high speed rail tender

17-Dec-2012
Brazil’s National Transportation Agency (ANTT) has reopened bidding on its mooted £13bn Rio de Janeiro to Sao Paulo high speed rail line.
Programme management: Fast track delivery

13 December 2012
Programme management is seen by many as something of a dark art; hard to qualify and harder still to quantify the value it brings. NCE teams up with international consultancy and construction company Mace to demystify the practice.
Roads drive off with Osborne's funding

13 December 2012
Roads schemes worth £1.5bn, including a major upgrade of the A1 previously canned for being too expensive, were the big winners in chancellor George Osborne’s Autumn Statement last week.
Tube deal triggers first raft of new private investment

13 December 2012
Industry bosses have this week welcomed news that vital private sector cash is finally set to start flowing into new infrastructure projects.
Mott MacDonald's Jamie Radford named Graduate of the Year

7-Dec-2012
Mott MacDonald graduate civil engineer Jamie Radford has been named NCE Graduate of the Year.
Stadium Spartak: Cracking Russian codes

6 December 2012
Spartak Moscow’s new football stadium, which is being built for the 2018 Fifa World Cup in Russia, features a stadium layout unseen anywhere before. Mark Hansford reports.
Written in the cloud

6 December 2012
“We want to change the way people do infrastructure design,” proclaimed software giant Autodesk’s senior vice president, industry strategy Andrew Anagnost on the eve of the firm’s annual convention in Las Vegas last week. “And the way we’re going to do it is by using the power of the cloud.”
Contractors need to embrace the power of cloud computing

6 December 2012
Contractors were this week urged to exploit the power offered by cloud computing to revolutionise the way they manage their construction projects.
Opposition groups challenge HS2 plans

6 December 2012
A week long legal challenge brought by groups opposed to the proposed £32bn High Speed 2 (HS2) rail link got underway as NCE went to press on Monday.
Programme management: defining success

5-Dec-2012
Programme management is seen by many as something of a dark art; hard to qualify and harder still to quantify the value it brings. NCE teams up with London 2012 delivery partner CLM and the Olympic Delivery Authority to demystify the practice in a webinar. Watch it here.
Mace confirms Mark Reynolds to take over as chief executive

23-Nov-2012
Mark Reynolds is to take over as chief executive of Mace from 1 January, the firm has confirmed today.
Heathrow at odds with Gatwick over hub proposals

22 November 2012
Owners of Britain’s two biggest airports were at loggerheads this week after Heathrow urged the government to ignore Gatwick in any future aviation strategy.
Cameron wages war on planning red tape

19-Nov-2012
Prime minister David Cameron has today set out plans to halve the time it takes to get major road and rail projects off the ground by cutting back the judicial review and public consultation processes.
Russia’s record drive

15 November 2012
Construction of the first 43km of a wildly ambitious 670km long, eight to 10 lane highway connecting Moscow to St Petersburg is well underway. Report from the Russian capital by Mark Hansford.
Contractors fear tough 2013 as output and order slide continues

15 November 2012
Contractors fear a devastating 2013 after official figures showed that construction output had fallen to its lowest level since the summer of 1999.
Four JVs win £2.6bn TfL highways contracts

15 November 2012
Joint ventures of Colas/Volker Highways /URS, Ringway/ Jacobs, Enterprise/Mouchel and Conway/Aecom have each won an eight-year highways maintenance contract from Transport for London (TfL) that could be worth a combined £2.6bn.
Construction output hits lowest level since 1990s

9-Nov-2012
Construction output has fallen to its lowest level since the summer of 1999, official government figures have revealed.
Mayor and governor differ over barrier

8 November 2012
New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg has ruled out the construction of a flood barrier to protect the city from future storms like Hurricane Sandy.
Construction work banned as New York braces for new storm

7-Nov-2012
New York City contractors have been told to cease any outside work for the second time in two weeks as the city braces itself for another severe storm.
New York on alert as new storm approaches

6-Nov-2012
New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg said last night that work to reconnect the 115,000 homes still without power has become “all the more urgent” after forecasters warned of a new storm threat to the city
Tunnel pump out continues in New York

5-Nov-2012
New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg said yesterday that work was still “ongoing” to resolve massive disruption to mass transit following Hurricane Sandy.
Sandy update: Swathes of New York remain without power

5-Nov-2012
Swathes of New York remain without power, almost one week after Hurricance Sandy hit the city.
New York utility companies threatened with legal action as city struggles to recover from Sandy

2-Nov-2012
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has sent a letter to the CEOs of the utilities that operate in New York State saying that he would take “appropriate action” against them and their management if they “do not meet their obligations to New Yorkers” in their response to Hurricane Sandy.
Cost to New York of Hurricane Sandy put at £30bn or more

2-Nov-2012
Risk modelling firm EQECAT has today put the total cost to New York of Hurricane Sandy at up to $50bn (£31bn), driven by the widespread damage to infrastructure,
Work continues to restore power but 650,000 still without

1-Nov-2012
Workers from New York’s power company Con Edison are working round the clock to restore power: 650,000 customers in the New York area remain without power.
Flood waters hamper efforts to restore New York subway services

1-Nov-2012
Efforts to fully reopen New York’s subway continue to be stymied by flood waters in the tunnels, three days after Hurricane Sandy hit.
Hurricane Sandy aftermath: New York mayor rules out flood barrier to protect against future storms

1-Nov-2012
New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg has ruled out the construction of a flood barrier to protect the city from future storms like Hurricane Sandy.
Crossrail TBMs restart after hopper collapse

1 November 2012
Crossrail tunnelling operations were back underway this week following recent collapse of the conveyor and hopper muck away system in West London in late September.Both tunnel boring machines (TBMs) on the Western Running Tunnels are now back in operation.
Model for a megatunnel

1 November 2012
Rail consultants and contractors are getting to grips with Building Information Modelling ahead its compulsory use on all publicly procured projects by 2016. Mark Hansford looks across the pond to the United States for a live example of BIM at its best.
New York begins assessing damage to infrastructure after Hurricane Sandy

30-Oct-2012
Thousands of workers at New York’s Mass Transit Authority have begun to fan out through the system to inspect and begin repair of the damage caused by Hurricane Sandy.
Anti-roads lobby unites to block roads revival

29-Oct-2012
Anti-roads campaigners and green groups have joined forces with former transport minister Stephen Norris to attempt to quash any revival of UK road building.
Gatwick explores ideas for second runway

25 October 2012
Gatwick Airport has announced that it to carry out detailed work on options for a new runway for submission to the independent aviation commission, chaired by Sir Howard Davies.
Qatar to award £22bn rail programme work

18 October 2012
Doha metro paves the way for larger rail programme geared towards 2022 World Cup.
Grontmij: The shock of the new

11 October 2012
Two years after taking the helm of troubled Grontmij’s UK operations, John Chubb is confident that problems are in the past and the road ahead is clear. Mark Hansford finds out more.
Tyne Crossing in BCI Award win

11 October 2012
Newcastle’s New Tyne Crossing took the top civil engineering gong at last night’s British Construction Industry Awards, holding off competition from projects across the UK.
Andrew Wyllie: Playing the long game

27 September 2012
Driving profit growth by focusing on the biggest clients - at home and abroad - is keeping Costain chief executive Andrew Wyllie fired up as he celebrates seven years at the helm. Mark Hansford meets him.
URS: Pushing back the horizon

20 September 2012
Two years ago US giant URS completed its acquisition of consultant Scott Wilson. But far from shackling the former UK firm, URS has unleashed it into a global market with bigger clients and bigger projects. Mark Hansford reports.
Hub airport capacity probe triggers rash of options

13 September 2012
Engineers this week urged the independent commission set up last week to assess the UK’s aviation needs to look beyond the row about proposals for a controversial third runway at Heathrow.
Tunnels: Support network

13 September 2012
In South Korea precast concrete arches are in demand as tunnels are built over roads to create new space for development. Mark Hansford reports.
Graduate Awards: one week to enter

10-Sep-2012
Graduate civil engineers who fancy a share in £4000 prize money, and a valuable boost to their CVs, have only a week left to enter NCE’s Graduate Awards.
Business: Taking a leaf out of the Canadians’ order book

6 September 2012
Driving up the combined turnover of the newly-merged WSP Genivar from £1.1bn to £1.3bn is the immediate goal of the new firm’s first chairman and former WSP chief executive Chris Cole. He talks exclusively to Mark Hansford.
Gatwick Airport: Ready for take-off

6 September 2012
Gatwick Airport is investing heavily to become the airport of choice for airlines and passengers across the world. Mark Hansford meets the driving forces behind its £1.2bn investment programme.
Patrick McLoughlin replaces Justine Greening as transport secretary

4-Sep-2012
Patrick McLoughlin has replaced Justine Greening as transport secretary in prime minister David Cameron’s first proper Cabinet reshuffle.
Exclusive surveys show industry declining to 2004 levels

23 August 2012
Civil engineering contractors say they are facing an “increasingly bleak” future as the lack of opportunities for new work and the impact of government spending cuts bite.
BIM gathers pace

9 August 2012
Government efforts to put Building Information Modelling (BIM) at the heart of efforts to reform the construction industry are yielding results, the Cabinet Office has claimed.
Bridges: Russian Masterpiece

9 August 2012
Last month Russian prime minister Dmitry Medvedev declared the new world-record cable stayed Russky Island bridge a “beautiful, unique” structure as he opened it to traffic. Mark Hansford was in Vladivostok before him to speak to those who have made it happen.
WSP Genivar targets programme management

9 August 2012
Driving up the turnover of the newly-merged WSP Genivar from £1.25bn to £2bn is the immediate goal of the new firm’s first chairman Chris Cole.
Rail: Electric Current

26 July 2012
Plans for a £9.4bn cash injection into the rail industry have been described as the biggest investment in rail since Victorian times - but it comes with a caveat.
Road maintenance contest revamp

26 July 2012
The Highways Agency has confirmed that it has revamped the schedule of rates it is using to assess bids for its highly sought-after maintenance deals.
Boom in mining drives Turner & Townsend growth

19-Jul-2012
Booming demand for infrastructure to support mining projects around the world has helped cost consultant Turner and Townsend achieve double digit growth last year.
Government pledges £9.4bn for rail projects - full report

17-Jul-2012
The rail industry must deliver its next five-year programme of work for £700M less than it had hoped, the government’s High Level Output Specification (HLOS) for the railway for 2014 to 2019 has confirmed.
Virlogeux: I rejected role for New Wear Crossing

5-Jul-2012
World-renowned bridge designer Michel Virlogeux has added his criticism to the controversial New Wear Crossing in Sunderland, revealing that he dislikes it so much that he turned down an approach to check the design.
Third Bosphorus Bridge to mirror New York design

5-Jul-2012
The construction contract for the multi-billion pound Third Bosphorus Bridge is set to be awarded to an Italian/Turkish consortium with a radical Michel Virlogeux-inspired design.
Cable stay revolution: Experts debate viability of long span cable-stayed bridges

05 July 2012
World renowned bridge experts this week clashed over the potential for cable stayed bridges to compete with suspension bridges for spans of up to 1.7km.
Powering up for growth

05 July 2012
For geotechnical engineers the energy sector is offering up exciting new challenges. Mark Hansford talks to Atkins managing director of ground engineering David French.
Tube contractors urged to up their game

28 June 2012
Contractors need to raise their game when it comes to project management and must demonstrate greater leadership from the top, a senior Tube boss said this week.
Chief operating officer quits ICE for Australian consultant

28 June 2012
ICE chief operating officer Andy Ruffles is to quit after three and a half years in charge to take up the job of chief executive of Australian consultant Lindsay & Dynan.
Price sensitive

28 June 2012
There has been fierce competition to win the Highways Agency’s first two Asset Support Contracts. Mark Hansford talks to winner of the latest contract to be awarded about what the experience has been like so far.
Prices tumble for Highways Agency maintenance deals

21 June 2012
Prices for Highway Agency maintenance contracts are tumbling as contractors vie to win hard-fought deals, the latest contract award reveals.
Fast track for Fifa

14 June 2012
Qatar’s rail building plans include an extraordinary 216km long network - 95km of it underground - to be built from scratch between now and 2030, with the first chunk needed even sooner, in time for the country to host the 2022 World Cup. Mark Hansford reports from Doha.
WSP set for growth after Genivar’s £278M buy-out

14 June 2012
WSP is to use its merger with Canadian consultant Genivar to fund further acquisitions, chief executive Chris Cole told NCE this week.
Bosses express fears for 2013 workload

14 June 2012
Engineering bosses this week warned that the government’s pledge to boost investment in infrastructure will not translate into construction activity on site until 2014 at the earliest.
WSP bought by Canadian consultant Genivar

8-Jun-2012
Canadian consultant Genivar is to buy consultant WSP for around £278M, it was announced today.
Global asset savvy clients are the future

31 May 2012
Clients are increasingly looking to consultants to help them manage existing assets as well as design new ones, according to URS. As part of the 40 thought series marking 40 years of NCE, Mark Hansford finds out more.
Greening under fire over delays to roads funding

31 May 2012
Transport secretary Justine Greening has this week been accused of ducking key decisions on future roads investment by industry leaders after she ruled out introducing a five-year spending settlement for the Highways Agency.
Government ducks key roads decisions

24-May-2012
Transport secretary Justine Greening has been accused of ducking key decisions on future highways investment after announcing a series of reviews and feasibility studies in response to the Cook review of the Highways Agency.
Getting closer: Joint working sees Colas and Volker Fitzpatrick win big

24 May 2012
A £32M roads job wouldn’t normally make many waves, but for Colas and Volker Fitzpatrick their project to move and improve the A45 alongside a £33M lengthening of the runway at Birmingham Airport is highly significant.
Colas takes off with Gatwick job and hunts for international work

24 May 2012
UK highways maintenance contractor Colas is targeting international wins to boost its growing airport resurfacing operation, NCE has learned.
Brenner Base Tunnel edges closer to full funding

24 May 2012
Promoters of what will be the longest rail tunnel in the world are close to securing funding to begin construction proper, NCE has learned.
Reform of PFI needs impetus to soothe investors, warn engineers

24 May 2012
Engineers have this week urged government to stop procrastinating over the future of private finance and commit to a model that will give investors confidence to back infrastructure schemes.
Alpine drive: Building the world's longest railway tunnel between Austria and Italy

17 May 2012
Deep beneath the Austrian Alps a veritable labyrinth of tunnels and caverns is being created ahead of works to bore the world’s longest railway tunnel between Austria and Italy.
Full speed ahead

17 May 2012
If there is one market that has survived the global recession and is growing rapidly, it is rail. Politicians and leaders worldwide are realising the importance of rail as a sustainable means of meeting transport demands, making the sector an extremely attractive one for civil engineers.
Special report: Hammersmith cable tensioning now complete

03 May 2012
Amey and Transport for London engineers last week finished the tricky installation and tensioning of new cables inside the stricken Hammersmith flyover, two days ahead of schedule. Mark Hansford reports from west London.
Peacehaven sewage treatment works: Down but not dirty

03 May 2012
This Spring marks a major milestone for engineers building a mega £300M wastewater treatment scheme in Sussex. Mark Hansford went to Peacehaven to find out more.
One in three government projects is running late

03 May 2012
Government attempts to create certainty about future projects hit a snag this week after official figures showed that many projects could be delayed.
No.11 Nicoll Highway collapse

2-May-2012
The Nicoll Highway collapse in Singapore was possibly the greatest civil engineering disaster of the last decade.
No.8 Eden Project opening

2-May-2012
The Eden Project stole the show at the British Construction Industry Awards (BCIA) in 2001, taking the major project honour. OK, it was a millennium project that didn’t officially open until 17 March 2001. But the honour was well justified.
No.7 Heathrow Terminal 5 opens

2-May-2012
The Queen officially opened Heathrow Airport’s stunning £4.3bn Terminal 5 at lunchtime on Monday 14 March 2008, 53 years after opening the airport’s first passenger terminal in 1955.
No.5 Wembley Stadium handover

2-May-2012
Wembley Stadium’s iconic arch is now a familiar sight to Londoners and football fans alike. But engineers will not have forgotten the delays, cost overruns and legal battles that made this project truly memorable.
No.4 Sizewell B completion

2-May-2012
When it opened in February 1995, Sizewell B - Britain’s newest nuclear power station - was seen as vital to Britain’s new nuclear aspirations.
McNulty rail cost report ‘harsh’, says senior industry figure

26 April 2012
Claims that building and operating railways costs up to 40% more in the UK than Europe have been roundly criticised by the train operators’ most senior figure.
Energy: Building the plasma cage

25-Apr-2012
Provence in southern France is well known to us Brits as a warm, pleasant land. But part of it will soon get hotter - 10 times hotter than the sun in fact. Mark Hansford reports from Cadarache, where engineers are currently pushing more than a few boundaries in building the world’s largest experimental nuclear fusion reactor.
Amey’s £2bn Sheffield highways win boosts PFI as funding model

19 April 2012
The future of PFI as a method of funding large-scale highways maintenance has been given a boost following the selection of Amey as winner of Sheffield’s mega £2bn scheme last week.
Bridgwater quay wall: Going to the wall

19 April 2012
At the end of last year the Somerset town of Bridgwater was thrown into chaos by the sudden collapse of its river wall. Mark Hansford describes the rapid recovery effort and the ensuing complex rebuild.
Crossrail team signs up to CARE Construction Challenge

12-Apr-2012
A team from London’s £14.5bn Crossrail mega project are the latest to sign up for the CARE Construction Challenge supported by NCE and Ground Engineering.
European Commission considers ban on non-EU contractors

5-Apr-2012
Foreign contractors will be excluded from tendering for European projects where European suppliers get no reciprocal access to the contractors’ home market under bold plans unveiled by the European Commission.
Geotechnical: Recovery vehicle

5 April 2012
For geotechnical engineers the energy sector is offering up particularly exciting new challenges. Mark Hansford talks to Atkins managing director of ground engineering David French.
Qatar: Back up water programme

5 April 2012
Consultant Hyder has won the enviable right to design and manage construction of 46 of the biggest service reservoirs ever built in the world. Mark Hansford went to Doha to find out more.
Hyder reveals ‘aggressive’ Saudi expansion plans

5 April 2012
Hyder Consulting has unveiled plans to “aggressively” expand into Saudi Arabia by opening a new Saudi-registered engineering design business.
Crossrail: On the blocks

29 March 2012
Construction of the mammoth £14.5bn Crossrail project is on the cusp of full-blown construction, with the first tunnel boring machine ready to launch. Mark Hansford updates on progress.
Hyder wins contract to design 50 Qatar reservoirs

29 March 2012
Hyder has scooped a giant deal to design up to 50 massive reservoirs for the Qatar General Electricity & Water Corporation (Kahramaa).
Balfour Beatty poised for £500M highways job

29 March 2012
Balfour Beatty is set to win the second of the Highways Agency’s new-look maintenance contracts despite losing out on the first on a pricing technicality.
Councils urged to pool highways resources

22-Mar-2012
Local highways authorities have been urged to share skills and join forces to procure products and services as desperate austerity measures bite.
Minister rules out payouts for drought damaged roads

22-Mar-2012
Transport minister Norman Baker has slammed the door on local authorities in the east of England seeking extra cash to deal with damaged roads caused by the ongoing drought.
Dan Labbad: Refreshing change

22 March 2012
Australian property and infrastructure giant Lend Lease has its sights firmly set on the UK’s promised infrastructure bonanza. Mark Hansford meets its European chief executive Dan Labbad.
Prime minister to set out new ownership and financing vision for roads network

19-Mar-2012
Prime minister David Cameron is today expected to launch a feasibility study looking at a new ownership and financing model for the national roads system aimed at drawing in large-scale private investment.
Costain has £600M acquisitions war chest

15 March 2012
Costain bosses have insisted that the firm’s vision of becoming a true one-stop-shop for infrastructure clients remains a top priority after announcing it has a £600M war chest for major acquisitions.
Qatar £6bn rail bonanza holds promise for UK consultants

08 March 2012
Multinational consortiums featuring a host of UK consultants were this week waiting to discover whether they will be invited to tender for $10bn (£6.3bn) worth of work on Qatar’s mega-metro and light rail project.
Tottenham Court Road: Underground sensation

1 March 2012
The £480M upgrade of Tottenham Court Road Underground station is possibly one of the most fiendishly complex schemes ever tackled in the capital. Yet it is on time and on budget. Mark Hansford reports on a pretty impressive construction effort.
Farringdon Thameslink: Faster track to growth

1 March 2012
As the only station where London’s two biggest transport improvement projects will meet, Farringdon station is unique. To cope with the passenger influx this will create, a major upgrade is nearing completion. Mark Hansford checks out the progress.
Tube to reward failed bidders if cost saving ideas taken on

23 February 2012
London Underground (LUL) is to pioneer a new version of the popular early contractor involvement contract on its mega £500M Bank station remodelling contract, NCE has learned.
Drought summit stops short of recommending dramatic measures to save water

23 February 2012
Water metering must be introduced across the UK if the spectre of annual droughts is to be avoided, the ICE has warned.
Sixty flood defence schemes win share of £250M cash pot to start construction

9-Feb-2012
The Environment Agency has unveiled a raft of new flood defence schemes that have won a share of a £250M funding pot to begin construction from April.
David Richter: Hill International's global power play

9 February 2012
US project and programme management giant Hill International is daring to be different, eschewing notions of one-stop-shops and sticking to what it does best. President David Richter tells Mark Hansford why.
Highways Agency urged to act as maintenance awards delayed

9 February 2012
Contractors speak out as deadlines pass for new asset support contracts worth £950M.
Special report: Prince Charles on rethinking the way we work

9 February 2012
Prince Charles believes the ICE’s charter should be revised to encourage engineers to focus their efforts on sustainable construction and development. Mark Hansford reports.
Hill International eyes major UK cost consultant takeover

9 February 2012
US project and programme management firm Hill International is planning a raid on one of the UK’s few remaining independent cost consultants, NCE has learned.
CH2M Hill scoops Qatar World Cup programme manager role

8-Feb-2012
The Qatar 2022 Supreme Committee has today appointed CH2M Hill as its programme manangement consultant for the 2022 Fifa World Cup.
No.3: Kobe Earthquake

2 February 2012
The Earthquake design codes of Japan, one of the best prepared countries in the world for natural disasters, were thrown into the spotlight on 17 January 1995 when the 6.8 magnitude Great Hanshin earthquake devastated Kobe, a city of 1.5 million people.
Government consults on new regime for planning local transport investment

1-Feb-2012
Transport secretary Justine Greening is consulting on a new plan to devolve funding decisions on local transport schemes to yet-to-be-created local transport bodies.
Hugh Blackwood: Strength in depth at URS

1-Feb-2012
Scott Wilson is now firmly embedded in US giant URS but its world-conquering spirit lives on with international operations boss Hugh Blackwood. Mark Hansford reports.
Special report: funding for the floods

1-Feb-2012
Next week environment secretary Caroline Spelman is expected to announce a raft of new flood defence schemes across England and Wales that will receive funding. NCE reports on how the Environment Agency is increasing the number of homes protected despite a 15% budget cut.
Experienced engineers in danger of being left behind in BIM era

27-Jan-2012
Consultant Mott MacDonald has urged the industry not to forget about experienced engineers as it moves towards making Building Information Modelling (BIM) an integral part of construction projects.
Staffordshire pours money into long term highway maintenance budget

26 January 2012
Staffordshire County Council has this week bucked national trends and announced plans to plough an extra £20M into improving its highways network.
No.2 Opening of the Burj Khalifa

24-Jan-2012
Opening of Dubai’s Burj Khalifa in January 2010 was a resounding answer to those who had challenged whether tall buildings would ever be built again following the unthinkable collapse of the World Trade Center towers in New York nine years earlier.
Infrastructure 2012: Graduate jobs growing again

15 December 2011
If one section of the industry has suffered more than most during the economic downturn it would have to be the graduates. But things are changing. The mood in the industry is brightening, and enlightened firms are seeing the value in graduate recruitment.
Infrastructure 2012: Some cause for optimism

13-Jan-2012
We asked 32 civil engineering consultants and contractors - big and small - for their expectations of the infrastructure market in 2012. It’s fair to say they were surprisingly confident.
Harrie Noy: Arcadis' global grower

12 January 2012
Consultant Arcadis made waves last year by snapping up cost consultant EC Harris. Mark Hansford met chief executive Harrie Noy and discovered that the move was just the tip of the iceberg.
High Speed 2: Consultant 'development partner' to be announced imminently

11-Jan-2012
Scheme promoter High Speed 2 (HS2) is expected to announce the consultant that will act as its development partner imminently, following yesterday’s green light for the £32.7bn scheme.
No.1 Channel Tunnel Breakthrough

9-Jan-2012
Construction of the Channel Tunnel was the realisation of a 200-year-old dream to connect England and France, and has been described as the civil-engineering project of the twentieth century.
The Shard: A view from the top

15 December 2011
London’s latest iconic landmark, the Shard, set another new record in September, as the UK’s highest crane was raised into place. When fully extended the crane will sit a whopping 317m above ground level — and 7m taller than the Shard’s eventual highest point.
Scottish Government unveils £60bn infrastructure plan

15 December 2011
The Scottish Government has unveiled a £60bn infrastructure investment plan that includes plans to build High Speed 2 as far as Edinburgh and spend £10bn between now and 2015 on shovel ready projects.
WYG boss hunts staff after putting firm back on solid footing

2-Dec-2011
WYG chief executive Paul Hamer said he was currently looking to poach up to 40 key individuals from competitors to bolster the reborn consultant.
Highways Agency in road reform bid

01 December 2011
A year-long review of the Highways Agency has concluded that the road operator remains largely fit for purpose.
Highways Agency cool on toll roads

01 December 2011
Few opportunities exist for new roads to be built and financed by tolls in England, Highways Agency chairman Alan Cook has claimed.
Atkins and Hyder win major Qatar roads contracts

01 December 2011
Consultants Atkins and Hyder have won five year highways design megacontracts in the Qatari capital Doha worth a combined £145M.
Risk reduction revolution

01 December 2011
In striving for zero harm, Britain’s contractors have set the bar high and have rightly placed behavioural change at the heart of their initiatives. But ultimately the working environment remains a risky one, and more can be done. Mark Hansford reports.
Autumn Statement 2011: £5bn boost for infrastructure now plus £5bn more in next parliament; UK needs 'lasting investment'

29-Nov-2011
Chancellor George Osborne today confirmed that the government had identified £5bn extra for infrastructure funding for this parliament – including £1bn for Network Rail - and a further £5bn beyond that.
Airlines boss Willie Walsh slams Thames Estuary airport plan

29-Nov-2011
Plans for a new hub airport in the Thames Estuary were slammed last night by International Airlines Group chief executive Willie Walsh.
Major contracts awarded for the big Crossrail jobs

24 November 2011
Teams comprising Bam Nuttall, Ferrovial and Kier and Balfour Beatty, Morgan Sindall and Vinci are set to be the winners of two of Crossrail’s major station works contracts worth around £625M, NCE understands.
Prime minister David Cameron launches £1M prize for engineering

24 November 2011
Prime minster David Cameron has unveiled a £1M “Nobel” prize for engineering that will be awarded biennially to an engineer or small team of engineers that has achieved an “outstanding advance” to benefit to humanity.
Cameron seeks to encourage privately funded infrastructure

24 November 2011
Prime minister David Cameron has confirmed that the government is preparing to relax regulations on infrastructure investment to make projects more attractive to the private sector.
ICE report: time to get serious about CO2

24 November 2011
Ministers need new policies, fast, says ICE
Crossrail awards major station contracts worth around £625M

18-Nov-2011
Teams comprising Bam Nuttall, Ferrovial and Kier and Balfour Beatty, Morgan Sindall and Vinci are set to be the winners of two of Crossrail’s major station works contracts worth around £625M, NCE understands.
Grayrigg changes still not done

17 November 2011
Network Rail has so far failed to implement five key recommendations arising from the official investigation into the 2007 Grayrigg train crash in which one person died.
Aecom seeks UK engineers to bolster Canadian PFI operation

17 November 2011
Consultant Aecom has launched a push to lure British engineers with experience of working on privately financed projects to its booming Canadian operation.
UK downturn to hit Grontmij’s 2011 profits

17 November 2011
Consultant Grontmij last week warned that profits from its UK and central Europe operations will be significantly down this year, as tough trading conditions take hold.
Run the gauntlet in the Care Construction Challenge 2012

10 November 2011
Get ready for action: This month CARE International launches the third CARE Construction Challenge supported by NCE and Ground Engineering, and its set to be the best – and toughest – yet.
Recovery is three years away, say infrastructure chiefs

27 October 2011
Industry leaders fear that UK civil engineering workloads will stagnate next year and that the negative effects could be felt for up to three years.
Agency to discuss road costs

27 October 2011
Highways Agency chief executive Graham Dalton has agreed to work with civils consultants to address his concern that some are shaving costs by sacrificing design quality.
Join in NCE's annual infrastructure market survey

27 October 2011
How are you feeling about the outlook for the civil engineering industry in 2012? Help NCE predict what lies ahead by completing our new Market Snapshot survey.
URS negotiates massive £1.1bn fighting fund for global expansion

20-Oct-2011
URS Corporation has unveiled a new, five-year $1.7bn (£1.1bn) credit facility to support its ongoing operations and global expansion plans.
Beast of Bordeaux

20 October 2011
Construction of Bordeaux’s new signature lift bridge has reached the half way stage. NCE reports from south west France.
World wide wells

20 October 2011
US giants buying UK consultants appears to be all the rage. A year after San Francisco-based URS took over Scott Wilson, Mark Hansford talk to URS Scott Wilson head strategist Stephen Wells about his plans.
Greening promoted to transport secretary

18-Oct-2011
Staunch anti-Heathrow expansion campaigner Justine Greening last week became transport secretary following the promotion of predecessor Philip Hammond to defence secretary.
Infrastructure Show: Grim three years ahead for civils firms predicted

17-Oct-2011
Industry leaders have warned that the next three years could see a raft of civil engineering consultants and contractors going to the wall.
Infrastructure Show: Crossrail ponders making consultants more responsible for any delays or cost overruns

17-Oct-2011
Consultants could be forced to take more responsibility for any cost or time overruns on London’s £14.5bn Crossrail project under proposals put forward by contractor Costain.
US president Obama picks out 14 infrastructure projects to be pushed through planning process

13-Oct-2011
President Obama has selected 14 infrastructure projects across the US that will be rushed through permitting and environmental review processes in a bid to help job-creating projects move as quickly as possible from the drawing board to completion.
Crisis for Mouchel as shares dive and Cuthbert quits

11-Oct-2011
Consultant Mouchel was this week looking to sell off significant parts of its business in a bid to cut its £87M debt and avoid going into administration.
Failed Scottish PFI rail project taken over by Network Rail

6 October 2011
Scotland’s £295M Borders Railway is now to be delivered by Network Rail after plans to use a form of private finance fell apart in the summer.
Scotland's £295M Borders Railway to go-ahead as conventional scheme

29-Sep-2011
Scotland’s £295M Borders Railway is to be delivered by a partnership between Network Rail and Transport Scotland after plans to use a form of PFI fell apart in the summer.
Ductile delight

29 September 2011
Innovative new pipe laying technology imported from Germany is making waves on the south coast. Mark Hansford reports.
Behavioural change: The next safety step

28-Sep-2011
We’ve put up barriers; we’ve told people what not to do. Now where we do we look for the next step change in improving health and safety performance? We must shake up the way we behave. NCE reports.
CH2M Hill takeover could see Halcrow expand into maintenance

27-Sep-2011
Incoming Halcrow chief executive Jacque Rast has told NCE that the consultant may make use of CH2M Hill’s capability to expand into operations and maintenance.
Halcrow's CH2M Hill takeover comes after bad 2010

26-Sep-2011
Halcrow’s decision to sell to CH2M Hill comes after a bad year for the UK consultant, annual results filed with Companies House reveal
Halcrow’s new owners eye global markets: Jacque Rast first interview

26-Sep-2011
CH2M Hill’s acquisition of Halcrow follows a two year long pursuit. Jacque Rast, the woman who has finally made it happen, tells Mark Hansford why the US giant was so keen.
Halcrow to be bought by US programme management giant CH2M Hill

26-Sep-2011
American programme management giant CH2M Hill is to buy consultant Halcrow for £124M.
Highways Agency fears low cost, low quality culture

22 September 2011
Highways Agency chief executive Graham Dalton this week warned consultants against shaving costs by sacrificing design quality.
Highways Agency expects mixed ASC contracts performances

22 September 2011
Highways Agency bosses are bracing themselves for a wide range of performances from the contractors which scoop its highly sought after Asset Support Contracts (ASCs).
Major projects directorate to stay

22 September 2011
Highways Agency chief executive Graham Dalton has confirmed that the agency’s major projects directorate will remain, despite cuts to its budget and the loss of its influential director Nirmal Kotecha.
Highways Agency: PFI off the agenda for now

22 September 2011
The Highways Agency has ruled out any further use of private finance to fund its capital works or maintenance programme.
Official report exposes problems in forecasting passenger demand for new rail stations

15-Sep-2011
A Department for Transport and Transport Scotland commissioned report by Steer Davis Gleave has revealed major problems in forecasting demand for new rail stations.
Construction of Bordeaux's new signature lift bridge reaches key milestone

15-Sep-2011
Contractors were this week applying the finishing touches to the first two of four 77m tall towers on Bordeaux’s dramatic new signature bridge.
Borth's Big Dig

15 September 2011
Protecting the holiday resort of Borth from flooding is making for an unusual, plant-heavy, concrete-light, coastal defence scheme. NCE visits west Wales to find out more.
Luton guided bus hits £5.4M funding shortfall

14-Sep-2011
Luton Borough Council was this week preparing to scale back its £89.2M Luton to Dunstable Busway project after identifying a £5.4M funding shortfall.
US President Obama sets £32bn infrastructure spend as part of jobs bill

13-Sep-2011
US President Obama has set out plans to spend $50bn (£32bn) on infrastructure as part of a new bill aimed at creating new jobs.
Highways Agency projects boss quits

8 September 2011
Highways Agency major projects director Nirmal Kotecha is to leave the organisation next month after three years in the role.
WTC ten years on: Learning from the unthinkable

7-Sep-2011
The 9/11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in New York have forced engineers to rethink tall building design.
Highways Agency alerts contractors to new maintenance framework

25-Aug-2011
The Highways Agency has given advance notice of its intention to invite expressions of interest for firms to join its Asset Support Framework which will award contracts for larger maintenance schemes and small improvement works across the trunk road and motorway network.
Costain profits up but revenues down as firm sticks to higher margin work

25-Aug-2011
Contractor Costain has increased profits but seen turnover fall following a strategic decision to dump lower margin work.
Bam boasts higher civils revenues and profits across Europe

25-Aug-2011
Bam Nuttall parent Royal Bam Group has reported higher civils revenues and improved results in the Netherlands, United Kingdom, Germany and Belgium for the first six months of 2011.
Clancy Docwra and Cleshar named civil engineering contractors of the year

25-Aug-2011
Clancy Docwra and Cleshar have been named as Contractors of the Year in NCE’s Civil Engineering Contractors File 2011 after delivering recession-busting performances while recruiting, retaining and investing in the training of key staff.
Luton guided bus progress report due out next week

25 August 2011
Luton Borough Council’s overview and scrutiny board is to receive its first progress report on the £89M Luton to Dunstable Busway project next week.
2012 Park under budget

28 July 2011
Construction of London’s Olympic Park and venues will now come in at just £7.25bn, more than £2bn inside the £9.3bn budget which includes contingency cash, new government figures revealed last week.
Minister to name and shame late payers

28 July 2011
Cabinet Office minister Francis Maude has unveiled plans to support small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) by naming and shaming major contractors and clients who withhold payments.
Column Free At Cannon Street

27-Jul-2011
A complex project to rebuild office space above London’s Cannon Street station owes as much to bridge engineering design as it does to structural engineering.
HS2 economic case fundamentally flawed: report in summary

20-Jul-2011
High Speed 2 will be the “latest in a long series of government big-project disasters”, a report by an influential economic think tank has found.
Olympics construction costs fall again as work nears end

19-Jul-2011
The anticipated final cost of building London’s Olympic Park and venues has fallen by £16M to £7.25bn, according to figures from the government’s latest quarterly update.
US politicians fight over transport spending cuts

14 July 2011
Republican and Democrat Congressman are locked in battle this week over future funding levels for highways and rail in the US.
Brazil high speed rail project to be split in two after no bids received

12-Jul-2011
Brazil’s National Land Transport Agency (ANTT) has decided to invite two separate bids for its £13bn Rio de Janeiro to Sao Paulo high speed rail line after no bids were received for the complete project by Monday’s bid deadline.
Costain/Skanska picks up Crossrail Paddington station contract

11-Jul-2011
Crossrail has awarded its first central London station contract to a Costain/Skanska joint venture.
Arup completes the design of Portugal's Vilamoura Anteporto marina

8-Jul-2011
Arup and international architects Broadway Malyan have completed the design of a new super-marina complex, following an international design competition staged by client Lusort, with the project forming a major part of the wider redevelopment of the outer harbour of the award-winning Marina de Vilamoura.
Tube bosses fire warning shot over 'unacceptable' signalling problems

6-Jul-2011
Tube bosses have warned the supply chain that it will no longer stand for “unacceptable” teething problems as seen on the Jubilee Line upgrade in future projects.
TfL bosses seek control of suburban rail services

6-Jul-2011
Transport for London (TfL) bosses have gone public with a bold bid to wrest control of suburban rail services in the capital away from the Department for Transport (DfT) and a host of train operators.
Civils employers report 130 applications per graduate job

30 June 2011
Civil engineering students graduating this summer face a massive fight for jobs with employers reporting an average of 130 applications per vacancy.
WYG completes fundraising capital restructuring

24-Jun-2011
WYG has completed a capital structuring that, if voted through by shareholders, will see the firm’s shares almost entirely owned by institutional investors
New construction strategy calls for tougher stance on defects

09 June 2011
Contractors and designers will be held responsible for the operational performance of the finished projects for up to five years under government plans to make the industry 20% more efficient.
Access all areas

09 June 2011
As anyone familiar with the joys of moving house knows, getting your phone and internet connection installed is never a quick and easy task.
German physicist to become new boss of Atkins

2-Jun-2011
Britain’s biggest consultant Atkins has appointed German physicist Uwe Krueger to replace Keith Clarke as chief executive
Infrastructure UK gives up on search for new chief executive

02 June 2011
Treasury body Infrastructure UK (IUK) has abandoned its efforts to find a new chief executive after a six month search.
Water companies urged to be alert to tough new pump regulations

02 June 2011
Water companies and other users of pumps are being urged to ensure they are aware of tough new European Union (EU) carbon reduction regulations aimed due to come in to force next week.
Civil engineering contractors report grim start to 2011

31-May-2011
Civil engineering contractors have reported no improvement in workloads in the first quarter of 2011, with the highways sector remaining the toughest to win work.
US politicians push for private finance to fund high speed rail plans

27-May-2011
American politicians last week said private finance must be used to deliver high speed rail lines between Boston, New York and Washington.
Notts council offers to stump up £20M of own cash to get axed road scheme reinstated

27-May-2011
Nottinghamshire County Council is offering to stump up £20M towards the axed £164M widening of the A453.
Balfour Beatty cuts 60 Parsons Brinckerhoff jobs

26 May 2011
Balfour Beatty plans to cut around 60 jobs from the UK operations of its consultant subsidiary Parsons Brinckerhoff.
Last chance to enter construction challenge

26 May 2011
Aid agency Care International is making a final call for intrepid construction workers to join the Care Construction Challenge on 2 July to help tackle global poverty.
RAC calls for High Speed 2 axe

19 May 2011
Opposition to the proposed high speed rail link between London and the north grew this week as motorists’ group the RAC Foundation called for the project to be axed.
Balfour Beatty's Andrew Wolstenholme to be new Crossrail boss

18-May-2011
Crossrail has today announced that Balfour Beatty director of innovation and strategic capability Andrew Wolstenholme has been appointed as its new chief executive replacing Rob Holden who steps down in mid-July.
Buried treasure

12 May 2011
Engineers are building up to a frenetic summer upgrading one of London’s major railway interchanges, as work on the £250M remodelling of Farringdon station hits its peak. Mark Hansford reports.
Livingstone backs plans for two more Crossrails

12 May 2011
Former London mayor Ken Livingstone has championed the case for two more Crossrail lines to be built beneath the capital in the next 20 years.
Hammond unveils new project prioritisation process

12 May 2011
Transport secretary Philip Hammond has unveiled a new five-stage process for prioritising transport investment in England.
Contractors optimistic despite decline in output

12 May 2011
Three of the UK’s leading contractors have reported a positive outlook for the rest of 2011 despite government output figures showing construction dragging the economy down.
Crossrail restructure heralds new phase

14 April 2011
Crossrail has completed a restructuring of its client team that will see project promoter Crossrail Limited, project delivery partner Crossrail Central and programme partner Transcend working together as one organisation led by programme director Andy Mitchell.
Crossrail project passes point of no return with final tunnel deals

14 April 2011
Confirmation that Hochtief, J Murphy and Vinci Construction UK have won Crossrail’s Thames Tunnel and Connaught Tunnel jobs means all £1.5bn of tunnelling contracts have now been awarded.
Mitchell in frame for top job

14 April 2011
Crossrail programme director Andy Mitchell remains in the frame for the chief executive job, soon to be vacated by Rob Holden.
Jury’s out on Treasury project cost cuts drive

07 April 2011
“Aspirational” ideas to tighten up public procurement draw cautious industry response.
Engineers hear why infrastructure is key to strong economic recovery

31 March 2011
Former director general of business lobby group the CBI Lord Jones last week stressed the need for government to invest in infrastructure.
Mouchel rejects bids but remains vulnerable

31 March 2011
Mouchel chief executive Richard Cuthbert has admitted his firm remains “vulnerable” after rejecting takeover bids from Interserve and Costain.
Mouchel boss defends decision to reject Interserve and Costain bids, but admits move leaves firm 'vulnerable'

29-Mar-2011
Mouchel chief executive Richard Cuthbert has admitted his firm remains “vulnerable” after rejecting takeover bids from Interserve and Costain.
Tale of the river bank

28-Mar-2011
Engineers in Somerset will be holding their breath today as one of Europe’s largest crawler cranes lifts Taunton’s brand new river crossing into place. Mark Hansford reports.
CARE Construction Challenge: contenders lay down gauntlet

17 March 2011
Teams from across the construction industry are already signing up for July’s CARE Construction Challenge in Cannock Chase, Staffordshire.
Don’t scrap PFI, construction industry tells Osborne

10 March 2011
Civil engineering institutions and trade bodies have used their Budget submissions to urge chancellor George Osborne to ditch his review of PFI procurement.
Consultancy work boosts Balfour Beatty

10 March 2011
Balfour Beatty’s acquisition of Parsons Brinckerhoff (PB) saved the firm from a sharp drop in turnover last year, according to figures published last week.
Date set for green bank launch

10 March 2011
Ministers this week set out plans to establish the government’s £1bn Green Investment Bank by September 2012.
US transport projects safe until September

7-Mar-2011
US politicians have approved another extension of the country’s transportation bill, allowing work on projects to continue until September.
Interserve moves in on Mouchel as Costain bails out

03 March 2011
It has emerged this week that contractor Interserve is now in advanced takeover talks with Mouchel after Costain stated that it was no longer involved.
Ministers launch High Speed Two consultation

03 March 2011
Transport secretary Phillip Hammond this week launched a six month public consultation about government plans to build a £32bn high speed rail network between London, Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds.
Foulkes to retire from Institution later this year

03 March 2011
ICE director general Tom Foulkes is to retire at end of 2011 after nearly 10 years in the role.
Plans for high speed line out for consultation

28-Feb-2011
Transport secretary Phillip Hammond has kicked off a six month public consultation into controversial government plans to build a £32bn high speed rail network linking London, Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds.
£350bn for US transport plan

24 February 2011
United States president Obama has unveiled proposals for a six-year, $556bn (£350bn) transport plan that includes up to £20bn for a pioneering National Infrastructure Bank to invest in projects of regional or national significance to the economy.
Florida third state to say no to federal funding for high speed rail

24 February 2011
Florida has become the third state to reject federal funding to build high speed rail lines in the US.
NCE’s iPad edition attracts hundreds of readers

24 February 2011
Hundreds of readers have already downloaded NCE’s cutting edge iPad app, since it went live on Friday evening.
Future Systems: what does 2011 hold for IT in construction?

23-Feb-2011
What does 2011 hold for IT in the construction industry? Will building information modelling finally break through, or will other technologies steal the limelight? Mark Hansford asks the experts.
Concerns emerge over High Speed Two start date

23-Feb-2011
Rail experts this week warned that the construction programme for the High Speed Two line is already in jeopardy, even before public consultation has begun.
Skanska is latest contractor to trim suppliers

17 February 2011
Skanska has become the third major contractor to reveal plans to cut back its supply chain in a bid to cut costs.
Treasury minister throws his weight behind civil engineering cost cutting drive

17 February 2011
Treasury minister Lord Sassoon has this week pledged his commitment to Infrastructure UK’s (IUK) cost cutting mission amid fears that it was being hampered by a lack of political leadership.
Spending cuts force extra risk onto construction companies

17 February 2011
Early indications from NCE’s latest survey of industry attitudes to risk management show that almost 50% of firms face an increase in fee disputes with clients this year.
US president unveils £350bn six year transport bill proposal

15-Feb-2011
US President Barack Obama has unveiled proposals for a six-year, $556bn (£350bn) transport plan that includes up to £20bn for a pioneering National Infrastructure Bank to invest in projects of regional or national significance to the economy.
Sassoon puts 'neck on the line' over cost of civils report

14-Feb-2011
Treasury minister Lord Sassoon has this week pledged his commitment to Infrastructure UK’s (IUK) cost cutting mission after fears surfaced that the process was being derailed by a lack of political leadership.
Skanska latest contractor to reveal plan to cut supply chain

10-Feb-2011
Skanska has become the third major contractor to reveal plans to cut back its supply chain in a bid to cut costs.
Fee disputes with clients are soaring - how prepared are you?

10-Feb-2011
Early indications from NCE’s latest survey of industry attitudes to risk management show that almost 50% of firms are facing an increase in fee disputes with clients this year.
Atkins tells staff to work longer week

10 February 2011
Britain’s biggest consultant Atkins wants some of its staff to work longer hours for the same money, it emerged this week.
Birmingham Highways: a Ray of Light

10 February 2011
It was a long time before the deal was done, but last May Birmingham City Council finally handed over maintenance of its highways network to Amey. Mark Hansford visits Britain’s biggest local roads PFI.
Upwardly Mobile

10 February 2011
Consultant Turner & Townsend is beating tough times in the UK with a global plan. Mark Hansford meets plan architect and company chief executive Vince Clancy and discovers a firm on the up.
Liverpool roads face closure

10 February 2011
Liverpool City Council has warned that it might be forced to close roads if they become unusable in the face of severe government imposed cuts.
Civils cost cutting drive needs leader

10 February 2011
Lack of political leadership is hampering efforts to cut the cost of civil engineering projects in the UK, construction industry leaders said this week.
US sets out plans for £33bn investment in high speed rail

9-Feb-2011
US vice president Joe Biden yesterday announced that $53bn (£33bn) in federal funds would be set aside over the next six year to further construction of a national high-speed and intercity passenger rail network.
Carillion sticks to its guns in margins row

03 February 2011
Contractor Carillion has told the government that it will not sacrifice its margins just to appease Cabinet Office demands for suppliers to cut their rates.
Road contractors assessment underway

03 February 2011
Highways Agency auditors have this week started assessing contractors for its latest capability rankings.
Highways Agency seeks low cost gantries

03 February 2011
The Highways Agency is looking to award up to 12 firms a place on its £70M framework to supply and erect gantries for its Managed Motorways programme.
Construction bosses to act on climate change

03 February 2011
Senior figures from across the UK construction industry have agreed to join forces to tackle the low carbon challenges laid down by chief construction advisor Paul Morrell.
Mouchel rejects third takeover bid from Costain

27 January 2011
Contractor Costain last week upped the ante in its battle for consultant Mouchel with a third takeover proposal worth more than £170M.
British firm seeks Brisbane work

27 January 2011
British owned consultant and project manager Turner & Townsend said this week it was pressing hard to win clean-up work in flood stricken Brisbane.
Have your say today with our online risk management survey

27 January 2011
NCE has teamed up with insurer Marsh to carry out a third annual risk management survey to explore the issues facing the UK construction industry.
Rosewell joins Network Rail board of directors

27 January 2011
Economist and infrastructure expert Bridget Rosewell has joined Network Rail as a non-executive director.
Arup confirms 670 job losses from UK operation

20 January 2011
Arup has confirmed that 670 of its 3,888 UK staff have been made redundant.
Colas: On the path to Success

20 January 2011
This year is more than likely to be one of considerable change for many roads firms, with local authority cash tight and a major review underway at the Highways Agency. For Colas’ UK operation it’s certain to be, with new chief executive Lee Rushbrooke taking the helm this week.
Crossrail looks to make further cost savings for stations as Government review looms

19-Jan-2011
Crossrail is to look for more cost savings in its £1.5bn station construction contracts, it has revealed this week.
Civil engineering risk - let us know your views

17-Jan-2011
NCE has once again teamed up with insurer Marsh for a third annual risk management survey to explore the impact the global recession, UK public spending cuts and new legislation such as the Corporate Manslaughter Act and the Bribery Act are having on the construction industry’s attitude to managing risk.
Costain piles on the pressure in Mouchel takeover bid

13 January 2011
Contractor Costain was this week continuing its pursuit of consultant Mouchel after seeing a second takeover approach rejected last week.
Simple Bear necessities

13 January 2011
The inauguration of the Lord Mayor of London can rarely be said to have an impact on the world of civil engineering, aside perhaps from organising the logistics of the Lord Mayor’s show.
US high speed rail plan slowed down after two states withdraw

13 January 2011
US transportation secretary Ray LaHood has been forced to reallocate $1.2bn (£700M) of federal high speed rail cash after the states of Ohio and Wisconsin pulled out of the programme.
Costain ramps up Mouchel takeover bid

23-Dec-2010
Costain chief executive Andrew Wyllie has said he wants “early dialogue” with Mouchel’s senior management after his firm went public on its takeover bid yesterday.
Lack of tunnellers could hit UK attempts to exploit global boom

16 December 2010
Senior tunnellers have warned that the UK lacks the resources to take advantage of an anticipated global boom in workload.
Crossrail re-tenders Farringdon station

02 December 2010
Crossrail has retendered the £375M contract to construct Farringdon Station to allow the client to strike out construction of two 400m long pilot tunnels.
Atkins axes 1,000 staff to maintain profits

25-Nov-2010
Britain’s biggest consultant Atkins last week revealed that it had made more than 1,000 redundancies since September last year in a bid to remain profitable.
Consultants rack up £32M in five months from government

25 November 2010
Civils consultants earned £32M from central government between the beginning of May and the end of September, according to official figures released this week.
Transport spending cuts to hit Jacobs

25 November 2010
Public spending cuts will severely hit global consultant Jacobs’ UK infrastructure business, the company warned last week.
Cabinet Office orders civils firms to cut rates and repay fees

18 November 2010
Britain’s biggest civils firms were fuming this week after being ordered in to the Cabinet Office and told to repay cash already earned and offer massive discounts on work in the pipeline as part of the government’s efficiency drive.
Criminal proceedings begin for Potters Bar

18 November 2010
The Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) has started criminal proceedings against Network Rail and Jarvis Rail for breaches of health and safety law which caused the Potters Bar derailment.
Council to ‘fix busway itself’

18 November 2010
Cambridgeshire County Council has revealed it has drawn up plans to fix alleged defects in its long-delayed guided busway itself and charge the cost of the work back to its contractor.
Highways Agency reassures cuts-hit road building industry

11 November 2010
Highways Agency chief executive Graham Dalton has moved to reassure road builders after seeing £2.3bn of major projects shelved as a response to the Comprehensive Spending Review.
Key part of Olympic stadium design is removed to save £7M

11 November 2010
Getting rid of the fabric wrap for London’s 80,000-seat Olympic Stadium is a “sensible” cost-cutting measure that will not hurt the athletes, Lord Coe has said.
Crossrail on hunt for Farringdon contracts

11 November 2010
Crossrail has started the search for a contractor to build one of the most complex stations on the £14.5bn project.
Project costs under attack

04 November 2010
Driving out poor cost management is key to cutting the high price tag of civil engineering, Treasury body Infrastructure UK (IUK) has revealed.
US transport department kick starts high speed rail construction

04 November 2010
US transportation secretary Ray LaHood has this week revealed that 54 high speed rail projects in 23 states will share $2.4bn (£1.5bn) to kick start construction of a nationwide network.
Brazilian quickstep

04 November 2010
Airspace between Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo is among the world’s most congested. Every day 77 flights make the trip between Brazil’s cultural and financial capitals and demand is growing.
Spending review 2010: Roads are losers as Osborne favours rail

28 October 2010
The government made clear its preference for rail investment over road improvements in last week’s spending review.
Spending review 2010: Osborne wields the axe but boosts renewables

28 October 2010
Carbon capture and storage (CCS) and the Green Investment Bank both received a £1bn spending boost in the Comprehensive Spending Review. But some waste projects were axed, and spending for flood defences was cut.
Manslaughter reprieve for Cotswold Geotechnical boss

14 October 2010
Manslaughter charges against Cotswold Geotechnical Holdings director Peter Eaton were this week dropped after a judge ruled he was too unwell to be tried.
Engineers fear for their jobs as graduate salaries fall

14 October 2010
Job security among civil engineers has hit rock bottom with more than a quarter fearing for their futures, the ICE’s annual survey of members’ salaries and job satisfaction reveals this week.
Higgins takes on task of rebuilding Network Rail

7 October 2010
Rail industry insiders this week urged incoming Network Rail chief executive David Higgins to push through major reforms to the company.
Australia's Victoria government in UK workers plea

7 October 2010
Australia’s critical engineering shortage has driven the state government of Victoria to hold a seminar in Manchester to attract engineers to the country.
Getting it on the green

6-Oct-2010
Civil engineers raised £12,000 for RedR at Hampton Court Palace Golf Club last month in the 10th anniversary of the NCE Charity Masters. Mark Hansford reports.
20 Reasons to come to the show

6-Oct-2010
The Infrastructure Show is coming up fast. Here are 20 reasons for making the trip to the NEC in Birmingham.
Treasury axe to spare Crossrail and Tube projects

30 September 2010
Critical transport schemes in London including Crossrail and the Tube upgrade are to survive government spending cuts, NCE has learnt.
Losses fall as WYG cuts 620 staff

30 September 2010
Consultant WYG reduced pretax losses from £129M to £21.8M after incurring ongoing restructuring costs in the year to 30 June.
Heating up the highway

22-Sep-2010
The most technologically advanced highway in the world is taking shape in Washington DC. Mark Hansford reports from the Capital Beltway.
Engineers urge Obama to push US transport spending bill

16 September 2010
US engineers have urged President Barack Obama to ensure that the $50bn (£33bn) he pledged last week for road, rail and runway reconstruction is built into multi-year transport funding legislation.
Kazakhstan's national library: the yurt factor

2 September 2010
Kazakhstan’s new national library is a simply astounding structure and British expertise is critical to the project now under construction in Astana. NCE reports.
Costain teams up to create offshore wind farm alliance

2 September 2010
Contractor Costain has teamed up with Hochtief and Arup in a new alliance that will seek to design and build offshore wind farms.
Rain fails to stump Oval final

1-Sep-2010
More than 60 civil engineering cricketers descended on the Brit Oval in London this summer for the second Mace Celebrity Cricket Challenge in support of WaterAid.
Energy from waste plant to be first project scrutinised by IPC

27-Aug-2010
A planning application from Covanta Rookery South Limited for a 65MW energy from waste and materials recovery facility in Bedfordshire has become the first application to be accepted by the Infrastructure Planning Commission to proceed to examination.
Laing O'Rourke staff numbers cut in half

24-Aug-2010
Staff levels at contractor Laing O’Rourke have been slashed by almost a half from 35,000 to 18,000, the company has confirmed.
Morgan Sindall blames major project delays for £185M fall in construction turnover

9-Aug-2010
Morgan Sindall has blamed delays in procurement of major infrastructure projects for a £185M fall in civil engineering and construction turnover in the first six months of the year.
Race to the finish line

22 July 2010
There are two years until the torch is lit in London’s Olympic stadium and work on the Olympic Park continues apace. Mark Hansford meets the programme management team keeping it on track.
Airport policy must not stifle the UK, says ICE

15 July 2010
The ICE has urged the government to rethink its decision to veto new runways at the country’s busiest airports.
Councils seek technical and environmental impact advice

15 July 2010
Sedgemoor District Council, West Somerset Council and Somerset County Council have invited bids for professional and technical support contracts during the planning process for Hinkley Point’s new nuclear power stations.
WSP Group’s highways staff braced for redundancies

15 July 2010
WSP Group has admitted it is consulting with staff over redundancies in its highways division as work dries up in the wake of planned government cuts.
Roads investment top priority, says public

9-Jul-2010
Investment in roads and highways has become more of a priority for the general public according to the ICE’s latest public service satisfaction survey.
Transport projects face deeper than expected cuts

8 July 2010
Transport secretary Philip Hammond this week ordered project promoters to look hard at ways to slash costs as he warned that public spending cuts could be deeper than expected.
URS buys Scott Wilson

8 July 2010
CH2M Hill has withdrawn its takeover bid for consultant Scott Wilson after American consultant URS upped its original offer by more than £60M.
Inside Pandora’s Box

7-Jul-2010
The arrival of high speed rail services did not quite complete the rebirth of London’s St Pancras station. Mark Hansford reports on the final challenge of restoring and reopening the Gothic glory that is Gilbert Scott’s Midland Grand Hotel.
Wilmott Dixon triumphs in CARE construction event

6-Jul-2010
Sixteen intrepid teams of engineers from across the construction industry descended on the Brecon Beacons last weekend to do battle in the 2010 CARE Construction Challenge.
Best designs in public works needed for Civic Trust Awards 2011

5-Jul-2010
Entries are being invited from designers across the UK and Ireland for the 2011 Civic Trust Awards.
Amey snaps up WYG rail division

01 July 2010
Amey has bought consultant WYG’s rail division to help service its growing workload in the sector.
August deadline for High Speed 2 review

01 July 2010
Transport secretary Philip Hammond has challenged the High Speed 2 company to come up with a detailed business case for diverting the London to Birmingham route via Heathrow and making a direct link with High Speed 1 (HS1).
London Underground boss admits disabled access plans have been scrapped

30-Jun-2010
London Underground managing director Mike Brown last week admitted that plans to provide step free access to a third of London’s Tube stations had been ditched ahead of talks about spending cuts.
Rail clients in frantic talks to stave off spending cuts

30-Jun-2010
Transport ministers have told Network Rail and Transport for London (TfL) that they will find out how much will be cut from their budgets within weeks.
Government confirms scrapping of IPC

29-Jun-2010
Decentralisation minister Greg Clark last week confirmed that he is scrapping the Infrastructure Planning Commission (IPC) - the quango which approves major infrastructure projects.
Cost benchmarking to be first casualty of Tube Lines buyout

28-Jun-2010
Independent benchmarking of the cost of London’s multi-billion pound Tube upgrade looks set to be the first casualty of Transport for London’s (TfL’s) takeover of Tube Lines.
US giant URS set to edge out CH2M Hill in battle for Scott Wilson

28-Jun-2010
Scott Wilson bosses have revealed that a need for global expansion is driving their desire to sell up to US giant URS in a cash deal worth £160M.
Hammond sets August deadline for High Speed 2 route review

25-Jun-2010
Transport secretary Philip Hammond has challenged the High Speed 2 company to come up with a detailed business case for diverting the London to Birmingham route via Heathrow and making a direct link with High Speed 1.
Network Rail begins search for new chief executive

24 June 2010
Network Rail was this week beginning the hunt for a new chief executive after Iain Coucher said he was standing down after eight years with the business.
Heading for a blackout

24 June 2010
Britain is heading for an energy crisis with generating capacity only just matching peak demand according to the ICE’s latest State of the Nation report. Mark Hansford examines the detail.
Osborne: No more infrastructure spending cuts this year

22-Jun-2010
Chancellor George Osborne this week said there would be no more capital spending reductions in the current financial year, saving major infrastructure projects from the public spending axe.
Former Arup boss to lead government review of cost of civils projects

22-Jun-2010
Former Arup chairman Terry Hill is to lead Treasury body Infrastructure UK’s (IUK’s) investigation into the cost of civil engineering projects.
Engineers welcome fossil fuel and new nuclear incentives

21-Jun-2010
New energy minister Charles Hendry has indicated that the government is examining options for incentivising the construction of new fossil fuel and nuclear power stations to bridge Britain’s looming energy gap.
Mouchel to make more job cuts

17-Jun-2010
Consultant Mouchel has got rid of its group finance director Kevin Young after admitting that more jobs will have to go to cut costs.
State of the Nation 2010: ICE calls for urgent action on energy and planning

17-Jun-2010
The ICE has this week called on government to take urgent action to plug Britain’s energy gap and develop an effective planning system.
Transport faces up to public spending axe

17 June 2010
Local authority engineers were this week forced to accept that no new local transport schemes will get built without private investment.
Fears of widespread job losses

17 June 2010
Local authorities and consultants have warned that the hiatus in development work followed by a sharp drop in capital spending would spell job losses.
Crossrail needs more engineering support, says project boss

16-Jun-2010
Supporters of London’s Crossrail scheme have called for more to be done to demonstrate the economic value creation of major infrastructure projects.
Government postpones decisions on all local transport schemes

10-Jun-2010
The Department for Transport (DfT) has told local authority bosses that it is postponing decisions on all local transport schemes and reviewing all schemes that are yet to begin construction.
NCE team takes on Welsh mountain - sponsor us now!

10-Jun-2010
Intrepid teams of colleagues from across the construction industry are taking on the NCE Hackers in the 2010 CARE Construction Challenge.
Harsh staff cuts could affect Transport for London's credit score

8-Jun-2010
Harsh staff cuts by Transport for London (TfL) could harm its credit worthiness, a leading financial group warned this week.
Scott Wilson confirms takeover bid

7-Jun-2010
Scott Wilson has told the London Stock Exchange that it has received approaches with regard to a possible acquisition of the company.
Bam Nuttall gets going on £89M Luton busway

1-Jun-2010
Luton Borough Council has hosted a groundbreaking start of works ceremony for the £89M Luton Dunstable Busway this morning, ending months of uncertainty over the scheme.
Whalsay to Shetland tunnel faces the axe

28-May-2010
Plans for an £83M tunnel linking the island of Whalsay to the mainland of Shetland will be scrapped unless costs can be significantly reduced or a subsidy can be found by Shetland Island Council.
Coalition government sets out detailed plans for transport, energy and planning

20-May-2010
The coalition government has today confirmed its intention rip up the planning system and axe the Infrastructure Planning Commission, phase construction of a high speed rail network and its “support” for Crossrail.
Early decision on spending cuts promised

20 May 2010
Civil engineering projects are facing the axe after chief secretary to the Treasury David Laws ordered that spending decisions made earlier this year be reviewed and resubmitted to the Treasury.
Will TfL deliver better value for money now it has control?

20 May 2010
The value for money of London Underground’s (LU’s) £30bn upgrade is under the microscope this week. This follows the dramatic announcement of LU’s buyout of the one PPP contract it does not control - that held by Tube Lines. Mark Hansford reports on comparing performances.
Infrastructure UK may be at risk

20 May 2010
Contractors have this week written to chancellor George Osborne urging him to clarify the position of Infrastructure UK (IUK) and its work to develop a long term national infrastructure strategy.
Projects face the axe after Treasury orders review of scheme approvals

17-May-2010
Chief secretary to the Treasury David Laws has today ordered that all spending approvals since 1 January this year be reviewed and resubmitted to the Treasury.
Contractors seek clarity on future of Infrastructure UK

14-May-2010
The Civil Engineering Contractors Association (CECA) has written to chancellor George Osborne urging him to clarify the position of Infrastructure UK and its work to develop a long term strategy for national infrastructure.
Industry welcomes Tory/Liberal Democrat coalition but urges instant action on infrastructure

12-May-2010
Construction industry bodies have this morning urged the new Conservative/Liberal Democrat coalition to make investment in infrastructure its top priority.
Morgan Est engineers told jobs are safe

11-May-2010
Civil engineers at contractor Morgan Est have been told their jobs are safe, despite the firm being merged with sister company Morgan Ashurst.
Jacque Rast: Project delivery dynamo

6 May 2010
From civil engineering graduate to entrepreneur to one of the world’s top programme managers, CH2M Hill major programs president Jacque Rast knows more than a thing or two about efficient infrastructure delivery. She shared her philosophy with Mark Hansford.
Election 2010: Contractors warn spending plan is vital

5-May-2010
New BAM Nuttall chief executive Steve Fox has stressed that setting out short-term funding plans must be the first priority for the incoming government following tomorrow’s General Election.
Battle lines drawn on infrastructure spend

29 April 2010
Civil engineer and current Lord Mayor of Belfast Naomi Long is attempting to unseat Northern Ireland first minister Peter Robinson.
London Underground instructed to descope Tube work or put in extra money

28-Apr-2010
PPP Arbiter Chris Bolt has told London Underground (LUL) that it must find the cash needed to close its £465M Tube upgrade funding gap or to rescope work it expects contractor Tube Lines to carry out.
More for Less: clients must take the lead

26-Apr-2010
Clients must take more responsibility ensuring they get value for money from their projects, claims consultant Turner & Townsend.
Amey chief Chris Webster leaves firm after restructuring operation

22-Apr-2010
Amey chief operating officer Chris Webster has left the company after a group-wide restructuing operation.
Engineers to fight for key marginal seats

22 April 2010
Civil engineers and construction professionals will fight key marginal seats on 6 May.
Catch fence failure probed in Italian rail disaster

14-Apr-2010
Failure of a catch fence designed to retain falling debris appears to have been a major factor in a fatal rail crash in northern Italy this week.
Ken Dalton steps down as Aecom Europe chief executive

12-Apr-2010
Aecom Europe has begun the hunt for a new chief executive after Ken Dalton stepped down last week to take up a new role as chief executive of the consultant’s global building engineering business line.
Amey, Mott MacDonald and JBA big winners in NCE/ACE Consultants of the Year Awards

1 April 2010
Amey has scooped the NCE/ACE Consultants of the Year Major Firm award after 12 months of success, with Mott MacDonald named international firm and JBA named medium winner.
Amey: A brand new breed of major consultant

1 April 2010
Amey has scooped the Major Firm award at this year’s NCE/ACE Consultants of the Year Awards. Managing director of Amey’s consultancy division Andy Milner spoke to Mark Hansford.
Consultants shed 11,000 jobs as recession bites

1 April 2010
Civil engineering consultants have shed more than 11,000 staff in the last 12 months, NCE can exclusively reveal.
Jarvis to make 1,100 redundancies after receivers shut rail and plant arms

31-Mar-2010
Jarvis’ administrator has announced that 1,100 redundancies will be made across the company’s rail and plant businesses after concluding they cannot continue as a going concern.
Vinci wins £6.5bn Tours to Bordeaux high speed rail deal

30-Mar-2010
Réseau Ferré de France (RFF) has named a Vinci-led consortium preferred bidder for the €7.2bn (£6.5bn) Tours to Bordeaux high speed line (HSL) concession.
Project manager Amec buys environmental consultant Entec for £61M

30-Mar-2010
Project managerment firm Amec has bought environmental consultant Entec from its owner-managers and investors Growth Capital Partners for an initial cash consideration of £61.2M.
Government funding decision moves Birmingham Roads PFI nearer

29-Mar-2010
Transport minister Paul Clark has confirmed that £600M of government funding will be made available to Birmingham City Council’s highways maintenance private finance initiative (PFI).
Dubai announcement increases optimism for consultancy and engineering

29-Mar-2010
The Association for Consultancy & Engineering has welcomed the decision by the government of Dubai to provide an extra $9.5bn (£6bn) to Dubai World and Nakheel.
Jarvis collapses into administration

25-Mar-2010
Contractor Jarvis has today revealed it has collapsed into administration following a plunge in rail and plant work.
More for less for contractors: Building on Egan

25 March 2010
Are contractors ready to offer something different? Mark Hansford reports.
Treasury investigates 'potentially high' cost of civil engineering projects

24-Mar-2010
Chancellor Alistair Darling has commissioned an investigation into the cost of civil engineering works for major infrastructure projects, building on “existing evidence” of “potentially high costs” of UK schemes compared with the rest of Europe.
Improve NCE's newsletters: take part in our survey

24-Mar-2010
Help us improve our service to you by giving us your feedback on our daily and weekly newsletter service.
NCE Major Projects Hub goes live

18 March 2010
NCE has launched its new Major Projects Hub - an invaluable online resource tracking the progress of more than 100 of the biggest global infrastructure projects.
Yorkshire and Humber: An energy power house

18 March 2010
Yorkshire & Humber’s aspiration to be a global leader in green energy technologies shows no sign of abating, with nuclear now added to the mix. Mark Hansford reports.
Mixed response to high speed rail plans

11-Mar-2010
Lord Adonis’ vision for a £30bn high speed railway from London Euston to Birmingham, Manchester, Sheffield and Leeds has been met with a mixed reaction.
Luton Guided Busway project secures £89M funding package

11-Mar-2010
Transport minister Sadiq Khan has announced a £89M funding package for Luton’s Guided Busway project.
Bridge collapse blamed on engineering ignorance

11-Mar-2010
The official report into the collapse of the Malahide Viaduct near Dublin last summer has found a complete failure of railway engineers to understand what type of structure they were dealing with.
VT Group drops Mouchel takeover bid

10-Mar-2010
VT Group has this morning told the London Stock Exchange that it has decided to abandon its takeover bid of consultant Mouchel.
Consultants could be Costain takeover targets

10-Mar-2010
Contractor Costain has unveiled an ambitious strategy to expand significantly in consultancy and engineering design in order to offer clients the “full life cycle” of services.
Official statistics reveal infrastructure bucking construction recession

5-Mar-2010
Official figures from the Office of National Statistics have revealed a 10% increase in infrastructure spend in 2009 and a 15% surge in the last quarter compared with the previous three months.
RedR begins essential training to assist disaster relief effort in Haiti

5-Mar-2010
RedR has begun providing training to aid agencies in Haiti following the establishment of a joint programme with Bioforce in Port-au-Prince.
Advance works underway on £295M Borders railway

4-Mar-2010
Scottish transport minister Stewart Stevenson yesterday triggered the start of advance works on the £295M Borders railway project, which means that by Act of Parliament the scheme must now be completed.
Balfour Beatty announces increase in profits and £14bn order book

4-Mar-2010
Balfour Beatty has announced an increase in pre-tax profit of 7% to £267M for the year ended 31 December 2009 and a cash balance at year end of £572M.
Balfour Beatty sells stake in two PFI concessions in return for £21M war chest

4-Mar-2010
Balfour Beatty has agreed the sale of a 23.9% interest in its Edinburgh Royal Infirmary PPP concession and of its entire 50% interest in the Aberdeen Waste Water PPP concession to funds managed by Australian fund manager AMP Capital Investors for £24.3M.
Councils told to save by selling buildings and sharing services

4 March 2010
Ministers this week published a report setting out “10 decisive steps” that all councils must take to protect vital frontline services from public spending cuts.
Thames Tunnel project to be referred to Infrastructure Planning Commission

2-Mar-2010
Environment secretary Hilary Benn has confirmed that Thames Water’s 32km long Thames Tunnel will be directed to the Infrastructure Planning Commission (IPC) to speed up the planning process.
Irish infrastructure needs "urgent" work, say engineers

2-Mar-2010
Infrastructure in Ireland needs to be urgently brought up to scratch, according to a report by leading engineers.
Entries invited for 2010 British Construction Industry Awards

2-Mar-2010
Entries are invited for the 2010 British Construction Industry Awards, the UK’s top accolades for overall excellence in building and civil engineering projects. Full details and online entry is available at www.bciawards.org.uk. Closing date for entries is Thursday 15 April.
UK construction activity fell further in February, albeit at modest pace

2-Mar-2010
UK construction activity continued to fall during February, according to the seasonally adjusted CIPS/Markit Construction Purchasing Managers’ Index.
Chile quake: British Red Cross launches appeal

28-Feb-2010
One of the largest earthquake’s ever recorded has struck Chile, killing hundreds and affecting around two million.
Environment Agency issues severe flood warning for East Anglia

28-Feb-2010
The Environment Agency has warned of flooding that could pose extreme danger to life in East Anglia as a severe Atlantic storm batters parts of south east England.
New corporate manslaughter sentencing rules highlight need for robust risk management

25-Feb-2010
New guidelines calling for “punitive and significant” fines for corporate manslaughter have highlighted the need for robust health and safety risk management, insurers have warned.
Managing risk in construction - how is new legislation affecting you?

25-Feb-2010
NCE’s second annual risk management survey in association with Marsh aims to explore the impact of new legislation such as the Corporate Manslaughter Act and the Bribery Act are having or are likely to have on the construction industry’s attitude to managing risk.
BrightSource secures £1bn to build world's largest solar power plant in California

24-Feb-2010
The US Department of Energy has conditionally granted $1.37bn (£1bn) in loan guarantees for construction and start up of the Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System, a 440MW solar power facility in southeastern California being built by BrightSource Energy and Bechtel.
Treasury efficiency drive looms

18 February 2010
Economic secretary Ian Pearson last week told the construction industry to find ways of delivering more output for less cost as the government prepares to make savage cuts in public spending.
Ignorance of Eurocodes will cost you dear, civil engineers told

17-Feb-2010
The reluctance of civil engineers to pick up and run with the new structural Eurocodes could cost British construction companies dearly, consultant McBains Cooper has warned.
Four contractors appointed to £2bn Managed Motorways framework

16-Feb-2010
A national framework contract for up to £2bn of work has been awarded today to deliver Managed Motorways schemes to reduce congestion, improve safety and make journey times more reliable on key sections of England’s motorways.
Companies face order to publicise corporate manslaughter conviction

16-Feb-2010
Companies convicted of corporate manslaughter could be forced to take out adverts publicising their conviction as a result of new measures which come into effect today.
Dutch property market collapse hit BAM profits

16-Feb-2010
Royal BAM Group, owner of Bam Nuttall and BAM Construction, has revealed that its net profit for 2009 is expected to be €30M, down €70M on the previous forecast of €100M.
Mott MacDonald acquires African power consultant Merz and McLellan

15-Feb-2010
Mott MacDonald has bought South Africa and Botswana power consultant Merz and McLellan as part of the consultant’s expansion plan for the African energy market.
Planners give go-ahead for Bristol City's new stadium

15-Feb-2010
Bristol City Council’s planning committee has given the green light to Bristol City Football Club’s new Ashton Vale stadium.
Environment Agency spells out £745M flood defence spend

11-Feb-2010
The Environment Agency has announced how over £745M of Defra, Welsh Assembly Government, Local Authority and European Union funding will be allocated to reduce the risk of flood and coastal erosion in England and Wales for the year to March 2011.
Boost for graduates as civils jobs market to soar by 32%

11 February 2010
Civil engineering employers are expecting to see graduate vacancies soar by a third this year, according to figures published this week by the Association of Graduate Recruiters (AGR).
Costs undermine Eurocode switchover

11 February 2010
Two thirds of civil engineers feel unable to confidently use Eurocodes, less than two months before British Standards for structural design are withdrawn, according to the results of an NCE survey.
Iconic Poole Harbour bridge poised for construction go-ahead

11 February 2010
Construction of Poole’s £37M Twin Sails Bridge project is now waiting on transport minister Sadiq Khan after the local council selected a contractor for the scheme.
EnterpriseMouchel wins £149M Cumbria and north Lancashire highways maintenance deal

10-Feb-2010
The Highways Agency has appointed EnterpriseMouchel as its service provider responsible for the day to day management of the motorways and strategic roads in Cumbria and north Lancashire.
Systra wins French light rail deal

9-Feb-2010
Réseau Ferré de France, the French network operator, has awarded the contract for project management for the infrastructure of the Sartrouville – Epinay-sur-Seine section of the Tangentielle Nord line to a consortium headed by Systra.
M74 extension reaches critical phase with Port Eglinton viaduct launch

8-Feb-2010
One of the biggest civil engineering operations in Scotland is taking place in Glasgow over the next two weeks with the launch of the Port Eglinton Viaduct over the West Coast Main Line.
Surrey County Council calls on government to pay for frozen road damage

8-Feb-2010
Surrey County Council leader Andrew Povey is calling on the Government to share the financial burden with local taxpayers to help conquer the county’s pothole problem.
World Trade Center construction reaches 20th floor

4-Feb-2010
Steel installation for One World Trade Center has reached the 20th floor equivalent level, raising the tower to 60m above street level, the Port Authority of New York has announced.
Government's microgeneration cash-back scheme slammed

04 February 2010
Government proposals to allow homeowners to cash in on small-scale energy generation by selling it on to the National Grid have been slammed by engineers for offering misleading figures.
Amec buys Australian cost consultant

04 February 2010
Project management firm Amec has bought cost consultant Currie & Brown’s Australia arm for £20M in cash.
Conservatives vow to build Crossrail and "begin work" on high speed rail line

2-Feb-2010
Shadow chancellor George Osborne has pledged that his party will build London’s £15.9bn Crossrail scheme and start work on a north-south high speed rail line should they win the next General Election.
Skanska scoops £1bn Essex Building Schools For the Future PFI

2-Feb-2010
Skanska has been named preferred bidder for a £1bn deal to develop, construct and maintain three schools for Essex County Council as part of the Building Schools for the Future programme.
Amec acquires Australian cost consultant Currie & Brown

29-Jan-2010
Project management firm Amec has bought Australian cost consultant Currie & Brown for £20M in cash.
RedR team sets date to fly out to Haiti

29-Jan-2010
Engineering disaster relief charity RedR and French training organisation Bioforce has confirmed it is sending an assessment team to Haiti on 2 February.
Tender prices fall further but costs stabilise, latest figures reveal

29-Jan-2010
Tender prices fell for the seventh consecutive quarter in the third quarter of 2009, says the latest UK Tender Price Index compiled by the Building Cost Information Service (BCIS).
Carillion-led joint venture selected as preferred bidder for £370M Wolverhampton Building Schools for the Future programme

29-Jan-2010
A Carillion-led Local Education Partnership (LEP) has been appointed as the preferred bidder for the £370M Wolverhampton Building Schoolsfor the Future (BSF) programme, part of the UK Government’s £65bn BSF programme.
Damage limitation: Lessons from Cumbria

28 January 2010
Last November’s devastating floods in Cumbria once again raised the question of whether extreme events can - or should - be engineered against. Mark Hansford examines the options.
Civils firms may be next for OFT probe

28 January 2010
Civil engineering firms have been warned that the Office of Fair Trading may turn its investigation into bid-rigging in the construction industry on to the highways and infrastructure sector.
Costain signs up for CARE challenge

28 January 2010
Intrepid teams of engineers from across the construction industry are already signing up to take on NCE and take part in the 2010 CARE Construction Challenge.
Ten years in jail if firms use bribery at home – or abroad

28 January 2010
Legal and risk management experts have this week urged engineers to prepare for a fierce government clampdown on corruption overseas or face imprisonment or unlimited fines for their company.
Transport for London in hunt for panel of expert advisers

28 January 2010
Transport for London (TfL) is hunting for consultants and project managers to form an independent panel to advise on the delivery of its entire investment programme.
NCE's Antony Oliver to promote civil engineering careers on online Q&A

27-Jan-2010
The Guardian is tomorrow running a live online Q&A on careers in civil engineering, with posts answered by a panel of industry experts including NCE editor Antony Oliver.
Atlas Copco targets Asia for growth

21 January 2010
Global plant giant Atlas Copco has set its sights on acquisition-led growth in China and India as the global downturn depresses the European and US construction markets.
New owners of West Ham launch bid to take over London's Olympic Stadium

20-Jan-2010
The new owners of West Ham United football club have announced their intention to move in to London’s Olympic stadium - but only if the capacity is reduced to 50,000 instead of 25,000 as planned.
Three firms shortlisted to build temporary road bridge for flood-hit Workington

16-Jan-2010
Cumbria County Council has announced that three companies have been shortlisted and invited to tender for the contract to build Workington’s new temporary road bridge.
US government announces major shift in transport policy

14-Jan-2010
US transportation secretary Ray LaHood has announced that funding decisions on major transit projects will no longer be based on cutting congestion alone.
Highways Agency and councils to cut salt usage by a further 25% as supplies run out

13-Jan-2010
The Highways Agency and local authorities are to cut salt usage by another 25% as a drastic measure to conserve salt stocks and help manage supplies in order to help keep the country running during the continuing winter weather period.
Balfour Beatty reaches financial close on £450M Blackburn hospital

13-Jan-2010
Balfour Beatty has today that it has reached financial close for the £450M Blackburn with Darwen and Bolton Councils Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme.
Councils ordered to cut back on gritting as national salt shortage bites

9-Jan-2010
Ministers have ordered highway authorities across the UK to cut their salt usage by 25% to manage the pressure on salt supplies caused by the most prolonged spell of cold weather in the UK in almost 30 years.
Boris says 2010 is biggest year yet for Crossrail project

7 January 2010
London mayor Boris Johnson has said 2010 is poised to be a “huge year” for the £15.9bn Crossrail project with the main construction phase starting in earnest.
Scott Wilson wins Saudi high speed rail contract

7 January 2010
Scott Wilson has scooped a lucrative project management role on the Saudi Railways Organisation’s (SRO’s) new £1.1bn Haramain High Speed Rail Project.
Westinghouse picks Shaw/Laing O'Rourke for UK nuclear work

7 January 2010
Westinghouse Electric Company has confirmed it will team up with US construction giant Shaw and Laing O’Rourke to build new nuclear plants in the UK.
London businesses set up infrastructure commission to make case for investment

6-Jan-2010
Business lobby group London First has established an expert Infrastructure Commission to address issues regarding London’s infrastructure.
Mega offshore wind deals to be announced on Friday

6-Jan-2010
The Crown Estate will annouce the consortiums that will develop 25GW of offishore wind in Round 3 of its licencing regime on Friday.
Big freeze: Scottish council calls for emergency action as salt runs out

6-Jan-2010
A council in southern Scotland has called for emergency action to be taken as it only has about one day’s supply of salt left to treat its roads.
Grim news for graduates with just one in 10 SMEs recruiting

6-Jan-2010
A survey of 500 small and medium-sized enterprises has revealed that just 11% had taken on a recent graduate in the past 12 months and only 12% indicated they would do so in the next 12 months.
Scott Wilson scoops project management role for Saudi Arabia high speed rail mega project

5-Jan-2010
Scott Wilson has scooped a lucrative project management role on the Saudi Railways Organisation’s new £1.1bn Haramain High Speed Rail Project.
Transport for London puts 36 firms on £500M engineering and project management framework

5-Jan-2010
Transport for London (Tfl) today announced that following a competitive tendering process, 36 companies have been selected to participate in the retendered Engineering and Project Management Framework.
London Gateway port site construction gets underway

5-Jan-2010
Prime minister Gordon Brown and business secretary Lord Mandelson visited London Gateway’s port construction site today to mark the start of work on one of the UK’s largest infrastructure projects.
Probe into blaze at Kingsnorth power station

4-Jan-2010
An investigation is underway to pinpoint the cause of a blaze which shut down Kingsnorth’s coal-fired power station.
PPP arbiter Chris Bolt heads New Year honours list for construction

31-Dec-2009
London Underground Public Private Partnership disputes arbiter Chris Bolt has been awarded the Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB) in the New Year’s honours list.
New railway bridge for Diss after round-the-clock effort

31-Dec-2009
A team of Network Rail engineers worked around the clock over the Christmas weekend to replace the main railway bridge in Diss, Norfolk in 72 hours
Crossrail: 2010 set to be "huge year" for project

30-Dec-2009
London mayor Boris Johnson has said 2010 is set to be a “huge year” for the £15.9bn Crossrail project with main construction works beginning in earnest.
Tories attack high speed rail plans

30-Dec-2009
The Conservative Party has slammed the government’s high speed rail plans for a lack of detail beyond Birmingham and for failing to focus on a rail hub for Heathrow airport.
Huge London station set to be central to High Speed 2

29-Dec-2009
A huge new station in the heart of London will be proposed in north-south, high-speed rail line plans which will be submitted this week to the Government.
Fines of up to £25,000 for late-running streetworks proposed

29-Dec-2009
Utility companies who fail to finish their road works on time will face increased charges under new plans announced on Saturday by transport minister Sadiq Khan.
United Utilties faces mass legal action threat over Cumbria floods

29-Dec-2009
A Cumbrian law firm is preparing to mount what could become a mass legal action against United Utilities over last month’s floods in Cumbria.
Date set for public inquiry into Thames Water's mega £400M Abingdon reservoir

29-Dec-2009
Thames Water’s plan to build a £400M, 150Mm3 reservoir in the heart of Oxfordshire will go before a public inquiry this summer.
Boxing Day tsunami: five years on UK-funded reconstruction best of its kind

26-Dec-2009
Reconstruction work funded by the UK public in the tsunami-devastated province of Aceh in Indonesia was amongst the best of its kind, experts have said on the fifth anniversary of the disaster.
Mega offshore wind farm deals delayed until January

24-Dec-2009
The Crown Estate has delayed the annoucement of the consortiums that will develop 25GW of offishore wind in Round 3 of its licencing regime unti later this month.
Kent latest county council to come under fire for failing to de-ice roads and pavements

24-Dec-2009
Kent County Council today became the latest county council to come under attack for doing too little to keep roads and pavements safe during the recent cold snap.
Balfour Beatty buys Doncaster based contractor Strata Construction

24-Dec-2009
Balfour Beatty has paid £10.3M for Strata Construction, a Doncaster-based company specialising in the construction of affordable housing.
Cornwall County Council admits to leaving 80% of roads untreated after two killed in coach crash

23-Dec-2009
Only a fifth of the roads in Cornwall, the scene of a coach crash in which two women were killed and 47 people injured yesterday, were gritted ahead of the tragedy, it has been revealed.
Westinghouse confirms Shaw Group/Laing O’Rourke team for UK new nuclear programme

23-Dec-2009
Westinghouse Electric Company has confirmed it will team with a consortium of US construction giant Shaw Group and Laing O’Rourke as the constructor for the pursuit of new nuclear plant business in the United Kingdom.
IBM to run Essex County Council in multi-billion eight year deal

22-Dec-2009
IBM today announced that it has signed a £5.4bn eight year deal with Essex County Council to deliver enhanced services whilst saving 20% on the council’s annual £1.2bn budget
Channel Tunnel chaos as Eurostar services suspended by cold weather

20-Dec-2009
Cross-channel Eurostar train services remained suspended all weekend after the cold weather was blamed for the breakdown of four trains on Friday, trapping more than 2,000 people for hours.
Thameslink station redevelopment gets go-ahead

20-Dec-2009
The redevelopment of West Hampstead’s Thameslink station took another major step forward last week after Camden council gave Network Rail the go-ahead to build a new, ‘green’ station building.
Environment Agency: Flood-hit homes must be rebuilt to better cope with future floods

20-Dec-2009
The Environment Agency is urging owners of properties damaged in last month’s Cumbria floods to insist that insurers repair their homes and businesses to be more flood-resilient.
Birse scoops £147M A11 Fiveways to Thetford improvement scheme

20-Dec-2009
The Highways Agency has awarded the £147M A11 Fiveways to Thetford Improvement scheme to Birse Civils.
Climate change campaigners warn Copenhagen summit on brink of collapse

18-Dec-2009
The TckTckTck climate change campaign has warned that the Copenhagen summit to stop the climate crisis is at risk of failing and that only massive public pressure can save it.
Tube Lines told to cut £1.35bn over next seven and half years

17-Dec-2009
Tube Lines has today been told that it can spend a maximum of £4.4bn over the next seven and a half year review period, down on the £5.75bn it had asked for.
Mott MacDonald lands key advisory role on Tianjin Eco-City, China

15-Dec-2009
Mott MacDonald has been awarded a key role on a new flagship sustainable development in northern China, the ¥150 billion ($22 billion) Tianjin Eco-City for clients the Sino Singapore Tianjin Eco City Administrative Committee and Global Environment Facility.
Invitations to tender issued for £137M Heysham to M6 Link

14-Dec-2009
Lancashire County Council has invited seven contractors to bid for the opportunity to build the £137M Heysham to M6 link road.
Adonis: high speed plans will be revealed in March

14-Dec-2009
Transport secretary Lord Adonis has confirmed that the Government will set out its plans for the future of high speed rail in Britain in the Spring of 2010, as he saw the start of a full service on Britain’s first high speed line.
Transport Scotland tenders for £230M PFI Borders railway

11-Dec-2009
Transport Scotland has begun the tendering process for the £230M Borders railway project as a 30 year design build, finance and maintain PFI deal.
CECA urges government to boost industry

10 December 2009
Contractors this week expressed fears that the civil engineering sector will have lost up to 40,000 jobs over three years by the end of 2010.
Construction output on the up

10 December 2009
Construction output rose by 2% between the second and third quarters of 2009, according to official figures published by the Office of National Statistics this week.
Government figures show construction output up in third quarter

4-Dec-2009
The total volume of construction output in the third quarter of 2009 rose by 2% compared with the second quarter of 2009, official figures from the Office of National Statistics have revealed.
Bridges still being checked

3 December 2009
Structural engineers have completed preliminary checks on around 1,300 of Cumbria’s 1,800 bridges with seven so far identified as needing full inspections.
Transport minister opens England's second hard shoulder running scheme on M6

1-Dec-2009
England’s newest hard shoulder running scheme is to be opened on the M6 motorway today by transport minister Chris Mole, a month earlier than planned.
Cumbria floods: preliminary bridge inspections due to complete today

28-Nov-2009
Structural engineers are due to complete their checks today on around 1,300 of Cumbria’s 1,800 bridges with seven so far identified as needing full inspections.
Experts raise safety concerns over new nuclear reactors

27-Nov-2009
The Government’s plans to increase the country’s reliance on nuclear power have been thrown into doubt after after experts raised a raft of safety concerns about two proposed reactors.
Network Rail's Coucher: we must continue to drive down costs

26-Nov-2009
Network Rail chief executive Iain Coucher has said costs must be driven down further as the rail operator makes “good progress” towards its target to cut costs by £4.1bn by 2014.
Environment Agency rejects dredging call

26 November 2009
The Environment Agency has this week defended its approach to flood protection in Cumbria, after floods struck the region at the weekend.
Ports and airports: Port of call

26 November 2009
Moves are afoot to fast-track ports through the UK’s convoluted planning process, but getting to the construction phase will still be a challenge. Mark Hansford reports.
Cumbria floods: engineers carrying out urgent assessment of 1,800 bridges

22-Nov-2009
Structural engineers supported by the Royal Engineers are assessing damage to 1,800 bridges in the county in an attempt to keep the highways network open as much as possible.
Deep water wind turbine foundation design shortlisted by the Carbon Trust

19-Nov-2009
The design for a new generation of deep water wind turbine foundations developed by a British consortium led by consultant Gifford has been selected for further development in a competition organised by the Carbon Trust.
£1.6bn to axe Crossrail

19 November 2009
Liberal Democrat shadow transport secretary Norman Baker last week raised fears about the future of Crossrail after sounding out the cost of cancelling the £15.9bn project.
Lib Dems sound out the cost of cancelling Crossrail

12-Nov-2009
Liberal Democrat shadow transport secretary Norman Baker has raised fears over the future of Crossrail after sounding out the cost of cancelling the £16bn project.
Major ports programme planned

12 November 2009
Port expansion projects will be fast-tracked through the planning process, after the government confirmed a “broad need” for more capacity up to 2030 and beyond.
Banks pump £700M into onshore wind farms projects

12 November 2009
Three British banks are to start offering new loans to onshore wind farm developers. The loans will allow £1.4bn of projects to move to construction over the next three years.
Companies to face £500,000 fines if guilty of corporate killing

12 November 2009
Fines for corporate manslaughter should start at £500,000 and include a public admission of guilt, the Sentencing Guidelines Council said this week.
Crossrail invites bids for two more tunnel contracts

12 November 2009
Crossrail has invited tenders for the construction of the access shafts and sprayed concrete lining station tunnels at Liverpool Street and Whitechapel.
Stewart quits BAA as Douglas leaves Laing O’Rourke

12 November 2009
Rob Stewart is to step down as construction director at airport operator BAA at the end of November to oversee the construction of the Ministry of Defence’s new technical college in Wales.
Treasury: Up to £1.4bn in new loans for onshore wind farms

10-Nov-2009
Three UK-based banks will start offering new loans to eligible onshore wind farms today, with wind farm developers and the banks having an opportunity to start brokering the deals at a forum in the city hosted by energy secretary Ed Miliband and chancellor Alistair Darling.
Crossrail tenders for Liverpool Street and Whitechapel station tunnels

10-Nov-2009
Crossrail is inviting tenders for the construction of the access shafts and sprayed concrete lining station tunnels at Liverpool and Whitechapel.
Three new sites for nuclear power revealed

9-Nov-2009
The government has put forward three new sites for nuclear power stations at Kingsnorth in Kent, Druridge Bay in the North East and Owston Ferry south of Scunthorpe, that could be built post-2025.
Tony Douglas quits Laing O'Rourke - official

9-Nov-2009
Tony Douglas is to step down from Laing O’Rourke’s Board and will be leaving the Group after a short handover, it was announced today.
Firms convicted of corporate manslaughter to face minimum £500,000 fines

6-Nov-2009
Companies and organisations that cause death through gross breaches of care should face punitive and significant fines of at least £500,000, the Sentencing Guidelines Council has proposed.
Parsons Brinckerhoff shareholders approve Balfour Beatty takeover

22-Oct-2009
Balfour Beatty’s acquisition of US giant Parsons Brinckerhoff was today approved by the consultants’ shareholders with a massive 98.9% of votes cast in favour of the deal.
Atkins sheds water jobs as industry's cyclical spending cycle bites

22 October 2009
Consultant Atkins has warned that the water industry is in danger of critically reducing its future capacity after being forced to axe around 100 jobs in the sector.
CARE: Ready for a challenge?

22 October 2009
Leading overseas aid and development agency CARE International UK is pleased to announce the launch of the CARE Construction Challenge supported by NCE.
Out of court settlement reached in Margate art gallery fiasco

20-Oct-2009
Kent County Council has reached a £6M out of court settlement with the design team for its abandoned Turner Contemporary Gallery in Margate.
Network Rail seeks supplier for Birmingham New Street station roof

20-Oct-2009
Network Rail is seeking expressions of interest for the contract for the supply and installation of an ETFE roof to an atrium that shall be formed to the existing shopping centre above Birmingham New Street Railway Station.
Crossrail advertises Paddington works package

20-Oct-2009
Crossrail has advertised an 18-month contract covering a package of integration works at Paddington station.
ICE salary survey reveals sharp drop for lowest paid - but rich get richer

15 October 2009
Salaries of civil engineers has fallen for the first time in seven years according to the Institution of Civil Engineers’ annual survey, with basic average income in the UK down 0.3% to £47,282.
Stark warning issued to industry as claims and conflicts return

15 October 2009
Construction bosses were today slammed for adopting a “skin deep” approach to improving efficiency, quality and profitability as “subbie-bashing” and claims culture returns.
Tony Douglas out as Laing O'Rourke makes "significant" job cuts

15 October 2009
Britain’s second biggest contractor Laing O’Rourke is to make “significant” job cuts in major shake-up of its UK and European business.
Bosses out of step with reform effort

15 October 2009
Industry bosses must “up their game” by doing more to attract future leaders and prevent the brain-drain to other industries, says the Never Waste a Good Crisis review.
Graduates let down by institutions

15 October 2009
Engineering institutions have failed to equip graduates with the broad skills they need to work on multi-disciplinary projects, says the Never Waste a Good Crisis review.
Graduates let down by Institutions, report says

14-Oct-2009
Engineering institutions have failed to equip graduates with the broad skills they need to work on multi-disciplinary projects, says the NeverWaste a Good Crisis review.
Constructing Excellence: bosses out of step with reform effort

14-Oct-2009
Industry bosses must “up their game” by doing more to attract future leaders and prevent the brain-drain to other industries, says the NeverWaste a Good Crisis review.
John Saunders named chief executive of Infrastructure Planning Commission

14-Oct-2009
The Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) has appointed John Saunders as chief executive of the Infrastructure Planning Commission (IPC).
Provisional funding approved for Hastings link road

9-Oct-2009
Provisional funding for the £100M Bexhill to Hastings Link Road has today been agreed by transport sectretary Lord Adonis..
Hays confirms intention to appeal OFT fine

8-Oct-2009
Recruitment consultant Hays has today confirmed it is to appeal its £30M fine for its involvement in the “Construction Recrutiment Forum” price fixing cartel.
Villiers to scrap speed cameras

8 October 2009
Shadow transport secretary Theresa Villiers said this week that a Conservative government would not install any more fixed speed cameras as part of a radical plan to improve road safety.
Tories to "end relentless expansion" of speed cameras on Britain's roads

6-Oct-2009
Shadow transport secretary Theresa Villiers today declared that a Conservative government would not fund any new fixed speed cameras as part of a radical plan to improve road safety.
Breakthrough for Sharjah’s longest rock tunnel

5-Oct-2009
Sharjah’s Diftah - Shis highway, a route that will link the port of Khor Fakkan on the East Coast of Sharjah Emirate to Diftah in the central region, blasted its way into the local record books this week as the project team achieved their first of two tunnel breakthroughs – and in turn created the UAE’s longest rock tunnel.
Crossrail goes out to tender for Tottenham Court Road and Bond Street stations

2-Oct-2009
Crossrail has today invited bids for tunnelling work at Tottenham Court Road and Bond Street underground stations in central London.
M74 piling work complete

1-Oct-2009
Morgan Est has successfully finished the piling works on the £445M Interlink M74 Completion Project in Glasgow for Transport Scotland.
Environment Agency unveils plans for £300M Thames flood defence scheme

1 October 2009
Plans for £300M of flood diversion channels, weir improvements and river widening to safeguard homes and businesses in west London have been unveiled by the Environment Agency.
Engineers demand Copenhagen invite

1 October 2009
International engineering consultants have written to United Nations secretary general Ban Ki-moon requesting an invitation to give evidence at the Copenhagen Climate Change Summit in November.
Scottish transport: Highland rejig

1 October 2009
The remote Scottish railway station made famous in the hit film Trainspotting is undergoing a £400,000 facelift. Mark Hansford reports.
Scottish transport: On the fast track

1 October 2009
Work on one of Scotland’s biggest engineering projects began this summer, with the £312M new rail link between Airdrie and Bathgate progressing quickly. Mark Hansford reports.
Six recruitment agencies hit with £40M fine for price-fixing in the construction industry

30-Sep-2009
Hays Specialist Recruitment has been hit with the biggest fine of £30M and said it was “actively considering” an appeal.
Van Elle to expand precast pile factory as sign of economic recovery

30-Sep-2009
Piling and foundation contractor Van Elle has announced it is extending its precast manufacturing facility in Norfolk to accommodate the manufacture of its Smartfoot modular foundation system.
VolkerFitzpatrick/Hochtief JV scoops £62.5M Kent highways project

30-Sep-2009
Kent County Council has awarded one of its largest ever highways contracts to a VolkerFitzpatrick/Hochtief joint venture for phase two of the East Kent Access scheme.
Crossrail confirms plans to move five million tonnes of spoil via Thames

30-Sep-2009
Crossrail has today confirmed that more than 5M.t of excavated material will be transported by boat along the Thames for use in landscaping projects including the creation of a new nature reserve at Wallasea Island in Essex.
Amey Colas wins £250M rail track renewals deal

30-Sep-2009
Network Rail has declared Amey Colas as its preferred bidder for a new £250M contract to operate and maintain its fleet of high-tech, high-output track renewal systems.
Skanska scoops New York Fulton Street Subway deal

30-Sep-2009
Skanska has won its third contract on the mega Fulton Street Transit Center project in lower Manhattan in New York City.
Finland hands out £75M in fines to contractors operating a cartel in asphalt sector

29-Sep-2009
Finland has imposed fines totalling £75M on seven contractors found guilty of operating a asphalt cartel.
Week ending 25 September: another good week

28-Sep-2009
The support services sector underperformed the FT Allshare by 1% over the week. But the engineering consultants overall had another good week
Failed Forth bidders can reclaim costs

24 September 2009
Contractors this week welcomed Transport Scotland’s proposal to reimburse bidding costs for firms competing for the contract to build the £2.3bn Forth Replacement Crossing.
Forth bridge sucks cash from Scottish budgets

24 September 2009
Scotland’s bold transport plan was the envy of England when it was announced late last year. But the huge cost of the Forth Replacement Crossing is putting pressure on the plans and with the axing of the Glasgow’s rail link, are cracks are beginning to show? Mark Hansford reports.
Jhan Schmitz: Watching brief

24 September 2009
Helping to keep the £15.9bn Crossrail programme on time and on budget is the enviable job of the programme partner. Its director Jhan Schmitz tells Mark Hansford about the challenges of defining scope, setting the baseline, and working with the project delivery partner.
Sector update: Infrastructure

11-Sep-2009
Major projects have dominated the flow of new infrastructure work over the last year. The value of underlying project starts (covering schemes under £100M) has fallen back and was 2% down during the first seven months of 2009 on a year earlier.
NCE Charity Golf Masters 2009 - last chance to enter

10-Sep-2009
The cream of the construction industry’s golfing talent will be doing battle next week in the 9th NCE Charity Golf Masters - and this is the last chance to enter
Serco to design, build and run London's first cycle hire scheme

10-Sep-2009
Transport for London has selected Serco to design, build, operate and maintain the capital’s first cycle hire scheme.
Edinburgh tram resurfacing job targets hearts and minds

10 September 2009
Edinburgh’s troubled tram project has reached a significant milestone with the start of work to resurface the city’s main shopping thoroughfare.
Emissions questions dog high speed rail

10 September 2009
Network Rail’s £34bn plan for a high speed line between London and Scotland has been attacked for not doing enough to provide an alternative to domestic flights.
UK cities join up to launch High Speed Rail campaign

9-Sep-2009
Eleven UK major cities have today joined forces to call for the development of a high speed rail network.
Government gives £30M to transport schemes for new towns

9-Sep-2009
The government has cpproved the spending of £30M for new transport projects to support new housing builds, the money sourced from the Community Infrastructure Fund (CIF).
Mega £25bn transport hub for Scotland proposed

9-Sep-2009
A fully integrated road, rail and air hub called Grand Central should be established in Scotland to help boost economic growth, a leading think tank has recommended.
Balfour Beatty secures place on six new frameworks worth in excess of £250M

7-Sep-2009
Balfour Beatty has secured a position on six construction frameworks through its contractor Mansell, with a total value of more than £250M.
Competition hots up for Crossrail tunnelling contracts

4-Sep-2009
A joint venture of BAM, Ferrovial and Kier has emerged as the latest consortium to be set up to bid for Crossrail tunnelling and station contracts.
Network Rail unveils plans for national centre at Milton Keynes

3-Sep-2009
Network Rail today unveiled the first images of its groundbreaking new national centre, which will bring up to 3,000 jobs to Milton Keynes.
Construction industry contracts further in August - but at slower rate

2-Sep-2009
August survey data from the Chartered Institute of Purchasing & Supply has indicated a further contraction in business activity within the UK construction sector. However, the rate of decline eased marginally since July to its slowest pace in eighteen months.
Costain positive about 2010 as operating profit rises

26-Aug-2009
Contractor Costain this morning said it was “confident for the future” after annoucing half year results showing profit from operations up 11% to £8.3M, a record order book of £2.4bn and no net debt.
Plans for a 150,000 Nou Camp unveiled

25-Aug-2009
Catalan architect Emili Vidal proposes 150,000 capacity “Camp Nou at Sea” for Barcelona
Crossrail puts main tunnelling contracts out to tender

25-Aug-2009
Crossrail has this morning put its first two major tunnelling packages out to tender under one contract notice.
London gets UK’s deepest energy piles

24-Aug-2009
Foundation contractor Cementation Skanska is currently installing the UK’s deepest ever energy piles at NEO Bankside in London, a Native Land and Grosvenor development of 229 luxury apartments designed by architect Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners.
Scottish Water puts 17 firms on £2bn capital investment framework

24-Aug-2009
Scottish Water has named more framework partners to help deliver its next capital investment programme, valued at nearly £2bn, from 2010 onwards.
Civil engineering contractors report a record year - and look positively to the future

24-Aug-2009
This year’s NCE Contractors File - published today online - presents a somewhat confusing message for an industry reputedly in recession, finding contractors reporting record turnover of £16.4bn and record order books of £24.7bn – and looking positively to the future.
Colas Rail / Morgan Est joint venture selected for Network Rail’s £1bn framework

24-Aug-2009
Joint venture partners Colas Rail and Morgan Est have been appointed to Network Rail’s £1bn Multi-Asset Enhancement five-year framework.
Balfour Beatty joint venture selected for $415M road project in Texas

24-Aug-2009
Balfour Beatty Infrastructure, the US arm of Balfour Beatty, has been selected by the North Texas Tollway Authority (NTTA) to work on a major design-build road project in the Dallas-Fort Worth region.
Costain retains top contractor crown

21-Aug-2009
Costain is named Britain’s best civil engineering contractor for the second year running
Market report: No need to panic

20 August 2009
Doom and gloom may be all around, but there are encouraging signs for civils contractors. Mark Hansford looks on the bright side.
Key milestone reached in Thames Water Ring Main extension

11-Aug-2009
Morgan Est has reached a key milestone in its £38M contract to extend the Thames Water Ring Main with a successful tunnel breakthrough at Brixton.
Balfour Beatty Ground Engineering to launch new business in Ireland

8-Aug-2009
Balfour Beatty Ground Engineering (BBGE) has aligned its divisional businesses of Pennine, Stent, Branlow, Balfour Beatty GeoEnvironmental and Testal to provide an integrated ground engineering service in Ireland for customers.
Five share £260M Highways Agency highways and structures framework deal

8-Aug-2009
The Highways Agency has announced that Interserve Project Services, Carillion, a Lafarge/Costain joint venture, a Bam Nuttal/Hanson joint venture and Birse Civils have won a place on its £262M east and south east framework contract for highways & structures.
Liverpool given transport boost

7-Aug-2009
Transport links from the M62 into Liverpool town centre have been given a £17.1M investment by transport minister Sadiq Khan.
Turkey backs Russian pipeline project

7-Aug-2009
Turkey has backed Russian plans for a gas pipeline that would challenge attempts by Europe to cut energy dependence on Moscow.
Geotech specialist Keller talks up "encouraging signs" of a recovery

6-Aug-2009
Keller Group said that signs of a recovery in the geotechnical market are there, despite posting six months results that show a dip in revenue and profits.
Infrastructure orders rise in three months to June - but construction overall remains mixed

6-Aug-2009
Infrastructure orders in the three months to June 2009 rose by 4% compared with the previous three month period, and rose by 27% when compared with the same three month period a year earlier, official figures have revealed.
Mouchel calms City with trading update containing no surprises

6-Aug-2009
Mouchel has calmed the City today with a trading update on the year ended 31 July prior to entering its close period.
Atkins revenue flat in tough market

6-Aug-2009
Atkins has told the City that conditions remain challenging as it delivered a trading update which showed the company currently to be performing well.
TfL publishes review of potential East London river crossings

6-Aug-2009
Early results recommend further feasibility work on a package of projects including Silvertown crossing and Woolwich ferry upgrade
Robert Runcie: Spending for a rainy day

6 August 2009
New climate change predictions have allowed the Environment Agency to determine with greater certainty than ever before the investment that is needed to protect England from flooding. Head of flood defence Robert Runcie tells Mark Hansford what needs to happen.
Humber Estuary defences: race against tides

6 August 2009
Coastal defence work is a race against the changing tides, requiring heavyweight engineering answers and on-site technical support.
Royal Haskoning reports turnover "has stabilized" during the first half of 2009

5-Aug-2009
Royal Haskoning has reported a turnover of €182M in the first half of 2009, an increase of 3% compared to the same period in 2008.
CIRIA welcomes call for lead body to oversee protection of national infrastructure

5-Aug-2009
CIRIA has welcomed two reports into the state of critical infrastructure in the UK, written by the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) and the Council for Science and Technology (CST).
British Waterways hit by funding cuts

3-Aug-2009
The Inland Waterways Association has hit out at deep cuts proposed for inland waterways navigation authority budgets following the announcement of British Waterways grant in aid for next year.
Green light Nottingham tram extension - with workplace parking levy to make it pay

31-Jul-2009
The government has this morning approved £530M of funding for extensions to the Nottingham tram, and also sanctioned Britain’s first workplace parking levy which will fund the city council’s contribution to the scheme.
Mace Celebrity Cricket Challenge raises £36,000 for WaterAid

30-Jul-2009
Great drama, terrific entertainment, genuine shocks and, above all, tens of thousands raised for charity – Mace Group’s first ever Celebrity Cricket Challenge to be held at the Brit Oval delivered it all. Mark Hansford relives the fun and games.
Durham's Riverside stadium wins right to host Ashes Test

30-Jul-2009
Durham’s decision to increase the capacity of its Riverside stadium to 20,000 has paid off today with the county winning the right to host Ashes cricket,
Drainage specialist turns animal spy at Dartmoor zoo

28-Jul-2009
The UK’s largest independent drainage specialist Lanes for Drains had a very different task on its hands in Devon recently - spying on wild animals.
HOK and Parsons Brinckerhoff to design Anaheim's iconic transport hub

28-Jul-2009
HOK and Parsons Brinckerhoff have been selected by the Anaheim City Council and Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) to design phase one of the Anaheim Regional Transportation Intermodal Center (ARTIC).
Tenders continue to fall as workloads plummet - RICS

27-Jul-2009
Tenders prices remain depressed as construction workloads continue to fall, according to the latest Tender Price Index compiled by BCIS, the Building Cost Information Service of the RICS, published today.
Death knell for partnering as clients seek to cut costs

23 July 2009
Contractors and consultants have been warned that the days of cosy partnering arrangements are numbered, as major clients look to cut costs.
Crunch time for London Tideway

23 July 2009
Thames Water has pressed the case for its £2bn London Tideway Tunnels project ahead of Friday’s draft price determination from water regulator Ofwat.
Mouchel to lead an industry-wide review into smart metering

20-Jul-2009
Mouchel has been appointed by UK Water Industry Research (UKWIR) to lead an industry-wide review into smart metering.
Manslaughter builder and contractor jailed

20-Jul-2009
Two men have today been jailed after a 15-year-old labourer was crushed to death by a wall in Hadley Wood. Builder Colin Holtom and contractor Darren Fowler had previously been convicted at the Old Bailey of offences following the death of Adam Gosling.
Civils contracting industry braced for merger & acquistion spree

20-Jul-2009
One in 10 companies in the UK civil engineering contracting industry could change ownership as a result of the current economic climate, claims a new study by leading financial analysts Plimsoll.
Mott MacDonald leaps into lead on Crossrail design contracts

16-Jul-2009
Mott MacDonald has scooped two more Crossrail design contracts making it the biggest winner of work on the £16bn project to date.
New Forth Crossing: Call to stand firm over bridge cash

15-Jul-2009
Ministers in Whitehall are being urged not to increase the “shedloads” of British taxpayers’ cash received by Scotland following a request for extra funds to pay for the new Forth Bridge.
Worthing latest council to suffer curse of innovative structures

15-Jul-2009
A piece of innovative artwork will no longer be appearing on the seafront at Worthing after a prototype revealed technical problems.
Mega $3.5bn Panama Canal expansion deal won by Italian-led consortium

12-Jul-2009
The Panama Canal Authority (ACP) has determined that a consortium led by Italian firm Impreglio offers the “best value” proposal for the $3.5bn locks expansion contract.
Five killed in Delhi Metro bridge collapse

12-Jul-2009
One section of a concrete bridge being built for the Indian capital’s metro rail system collapsed Sunday, crushing to death five workers and injuring 13, Delhi Metro officials said.
Wind energy: new report claims to "debunk the myth of intermittency"

9-Jul-2009
Environmental groups have today pressed the case for wind power with the publication of a new report which claims to “debunk the myth of intermittency”.
Dramatic fall in graduate vacancies this summer

9 July 2009
Civil engineering employers have cut graduate vacancies by more than 40% this year, according to figures published this week by the Association of Graduate Recruiters (AGR).
Crossrail to let three contracts

9 July 2009
Up to three more design contracts on London’s £15.9bn Crossrail scheme are expected to be let tomorrow, NCE can reveal.
Sixty seconds: Hugh Blackwood

9 July 2009
Scott Wilson chief executive Hugh Blackwood on trading in a challenging environment, international opportunities and Crossrail
Construction project starts forecast to stabilise in second half of 2009

7-Jul-2009
The June Glenigan Index has revealed that promised government investment has begun to filter through, helping to steady the flow of new projects starting on site after the sharp falls endured over the last year.
Balfour Beatty/Vinci/Morgan Est/BAM Nuttall JV confirmed for Forth Replacement Crossing

7-Jul-2009
Four major contractors today confirmed they will compete as an integrated joint venture to participate in the procurement of Transport Scotland’s £1.7 to £2.3 billion Forth Replacement Crossing.
Camberwell fire: lessons must be learned, says government

7-Jul-2009
Communities Secretary John Denham has instructed the Government’s Chief Fire and Rescue Adviser, Sir Ken Knight, to report back to him urgently on any emerging findings from the various investigations into last Friday’s fatal fire in South London.
Moves to outlaw secret "blacklists" move forward

7-Jul-2009
The Department for Business today launched a consultation on new regulations that will make it unlawful for trade union members to be denied employment through secret blacklists.
Civils graduate jobs plummet by 40% - official

6-Jul-2009
Graduate job vacancies with civils consultants, contractors and clients have plummeted by more than 40% this year, figures from the Association of Graduate Recruiters have revealed.
More road building will mean more congestion, says Campaign for Better Transport

6-Jul-2009
Congestion on motorways and trunk roads will get significantly worse unless the Government rethinks its transport policy, according to a new report published by the Green motoring lobby group the Campaign for Better Transport.
Crossrail: Martin Buck appointed commercial director

3-Jul-2009
Martin Buck has this afternoon been appointed commercial director of London’s £15.9bn Crossrail scheme.
Ground investigation work on London Tideway Tunnels gets underway

3-Jul-2009
The Thames Tunnel, a 32km long sewer deep beneath London to significantly reduce levels of sewage entering the River Thames, has moved a step closer to becoming a reality with the start of ground investigations.
Government must prioritise rail over road, says Liberal Democrats

3-Jul-2009
The Liberal Democrats have responded to news of a potentail £29bn budget shortfall in British transport projects by urging government to prioritise rail spending over roads.
Balfour Beatty anticipates good 2009

3-Jul-2009
Balfour Beatty said today that its high quality order book - boosted by recent contract wins - will enable the contractor to “make progress” in the remainder of the year.
South West England announces a £10.3M investment in marine energy research

3-Jul-2009
South West England’s ambition to be a global centre for harnessing tidal energy has received a major boost with the announcement of a £10.3M marine energy research investment programme for the region.
Capital costs undermine offshore wind farms

2 July 2009
Wind power companies fear that rapid increases in capital costs are undermining the economic viability of offshore projects.
Scott Wilson looks to India and China

2 July 2009
Scott Wilson said this week that its geographic diversity would see it through the recession.
WSP warns of more redundancies to come

1-Jul-2009
WSP said today that it continued to trade in line with expectations but warned that it could not rule out further job losses.
Water industry calls for more water re-use to avoid hosepipe bans

1-Jul-2009
Consultants and contractors in the water industry are urging European Parliament members to put UK water shortages at the top of their agenda when they make their first trip to Brussels in the next few weeks.
Construction industry blamed for 50 year economic low

30-Jun-2009
Collapsing construction output has caused the UK’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to falll by 2.4% in the first quarter of 2009, the lowest year-on-year drop on record.
London Olympic organisers reveal roads that will have dedicated Olympic lanes

30-Jun-2009
The roads that will form the Olympic Route Network (ORN) have been designated by the Department for Transport today following a 14 week public consultation.
Scott Wilson looks to China to see it through the recession

30-Jun-2009
Scott Wilson today said its geographic diversity, specifically in growth regions such as China and India, would see it through the recession.
Two consortiums dropped from Dublin Metro North project

30-Jun-2009
Dublin Metro North is understoof to have halved the bidding teams on the long-running project, a move that will come as a severeblow to the two dropped teams that are understood to have racked up as much as €15 million in bid costs.
Mott MacDonald appointed lead designer for Masdar infrastructure

29-Jun-2009
Mott MacDonald has been formally appointed by Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company as lead designers for all infrastructure on what is set to be the world’s first carbon neutral zero waste city, Masdar.
Catalogue of failures led to São Paulo collapse

25 June 2009
“Systemic failure” of design, construction and risk management was responsible for the São Paulo tunnel collapse that killed seven people in January 2007, a lead member of the investigation team said last week.
Flood defences need £1bn a year spend

25 June 2009
Flood defence spending must double to £1bn a year by 2035 to ensure that protection for the one in six homes now at risk of flooding in England is maintained, the Environment Agency said last week.
Professor Li Shirong: her story

24-Jun-2009
The Chartered Institute of Building has sworn in China’s Li Shirong as its first female president and first president from outside the UK and Ireland. This is her story.
Offshore wind: industry concerned over sharp increase in capital costs

24-Jun-2009
The British Wind Energy Association (BWEA) today expressed concern over a “sharp increase” in capital costs that makes economic viability now a major barrier to deployment for offshore wind projects.
New carbon calculator from BAM demonstrates how to cut site emissions

24-Jun-2009
BAM Group has developed a project carbon calculator as a practical tool to determine the possibilities for CO2 reduction in the procurement and construction phases of a construction project.
Offshore wind set to meet more than a quarter of the UK’s electricity needs

24-Jun-2009
An extra 25GW of offshore wind energy could be accommodated around the UK’s shores, in addition to the 8GW already built or planned, energy minister Lord Hunt announced today.
Arup to lead Coventry & Birmingham low carbon car project

24-Jun-2009
Arup is to lead a project to develop and test 110 low-carbon cars and vehicles in the West Midlands.
Four new flood defence schemes announced for Humber region

22-Jun-2009
A major £36M package of four flood schemes has been announced to provide improved protection to over 40,000 people in Brough and Swinefleet in the Humber.
Environment Agency repairs York flood banks

22-Jun-2009
Staff at the Environment Agency have been repairing flood banks across York to make sure they are ready for the next downpour.
New flood defence schemes for Tyneside

22-Jun-2009
Residents on Tyneside are to benefit from a package of flood reduction schemes that are bringing organisations together across the region.
Adonis: No public inquiry for Grayrigg or Potters Bar rail disasters

19-Jun-2009
Transport secretary Lord Adonis today rejected calls for a public inquiry into the rail accidents at Grayrigg and Potters Bar, that both resulted in deaths of passengers.
Environment Agency: England needs £1bn a year for flood protection

19-Jun-2009
Flood protection funds need to double to £1bn a year by 2035 to protect the one in six homes at risk of flooding in England, according to two new reports from the Environment Agency published today.
Public sector urged to use firms on a new design framework for major building projects

18-Jun-2009
Public sector clients are today being urged to use firms which have won places on a new government-backed framework agreement when tendering for project managers and designers.
Aecom wins Newcastle and Durham university deals

18-Jun-2009
Aecom has been awarded a contract to provide civil engineering design services to Newcastle University, for its programme to upgrade and refurbish its open spaces.
Mouchel ripe for takeover as rail and Middle East losses hit hard

18-Jun-2009
Consultant Mouchel has been set up as a takeover target after the firm admitted that its financial performance for the current year will fall below previous expectations.
Orders rise but civils still in recession

18 June 2009
Economic indicators for construction published last week suggested that the worst of the recession may have passed. But they also showed that civil engineering had dipped in April and May after consecutive monthly increases in the first quarter of the year.
Adonis sets out junior ministers' duties

16-Jun-2009
Transport secretary Lord Adonis has set out the duties of his new transport ministers.
Cost escalation hits M25 widening benefit to cost ratios

16-Jun-2009
The financial benefit of the £5.5bn M25 widening scheme has collapsed by as much as 60% as a result of rising costs, the Department for Transport has revealed.
France's first "eco-motorway" opens today at noon

16-Jun-2009
The 101km long A19 Artenay-Courtenay autoroute opens today, four months ahead of schedule.
Mott MacDonald to assist on new Kenya-Uganda Pipeline Extension (KUPLE)

16-Jun-2009
Mott MacDonald has been appointed by Tamoil East Africa to supply project management services for a new Kenya-Uganda Pipeline Extension (KUPLE).
Black & Veatch to assist with sustainable water planning in Georgia

16-Jun-2009
Black & Veatch has been selected by the Georgia Environmental Protection Division to assist in preparing water development and conservation plans for three of the state’s regional water planning councils.
New construction orders rise for second consecutive month

11-Jun-2009
New construction orders have risen for the second consecutive month, official figures have revealed.
Labour hits out at Conservative plans to cut spending by 10%

11-Jun-2009
Labour has seized on an admission by shadow health secretary Andrew Lansley that the Conservatives are planning to cut public spending by 10% if they win the next election.
Graduates and students struggle to find work

11 June 2009
Graduate and student civil engineers are facing a grim battle for employment this summer as companies cut back on recruitment for full time work and work experience placements.
French remember British D-Day engineer

11 June 2009
The mayor of Arromanches-les-Bains has unveiled a memorial to D-Day engineering hero Allan Beckett to commemorate the 65th anniversary of the D-Day landings in France.
Aecom appointed to develop the West London Highway Assignment Model

10-Jun-2009
Aecom, in association with Hyder Consulting and The Denvil Coombe Practice, have been appointed by Transport for London to develop the West London Highway Assignment Model.
Aecom to engineer new 7-star Cleveland Clinic Hospital in Abu Dhabi

10-Jun-2009
Aecom has been appointed to provide multi-disciplinary engineering and specialist services for the new Cleveland Clinic Hospital in Abu Dhabi.
Hatch Mott MacDonald to lead design of Port Mann/Highway 1 Project in British Columbia

10-Jun-2009
Hatch Mott MacDonald (HMM) is to serve as senior partner in H5M, a design joint venture team of HMM and MMM Group Limited. H5M is in contract with the Kiewit/Flatiron General Partnership, leading a team of 12 engineering firms in the design of all onshore works for the Port Mann/ Highway 1 Project (PMH1).
Arup to help major cities tackle carbon reduction

9-Jun-2009
Arup is to help 40 of the world’s largest cities tackle climate change after signing an agreement with the Clinton Climate Initiative (CCI) and the C40 group of cities.
Memorial to D-Day engineering hero Allan Beckett unveiled in Arromanches

8-Jun-2009
A memorial to D-Day engineering hero Allan Beckett has been unveiled by the mayor of Arromanches-les-Bains Patrick Jardin to commemorate the 65th anniversary of the D-Day landings.
Highways Agency picks five contractors to maintain main roads in the East and South-East England

8-Jun-2009
The Highways Agency has appointed five contractors to a new managed works framework contract covering the East and South East of England.
D-Day engineers receive top French honour on 65th anniversary

6-Jun-2009
Three Royal Engineers are to be honoured by the French government this weekend for their role in liberating France in 1944.
Environment Agency calls on councils to provide green power for over 1.5 million households

6-Jun-2009
The Environment Agency and Partnerships for Renewables has urged public sector organisations in the UK to consider using their land and property to generate renewable energy, which has the potential to provide power for over 1.5 million households.
Lord Mandelson to lead business super-department

6-Jun-2009
Prime minister Gordon Brown has created a new Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, intended to build Britain’s capabilities to compete in the global economy.
Lord Adonis replaces Geoff Hoon as transport secretary

6-Jun-2009
Lord Adonis has been promoted to transport secretary in Prime Minister Gordon Brown’s Cabinet reshuffle following the resignation of Geoff Hoon in the wake of the MPs expenses scandal.
Metronet failure cost taxpayer up to £410M - official

5-Jun-2009
A report today by the National Audit Office (NAO) has found that the failure of Tube contractor Metronet has led to an estimated direct loss to the taxpayer of between £170M and £410M.
Hyder Consulting wins major Hong Kong MTR contract

3-Jun-2009
Hyder Consulting has won the MTR (Mass Transit Railway) Trackside Auxiliaries Consultancy C821 for the 26km Express Rail Link (XRL) in Hong Kong.
Network Rail posts massive profits and boasts record investment levels

3-Jun-2009
Network Rail has today unveiled pretax profits of £1.5bn in a year in which investment levels hit a record £4.7bn and train punctuality hit a high of 90.6%.
Morrison Construction secures £3.2M Scottish Water deal

29-May-2009
Morrison Construction, part of the Galliford Try group, and joint venture partner Enpure has been awarded two major design and construct contracts, with a combined value of £3.2M, for one of the biggest projects being undertaken for Scottish Water.
Capita Symonds to assess risk of UK dam failures

29-May-2009
Capita Symonds’ Flood Risk and Water Management team has been awarded a significant contract to model and map the potential effect of flooding from dam failure at a large number of the UK’s reservoirs.
Beverley Walker joins Royal Haskoning as renewable energy head

28-May-2009
Royal Haskoning has announced the appointment of Beverley Walker as technical director and renewable energy manager for Europe.
Nine arrested over Chinese bridge collapse

28-May-2009
Nine people have been arrested and three officials removed from their posts, after a viaduct collapsed in central China’s Hunan Province, killing nine people and injuring 16 others.
Capita wins Crossrail western portal contract

28-May-2009
Consultant Capita Symonds has won the contract to design the Crossrail western portal near Royal Oak in west London.
One year on Olympic Stadium on track as internal work ramps up

27-May-2009
One year after the start of construction on the Olympic Stadium last May, the project remains on track and work on the construction and internal fit-out of over 700 internal rooms has begun, the Olympic Delivery Authority has announced.
Crossrail announces small claims administrator

27-May-2009
Crossrail has appointed OSG-Miller International as the administrator for its Small Claims Scheme.
Construction workloads still falling but signs that the pace of decline is starting to ease - RICS

27-May-2009
Workloads in the first three months of the year continued to weaken across the board, but some key areas saw an easing in the pace of the decline, says the RICS construction market survey.
Local authority highways bosses call on utilities to pay £70M road repair bill

22-May-2009
Utility companies that dig up England’s roads causing deterioration and leaving an ugly patchwork should be made to pay towards the £70M bill local authorities face for additional maintenance costs, according to a new report.
Mersey Gateway bridge public inquiry set to get underway

21 May 2009
Plans for a £431M crossing of the River Mersey near Runcorn are set to move forward this week with the start of a six week public inquiry into the scheme.
M25 deal a "farcical waste": green transport group claims

20-May-2009
The Campaign for Better Transport has slammed the decision to award the Connect Plus consortium a £6.2bn deal to widen and manage the M25 as a “farcical waste of money”.
Atkins' masterplan for Mecca leaked to YouTube

20-May-2009
A leak to You Tube has exposed consultant Atkins’ confidential masterplanning work for Mecca in Saudi Arabia.
London 2012: next phase of Olympic Park development about to begin

20-May-2009
Olympics minister Tessa Jowell has insisted that plans for the 2012 Olympics remain on track with delivery contractor Bam Nuttall ready to start delivery of the Northern parklands later this spring.
Scotland's first minister to switch on Europe's largest onshore windfarm

20-May-2009
Scottish first minister Alex Salmond is today due to switch on the latest phase of the £300M Whitelee windfarm on Eaglesham Moor in East Renfrewshire, bringing the installed capacity to 322MW - enough to power 180,000 homes.
BAA appeals against order to sell its airports

18-May-2009
BAA today confirmed that it is applying to the Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT) to review the Competition Commission’s order that it sell three of its UK airports.
Mersey Gateway bridge public inquiry set to get underway

18-May-2009
Plans for a £431M crossing of the river Mersey near Runcorn are set to move forward tomorrow with the start of a six week public inquiry into the scheme.
Thameslink boss leaves Network Rail to programme manage Crossrail

18-May-2009
Network Rail today announced that Andrew Mitchell, programme director for its £5.5bn congestion-busting Thameslink Programme, is leaving to join Crossrail as programme director for the £15.9bn scheme.
Death toll rises to nine in Chinese bridge collapse

18-May-2009
Nine people have been confirmed dead after a major highway viaduct collapsed in central China’s Hunan Province on Sunday.
Civils contractors report slowdown in downturn - but order books are still declining

15-May-2009
The Civil Engineering Contractors Association’s Workload Trends Survey for the first quarter of 2009 has showed that contractors’ total civil engineering order books are still declining, but that the rate of decline has slowed.
Mott MacDonald to design new £45M pharmaceutical facility in Cheshire

14-May-2009
Mott MacDonald has been appointed by AstraZeneca UK to design a major new four-storey research and development facility at the company’s site at Alderley Park, Cheshire, UK.
Royal Haskoning and Mott MacDonald to help Indonesia prevent burst dams

14-May-2009
Royal Haskoning and Mott MacDonald is to help to inspect 200 potentially dangerous dams in and around Jakarta, following the dam breach in the Indonesian capital in March that cost over a hundred lives.
Balfour Beatty says M25 deal will be signed "shortly"

14-May-2009
Balfour Beatty chairman Steve Marshall has said he expecs the £5bn private finance contract to widen the M25 would reach financial close “shortly”.
Green light for £300M Dounreay nuclear waste clean up plans

14-May-2009
Dounreay has received planning consent for two of the biggest construction projects needed to complete the Scottish site’s nuclear clean-up.
M25 widening: Mega-deal's financial close reported to be "set in stone"

13-May-2009
The £5bn upgrade of the M25 looks to be back on track with lending backs meeting this morning to set a date for financial close.
Pakistan to improve road and rail links with World Bank funding

13-May-2009
The World Bank has approved a $25M loan to help Pakistan improve its trade and transport logistics.
New Government strategy heralds minimum design standard for all new public buildings

12-May-2009
Communities secretary Hazel Blears and culture secretary Andy Burnham have today urged councils and developers to put good planning, local character and high quality design at the heart of development.
Water, waste and highways deals push Costain order book to record £2.4bn

7-May-2009
Costain has revealed a record of order book of £2.4bn on the back of major contract wins in the water, waste and highways sectors.
Plans unveiled for £100M flood defence scheme for central Leeds

7 May 2009
Plans for a vital £100M flood defence scheme for Leeds city centre were due to go out to public consultation tomorrow.
UK braced for surge in flood prevention as dual purpose Thames Barrier mooted

7 May 2009
Plans for a new Thames Barrier could be integrated into the Highways Agency plans for a new Dartford Crossing, the Environment Agency said this week.
National flood defence boost

7 May 2009
Plans for a 25-year flood defence investment strategy that could see a huge increase in government spending are currently being drawn up by the Environment Agency.
South east identifies M4, A34 and A2/A282/M2 corridors as priorities for investment

6-May-2009
Increased capacity on three major transport corridors and a replacement Dartford Crossing was today idenitified as critical to supporting housing growth in the south east, in a major revision to the South East Plan.
EDF Energy to hold UK nuclear suppliers forum on 30 June

6-May-2009
EDF Energy has announced that it is to host a supply chain event entitled “New Nuclear Opportunities” to highlight the company’s plans to invest in new nuclear power stations in the UK and the role that British businesses will have to help deliver the investment.
Plans for a new London to Oxford railway receive overwhelming public support

6-May-2009
Plans by Chiltern Railways to develop a new Oxford to London rail route have attracted strong support at three public exhibitions in Bicester, Oxford and Kidlington.
"Stations Tsars" appointed to revamp Britain's "downright poor" railway stations

5-May-2009
Transport minister Lord Adonis has today appointed two “Stations Champions” to review passengers’ requirements at stations across England and Wales and suggest ways to improve facilities.
Bechtel wins contract for NR Crossrail work

30 April 2009
Bechtel last week scooped a second major Crossrail contract when Network Rail selected the firm as delivery partner for its £2.3bn chunk of the £15.9bn project.
Special protection

30 April 2009
Project professional indemnity insurance has not always been popular. But it is coming back into favour and it doesn’t need to cost the Earth.
Twenty questions

30 April 2009
NCE/Marsh’s survey on risk in the construction industry has revealed an environment where litigation is on the up and risk management is ever important.
Hard Rock Hallelujah

29-Apr-2009
One of Europe’s most chequered rail projects– Sweden’s Hallandsås tunnel – is finally making good progress after 17 years of false starts, crisesand calamities. NCE reports from Båstad.
Amey confirms £250M Network Rail bridge inspection deal

29-Apr-2009
Amey has confirmed that it has won Network Rail’s Civils Examinations Framework Agreement contract, worth around £250M over five years.
Welsh Water orders 70,000 customers to boil water after bacteria found in supplies

29-Apr-2009
Welsh Water has told 70,000 households in Denbighshire and Flintshire to boil their drinking water after supplies from the Alwen Water Treatment Works were found to be infected with bacteria.
Government's economic stimulus failing to yield results, warn contractors

29-Apr-2009
Government efforts to stimulate the economy with accelerated public spending have so far failed to improve the workload of small and medium sized contractors, the Civil Engineering Contractors Association has said.
Work begins on £65M East London wastewater tunnel

28-Apr-2009
Work to bore a 3.3km tunnel under West Ham in London started today as part of a £65M scheme to protect more than 600 homes from sewer flooding.
Floods Bill SUDS plans criticised for "creating confusion"

28-Apr-2009
Environment secretary Hilary Benn was this week accused of “creating confusion” in his draft floods & water bill by focusing too much on above ground, soft sustainable drainage solutions (SUDS).
Architects slam "extraordinarily banal” London 2012 Media Centre plans

27-Apr-2009
The Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment’s design review panel has slammed London 2012’s media centre plans as “extraordinarily banal” and revealing a “paucity of imagination and analysis” which it finds “deeply disappointing”.
Richard Parry to replace Tim O'Toole as London Underground boss

27-Apr-2009
Transport for London has announced that London Underground’s current director of strategy and service development Richard Parry is to take over as interim managing director following Tim O’Toole’s departure.
Galliford Try to revamp Newport station

24-Apr-2009
A revamped station for Newport got closer today with the appointment by Network Rail of Galliford Try Rail to undertake the refurbishment work at station.
Bechtel scoops second major Crossrail contract

24-Apr-2009
Network Rail has this morning named Bechtel as its delivery partner for its £2.3bn of work on the £16bn Crossrail scheme and the Reading station upgrade project.
Budget 2009: Civils contractors fear post-2012 spending crash

23-Apr-2009
The Civil Engineering Contractors Association has warned that the 2009 Budget has failed to stem growing concerns among contractors that public spending will drop dramatically early next decade leading to an infrastructure “investment crunch”.
Budget 2009: Civil engineers give cautious welcome to Darling's Budget

22-Apr-2009
The Association for Consultancy and Engineering and the Institution of Civil Engineers have both welcomed Alistair Darling’s budget, which will see “historic” levels of capital spending continue to 2012 and £1.5bn given to green energy schemes.
Budget 2009: £1.5bn green energy boost

22-Apr-2009
Chancellor Alistair Darling has promised £525M new funding for offshore wind, an extra £435M for energy efficiency in homes and building, £405M of new funding for low carbon energy and advanced green manufacturing and up to four carbon capture demonstration projects.
Budget 2009: Capital investment to continue at historic levels until 2012

22-Apr-2009
Chancellor Alistair Darling has promised to continue spending at “historic levels” until 2012, and will maintain it at 1.25% of GDP thereafter.
Budget 2009: ACE calls for programme of strategic investment in construction

21-Apr-2009
The Association for Consultancy and Engineering has challenged chancellor Alaistair Darling to keep his promises to continue investment in the built environment by announcing a programme of strategic investment in the construction sector in Wednesday’s Budget.
BAM announces plans to sell marine specialist Van Oord

21-Apr-2009
Dutch construction giant Royal BAM Group, owner of Edmund Nuttall and HBG Construction, has today announced its intention to sell its minority interest in Van Oord.
Flood and Water Management Bill published for public consultation

21-Apr-2009
The draft Flood and Water Management Bill, designed to improve how the UK prepares for and responds to flood emergencies and better protect water supplies during drought, has been published for public consultation by environment secretary Hilary Benn.
Government study confirms need for new Dartford crossing

20-Apr-2009
A key study identifying possible options for a new Dartford crossing was published today by transport minister Lord Adonis.
Crossrail tunnelling academy plans unveiled by Mayor of London

20-Apr-2009
Mayor of London Boris Johnson has today announced details of his planned Crossrail Tunnelling Academy, which will provide up to 1,000 Londoners with the chance to gain qualifications in a variety of roles essential to the £16bn project.
More redundancies and 10% pay cut for all staff at Roger Bullivant

16-Apr-2009
Britain’s biggest geotechnical contractor Roger Bullivant has announced that up to 95 more jobs are to be lost and all staff are to be asked to take a 10% pay cut after reassessing the poor state of the housebuilding market.
Severn Barrage: Liberal Democrats throw weight behind Shoots Barrage proposal

16-Apr-2009
A forum of inquiry established by Liberal Democrat MPs, Assembly Members and councillors in the West of England and Wales has today backed the Shoots Barrage as a blueprint for harnessing the tidal power of the Severn Estuary.
Tipton Box Jack pick of Easter rail work sucessess

15-Apr-2009
The removal of the last level crossing on the West Coast Main Line is now well underway after the successful installation of a Box-Jacked undepass in Tipton last weeked.
Fast jack on track

9 April 2009
The last level crossing on the West Coast Main Line is being replaced this Easter with the help of a mighty box jack at Tipton in the West Midlands.
Easter rail work will be under scrutiny

9 April 2009
Rail works will be taking place across the country this Easter under intense scrutiny as Network Rail fully implements new risk management procedures for the first time since the Rugby resignalling fiasco in 2008.
New Thames Barrier to protect London

9 April 2009
A new Thames flood barrier at Dartford was proposed by the Environment Agency last week as part of a range of initiatives to protect London from flooding over the next 100 years.
BAM Construction to build £150M Scottish children's hospital

4-Apr-2009
NHS Lothian has picked BAM Construction as its construction partner for the new £150M Royal Hospital for Sick Children.
New rail route from London to Oxford proposed by Chiltern Railways

3-Apr-2009
Plans for a new rail route along the congested M40 corridor are to go on display later this month in Oxford.
Government launches new tower crane register to improve safety

3-Apr-2009
The Health & Safety Executive is to run a statutory tower crane registration scheme to improve tower crane safety and public confidence in their safety.
New Thames Barrier proposed for Dartford

3-Apr-2009
The Environment Agency has set out proposals to protect London from flooding for the next 100 years, including plans for a new flood barrier across the Thames from 2075.
Contracts awarded

2 April 2009
Expanded Piling picks up Isle of Dogs station coffer dam job
Network Rail to spend £35bn over five years

2 April 2009
Network Rail this week set out how it will spend £35bn on more than 500 projects during the next five years.
New Arup chairman Philip Dilley to shake up firm

1-Apr-2009
Philip Dilley has begun his term as group chairman of Arup by reshaping the firm to focus on the four distinct markets of energy, property, infrastructure and transport
Fiscal stimulus is failing, says ACE

1-Apr-2009
The Association for Consultancy and Engineering has warned the Bank of England that the government’s promised fiscal stimulus is not taking effect.
Bechtel "pleased" to land £400M Crossrail delivery partner role

1-Apr-2009
The £400M Crossrail project delivery partner role has been to the Bechtel, Halcrow and Systra consortium, after three weeks of behind the scenes negotiations.
Transport for London sets out £9.2bn 2009/2010 budget - but axes Olympic projects

31-Mar-2009
Transport for London (TfL) has announced a £9.2bn budget for 2009/2010 which will fund the delivery of a series of major transport improvements as part of its multi-billion pound investment programme.
Network Rail sets out £35bn "new era" in rail spending

31-Mar-2009
Network Rail has today published delivery plans for the next five years, setting out how it will spend £35bn on over 500 projects aimed at providing extra capacity for passengers and freight.
Environment Agency calls for water companies to be rewarded for supplying less

30-Mar-2009
The Environment Agency has called for water companies to be rewarded for reducing the amount of water provided to consumers in a bid to tackle future water shortages.
Crossrail delivery partner latest: £400M contract award expected today

27-Mar-2009
Transport for London’s board is meeting this morning to make a final decision on the £400M project delivery partner role, NCE understands
Civils surge bucks recessionary trend

26 March 2009
A raft of road projects and energy sub-sector projects have supported a 39% surge in civil engineering project starts compared to this time last year, figures from construction information tracker Glenigan have revealed. The news comes as the Highways Agency announced it will start work on six major schemes in the next financial year, as well as bringing forward work valued at £400M as part of the government’s fiscal stimulus plan.Glenigan said the outlook ...
College building programme boss takes fall for £3bn funding shortfall

23-Mar-2009
Learning and Skills Council chief executive Mark Haysom has today resigned over the body’s imploding college building programme.
Sir Michael Pitt confirmed as chair of Infrastructure Planning Commission

23-Mar-2009
Sir Michael Pitt has been confirmed as chairman of the Infrastructure Planning Commission, the new body being set up to accelerate the planning process for major infrastructure schemes such as new nuclear power stations.
M25 mega-deal on verge of financial close

21-Mar-2009
NCE sister title Infrastructure Journal has reported that the £5bn M25 widening PFI is set for financial close after lead back HSBC secured all the banks needed to finance the deal.
Edinburgh tram work to restart after contractual dispute resolved

21-Mar-2009
A resolution has been reached in the dispute that had temporarily halted the start of tram infrastructure work on the Princes Street section of the Edinburgh Tram Project.
Arup merges US offices

20-Mar-2009
Arup is to close its East Coast Westborough office of fire protection engineering specialists with staff relocating to the firm’s Boston office.
Atkins warns that design jobs are at risk from delays in college refurb funding

20-Mar-2009
The government review into further education funding must report urgently if action is to be taken to prevent hundreds of job losses in the engineering and design sector according to Britain’s biggest consultant Atkins.
Civils bucks recessionary trend with 39% surge in project starts

20-Mar-2009
A raft of road projects and energy sub-sector projects have supported a 39% surge in civil engineering project starts compared to this time last year, figures from contract leads monitoring service Emap Glenigan have revealed.
M25 mega-deal edges closer as RBS looks to put in £100M

19-Mar-2009
The £5bn upgrade of the M25 looks to be nearing financial close after it emerged that government-owned banking giant RBS is in talks to invest up to £100M.
Agency to turn off lights

19 March 2009
The Highways Agency looks at cutting back on motorway lighting in a bid to reduce CO2 emissions.
Top firms unveiled tomorrow

19 March 2009
ACE Consultants of the Year will be revealed at the awards lunch at Claridges in London.
Yorkshire: Green Pioneers

17-Mar-2009
Yorkshire remains at the cutting edge of the UK’s green energy boom, says exclusive research for NCE
Solar powered high speed rail plans unveiled by US Mid-West state

17-Mar-2009
Michigan politicians have announced radical plans to build a solar and hydrogen powered high speed rail line from Detroit to the state capital Lansing.
ICE calls for evidence submissions to new low-carbon inquiry

16-Mar-2009
Construction companies, government departments, opposition parties, regulatory bodies, and industry figures are all being called upon to submit evidence to the Institution of Civil Engineers’ latest inquiry on low-carbon infrastructure.
Atkins wins major Network Rail deals for Thameslink and Newport signalling

16-Mar-2009
Network Rail has awarded two major contracts worth over £60 million to engineering design consultancy Atkins.
Airport expansion plans questioned as demand for flights falls for first time in 17 years

16-Mar-2009
UK airports handled 235 million passengers during 2008 according to figures published today by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), a fall of 1.9% on 2007 and the first decline in passenger numbers since 1991.
Motorway lights to be turned off at midnight to cut costs and carbon

13-Mar-2009
The Highways Agency is to begin switching off motorway lighting after midnight in a bid to cut costs and reduce its carbon footprint after ruling the move will not impact on safety.
Hoon orders review of February snow chaos - and promotes case for third runway at Heathrow

12-Mar-2009
Transport secretary Geoff Hoon has ordered a review of the lessons that can be learnt from February’s gritting crisis in order to prevent the widespread chaos happening again - and used the weather as further justification for a third runway at Heathrow.
Mega Thames Water reservoir shelved due to property downturn

12 March 2009
Thames Water has this week shelved plans to build a mega £400M, 150M.m3 reservoir in the heart of Oxfordshire after revising its demand forecasts in the light of the economic recession.
BCI Awards 2009: enter now

12 March 2009
Entries are invited for the 2009 British Construction Industry Awards, the UK’s top accolades for overall excellence in building and civil engineering projects.
Mott MacDonald Bentley awarded core contractor role for major Severn Trent Water project

11-Mar-2009
Mott MacDonald Bentley, the integrated joint venture between consultant Mott MacDonald and contractor JN Bentley, has been appointed by Severn Trent Water as a core contractor to drive innovation and capital savings in the delivery of their non infrastructure programme in AMP5 and AMP6.
High Speed 2 endorsed by government

10-Mar-2009
Plans for one of the country’s most crucial transport projects to date, High Speed 2, were officially endorsed by the Department for Transport today.
Entries invited for the 2009 British Construction Industry Awards

5 March 2009
Entries are invited for the 2009 British Construction Industry Awards, the UK’s top accolades for overall excellence in building and civil engineering projects.
Hindhead tunnel breaks through

26 February 2009
Work to complete the UK’s longest road tunnel under land took a step closer this week as its north and south tunnels met beneath the Devil’s Punchbowl in Surrey.
Hyder Consulting to axe up to 400 jobs in UK and Australia

15-Feb-2009
Hyder Consulting is to cut its 5,000 global workforce by 8% despite its order book growing to almost £400M, with some UK regional offices to close completely.
Phoenix from the flames

10-Feb-2009
Experience, automation and innovation helped Eurotunnel build on the experience from the Channel Tunnel fire of 1996 when carrying out repairs after last September’s blaze. NCE reports from the scene as the operator prepared to reopen the damaged section of running tunnel.
Roads abandoned as death traps as salt shortage hits crisis levels

8-Feb-2009
Vast swathes of Britain’s highways network is now to remain untreated as the national salt shortage forces the Highways Agency and local authorities to take drastic steps to conserve supplies.
Councils running out of grit as wintry weather continues

5-Feb-2009
A national shortage of salt stocks is forcing councils across the UK to drastically scale back its gritting operations, leaving many major roads untreated.
Floating on a new wave

29-Jan-2009
Last week flooding experts from across the UK gathered in London to form a united view on the government’s future flooding strategy. Mark Hansford reports.
Third runway at Heathrow would prevent expansion at regional airports

28-Jan-2009
Government figures reveal that that expansion at Heathrow could only take place if no other airports in the UK expand, the Campaign for Better Transport has claimed.
Water industry joins recession as Thames axes up to 300 jobs

28-Jan-2009
Thames Water Utilities, the UK's largest water and sewerage company, today announced it was bringing forward a reduction in employee numbers of up to 300 in response to the current economic downturn.
New fear for PFI as leaked government memo reveals hospital cash crisis

25-Jan-2009
A leaked email has revealed that the building of many new hospitals is at risk because of the credit crunch, casting further doubt over the future of PFI.
Mega M25 scheme delayed

22-Jan-2009
Plans for a £5bn widening of the M25 could be delayed after it emerged that financial close on the multi-billion PFI deal will not be reached until April at the earliest.
London 2012 Olympic Village gets £460M government bail out

22-Jan-2009
The Government announced yesterday that a further £461M of the £9.3bn London 2012 Olympic budget has been allocated to support the construction of the Olympic Village and media centres.
Seven contractors to share £800M of rail upgrade work

21-Jan-2009
Network Rail has today selected seven contractors to form a five year framework for £800M of track enhancement work, including work on the Thameslink programme.
M25 widening scheme could be delayed

21-Jan-2009
Plans for a £5bn widening of the M25 could be delayed after it emerged that financial close on the multi-billion PFI deal will not be reached until April at the earliest.
Hyder scoops £15M flood risk management deal

20-Jan-2009
The Environment Agency has today appointed Hyder Consulting onto its Strategic Flood Risk Management Framework.
More than 100 civil engineering contractors in financial danger - and deserve to fail

20-Jan-2009
The latest report into the UK Civil Engineering Contractors market from industry analysts Plimsoll rates 117 of the UK’s leading 1000 civil engineering contractors as being in financial danger.
Tesco restarts work at tunnel collapse site

15-Jan-2009
Work to rebuild the troubled Gerrards Cross Tesco supermarket is finally set to resume, three and half years after an earthworks induced tunnel collapse halted construction.
Cost cutting measures to shake up the industry

15-Jan-2009
Construction Industry Council chairman Keith Clarke has warned 2009 will see a massive shake up in construction and civil engineering as consultants begin to take drastic action to cut costs.
Tesco finally restarts work at Gerrards Cross tunnel collapse site

14-Jan-2009
Work to rebuild the troubled Gerrards Cross Tesco supermarket is finally set to resume, three and half years after an earthworks induced tunnel collapse halted construction.
Balfour Beatty remains confident on PFI despite banking crisis

14-Jan-2009
Britain's biggest contractor Balfour Beatty said today that it expected to 'make progress' in 2009 despite the economic crisis, and would reach financial close on four PFI projects in the first half of the year.
Cash strapped Glasgow transport authority seeks voluntary redundancies

10-Jan-2009
Strathclyde Partnership for Transport's chief executive has called on staff to take voluntary redundancy or early retirement in a desperate bid to plug a £2.5M budget deficit.
Cost cutting looms as industry chief warns good firms will go under

8-Jan-2009
Construction Inudstry Council chairman Keith Clarke has warned 2009 will see a massive shake up in construction and civil engineering as consultants begin to take drastic action to cut costs.
Consultants facing widespread redundancies in bleak 2009

8-Jan-2009
Civil engineering consultants face an “Armageddon scenario” of slashed profits and widespread redundancies as the recession begins to bite, analysts have warned.
White Young Green boss quits by mutual agreement

6-Jan-2009
White Young Green chief executive Lawrie Haynes is leaving the troubled consultant by mutual agreement, to be replaced by Paul Hamer.
Local authorities underfunded and underinformed for new SUDS duties, experts warn

5-Jan-2009
New powers for local authorities to manage local flood risk from all sources, including surface water, and champion sustainable drainage schemes will be ineffective unless they are given sufficient funds and knowledge of SUDS principles to implement real change, leading surface water drainage experts are warning.
Rail fare hikes slammed by environmental and passenger groups

2-Jan-2009
Environmental and passenger groups have slammed train fare rises that came into effect today as unacceptable, unjustified and damaging to the environment.
Crossrail and Channel Tunnel Rail Link bosses recognised in New Year Honours list

31-Dec-2008
Incoming Crossrail chairman Terry Morgan and London and Continental Railways chief executive Rob Holden head the list of civil engineers recognised in this year's New Year Honours list.
Crossrail Maidenhead terminus under fire from Reading MP

31-Dec-2008
Reading East MP Rob Wilson is calling on transport secretary Geoff Hoon to rethink London's £16bn Crossrail scheme to make Reading its western terminus.
New railway bridge installed across A1

31-Dec-2008
A new railway bridge has been installed as part of the Hemsworth-A1 link road scheme.
Cardiff canoe slalom construction site gets live webcam

31-Dec-2008
A website has been set up monitoring the progress of Cardiff Bay's latest attraction - an olympic standard canoe slalom
White Young Green and WSP make NCE's most read stories of boom and bust 2008

30-Dec-2008
Good and bad news about two of Britain's biggest civil engineering consultants were the first and third most read stories on nce.co.uk in 2008, hammering home the transformation from boom to bust.
Catastrophe figures for 2008 confirm that climate agreement is urgently needed, says insurance giant

29-Dec-2008
A large number of tropical cyclones and the earthquake in Sichuan made 2008 one of the most devastating years on record, with more than 220,000 killed and losses totalling $200bn.
Highways Agency announces £3.8M upgrade of A180 in North Lincolnshire

29-Dec-2008
Drivers on the A180 in North Lincolnshire are to benefit from safer and quieter journeys after the Highways Agency announced a £3.8M project to renew the carriageway surface.
Highways Agency celebrates successful year for Traffic Officers

29-Dec-2008
The Highways Agency has today claimed success for its Traffic Officer service after releasing figures showing how its officers have attended an incident on England's motorways on average every two minutes in the last 12 months.
York contractor prosecuted following cherry picker incident

29-Dec-2008
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has warned access platform operators of the need to take safety seriously when planning work at height after the prosecution of a York contractor and one of its employees after two men fell from a cherry picker whilst working alongside the A19 in Bootham, York.
Final stage of A38 Dobwalls bypass to begin next Monday

29-Dec-2008
The former A38 between the new Dobwalls bypass roundabout and the former traffic light controlled junction with the old A390 will be closed for eight weeks from Monday 5 January.
CBI Director-General Richard Lambert says 2009 a year for strong business leadership

28-Dec-2008
CBI director-general Richard Lambert has urged business leaders to seize opportunities presented by direct government intervention in the working of the economy by forming a clear agenda for how best to work with these new political relationships.
Crossrail gets £150M funding boost from Canary Wharf Group for Isle of Dogs station

24-Dec-2008
Crossrail today received a festive boost with Canary Wharf Group agreeing to contribute £150M to Crossrail and to design and build the £500M Isle of Dogs station. Planning approval has been received and work will start in early 2009.
Halcrow, Costain and Colas scoop £220M Highways Agency East Midlands maintenance deal

23-Dec-2008
The Highways Agency has today awarded its £220M Managing Agent Contractor Area 7 deal to the A-One+ consortium of Halcrow, Costain and Colas.
Crossrail completes interviews for top project delivery roles

22-Dec-2008
Crossrail client Cross London Rail Links has completed a week-long exhaustive interview process for the key roles of programme partner and project delivery partner.
Ground engineering firm Keller stands firm against recession

19-Dec-2008
Ground engineering giant Keller said today that its order books remain strong despite global economic uncertainty and the decline of the UK housing sector.
Crossrail: Coming up with the goods

15-Dec-2008
Delivering a £15.9bn, nine year, civil works programme on time and on budget will demand a superbly efficient procurement and delivery strategy. Interim procurement and programme directors Steve Rowsell and Graham Plant say selecting the right partners will be crucial.
Local authorities set to take charge of flood defences

11-Dec-2008
Local authorities are set to be put in charge of flood defences in a shake-up of government policy to be announced next week, NCE has learnt.
California to can $5bn of road, rail and other public works projects as state economy collapses

December 2008
Billions of dollars of road and rail projects in California are facing the axe from next week as the US state tips towards bankruptcy, the state treasurer has warned.
Now a 'good time' to be a civil engineer, says Atkins chief

28-Nov-2008
Britain's biggest employer civil engineers, Atkins chief executive Keith Clarke, has told NCE that now is a good time to be an engineer
Big welcome for Darling's infrastructure spending plan

26-Nov-2008
Industry chiefs have welcomed chancellor Alistair Darling’s efforts to kick start the economy by bringing forward £3bn in infrastructure spending.
Atkins posts strong half year results - but consultant warns of 'challenging' year to come

26-Nov-2008
Atkins, Britain's biggest employer of civil engineers, has today posted strong half year results for the six months ending 30 September, with revenue up 12% and profit up 20% on the same period last year.
Civil engineering contractors and consultants pleased with pre-budget report

25-Nov-2008
The Civil Engineering Contractors Association said it was broadly satisfied with chancellor Alistair Darling's pre-budget report, but urged government ro reveal the motorway schemes ear-marked for acceleration.
Civil engineering contractors' body sets out plan to save 8,000 redundancies

21-Nov-2008
The Civil Engineering Contractors Association (CECA) has set out its ten point plan to avoid more than 8,000 redundancies among the UK’s small and medium sized civil engineering firms.
Water companies ordered to increase water efficiency savings by 40 per cent

20-Nov-2008
Water regulator Ofwat today announced targets for water companies to increase water efficiency savings by 40% from 2010 – a response to lacklustre performance by some companies on helping their customers use water more wisely.
Norris: civils sector has rosy future

18-Nov-2008
Transport for London board member Steven Norris opened the Civils 2008 exhibition at London’s Earls Court on Tuesday with a gloom-busting performance to reassure civils consultants and contractors that future workloads are secure. Watch the interview here.
Under-designed gusset plates to blame for Minneapolis bridge collapse - official investigation concludes

15-Nov-2008
The US National Transportation Safety Board has determined the probable cause of the collapse of the I-35W bridge in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in August last year was the inadequate load capacity of gusset plates due to a design error by Sverdrup & Parcel and Associates.
Tube Lines boss Terry Morgan named as next Crossrail chairman

13-Nov-2008
Tube Lines chief executive Terry Morgan is to replace Doug Oakervee as chairman of London's £16bn Crossrail scheme.
Contractors welcome government consultation on Chief Construction Officer

3-Oct-2008
The Civil Engineering Contractors Association has welcomed the move to issue a consultation on the potential role of a Chief Construction Officer.
Gatwick Airport put up for sale

17-Sep-2008
Gatwick Airport has today been put up for sale by operator and owner BAA.
Britain must brace for power blackouts - experts warn

17-Sep-2008
The UK will experience prolonged power cuts in five years unless urgent action is taken now, a report by leading energy experts has warned.
Fire breaks out at Palm Jumeirah mega hotel

2-Sep-2008
A luxury hotel on the massive man-made Jumeira Palm Island off the Dubai coast has been hit by a huge fire in its lobby.
Small firm: Walters UK

29-Jul-2008
In the notoriously tough world of the small contractor, Walters UK’s results are nothing short of staggering.
Contractors File 2008: A rise before a fall?

29-Jul-2008
Civil engineering turnover reached record levels in 2007. But there are ominous signs for the years ahead.
Civils contractors earn record £13.5bn

29-Jul-2008
Civil engineering contractors have this week dismissed fears of an economic slowdown after exclusive research by NCE showed the market to be in rude health.
Back in the fast lane

25-Jul-2008
Investment in the road network is back on the agenda, says the Highways Agency’s new chief executive Graham Dalton. He spoke to Antony Oliver after transport secretary Ruth Kelly had unveiled a £6bn road investment package.
Government performance on roads slammed

25-Jul-2008
The Department for Transport has come under fire after its annual statistics report revealed traffic to have increased by 14% since 1997 and delays by 7% since 2004.
Contractors welcome latest move towards new nuclear power

24-Jul-2008
The Civil Engineering Contractors Association has hailed the launch of a consultation on the siting of new nuclear power stations as providing a clearer indication of the timeline for construction.
Construction starts two months early on London 2012 Aquatics Centre

18-Jul-2008
Construction got underway yesterday on the Zaha Hadid designed London 2012 Aquatics Centre, two month earlier than scheduled.
Contractors sceptical about Kelly's £6bn roads bonanza

18-Jul-2008
Contractors have today called on the Department for Transport (DfT) to clarify how it proposes to manage the UK's strategic road network by setting out in detail which major projects will be constructed up to 2014.
New £6bn six year spending plan for Highways Agency's roads programme

July 2008
Transport secretary Ruth Kelly has today announced a six-year £6bn billion investment package for England’s motorways and other key roads which includes further roll-out of hard shoulder running.
Economists rule Severn Barrage too expensive

13-Jun-2008
The power generated by a 16km long barrage across the Severn Estuary could be produced more cheaply using other green technologies, leading economists have concluded.
Full plans for 'unique' Mersey Gateway bridge out for public consultation

9-Jun-2008
Plans for a new bridge spanning the river Mersey at Runcorn have today been submitted to the Department for Transport.
Amec proposes £2bn carbon capture scheme off Yorkshire coast

9-Jun-2008
Contractor Amec has today revealed how Britain can reduce its total CO2 emissions by over 6% by capturing and storing CO2 from coal-fired power stations in Yorkshire.
Olympic Delivery Authority downsizes Olympic Park

6-Jun-2008
The Olympic Delivery Authority has today confirmed that it is ditching the temporary fencing venue on the Olympic Park in a bid to cut costs.
Nuttall to rename in quest for bigger projects

28-May-2008
Contractor Edmund Nuttall is to rename itself BAM-Nuttall as part of a strategy to strengthen the brand of its Dutch owner Royal BAM Group across Europe.
Balfour targets rival firms

22-May-2008
Contracting giant Balfour Beatty was this week poised for a further major acquisition after raising £186M through the stock market for 'incremental growth'.
Manchester Metrolink gets £244M for extension to Oldham, Rochdale and Chorlton

16-May-2008
Transport Secretary Ruth Kelly has today pledged £244M towards the £382M total cost of extending Manchester's Metrolink tram to Oldham, Rochdale and Chorlton.
Highways Agency justifies decision to award M25 deal to Balfour Beatty and Atkins

8-May-2008
The Highways Agency has justified its decision to chose Connect Plus for the £5bn M25 widening deal, a consortium that includes Balfour Beatty and Atkins, shareholders in the failed Metronet contracts.
Hard SuDS

7-May-2008
Sustainable Urban Drainage Solutions have been given a new lease of life in the government’s latest water strategy. But is the strategy ignoring below ground solutions?
Shoulder Savings

24-Apr-2008
The government is considering ditching motorway widening schemes in favour of the cheaper, easier hard shoulder running.
German power firm announces intention to build two nuclear power stations in UK

24-Apr-2008
German energy company Eon, owner of Powergen, has signalled its intention to build two new nuclear power stations in the UK by signing letters of intent with France's Areva and Germans Siemens.
Office of Fair Trading accuses 112 construction firms of price fixing

17-Apr-2008
The Office of Fair Trading has this morning issued a Statement of Objections (SO) against 112 English construction firms for their alleged involvement in bid rigging.
Hard shoulder running to replace swathes of motorway widening schemes

16-Apr-2008
Motorway widening schemes across the UK with an estimated cost of £4.2bn are set to be scrapped in favour of the cheaper hard shoulder running approach, the Highways Agency has revealed.
Highways Agency cuts back mega-M25 widening

16-Apr-2008
Plans to widen the remaining three lane sections of the M25 motorway will be dramatically cut in half to cut costs, it was revealed this week.
Nuttall set for bigger projects

9-Apr-2008
Contractor Edmund Nuttall said this week it was looking to capitalise on its position within the mega-contractor Royal BAM Group to muscle its way in on bigger projects.
Contractor Nuttall posts record turnover

7-Apr-2008
Contractor Edmund Nuttall has posted a record turnover of £594M for the year ending 31 December 2007, up 4% on 2006.
Contractor Nuttall posts record turnover

7-Apr-2008
Contractor Edmund Nuttall has posted a record turnover of £594M for the year ending 31 December 2007, up 4% on 2006.
Arup high speed rail team heads for California

Online Only-News
British High speed rail experts are ocking to America after a government transport study ruled out the construction of any more high speed lines in the UK.
White Young Green named major consultant of year

25-Mar-2008
White Young Green (WYG) was last week named the NCE/ACE major consultant of the year.
A record year for UK consultants

25-Mar-2008
Fees earned by UK engineering consultants hit a record £8.6bn last year, a 16% year-on-year increase and a massive demonstration of the sector's rude health.
FRENCH TOAST

18-Mar-2008
In 2007 Scott Wilson went public and was showered with accolades. One year on chairman Geoff French tells Mark Hansford what's next for the company.
Yorks RDA chief slams climate change efforts

14-Mar-2008
Civil engineers are not doing enough to tackle sustainable development, the sustainability boss of a regional development agency said this week.
Record year for UK consultants as fees earned hit £8.6bn

13-Mar-2008
Fees earned by UK consultants hit a record £8.6bn last year, a 16% year-on-year increase and a massive demonstration of the sector's rude health.
Consultants File 2008: What credit crunch?

11-Mar-2008
Unfazed by fears of worldwide recession, UK engineering consultants had another great year in 2007, with the expectation of more to come. Mark Hansford reports.
Hugh Blackwood becomes sole chief executive of Scott Wilson

11-Mar-2008
Scott Wilson has announced that Hugh Blackwood, currently joint chief executive, will become group chief executive with effect from 1 May. Ron Wall, presently joint chief executive, will step down from the board on the same date.
Hugh Blackwood becomes sole chief executive of Scott Wilson

11-Mar-2008
Scott Wilson has announced that Hugh Blackwood, currently joint chief executive, will become group chief executive with effect from 1 May. Ron Wall, presently joint chief executive, will step down from the board on the same date.
Money the main draw for engineers in the Middle East, survey reveals

6-Feb-2008
Half the engineers working in the Middle East are there purely for the money, an exclusive survey for NCE has revealed.
Only in it for the money

6-Feb-2008
Expats in Middle East dislike long hours, but enjoy good pay and benefits packages.
Local firm to build sailing facilities

11-Jan-2008
The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) has awarded Dean & Dyball the contract to build the 2012 sailing venue at Weymouth and Portland.
Dean & Dyball to build Olympic sailing venue

7-Jan-2008
The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) today announced that Dean & Dyball has been awarded the contract to build the 2012 sailing venue at Weymouth and Portland.
Pitt Review interim report into UK floods to be published 9am Monday 17 December

16-Dec-2007
Sir Michael Pitt is to reveal the interim findings of his five-month investigation into the summer floods that devastated parts of Yorkshire and the west of England.
Making flood plain housing possible

12-Dec-2007
Risk of flooding should not necessarily rule out development of otherwise attractive sites, a leading piling specialist has claimed.
Atkins seizes on sustainability to grow profit margins

27-Nov-2007
Atkins chief executive Keith Clarke today set plans to use the growing carbon agenda to further boost the company's profitability.
Livingstone to fight plans for third runway at Heathrow

22-Nov-2007
London mayor Ken Livingstone has stated his 'firm opposition' to the government's plans to build a third runway at Heathrow airport.
Government sets out plans for third runway at Heathrow

22-Nov-2007
Transport Secretary Ruth Kelly has today set out plans to increase capacity at Heathrow Airport by adding a third runway and sixth terminal by 2020.
Britain to build world's biggest biomass plant

21-Nov-2007
Energy secretary John Hutton has today granted consent for a 350MW wood chip fuelled electricity generating plant in Port Talbot, south Wales.
Burj Dubai: Big Burj

21-Nov-2007
Contractors are battling the odds to bring the world’s tallest building in on time. Mark Hansford reports from the Burj Dubai.
Gloucestershire County Council publishes report into summer emergency flooding

20-Nov-2007
Gloucestershire County Council has made a raft of recommendations to central government, local authorities, utility companies, the Met Office and the Police to avoid a repeat this summer's floods which left almost 400,000 people in the county without water or power.
More civils cash needed

19-Nov-2007
Adrian Dyball of CECA calls for higher spending on all forms of infrastructure
Three arrested after Dubai bridge collapse

19-Nov-2007
Dubai authorities are understood to have arrested three Indian workmen in connection with the death of seven workers on Thursday at a bridge under construction.All three men are understood to work for Middle Eastern contractor Wade Adams Contracting Company.
Alfred McAlpine surrenders after third Carillion takeover bid

9-Nov-2007
Alfred McAlpine this week caved in to three months of pressure and agreed in principle to a takeover bid from Carillion.
Seven killed by Dubai bridge collapse

8-Nov-2007
At least seven workers were killed and another 15 injured when an under-construction bridge collapsed in Dubai today.
Construction of new Anfield to begin in the spring

7-Nov-2007
The construction of Liverpool Football Club's new home will begin in the spring after the city council approved revised plans for a 60,000 stadium.
Green Genius

31-Oct-2007
Building a new management centre in the heart of the Grade I, English Heritage listed Bicton Park has called for highly sensitive design and careful construction.
Roland celebration

31-Oct-2007
While the furore over the demolition of Plymouth’s “ugly” 1961 Civic Centre rages on (NCE 6 September 2007), the city is this week preparing to celebrate the opening of a far more worthy icon – the copper-wrapped Roland Levinsky Building at Plymouth University.
Future of road widening uncertain after government responds to Eddington and Stern

30-Oct-2007
The future of road widening schemes appears to hang in the balance today after the government's response to Sir Rod Eddington's report into the future of transport and Sir Nick Stern's report into climate change came down heavily in favour of hard shoulder running schemes.
Work starts on Britain's first dedicated car share lane

15-Oct-2007
Work has begun to build the first section of a dedicated High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lane on a UK motorway.
Gerrards Cross Tesco store rises from the ashes

11-Oct-2007
Supermarket giant Tesco has finally submitted new plans to Network Rail for its troubled Gerrards Cross store, more than two years after an earthworks induced collapse halted work.
Quays to survival: Rebuilding Scilly's lifeline

5-Oct-2007
'If you kiss a girl in the nightclub tonight, we all know about it by tomorrow morning. Everybody knows everybody and everything and there are no secrets...
Channel Tunnel triumphs

3-Oct-2007
NCE’s readers have voted the Channel Tunnel the best construction project of the past 20 years, beating the Eden Project by just 200 votes.
Agency seeks leader for £1bn annual spend

3-Oct-2007
Control of the Highways Agency’s £1bn a year major projects programme is in limbo this week after the road operator was forced to appoint a second “interim” director.
WSP acquisition sweep in the US and Germany

3-Oct-2007
Consultant WSP has snapped up US consultant Sells and German firm CBP for a combined £23M.
WSP buys into USA and Germany

1-Oct-2007
Consultant WSP has today snapped up US consultant Sells and German firm CBP for a combined £23M.
Highways Agency reshuffles board to fill major projects vacancy

28-Sep-2007
The Highways Agency has today announced that Ginny Clarke will take over from Jerry England as major projects director on 12 October until a permanent replacement can be found.
Highways Agency chief executive Archie Robertson is fighting back

27-Sep-2007
The Highways Agency has taken a hell of a pounding over the last six months or so, but chief executive Archie Robertson is still standing and ready to fight on.
Highways Agency to bring project management in-house

27-Sep-2007
Highways Agency chief executive Archie Robertson this week warned that he is going to wrest back control of managing his projects from private sector consultants and contractors.
Barcelona FC set for a brand Nou stadium

26-Sep-2007
Ramboll Whitbybird is to lead the structural engineering for an ambitious revamp of FC Barcelona’s world-famous Nou Camp stadium, which will see capacity boosted from its current 98,000 to 106,000.
Birmingham highway maintenance PFI wins government approval

26-Sep-2007
Trasnport secretary Ruth Kelly has today sanctioned a £588M Private Finance Initiative investment in Birmingham's highway network.
Heathrow Airport's Terminal 5 to open six months from today

26-Sep-2007
Six months ahead of Heathrow Airport Terminal 5's opening on Thursday 27 March 2008, airport operator BAA has recruited 15,000 passengers to test every aspect of the new building, including car parking, check-in, baggage systems, way-finding and security.
Three out of four oppose new 84t LHV super-truck

24-Sep-2007
A poll has shown that 75% of the general public is opposed to the introduction of ‘road trains’ - known as LHVs - onto UK roads. The Department for Transport is considering allowing trials of trucks between 25.5m and 30m long and weigh between 60t and 84t.
Wave hello

21-Sep-2007
Construction of the world’s first large scale wave farm off the Cornish coast was approved by the government this week.
100t girder lift on Sussex ECI scheme

21-Sep-2007
Alfred McAlpine has lifted four pairs of 41m long steel beams into place on the A27 on four consecutive, two-hour night-time rail possessions.
All Changing views at St Paul's

20-Sep-2007
A view of St Paul’s Cathedral unseen since the Blitz has opened up in central London this week after contractor McGee completed demolition of the New Change office block.
Burj Dubai scales 150 storeys to become world’s tallest free-standing structure

19-Sep-2007
The Burj Dubai this week surpassed the height of the world’s tallest free-standing structure, the CN Tower in Toronto.
Minister orders UK engineers to lead the world on climate change

19-Sep-2007
Minister for science and innovation Ian Pearson yesterday challenged the next generation of engineers to lead the world in developing environmentally friendly technologies to combat climate change.
Britain’s new nuclear future unveiled

13-Sep-2007
Power giant EDF Energy and nuclear specialist Areva this week revealed their joint-venture plans for Britain’s next generation of nuclear power plants.
India boom causes UK U-turn

12-Sep-2007
Booming workload in India is forcing UK consultants to ditch their sweatshop mentality and refocus local offices on winning local work, exclusive research by NCE has revealed.
The all new www.nce.co.uk

4-Sep-2007
Welcome to the all new www.nce.co.uk! Brought to you by the team behind NCE magazine, our new website gives you more news, more features. more opinion and more interaction with your community. And best of all, it's FREE!
Stansted Airport eliminated from Best of the BCI Awards poll

30-Aug-2007
Stansted Airport Terminal. winner of the 'Supreme Award' back in 1991 is the second of 13 stellar civil engineering and building projects to be eliminated from NCE's Best of the BCI Award readers poll.
Metronet firms face fight for more TfL contracts

22-Aug-2007
Transport for London said this week it would make good its threat to withhold work from Atkins, Balfour Beatty and Bombardier because of their failure to perform for the Metronet Tube upgrade consortium.
New Tacoma Narrows bridge ready for traffic

20-Aug-2007
Contractors from Tacoma Narrows Constructors, a partnership of Bechtel and Kiewit were this week racing to have the new 1.6km long Tacoma Narrows Bridge ready to open to traffic on Monday.
Government gives the green light to first desalination plant

21-Jun-2007
News
Manhattan congestion charge to fund subway lines

June 2007
New York mayor Michael Bloomberg has outlined radical plans to introduce a London-style congestion charge to bridge a $31bn transport funding gap.
Campaigners ght £89M Sussex road plan

24-May-2007
News
New ODA head John Armitt vows to speed up decisions

24-May-2007
News
Age-old problem

10-May-2007
Sewer collapses - Sophisticated computer modelling has been harnessed to improve South West Water's sewer maintenance record. Mark Hansford reports.
Thirsty work

10-May-2007
Maundown - A new £25M water treatment works is the single biggest investment for Wessex Water over the next five years. Mark Hansford reports.
Manhattan congestion charge to fund subway lines

26-Apr-2007
News
Wembley contractors rip out faded seats

26-Apr-2007
News
Archie's angle

5-Apr-2007
Profile - Highways Agency chief executive Archie Robertson is upbeat about the changes facing his organisation. Mark Hansford reports.
Rowsell Wright Consulting of cially launched

5-Apr-2007
News
Agency unfazed by DfT plans to compare road investment with rail

29-Mar-2007
News
Carillion and Highways Agency fall out over CAT score

15-Mar-2007
CONTRACTOR CARILLION was this week at the centre of a row with the Highways Agency over the Capability Assessment Toolkit (CAT) used by the Agency to assess its suppliers.
Shouldering the burden

15-Mar-2007
Active traffic management, Clients - Six out of 10 motorists want motorway hard shoulders used at peak times to cut congestion. Will they get their way? Mark Hansford reports
Hard shoulder trial proves a winner with motorists

8-Mar-2007
SIX OUT of 10 motorists using the Highways Agency’s hard shoulder running trial in the West Midlands want to see it rolled out across the UK, it was revealed last week.
Highways Agency weakened by departures say contractors

22-Feb-2007
News
Tough road for hard bargaining

22-Feb-2007
Highways Agency chief executive Archie Robertson is taking control of his £1bn a year projects programme to tackle cost-cutting criticism.
HQ right on cue

15-Feb-2007
Twickenham - A timely return to form for the England Rugby team is being echoed by the construction of a new South Stand at England's home. Mark Hansford reports from Twickenham.
Industry reels as second Highways Agency boss goes

15-Feb-2007
News
See you, Jimmy!

15-Feb-2007
Queen Margaret University - Scotland's newest university campus uses exposed concrete as a design feature. Mark Hansford reports.
Stansted's runway ies in the face of opposition

8-Feb-2007
Analysis - BAA's plans to cut the cost of a second runway at Stansted may not be enough to save the government's aviation policy.
Thais call in Scott Wilson over Bangkok runway cracks

1-Feb-2007
News
Epsom experience

25-Jan-2007
Epsom racecourse - Agonising decisions about the future of Epsom racecourse have led to the start of a £27.5M grandstand rebuild. Mark Hansford reports.
28 year old project managers pick up £75,000 salaries

18-Jan-2007
News
Online, off road to nowhere

18-Jan-2007
Pressure is building on government to scrap plans for nationwide road pricing.
Scott Wilson gets ready to dive into water sector

18-Jan-2007
News
Taking its toll in Texas

18-Jan-2007
Highways - Texans have a big problem. A £43bn dollar transport problem. Some bold political decision-making - and some UK and European expertise - is tackling it head on. Mark Hansford reports from the Lone Star state.
What's the forecast?

11-Jan-2007
Analysis - That 2007 is set to be a big year would be a major understatement. At the very least, Britain will get a new Prime Minister. But there is much, much more afoot than that. NCE gives you a sneak preview.
ECI under threat as Rowsell quits Highways Agency

14-Dec-2006
News
Railway gets Christmas overhaul

14-Dec-2006
News
TfL hands out 'toughened up' road contracts for capital

14-Dec-2006
News
Tube Lines boss frustrated as rival gives PPP a bad name

7-Dec-2006
News
Shouldering the burden

1-Dec-2006
Highways - This month marked a watershed in UK highways when motorists in the West Midlands became the first to sample hard shoulder running. Is this the future? Mark Hansford reports.
Clarke vows to fight on following arbiter's criticism

30-Nov-2006
News
Mayor calls for added investment in capital's transport

30-Nov-2006
News
Clarke under pressure to quit as Metronet is slammed by arbiter

23-Nov-2006
News
Next stop, Fawlty Towers

23-Nov-2006
An 'inefcient and uneconomic' approach to work has left Tube contractor Metronet's shareholders facing a massive £750M bill, says Mark Hansford.
Hendy urges engineers to tackle politicians

16-Nov-2006
News
Troubled Jubilee River flood scheme gets £200M extension

16-Nov-2006
News
Metronet firms face fight for more TfL contracts

9-Nov-2006
TRANSPORT FOR London said this week it would make good its threat to withhold work from Atkins, Balfour Beatty and Bombardier because of their failure to perform for the Metronet Tube upgrade consortium.
Stand and deliver

9-Nov-2006
Cover story - Tough-talking Transport for London commissioner Peter Hendy is determined not to let consultants and contractors undermine the capital's multi-billion pound investment programme. Mark Hansford reports.
M25 widening:who will win?

19-Oct-2006
Competition to win the £5bn M25 widening DBFO contract has heated up.
Three consortia shortlisted for £5bn M25 mega DBFO

19-Oct-2006
News
Corus advances to meet new EU regulations

5-Oct-2006
News
Shouldering the burden

28-Sep-2006
Overview - This month marked a watershed in UK highways when motorists in the West Midlands became the first to sample hard shoulder running. Is this the future? Mark Hansford reports.
Repaired Jubilee river flood defence still 10% under capacity

21-Sep-2006
News
Balfour hints at future consultancy purchase

24-Aug-2006
News Business
Cross purposes

10-Aug-2006
Analysis Stadiums, Crossrail
Balfour Beatty makes $59M cash takeover bid for Birse

1-Aug-2006
BRISTISH CONTRACTOR Balfour Beatty has made a bold statement of intent in its drive for growth by making a $59M cash offer for contractor Birse.
Gerrards Cross collapse:doubts over arch positioning

1-Aug-2006
DIFFICULTIES WITH positioning concrete arch sections could have been a major contributor to last June's catastrophic Gerrards Cross tunnel collapse it emerged last month.
IT'S COME TO PASS

1-Aug-2006
TUNELLING - Construction of a south London relief road has cleared a major hurdle with the completion of a box jack beneath a busy commuter railway station. Mark Hansford reports.
Increased costs cast doubt over A3 Hindhead tunnel

27-Jul-2006
News
Contractors' earnings hit £12bn as market soars

20-Jul-2006
CONTRACTORS earned a massive £12bn last year, exclusive research by NCE has revealed this week.
Balfour Beatty makes £32M cash takeover bid for Birse

29-Jun-2006
News
Highway heaven

22-Jun-2006
Overview - With twice as much to spend as last year and some mega projects on his books, Highways Agency major projects director Keith Miller is in a bullish mood. Mark Hansford met him.
Round the clock box

22-Jun-2006
Coulsdon bypass - Unforeseen ground conditions have hampered a complex south London box jack reports Mark Hansford.
EA sues designers of failed Jubilee River flood defence

15-Jun-2006
News
Multiplex shot through the heart by Bon Jovi over Wembley mess

15-Jun-2006
News
Tanker re triggers motorway emergency plan review

15-Jun-2006
News
Atkins and Balfour Beatty warned over Metronet failures

8-Jun-2006
News
Half of all engineers looking for a new job and more cash

1-Jun-2006
News
Energy from waste: the burning question

4-May-2006
The government wants more energy from waste, but the public doesn’t, Mark Hansford reports.
Getting the message

1-May-2006
IT Signage
Darling delays road spending decisions

6-Apr-2006
News
Municipals missing £1.6bn in road maintenance cash

30-Mar-2006
LOCAL AUTHORITY road budgets are suffering from a staggering £1.6bn shortfall in maintenance spending, English municipal highways engineers said this week.
Dispute over policing for M606 car share lane

23-Mar-2006
News
Olympics do not need Weymouth road, say MPs

23-Mar-2006
News
Getting the message

2-Mar-2006
Signage - Most motorists will at some time have wondered what the point of motorway message signs really is.Mark Hansford meets the Highways Agency man with a £490M answer.
Network Rail rapped for second underspend

2-Mar-2006
News
Cross questioning

23-Feb-2006
Analysis - Backers of London's £10bn Crossrail scheme took a mauling before MPs recently. Why are they being taken to task? Mark Hansford investigates.
Hatfield engineer was unfairly dismissed, admits Network Rail

23-Feb-2006
News
Crossrail admits costs based just on 'judgement'

16-Feb-2006
News
Highways Agency undermining our Stonehenge route, say residents

16-Feb-2006
News
Weymouth road irrelevant to Olympics, says LOCOG

16-Feb-2006
News
Darling shuns Regional Assemblies over transport

9-Feb-2006
News
Darling funding U-turn rescues 'unaffordable' regional schemes

2-Feb-2006
News
We're not paying for Stonehenge tunnel - it should be nationally funded, south west assembly tells Darling

1-Feb-2006
THE STONEHENGE tunnel faced the axe last month as a funding row erupted between the Department for Transport (DfT) and the South West Regional Assembly.
Acquitted Hatfield engineer 'sacked' by Network Rail

19-Jan-2006
News
Blue sky thinking

19-Jan-2006
Maintenance - Somerset is the first county in the UK to benefit from a £1M satellite-based revolution in highways maintenance. Mark Hansford reports.
Stonehenge tunnel and Olympic road face axe in funding row

19-Jan-2006
News
Why MACs are getting so PC

19-Jan-2006
Municipal contracts - The first local authority managing agent and contractor contract is up and running in Bedfordshire.Mark Hansford reports on early progress.
Funding gives Hindhead tunnel 2008 start date

12-Jan-2006
CONSTRUCTION OF the £145M Hindhead tunnel on the A3 in Surrey could start in 2008, following the scheme’s announcement as the south east’s top priority last week.
Liverpool trailblazers

12-Jan-2006
Structures - Last year's blaze in Madrid's Torre Windsor drove home the importance of fire protection in tall buildings.Mark Hansford reports from a highrise which has got the message.
Seven nuclear power plants to get lives extended

12-Jan-2006
News
Cheaper building only route to high speed line, civils told

15-Dec-2005
News
TfL fights LDA over plan for 500,000 Olympic trucks

15-Dec-2005
News
Brunel cigar airbrushed from school book

8-Dec-2005
News
Highways Agency in spending cuts warning

1-Dec-2005
News
Never mind the claims, hit deadlines - Sydney veteran

1-Dec-2005
News
Revamping the A38

1-Dec-2005
Environment - Britain's largest ever road recycling scheme is under way in Devon. Mark Hansford reports from the A38.
The core of the debate

1-Dec-2005
Global warming - While debate rages over whether global warming is man-made, a Cornish company is helping find the answer by taking coral cores in Tahiti. Mark Hansford reports.
Consultants blast framework delays

24-Nov-2005
CONSULTANTS BIDDING for places on Transport for London's (TfL) lucrative professional services frameworks this week expressed frustration at delays in awarding work.
Better late than never

10-Nov-2005
After 16 years, there is confidence that Thameslink 2000 is finally going to be built, Mark Hansford discovers .
Greens fi ght Ladyman's Stonehenge compromise

10-Nov-2005
NEWS
Charting a course

3-Nov-2005
Becoming chartered does not guarantee a big pay rise.But it is a step on the way, discovers Mark Hansford.
Hatfield is hollow victory for profession

1-Nov-2005
Engineers in the dock - Engineers implicated in construction accidents face closer scrutiny than ever following the UK's Hatfield rail crash trial verdict. Mark Hansford reports.
Trial 'destroyed me as a person' says Jeffries

1-Nov-2005
News
Never mind the claims, hit deadlines - Sydney veteran

27-Oct-2005
News
The core of the debate

27-Oct-2005
Global Warming - While debate rages over whether global warming is man-made, a Cornish company is helping find the answer by taking coral cores in Tahiti. Mark Hansford reports.
'Only your belief in your innocence keeps you going'

13-Oct-2005
Civil engineer Nick Jeffries was acquitted of all charges in the Hatfield rail crash trial.His judgment was closely questioned yet he tells Mark Hansford he would do the same again.
Trial 'destroyed me as a person' says Jeffries

13-Oct-2005
CIVIL ENGINEER Nick Jeffries this week accused the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) of 'destroying him as a person' when it prosecuted him over the Hatfield rail crash.
North west says no to 'transport anoraks'

6-Oct-2005
News
Road runners

29-Sep-2005
Highways Soon no one will be able to dig up a road without a permit.Mark Hansford spoke to Transport for London.
The beast of Bodmin tamed

29-Sep-2005
Highways - Relieving the congestion hell that is Cornwall's A30 is calling for some inventive thinking. Mark Hansford reports from Bodmin.
UK waste strategy in disarray says US expert

29-Sep-2005
News
Highways Agency to take on council road maintenance

22-Sep-2005
LOCAL AUTHORITY highway maintenance contracts are to be merged with Highways Agency area maintenance agreements in a bid to meet government efficiency targets.
Made in Wales

22-Sep-2005
Driving a new road through the Welsh valleys is calling for considerable environmental mitigation. Mark Hansford reports from Blackwood.
Hatfield is hollow victory for profession

15-Sep-2005
News analysis - Engineers implicated in construction accidents face closer scrutiny than ever following last week's Hatfield trial verdict. Mark Hansford reports.
New Orleans residents face years in temporary homes

15-Sep-2005
News
Network Rail guilty as Hatfield engineers go free

8-Sep-2005
News
Anarchic development blamed for Mumbai floods

1-Sep-2005
News
Fate of Stonehenge tunnel in hands of heritage lobby say project sources

1-Sep-2005
PLANS TO bury the A303 at Stonehenge in a tunnel will die unless the heritage lobby throws its weight behind the scheme, say sources close to the project.
Tesco faces battle to resume work at Gerrards Cross

1-Sep-2005
News
Anarchic development blamed for Mumbai floods

4-Aug-2005
News
Now Stonehenge loses planned visitor centre

4-Aug-2005
News
TfL offers cut price charges for roadworks

4-Aug-2005
News
Fire protection demands threaten to stifle design innovation

1-Aug-2005
News
Olympic projects 'will save London from construction downturn'

1-Aug-2005
LONDON'S HOSTING of the 2012 Olympics will save construction in south east England from a downturn in 2007/8, contractors say.
Stonehenge tunnel seeks heritage lobby support after massive cost hike

28-Jul-2005
News
Olympics will avert construction slowdown

21-Jul-2005
News
South west threatens to derail Crossrail

21-Jul-2005
News
Ruling out vibration

7-Jul-2005
News analysis - New regulations to curb hand arm vibration came into force this week with major implications for designers and contractors. Mark Hansford reports.
Best of both worlds

1-Jul-2005
NCE CONTRACTORS FILE - For a company that claims not to be a contractor, Amey Infrastructure Services has done awfully well in this year's NCE Contractors File.Mark Hansford reports.
Greater expectations

1-Jul-2005
NCE CONTRACTORS FILE - The good times continue for civils contractors with a market now worth £10bn a year and set to get better still. Mark Hansford reports.
Locals and National Trust wrangle over breach in Chichester Harbour

1-Jul-2005
NEWS FEATURE
Fire protection demands threaten to stifle design innovation

30-Jun-2005
News
Tool testing call to avert worker vibration claims

30-Jun-2005
News
Decision day looms for eroding Chichester spit

23-Jun-2005
NEWS
Priority engagement

23-Jun-2005
Overview - Widening of the M25 is racing ahead, giving ministers renewed confidence in major 'national' schemes. Meanwhile 'regional' schemes are still stuck on the shelf.Mark Hansford reports.
The waiting game

23-Jun-2005
Leybourne bypass - After 15 years, a bypass around the Kent villages of Leybourne and West Malling is finally taking shape. Mark Hansford finds out what took so long.
Fitness regime

2-Jun-2005
Bridges Engineers replacing a bridge bordering of London's proposed 2012 Olympic Games site are feeling the pressure, discovers Mark Hansford.
US barge bash bridge still at risk, warns Coastguard

2-Jun-2005
News
Coastal building bans endanger lives, warn Sri Lankan engineers

1-Jun-2005
News
US barge bash bridge still at risk, warns Coastguard

1-Jun-2005
News
City warns TfL on reverse auction 'false economy'

26-May-2005
News
MP's promotion boosts hopes for Mersey crossing

19-May-2005
News
Coastal building bans endanger lives, warn Sri Lankan engineers

5-May-2005
News
UK designers face injury claims when EU vibration directive comes into force

1-May-2005
NEWS
'Unbelievable' vibration claims threaten use of hand-held tools

28-Apr-2005
News
Council forces bidders to use local workers

21-Apr-2005
News
Failed boycott could spell disaster for consultants

21-Apr-2005
News - Angry consultants failed to see through a threatened boycott of Transport for London's reverse auction last month.
Conservative

7-Apr-2005
General election
No regeneration without engineers

17-Mar-2005
News analysis - Government regeneration plans are doomed unless transport infrastructure is pushed higher up the agenda. Mark Hansford reports from MIPIM in Cannes.
North-south maglev cheaper than heavy rail

17-Mar-2005
News
Note worthy

10-Mar-2005
Back from the brink, Rugged Solutions is ready to provide the construction industry what it most needs from its IT - indestructibility.Mark Hansford reports.
Overnight transformation

10-Mar-2005
One of London's busiest Underground stations is being transformed with zero disruption to customers.Mark Hansford reports.
Congestion charging could unlock Manchester Metrolink funding

10-Feb-2005
News
Consultants wield jobs axe as Network Rail takes work in house

10-Feb-2005
News
Contractors under pressure

3-Feb-2005
News
Road safety Fame academy

27-Jan-2005
Highways - When three inner London schools merged to become a flagship 'Business Academy' there was just one problem - getting there safely. Mark Hansford reports.
Tsunami rebuilding - Questions for cash

27-Jan-2005
News analysis - In tsunami-stricken Asia efforts are now turning from immediate relief to long-term reconstruction. Billions of pounds have been pledged, but who will get to spend it- Mark Hansford investigates.
Agencies question Sri Lankan plans for aid cash

20-Jan-2005
News
Superlink weighs in to Crossrail contest

17-Dec-2004
MINISTERS SHOULD drop the hybrid bill for London's £9bn Crossrail scheme and examine new proposals, a new consortium of industry heavyweights said this week.
Agency's redrawn plans slash £400M from new road schemes

9-Dec-2004
News
Fury greets government U-turn on Stonehenge tunnel

9-Dec-2004
News
Enforce specifications on site or be liable, CFA tells designers

2-Dec-2004
News
Fire engineering - Controlling the big heat

2-Dec-2004
Recent tunnel fires have highlighted the need for better fire engineering.Halcrow is on the case, discovers Mark Hansford.
Highways design - Seeing is believing

2-Dec-2004
Software giant Autodesk is planning a revolution in highways design. But can it deliver? Mark Hansford investigates.
New regional boards to spend Darling's transport cash

2-Dec-2004
NEWS
Guidance delay could thwart cash claims

25-Nov-2004
BILLIONS OF pounds of local transport cash could go unspent because the government is delaying vital guidance on how to claim it, local authorities warned this week.
Preparing for Christmas

4-Nov-2004
Rail Bridge reconstruction
Civils on top: fifty years of reconstruction

28-Oct-2004
ICE news
Cost of UK rail renewals is second highest in Europe

21-Oct-2004
News
Retail giant slams Edinburgh congestion charge plan

21-Oct-2004
News
Tube contractors move to automate track surveys

7-Oct-2004
News
Homes at risk as flawed feted flood channel are exposed

1-Oct-2004
News
Swale viaduct Isle solve the problem

1-Oct-2004
Bridges A life-threatening gap in Britain's trunk road network will be closed by the new Swale viaduct. Mark Hansford reports from the Isle of Sheppey
Arup denies downplaying its role on Jubilee River

30-Sep-2004
News
Design dispute threatens new delays for Dublin Port Tunnel

30-Sep-2004
News
Out of joint

30-Sep-2004
Three years after an expensive and disruptive refurbishment contractors are back at work on the Avonmouth Bridge. Mark Hansford explains why.
Share deal

30-Sep-2004
Highways Take three contractors working on four different roads schemes and put them in the same office.It sounds like a recipe for disaster.Scott Wilson has proved different, though, reports Mark Hansford.
Darling dithering destroys ECI cost savings

23-Sep-2004
news
Disruption looms with M4/M5 widening work

16-Sep-2004
News
Meeting aims to allay Jubilee River flood fear

16-Sep-2004
News
Motorists fear long wait for M6 toll extension

9-Sep-2004
PLANS TO ditch the M6 widening plan in favour of a toll funded parallel expressway could delay construction by 10 years, motoring organisation the AA warned this week.
Single contract DBFO for M25 widening

9-Sep-2004
WIDENING OF the remaining 106km of three lane dual carriageway section on the M25 is almost certain to be let as a single £1.5bn privately financed DBFO contract, the Highways Agency said this week.
Guided bus schemes set to replace axed metros

2-Sep-2004
LOCAL AUTHORITIES are switching their attention to guided buses after the government axed many light rail schemes in July.
Jubilee River does not exist, planners told

2-Sep-2004
PLANNERS IN Berkshire should assume the two year old £110M Jubilee River flood channel has failed to reduce flooding risks, the Environment Agency said this week.
Isle solve the problem

19-Aug-2004
A life-threatening gap in Britain's trunk road network will be closed by the new Swale viaduct. Mark Hansford reports from the Isle of Sheppey.
Darling blames rising costs for slashed transport plan

22-Jul-2004
TRANSPORT SECRETARY Alistair Darling this week said escalating construction costs had prompted his huge cutback in transport projects to be built in the next ten years.
Darling gives Crossrail the go-ahead at last

22-Jul-2004
A HYBRID bill for London's eastwest Crossrail project will go before the next session of parliament, transport secretary Alistair Darling announced this week.
Roads budgets axed to fund rail spend hike

15-Jul-2004
BRITAIN FACES a three year lull in new road construction after Chancellor Gordon Brown axed highways budgets to fund higher spending on rail in Monday's Comprehensive Spending Review.
Darling drops Highways Agency M6 widening plan for toll road

8-Jul-2004
News
Read between the tram lines

8-Jul-2004
Rail - Light rail
Embankment rebuilding starts on Jubilee River

1-Jul-2004
News
Too much talk, too little action

1-Jul-2004
Tunnelling - Dublin Port Tunnel
Too much talk, too little action

1-Jul-2004
Tunnelling - Dublin Port Tunnel
Common purpose

3-Jun-2004
Project collaboration
National Trust could force £30M hike for Hindhead tunnel

3-Jun-2004
COSTS OF building a £145M road tunnel in Surrey are set to rise by up to £30M if the National Trust insists on a 350m extension, contractors warned this week.
Eastern partners

1-Jun-2004
Analysis EU accession countries
Big guns lobby Brown on roads

27-May-2004
The fight to safeguard transport funding heated up last week with six heavyweight business and motoring groups entering the ring. Mark Hansford reports.
Sheffield gets tanked up

20-May-2004
Water and drainage Sewerage
Too much talk, too little action

20-May-2004
Cover story Dublin Port Tunnel
Flooding fears push Agency to seek Jubilee River extension

13-May-2004
Environment Agency engineers want to add up to £248M of flood defence channels to a two year old £110M Berkshire stormwater channel amid growing fears about flooding of the Thames.
Consultants face Highways Agency ban for safety failings

6-May-2004
CONSULTANTS FAILING to take site safety seriously will be banned from future motorway and trunk road work, the Highways Agency warned last week.
A quiet revolution

25-Mar-2004
For the last year the Highways Agency has been steadily revolutionising its procurement process. Mark Hansford explains how to win work and influence.
Concerns voiced over new highways specs

25-Mar-2004
HIGHWAYS AGENCY officials said this week they would introduce new highway performance specifications despite concerns voiced by contractors and consultants.
'Euroroute' link is vital route to growth

18-Mar-2004
Stop the transport cuts M6/M74 link
M1 widening contracts to be let in six months

18-Mar-2004
News
The missing link

11-Mar-2004
Rail High speed rail
Councils win cash for road drought damage

4-Mar-2004
News
Vendor validation

4-Mar-2004
News
Atkins emerges as top cat in Highways Agency rating scheme

26-Feb-2004
News
Charging ahead on congestion?

12-Feb-2004
Analysis Traffic control
Ministers blamed for council congestion charge apathy

12-Feb-2004
SLOW GOVERNMENT decision making on nationwide road user charging is causing apathy towards city centre congestion charge schemes, local authorities said this week.
Network Rail seeks giant blockades to keep WCML plans on target

12-Feb-2004
NETWORK RAIL is working up plans for a giant 220km blockade of the West Coast Main Line (WCML) next year as it bids to keep its line speed enhancement programme on track.
ICE plans subs hike to halt membership decline

1-Feb-2004
ICE News
Bold plans to boost profile of transport engineers

29-Jan-2004
ICE news
Highways Agency relies on quality factors for ECI jobs

29-Jan-2004
HIGHWAYS Agency officials are planning to strip price considerations from tenders for Early Contractor Involvement (ECI) projects.
ICE revives London to Scotland high speed link

29-Jan-2004
PLANS FOR a new high speed rail link between London and Scotland are to be revived by the ICE ahead of the government's July update of its 10 year transport plan.
Taking the wind out of their sails

29-Jan-2004
News analysis Wind energy
All roads lead to Birmingham

22-Jan-2004
Events Civils 2004
Highways Agency helps out low scoring CAT firms

22-Jan-2004
THE HIGHWAYS Agency has this week thrown a lifeline to firms gaining low scores on its new supplier ranking system.
Lane logistics

22-Jan-2004
Highways M25 widening
More control for Network Rail as SRA faces axe

22-Jan-2004
RAIL REVIEW
Officers on call

22-Jan-2004
Highways Traffic management
Poor performers struggle with roads rankings

15-Jan-2004
HIGHWAYS AGENCY officials confirmed this week that they have banned poor performing consultants and contractors from teaming up with better regarded firms so they can get on to its tender lists.
ICE plans subs hike to halt membership decline

8-Jan-2004
ICE MEMBERS' subscriptions are to rise 30% over the next five years to fund renewed efforts to halt a decline in ICE membership.
UK firms cry foul over US bidding terms for Iraq work

1-Jan-2004
BRITISH CONSULTANTS and contractors have accused the US government of giving American firms an unfair advantage when organising bids for $19bn of Iraqi reconstruction contracts.
UK firms cry foul over US bidding terms for Iraq work

1-Jan-2004
BRITISH CONSULTANTS and contractors have accused the US government of giving American firms an unfair advantage when organising bids for $19bn of Iraqi reconstruction contracts.
Council demands new road to save housing plan

11-Dec-2003
GOVERNMENT PLANS to increase housing on the south coast will fail unless ministers push ahead with construction of a new road between Bexhill and the A21, the local council warned this week.
National transport plans needed - RDAs

11-Dec-2003
TRANSPORT SCHEMES should anticipate future congestion rather than react to existing problems, according to proposals now being developed by regional development agencies (RDAs).
Highways Agency suspends PPP maintenance work

4-Dec-2003
HIGHWAYS AGENCY efforts to introduce privately financed road maintenance contracts have been put on hold pending a review of its traffic management role, officials said this week.
UK firms cry foul over US bidding terms for Iraq work

27-Nov-2003
BRITISH CONSULTANTS and contractors this week accused the US government of giving American firms an unfair advantage when organising bids for £11bn of Iraqi reconstruction contracts.
Drought damaged roads will close without emergency cash

13-Nov-2003
COUNCILS IN south east England this week warned that they will have to close roads unless the government releases emergency funds to tackle damage caused by the dry summer.
IEng is best qualification for most engineers, says ETB

30-Oct-2003
MOST GRADUATES training towards a professional qualification should aim for incorporated engineer status, the Engineering & Technology Board (ETB) said this week.
Eco zealots delaying vital coast defence work

23-Oct-2003
CONFUSION OVER the implementation of European environmental laws is hampering construction of vital sea defences, consultant Halcrow warned this week.
Swanning around

23-Oct-2003
Bridges Lower Bann
CBI urges government to protect transport spend

16-Oct-2003
BUSINESS LEADERS have expressed fears that a slowdown in economic growth could trigger cuts in government infrastructure spending after 2004.
Investing in the future

16-Oct-2003
For the first time since water industry privatisation, maintenance and renewal spend is set to overtake new build. New technology would slash this spend by 40% - but will it be used? Mark Hansford reports.
RDAs aim to limit environmental influence on transport plans

16-Oct-2003
ENGLAND'S REGIONAL Development Agencies (RDAs) are this week working on proposals to downgrade environmental factors used to decide whether major transport projects go ahead.
Civils career choices not influenced by degree sponsorship

9-Oct-2003
DEGREE SPONSORSHIP has little impact on civils students' postgraduate career choices according to an NCE survey published this week.
Reverse auctions target 'rip off' rail contractors

9-Oct-2003
NETWORK RAIL this week said that is was intending to use reverse auctions for key maintenance and renewal contracts.
Blair frustrated at slow transport improvements

2-Oct-2003
PRIME MINISTER Tony Blair this week publicly expressed frustration at the slow progress of New Labour's attempts to improve Britain's 'desperate' transport system.
On the right TRACS

25-Sep-2003
Highways Automated surveys
Speed humps blamed for slowing ambulance response times

25-Sep-2003
LOCAL AUTHORITY engineers are failing to consult properly when installing speed humps to slow traffic, safety campaigners said this week.
Row brews over automated local road maintenance surveys

4-Sep-2003
HIGHWAYS AUTHORITIES are this week preparing for a fight with the government over radical plans to impose common road maintenance standards.
Strike a deal

4-Sep-2003
Courses
Tapping in to treatment

4-Sep-2003
United Utilities
End of the bottleneck blues

1-Sep-2003
Bridges London
Emergency fire refuges to be installed under Birkenhead tunnel

21-Aug-2003
EMERGENCY fire-proof refuges that can hold up to 980 people are to be built under the Birkenhead Queensway Tunnel at a cost of £7M, operator Mersey Tunnels said this week.
End of the bottleneck blues

21-Aug-2003
Bridges Paddington replacement
Council backs Oakervee's enthusiasm for single engineering institution

1-Aug-2003
ICE news
Plans for super institution slow down

1-Aug-2003
ICE news
Foulkes ups pressure for chief engineering advisor

24-Jul-2003
SCIENCE MINISTER Lord Sainsbury last week rejected the ICE's call for the government to appoint a chief engineering advisor (CEA).
Charge strategy needed ahead of road construction, say planners

17-Jul-2003
TRANSPORT PLANNERS this week accused the government of dragging its heels on road user charging.
Darling pressed to include charging scheme in road building programme

10-Jul-2003
TRANSPORT LOBBYISTS were this week urging transport secretary Alistair Darling to accompany plans for a major road building programme with a strong commitment to road user charging.
Easing congestion

10-Jul-2003
Energy Minister Stephen Timms this week came under fire from the chairman of the ICE's energy board following its claims that Britain would face an energy crisis within 20 years.
Super institution plans slow

3-Jul-2003
ICE PLANS to develop a single institution to represent all engineers slowed this week after it agreed to concentrate first on uniting built environment engineers.
Basra up and running

1-Jul-2003
Iraq Reconstruction
Foulkes pushes super institution of 250,000 members to ICE Council

1-Jul-2003
ICE news
Margins and tonic

1-Jul-2003
Despite seeing turnover fall in 2002, Alfred McAlpine is sticking to its guns by going after margins not volume. Mark Hansford reports.
Runaway success

1-Jul-2003
Analysis
Resounding Council vote brings 'super institution' closer

26-Jun-2003
PLANS FOR a new 300,000 strong 'super institution' for engineering took a significant step forward this week after ICE Council voted unanimously to develop the idea.
Special delivery

19-Jun-2003
Roads: Procurement
Universities set standards under Sartor's successor

19-Jun-2003
UNIVERSITIES WILL be free to set their own entry standards after a major revamp of the standards and routes to becoming a professional engineer.
Foulkes pushes super institution of 250,000 members to ICE Council

12-Jun-2003
ICE COUNCIL must decide next week if it is to join in with plans to create a 250,000 member super institution embracing civil, mechanical, electrical and incorporated engineers.
HSE doubts value of law on corporate manslaughter

5-Jun-2003
A SENIOR Health & Safety (HSE) official expressed doubts this week about the effectiveness of government plans to introduce corporate manslaughter legislation.
Halcrow boss leads rearguard trade mission to Iraq

1-Jun-2003
HALCROW CHAIRMAN Tony Allum was to lead a trade mission to Baghdad as NCEI went to press, in a bid to win reconstruction work for British firms in Iraq.
Basra returns to pre-war infrastructure

29-May-2003
Cover story Rebuilding Iraq
Highways Agency seeks foreign bidders for M1 and M6 widening jobs

22-May-2003
OVERSEAS COMPETITION will be needed to ensure the Highways Agency gets value for money from the £2bn widening of the M1 and M6 motorways, a senior official said this week.
Failing infrastructure pushes Iraq towards crisis

15-May-2003
AID ENGINEERS this week criticised the United States for pushing Iraq towards a humanitarian crisis, fuelled by failing infrastructure.
M6 Toll road will raise £70M in first year

8-May-2003
TOLL REVENUE from the M6 Toll north of Birmingham will generate £70M in its first year when it opens to traffic in January, operator Midlands Expressway Ltd (MEL) said this week.
From strength to strength

1-May-2003
Refurbishment Tinsley viaduct
Halcrow boss leads rearguard trade mission to Iraq

1-May-2003
HALCROW CHAIRMAN Tony Allum is to lead a trade mission to Baghdad in a bid to win reconstruction work for British firms in Iraq.
Motorways win out in roads package

3-Apr-2003
TRANSPORT SECRETARY Alistair Darling this week gave the go ahead for a £755M package of road improvement schemes focusing heavily on motorway and trunk road widening.
New definition for chartered engineers

1-Apr-2003
ICE news
From strength to strength

27-Mar-2003
Cover feature: Tinsley viaduct
Gritting firms told to be on permanent standby

27-Mar-2003
WINTER MAINTENANCE contractors have been told that gritters must be kept on permanent standby to avoid a repeat of January's chaos on the M11, the Highways Agency admitted this week.
Road safety groups seek trials on hidden cameras

27-Mar-2003
ROAD SAFETY campaigners this week called for the Department for Transport (DfT) to prove whether visible rather than hidden speed cameras are more effective at cutting road accidents by setting up trials.
Thames Gateway traffic will be double forecast

27-Mar-2003
TRANSPORT FOR London's (TfL) proposed Thames Gateway Bridge in East London will attract twice as much traffic as TfL expects, leading to local congestion, transport planners said this week.
Edinburgh looks to two band congestion charging scheme

13-Mar-2003
EDINBURGH ENGINEERS were this week attempting to develop a pioneering two band congestion charging zone for the city.
New definition for chartered engineers

13-Mar-2003
CHARTERED ENGINEERS no longer need to be innovators, according to the ICE's latest definition, which is intended to include chartered and incorporated professionals.
Watching the clash

6-Mar-2003
Moorhouse
Simpler chartered route for BEng graduates

1-Mar-2003
ICE news
Archaeological find puts Irish roads programme at risk

27-Feb-2003
IRELAND'S ROADS programme was this week thrown into turmoil after the country's Supreme Court halted work on one project on archaeological grounds.
Congestion charge cheats to pay £800,000 in fines

20-Feb-2003
TRANSPORT FOR London (TfL) picked up £800,000 in fines from congestion charge dodgers on Monday alone - cash that will be ploughed straight back into transport improvements.
Utilities' repairs are destroying UK streets

20-Feb-2003
UTILITY COMPANY road repairs may be ruining the structural quality of the UK's streets, highways authorities said last week.
Agency denies snow warning was ignored

13-Feb-2003
HIGHWAYS AGENCY investigations into last month's snow chaos on the M11 were this week focusing on why it look so long to reopen the road after hundreds of motorists were trapped overnight in freezing conditions.
Capital driving: £5 a go

13-Feb-2003
News analysis Congestion charging
Congestion charge will not deliver Livingstone's traffic target

13-Feb-2003
LONDON'S CONGESTION charging scheme will fall short of its target of cutting traffic in the capital to school holiday levels, engineers running the scheme have warned.
Ignored weather warnings left motorists stranded in snow

6-Feb-2003
THE Highways Agency ignored vital weather data which could have saved hundreds of motorists from being trapped in their cars overnight last week.
ICE at odds with members over maths requirements

1-Feb-2003
ICE news
ICE to accredit refugee engineers

1-Feb-2003
REFUGEE ENGINEERS are to get help to become ICE members under plans being drawn up by the Institution.
Costs and protests force Weymouth bypass rethink

30-Jan-2003
ENVIRONMENTAL OBJECTIONS and spiralling land costs have forced Dorset County Council to rethink the route of the Weymouth bypass.
Exempt us from tuition fees, plead engineers

30-Jan-2003
ENGINEERS ARE to lobby the government for permission to let civil engineers reclaim their university tuition fees from the Department of Trade & Industry They want civil engineering students exempt from plans to let universities charge up to £3,000 per year in tuition fees.
Simpler chartered route for BEng graduates

30-Jan-2003
ENGINEERS WITH three year BEng degrees will be offered clearer and simpler routes to chartered membership under new proposals being drafted by the Engineering Council (UK) this week.
ICE at odds with members on importance of A level maths

16-Jan-2003
UNIVERSITIES SHOULD still be allowed to take civils students without A level maths even though 88% of engineers think the qualification should be mandatory, the ICE said this week.
Extra road funds lost by rise in costs

2-Jan-2003
LOCAL AUTHORITIES this week warned that extra cash for highways maintenance in the government's pre-Christmas transport spending bonanza will be offset by spiralling materials costs.
ICE to help refugees be chartered engineers

2-Jan-2003
REFUGEE ENGINEERS are to get help to become ICE members under plans being drawn up this week by the Institution.
Sartor review blocks new path to chartership

1-Jan-2003
ICE news
Scott Wilson replaces Arup on Spinnaker Tower

12-Dec-2002
CONSULTANT SCOTT Wilson has this week replaced Arup as lead designers for design and build contractor Mowlem on Portsmouth's landmark Spinnaker Tower.
Babtie offers graduates route to chartership

5-Dec-2002
CONSULTANT BABTIE has become the first firm to offer a 'matching section', which enables BEng graduates to raise their qualification to MEng standard so they can become chartered engineers.
Technology takes the load

5-Dec-2002
Bridge jacking
Virtual togetherness

5-Dec-2002
Working practice
University fee proposals threaten MEng courses

28-Nov-2002
BIG RISES in the cost of going to university will spell the end of four year MEng civil engineering degrees, academics warned this week.
Waste build up Can't we recycle more construction waste?

28-Nov-2002
Waste
£3M funding shortfall puts Gatwick busway in doubt

20-Nov-2002
COMPLETION of a £32M guided busway linking Gatwick Airport with nearby towns is in doubt unless the Strategic Rail Authority meets an immediate £3M funding gap, NCE has learned.
Sartor review blocks new path to chartership

14-Nov-2002
HUNDREDS OF engineers are finding a new path to chartered status blocked because the Engineering Council (UK) is refusing to approve it, the ICE said this week.
Employers to award own chartered qualification

1-Nov-2002
ICE news
Quest for scholarships

1-Nov-2002
ICE news
Rail route to regeneration

1-Nov-2002
Italy: Turin
A long and winding road

31-Oct-2002
Rail Network Rail
Rail route to regeneration

31-Oct-2002
Rail Turin cross rail
UCL civils resist proposed merger with Imperial College

31-Oct-2002
UNIVERSITY COLLEGE London's civil engineering department has this week expressed strong opposition to a proposed merger with Imperial College.
Don't blame government if roads are dangerous, says minister

24-Oct-2002
TRANSPORT MINISTER David Jamieson last week rejected criticism that the government was failing to take road safety seriously enough.
Site unseen

17-Oct-2002
Steel Waterloo roof refurbishment
SRA looks to short term rail financing

17-Oct-2002
PRIVATE INVESTMENT in future rail projects will be limited to short-term financing of the design and construction phases, the Strategic Rail Authority (SRA) confirmed this week.
40 day countdown to full Network Rail control

10-Oct-2002
MANAGEMENT OF the rail network will go through a 40 day 'shadow running' period before Railtrack replacement Network Rail takes full control, the company said this week.
Engineers slam plan for new professional qualification

3-Oct-2002
ENGINEERS THIS week slammed plans to allow employers to award professional qualifications to their own staff, saying that they would fatally compromise the existing qualification structure.
First rise in civils student numbers for eight years

3-Oct-2002
THE NUMBER of students choosing civil engineering degrees has risen for the first time since the admissions system was revamped in 1994, provisional figures from admissions service UCAS showed this week.
Southwell quits troubled Atkins

3-Oct-2002
ATKINS CHIEF executive Robin Southwell has quit after a disastrous start to the financial year for the consultant that will result in a £5M first half loss before tax.
ICE at odds over nuclear energy policy

1-Oct-2002
ICE news
Theory and practice

26-Sep-2002
Highways: Technology
Travelling hopefully

26-Sep-2002
Highways: Maintenance
Employers to award own chartered qualification

19-Sep-2002
EMPLOYERS ARE to get the power to award professional qualifications to their own engineers under plans being drawn up by the Engineering & Technology Board (ETB).
British Energy crisis sparks power cut fears

12-Sep-2002
ENGINEERS WARNED this week that Britain faces crippling power cuts unless the government develops a more robust pro-nuclear power generating policy.
Foundation work probed after Newcastle building collapse

5-Sep-2002
INVESTIGATIONS INTO the partial collapse of a Grade II listed building in Newcastle last weekend are expected to focus on the impact of excavation work alongside one of its outer walls.
Blair challenged over high UK road death toll

1-Aug-2002
Institution news
All shook up

25-Jul-2002
Analysis
Consultant offers sponsorship prize

18-Jul-2002
STUDENTS AND school children have been offered the chance to win full sponsorship of their civil engineering education by structures firm John Allen Consulting.
Repairs likely to close A2 for four more months

18-Jul-2002
REPAIRING THE collapsed section of the A2 trunk road will take at least four months and cost £2.25M, Transport for London (TfL) revealed this week.
ICE challenges Blair over high UK road death toll

4-Jul-2002
News
BEng graduates face delay on chartered status route

1-Jul-2002
Institution news
Ex-army man Foulkes steps into ICE director general post

1-Jul-2002
Institution news
Wind of change

1-Jul-2002
Testing Soccer stadium
Recycling targets would put councils in the red

27-Jun-2002
News
Hard shoulder to ease M42 traffic congestion

20-Jun-2002
News
Racing start

20-Jun-2002
Roads Silverstone
Whitby backs move to hide speed cameras

20-Jun-2002
News
Ex-army man Foulkes steps into ICE director general post

13-Jun-2002
THE INSTITUTION of Civil Engineers has appointed Tom Foulkes, a brigadier in the British Army, as its new director general.
BEng graduates face delay on chartered status route

30-May-2002
News
Fast track road work saves Grand Prix

23-May-2002
News
Bitumen barrier cuts speedway spray risk

16-May-2002
News
Professionals to blame for construction's poor safety record

2-May-2002
News
Returning the call

2-May-2002
Stadium House
Fears over Bangkok bridge design

1-May-2002
NEWS
Lax disciplinary procedures leave institutions open to prosecution

25-Apr-2002
News
A2 subsidence set to bring traffic chaos to south east London

18-Apr-2002
NEWS
China branch offices look to boost membership

1-Apr-2002
Institution News
Communications director quits

1-Apr-2002
Institution News
Concern over fall in graduate members

1-Apr-2002
Institution News
ICEapology over slow AMICE upgrade

1-Apr-2002
Institution News
Institution news

1-Apr-2002
Institution News
Pass rate success proves training strategy is on track

1-Apr-2002
Institution News
RAIL REUNION

1-Apr-2002
Institution News
Search starts for new look director general

1-Apr-2002
Institution News
Fears over Bangkok bridge design

28-Mar-2002
THE DESIGN and manufacturing quality of a specialised bridge enclosure system being installed on Bangkok's new cable stayed Rama VIII bridge, was this week questioned by the system's inventor.
Oxford Brookes to close civil courses

14-Mar-2002
NEWS
Savings in the frame

14-Mar-2002
TECHNICAL FEATURE: 20-32 Baker Street: Transforming a block of Georgian buildings in the heart of London into a modern office is requiring unusual construction techniques. Mark Hansford reports from Baker Street.
Announcement

1-Mar-2002
News
Council seeks candidates

1-Mar-2002
News
Failing science

1-Mar-2002
News
Flood report opened to online debate

1-Mar-2002
News
Humber Bridge drinks a toast to good health

1-Mar-2002
News
ICE lures young talent with MBAs and up to ú20,000 prize money

1-Mar-2002
News
Marshall legacy - your ideas

1-Mar-2002
News
news

1-Mar-2002
News
Oxfam restores Goma water

1-Mar-2002
News
Oxfam restores Goma water

1-Mar-2002
News
Projects aim for Alpine acceleration

1-Mar-2002
News
Scots exchange ideas at Czech conference

1-Mar-2002
News
Shared data eases track inspection

1-Mar-2002
News
Contractors attack Spellar over skills shortage

21-Feb-2002
NEWS
Contractors reflect the skills gloom

21-Feb-2002
Civils 2002: Some 80% of contractors are struggling to attract graduates, 85% are short of chartered engineers, and 90% say they cannot find senior engineers. Mark Hansford reports on findings of the third NCE poll on the skills crisis.
Chain reaction

14-Feb-2002
HERITAGE ENGINEERING: Engineers have been rediscovering skills and materials of the past in the 10 year restoration of St Paul's. Mark Hansford hears how the genius of Sir Christopher Wren lives on.
Marshall legacy - your ideas

7-Feb-2002
NCE's CHALLENGE to readers to suggest way of spending the £300,000 residue of an ICE bequest has been heartily accepted (NCE 10 January).
News

7-Feb-2002
Providing a sustainable supply of clean water to the 1.1bn people who currently suffer from water deprivation will be the subject of 'Pump up the volume', an Appropriate Development Panel event, at the ICE on Wednesday. A series of short films from the Television Trust for the Environment will illustrate innovative water supply projects from countries as far apart as Greece and South Africa. Contact Ruth Dennett (020) 7665 2154.
No excuse to ignore sustainability

7-Feb-2002
ENGINEERS CAN no longer ignore sustainability in construction. This is the message of the 2002 Brunel International Lecture to be held at the ICE this Tuesday.
British consultants to bid for Afghan rebuild

24-Jan-2002
NEWS
Oxfam engineers to restore water supply in Goma

24-Jan-2002
NEWS
Civil engineering degrees see further decline in student numbers

17-Jan-2002
EFFORTS TO halt plunging numbers of students choosing civil engineering degrees are making little impact, according to the latest university admissions figures published this week.
Announcement

1-Jan-2002
News
Change of direction

1-Jan-2002
News
Environment the winner in ICE awards

1-Jan-2002
News
Growth in the green house

1-Jan-2002
Structures Sustainable buildings
ICE apologises for poor quality membership cards

1-Jan-2002
News
NEWS

1-Jan-2002
News
Online knowledge at a discount

1-Jan-2002
News
Politics dooms public/private mix

1-Jan-2002
News
Web super-archive has complete ICE Proceedings

1-Jan-2002
News
Courses and conferences

6-Dec-2001
ICE NEWS
Dedicated to security

6-Dec-2001
IT SPECIAL: Terrorists are not the only ones who could hack into your web applications and rifle through your building designs. Mark Hansford finds out how to ensure your system is safe from unwelcome visitors.
'Frustrated' Casebourne quits ICE

1-Dec-2001
Institution News
Late subs payers face faster sanctions

1-Dec-2001
Institution News
New role at Railtrack

1-Dec-2001
Institution News
Rain harvest key to conquer African drought

1-Dec-2001
Institution News
Young Poles tour major UK projects

1-Dec-2001
Institution News
Afghan war will bring British no work

22-Nov-2001
News
Awards celebrate bridge with the past

22-Nov-2001
ICE news
Fierce competition marks Henry Palmer final

15-Nov-2001
ICE news
T5 approval will make M25 widening a priority

15-Nov-2001
News
Project extranets also at risk from hostile hackers

8-Nov-2001
PROJECT EXTRANETS set up to streamline construction are a prime target for terrorists, leading American security experts warned this week.
Web super-archive has ICE papers since 1836

8-Nov-2001
A MAMMOTH project to place the entire Proceedings of the ICE on the internet has been completed.
Whitby stands up as torch bearer

8-Nov-2001
MARK WHITBY took on the mantel of President at the Institution of Civil Engineers this week and sig - nalled in his presidential address on Tuesday his intention to cause a stir over the course of the next 12 months.
Electricity price hike cited as only way to reduce energy demand

1-Nov-2001
Institution news
Energy options

1-Nov-2001
Institution news
Engineering Council replaced by ETB

1-Nov-2001
Institution news
Graduates enlisted to help promote civils

1-Nov-2001
ICE NEWS
Growth highlights strain on Irish infrastructure

1-Nov-2001
ICE NEWS
Guide gives new meaning to life

1-Nov-2001
Institution news
How well do you get your point across?

1-Nov-2001
ICE NEWS
IN BRIEF: Benevolent Fund

1-Nov-2001
ICE NEWS
IN BRIEF: Building Research Establishment

1-Nov-2001
ICE NEWS
IN BRIEF: ICE/IAHR Water & Maritime Engineering journal

1-Nov-2001
ICE NEWS
Laptops start move to open book PR

1-Nov-2001
Institution news
Memsys overcomes its nemesis

1-Nov-2001
Institution news
Tribunal will give Members right of appeal

1-Nov-2001
Institution news
UK back at the World Federation table

1-Nov-2001
Institution news
Unprotected piers target of collapsed Texas viaduct inquiry

1-Nov-2001
INVESTIGATIONS INTO the collapse of a section of a 3.8km viaduct in Texas on 15 September were focusing on fact that only two of its 146 piers had protection against shipping collisions.
Website relaunched with more services and easier access

1-Nov-2001
Institution news
Welsh continue African project

1-Nov-2001
ICE NEWS
Young engineers put sustainability on to world stage

1-Nov-2001
Institution news
High rise retrofits unlikely, WTC investigators tell US engineers

25-Oct-2001
ICE news
Engineering Council replaced by ETB

11-Oct-2001
News :
Consultants accused of ducking responsibility

4-Oct-2001
NEWS
Courses & conferences

4-Oct-2001
ICE NEWS
Disaster team prepares for Afghan relief mission

4-Oct-2001
NEWS
ICE NEWS IN BRIEF

4-Oct-2001
ICE NEWS
New conditions of contract include pain/gain clause

4-Oct-2001
ICE NEWS
Prop study scoops Telford Medal

4-Oct-2001
ICE NEWS
Website relaunched with more services and easier access

4-Oct-2001
ICE NEWS
What's on

4-Oct-2001
ICE NEWS
Doubts raised over Philippine volcano emergency measures

1-Oct-2001
News
ALGS in action

27-Sep-2001
ICE NEWS
Atkins loses control of Somerset highways work

27-Sep-2001
NEWS
EngC defends non-elected regulatory board

27-Sep-2001
NEWS
Guide gives new meaning to life

27-Sep-2001
ICE NEWS
ICE STAND ATTRACTS RECORD NUMBERS

27-Sep-2001
ICE NEWS
MUMBAI SEWAGE SCHEME

27-Sep-2001
ICE NEWS
Safety first at Silverstone

27-Sep-2001
HIGHWAY MANAGEMENT - A43: The transformation of one of Britain's most dangerous roads is back on track after a summer of disruption. Mark Hansford sped to Silverstone to take a look.
Selling engineering in the 21st century

27-Sep-2001
ICE NEWS
Student body organises mystery tour

27-Sep-2001
ICE NEWS
Thomas Telford Golf Trophy

27-Sep-2001
ICE NEWS
UK engineering rejoins World Federation

27-Sep-2001
ICE NEWS
What s on

27-Sep-2001
ICE NEWS
Young professionals aim to force sustainability on to world agenda

27-Sep-2001
ICE NEWS
Drill to revolutionise deep sea work

20-Sep-2001
ICE news
EngC senate set to fight ETB proposals

20-Sep-2001
News
Engineering Council's demise paves the way for a bigger vision

20-Sep-2001
ICE news
ICE news

20-Sep-2001
ICE news
Institutions compete to be health and safety planning supervisors

20-Sep-2001
News
Laptops set to be used in 2003 Professional Review

20-Sep-2001
ICE news
Oxfam withdrawal halts vital Afghan roads

20-Sep-2001
News : Cover story
Project failings and workload is the MEMSYS nemesis

20-Sep-2001
ICE news
Tribunal will give Members right of appeal

20-Sep-2001
ICE news
Tube masonry repair a constant battle, says LUL

20-Sep-2001
ICE news
Unprotected piers target of collapsed Texas viaduct inquiry

20-Sep-2001
News
Courses & conferences

13-Sep-2001
ICE NEWS
Electricity price hike cited as only way to reduce energy demand

13-Sep-2001
ICE news
Energy options

13-Sep-2001
Glow Star
Midlands set to appoint full time development manager

13-Sep-2001
ICE NEWS
Oxfam fears Philippine volcano collapse

13-Sep-2001
News
Scots score hat trick with golf trophy prize

13-Sep-2001
ICE NEWS
What's on

13-Sep-2001
ICE NEWS
BRE digest tackles thaumasite attack

6-Sep-2001
ICE News
Engineers of the world unite at virtual conference

6-Sep-2001
ICE News
ICE News

6-Sep-2001
ICE News
ICE pins hopes on slogan to boost image

6-Sep-2001
News
Livingstone doubts ability of UK project managers

6-Sep-2001
News
Re-elected RCEA chairman aims to create beacon for industry

6-Sep-2001
ICE News
Royal Academy honours ICE members

6-Sep-2001
ICE News
Whats on

6-Sep-2001
ICE News
Accreditation talks bring international mobility nearer

1-Sep-2001
Institution news
Announcement

1-Sep-2001
Institution news
COMMONS TOUCH

1-Sep-2001
Institution news
Environmental impact indicator system adopted by construction

1-Sep-2001
Institution news
GOOD AS GOLD

1-Sep-2001
Institution news
HUNGARY FOR CHANGE

1-Sep-2001
Institution news
ICE launches membership CD

1-Sep-2001
Institution news
ICE to get tough on subs dodgers

1-Sep-2001
Institution news
Inadequate disaster plans left US tunnel ablaze for five days

1-Sep-2001
FLAWS IN disaster plans allowed a rail tunnel fire in the UScity of Baltimore to rage out of control for five days, bringing the city centre to a standstill.
Increases to ICE subscription rates in 2002 have been approved by the voting membership.

1-Sep-2001
Institution news
New initiative tackles rising site fatalities

1-Sep-2001
Institution news
Storm over poor design standards

1-Sep-2001
Institution news
Subcontract form cuts dispute

1-Sep-2001
Institution news
The The Engineers Mobility Forum

1-Sep-2001
Institution news
Virtual library puts all ICE papers online

1-Sep-2001
Institution news
Welsh graduates repeat their Africa health mission

1-Sep-2001
Institution news
Arup is top firm for graduates seeking chartership

23-Aug-2001
NEWS
Tales of mystery and imagination

23-Aug-2001
COVER STORY: PROFESSIONAL VIEW The ICE's professional review process has long been shrouded in mystery and intrigue, and there are plenty of horror stories on hand to instil fear in potential candidates. Fact or fiction? Mark Hansford investigates.
Baltimore fire prompts accident plan review

9-Aug-2001
News
Frameworks squeeze out small contractors

9-Aug-2001
News
Road maintenance target in doubt as extra flood funding falls short

9-Aug-2001
News
Legal expert slams partnering 'con trick'

1-Aug-2001
Institution News
Civils starting salaries are among lowest

19-Jul-2001
NEWS
London traffic to get worse before it gets better

19-Jul-2001
NEWS
Bradford school kids rise to Challenge

12-Jul-2001
ICE NEWS
Crisis management

12-Jul-2001
ICE NEWS
IN BRIEF

12-Jul-2001
ICE NEWS
Industry fails to tap Egan benefits

12-Jul-2001
NEWS
Pass list

12-Jul-2001
ICE NEWS
Pass rates up as ICE blooms

12-Jul-2001
ICE NEWS
Ramsgate wins south eastern merit award

5-Jul-2001
ICE NEWS
Germany and Denmark plan road and rail link

1-Jul-2001
PRIVATE FINANCE is being sought for the construction of a $3.7bn fixed road and rail link across the Fehmarnbelt between Germany and Denmark.
HSE guide targets workplace stress

28-Jun-2001
NEWS
Legal expert slams partnering 'con trick'

28-Jun-2001
NEWS
'Green' asphalt promises to cut exhaust pollution

21-Jun-2001
NEWS
Its all in the timing

21-Jun-2001
ROADS: PROCUREMENT - Last year the Highways Agency announced a bold new strategy for procuring its projects. Mark Hansford finds out how the strategy is shaping up.
Road lobbyists attack 'anti-auto vanguard'

21-Jun-2001
NEWS
Skills certification scheme extended to managers

21-Jun-2001
NEWS
ICE adds partnering to NEC contract options

14-Jun-2001
News
Arup associate to be youngest ICE president

1-Jun-2001
COLIN CLINTON, former maverick chairman of the ICE Midlands local association, is poised to be the Institution's youngest ever president in 2004.
Hong Kong association to get council representation

1-Jun-2001
RECOGNITION of the importance placed on membership in the Far East, Council voted to award the Hong Kong local association full and permanent representation on Council with its own territorial member.
Management game looks to move overseas

1-Jun-2001
PLANS TO develop an international version of the highly popular Merit competition - in which teams manage a virtual construction firm in competition against other (see box) - are being considered by the ICE and the game's organisers.
Merit metamorphosis

1-Jun-2001
While it may still be labelled as a game, Merit is a serious business.
NewFellows of ICE

1-Jun-2001
Announcement
Earning a rail wage

31-May-2001
The railways
Germany and Denmark plan privately funded road and rail link

31-May-2001
PRIVATE FINANCE is being sought for the construction of a £2.7bn fixed road and rail link across the Fehmarnbelt between Germany and Denmark.
Chilterns

3-May-2001
Ice News
Council elections: make sure your voice is heard

3-May-2001
ICE on the web: www. ice. org. uk
East of Scotland (M)

3-May-2001
Ice News
General candidates

3-May-2001
Ice News
Graduate candidates

3-May-2001
Ice News
London

3-May-2001
Ice News
Southern

3-May-2001
Ice News
Territorial Candidates Yorkshire

3-May-2001
Ice News
Thames Valley

3-May-2001
Ice News
Graduate pay soars as skills shortage bites

5-Apr-2001
GRADUATE SALARIES have soared dramatically this year as the industry-wide skills shortage begins to bite, with increases of up to 15% being reported by consultants.
Keeping the ball rolling

5-Apr-2001
A combination of cutting edge technology and oldfashioned common sense has allowed construction of the dramatic new headquarters of the Greater London Authority to ease smoothly past the half way stage. Mark Hansford finds out how.
New 'green book' must await EngC approval

29-Mar-2001
CONTINUED DISCUSSION with the Engineering Council (EngC) over routes to membership may force the ICE to delay publication of vital new core objectives and membership documents, it emerged last week.
Report urges guidelines to avoid kidnap abroad

29-Mar-2001
BRITISH PEOPLE working abroad risk being kidnapped because the Government is failing to give them enough warning of the risks, according to a report published this week by the Foreign Policy Centre, an independent think tank.
Humbercare tunnel boring set to restart

22-Mar-2001
TUNNELLING of a section of the Humbercare sewerage tunnel is set to restart in May - 18 months after it collapsed trapping the tunnel boring machine, contractor Miller said last week.
Sand extraction - a major factor in Europe's 'worst ever' road disaster

15-Mar-2001
Exceptional weather along with technical, political and economic factors are all being touted as reasons for the collapse of the Ponte de Ferro bridge in Portugal. Mark Hansford investigates.
Utilities face fines for late running streetworks

15-Mar-2001
UTILITY COMPANIES face fines of up to £2,000 a day from next month if streetworks operations overrun.
On course for the Champ

8-Mar-2001
Construction of Britain's first banked raceway in almost 100 years is presenting major engineering challenges. Mark Hansford reports.
Cardiff City Council blamed for chaos at Worthington Cup Final

1-Mar-2001
POLICE THIS week criticised Cardiff City Council and train operators for failing to plan transport and crowd control ahead of last Sunday's Worthington Cup Final between Liverpool and Birmingham City.
See how the land lies

1-Mar-2001
Flood risk can now be assessed with astonishing accuracy thanks to a new three dimensional mapping technique launched last month. Mark Hansford investigates.
Welcome to the pleasure dome

1-Mar-2001
Interactive walkthroughs and recorded images are set to revolutionise the communication process. Mark Hansford takes a trip into the virtual world.
Highways Agency in deep water over ponds

15-Feb-2001
ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION groups are on a collision course with the Highways Agency over the maintenance of pollutioncontrolling balancing ponds alongside the environmentally sensitive Newbury bypass.
Industry 'honey pot' aims to beat skills shortage

1-Feb-2001
A SPONSORSHIP 'honey pot' to attract the best young people into civil engineering and beat the skills shortage has been agreed at an industry summit.
Industry urges ICE to ease membership rules

25-Jan-2001
CONTRACTORS AND construction professionals want the Institution of Civil Engineers to broaden its entry requirements and acknowledge the professionalism of engineers following vocational training routes.
Bromley steps up action on shoddy streetworks

18-Jan-2001
UTILITIES WORKING in south London face a clampdown on shoddy streetwork reinstatement after Bromley magistrates fined cable company NTL a total of £10,250. The firm was also ordered to pay £15,000 costs.
Blair promise to resurface A30 in doubt

11-Jan-2001
RESIDENTS LIVING on a noisy 8km section of the A30 between Straightway Head and Sowton in Devon fear the Government will delay the promised replacement of the concrete carriageway with quieter asphalt.
That sinking feeling

2001
Immersed tube tunnelling is a firmly established engineering method, yet a tunnel now under construction in the heart of Europort is giving Dutch engineers plenty of fresh challenges.
Engineering Council threatens to strip ICE of licence to qualify

14-Dec-2000
THE ENGINEERING Council has threatened to strip the ICE of its licence to professionally qualify engineers unless swift changes are made to its professional qualification process, NCE learned this week.
Government lifts gas power ban

23-Nov-2000
TRADE SECRETARY Stephen Byers this week lifted a two year ban on gas fired power station construction and immediately approved six new schemes.
ECGD toughens project criteria

2-Nov-2000
EXPORT GUARANTEE agency ECGD is toughening its stance on projects it underwrites in a bid to reduce the amount of money it has to pay out to settle unpaid loans from developing countries.
Windows shopping

26-Oct-2000
As more construction professionals get access to the internet, the industry must embrace the technology to do business better. Mark Hansford finds out how.
M74 Glasgow link will be delivered says Boyack

5-Oct-2000
COMPLETION OF the M74 link in Glasgow has been made a top priority by Scottish transport minister Sarah Boyack.
Fuel crisis placed industry two days from paralysis

21-Sep-2000
FUEL SHORTAGES caused by last week's oil refinery blockades were within 48 hours of paralysing large parts of the civil engineering sector it emerged this week.
Council votes for single membership next year

14-Sep-2000
INCORPORATED ENGINEERS qualifying after 1 January 2001 will be able to use the title MICE, after a historic vote was taken this week by the Institution of Civil Engineers' Council.
Unsung heroes of the ICE

7-Sep-2000
THE ICE has many roles. Its key objective is in providing services to its members that 'promote the acquisition of that species of knowledge which constitutes the profession of a Civil Engineer'.

NCE FOR IN DEPTH NEWS AND FEATURES ON MAJOR PROJECTS

New Civil EngineerMark Hansford

New Civil Engineer
Mark Hansford