New Civil Engineer
NCE Editorial

Mace and EC Harris land £72M Qatar programme management contract

23-May-2012
Qatar public works authority (PWA) Ashghal has awarded Mace and EC Harris a £72M five year deal to programme manage its vast programme of social infrastructure building projects.
Amey takes Balfour Beatty highways maintenance job with savings promise

23-May-2012
Amey is to take over the maintenance of highways in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead from Balfour Beatty after promising a 15% saving.
Welsh government unveils £15bn infrastructure plan

23-May-2012
Ambitious plans detailing how the Welsh Government will act to deliver growth and jobs with a £15bn spend on roads, schools, hospitals, housing and other capital projects over the next decade have been published.
Dartford Crossing toll hiked to help pay for barrier-less toll gates

23-May-2012
Tolls to use the Dartford Crossing are to rise by a third, with the extra revenue paying for the planned installation of barrier-less toll gates.
Engineers to scrutinise energy reform plan

23-May-2012
The ICE said it was to scrutinise the draft Energy Bill to assess its fitness for purpose
National Grid given key role in energy bill

23-May-2012
Grid operator National Grid has been appointed delivery body for the government’s much anticipated energy bill, which has released in draft yesterday.
Motorway network unfit for 80mph speed limits, say safety experts

22-May-2012
England’s motorway network is not safe enough to have the speed limit raised to 80mph, according to Unfit for 80, a new report from the Road Safety Foundation.
HSE to re-write the CDM Regulations

22-May-2012
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has told an Association for Project Safety (APS) event that it is to redrafting the Construction (Design & Management) Regulations for reissue in 2104.
Welsh government due to unveil £15bn spending plan

22-May-2012
The Welsh Assembly Government (WAG) is due to unveil its investment plan today with £15bn planned over the next decade on capital projects.
Ramboll latest team to sign up to CARE Construction Challenge

22-May-2012
Ramboll are the latest firm to have entered a team into the CARE Construction Challenge supported by NCE and Ground Engineering, taking place on 30 June on the Dorset coast.
Key milestone in redevelopment of Blackfriars as two new platforms open for use

21-May-2012
Work to rebuild Blackfriars station came a step closer to completion yesterday as the station’s final two new platforms open for use.
Business lobby group calls for Crossrail 2

21-May-2012
A second Crossrail scheme is needed in London from the south west to the north east, serving Clapham Junction, Victoria, Euston, Kings Cross St Pancras, Islington, Hackney and Seven Sisters, and detailed planning of a suitable scheme needs to start now.
Electric vehicle trial gives thumbs up to the technology

18-May-2012
Electric vehicles (EVs) are an attractive and viable means of urban transportation that are here to stay, was the unanimous opinion of automotive manufacturers, academics and drivers taking part in the UK’s largest study of long-term low carbon vehicle use.
Lend Lease UK boss Dan Labbad promoted to global role

18-May-2012
Australian construction giant Lend Lease has appointed Dan Labbad as Group chief operating officer.
Air Nigeria chooses Gatwick Airport to launch daily flight to Lagos

17-May-2012
Gatwick Airport’s growth has continued with Air Nigeria beginning a daily service from Gatwick to Murtala Mohammed International Airport in Lagos, Nigeria.
Revolutionary new tram-trains to be piloted in South Yorkshire

17-May-2012
Transport minister Norman Baker has given the green light to a £58M pilot scheme to run revolutionary tram-trains on both rail and tram networks between Sheffield and Rotherham.
Engineering sector 'crucial' to effective disaster response, says government

17-May-2012
Engineers have a “crucial” role to play in responding to natural and man-made disasters in places like Haiti, Pakistan and East Africa international development minister Alan Duncan has said.
Government launches search for Morrell replacement

17-May-2012
The government this week launched its search for a successor to Paul Morrell as the its chief construction adviser.
London Assembly member criticises Olympic Park reopening schedule

17-May-2012
Labour London Assembly member John Biggs yesterday criticised last week’s announcement that it would take until Easter 2014 for the Olympic Park to fully reopenin legacy, saying that the “convenience of engineers” had been prioritised over the needs of local residents.
Government publishes list of carbon capture competition players

17-May-2012
The government yesterday published a list of companies that have signalled their intention to apply to the new UK carbon capture and storage (CCS) competition.
New London cable car completes test 'flight'

16-May-2012
Construction of London’s first urban cable car came a step closer to opening yesterday as all 34 cabins of the Emirates Air Line took off for their inaugural load testing ‘flight’.
Nuclear legacy sites given all clear following stress tests

16-May-2012
Safety reassessments of the UK’s non-power generating nuclear sites were revealed to have “no serious weakness”, according to an official report out today.
Hain leaves shadow cabinet to campaign for Severn Barrage

16-May-2012
Labour MP Peter Hain this week resigned as Welsh shadow secretary to help campaign for the resurrection of the £32bn Severn Barrage project.
Parsons Brinckerhoff sweeps £8M worth of High Speed 2 systems contracts

16-May-2012
Scheme promoter HS2 Ltd has awarded two design contracts to Parsons Brinckerhoff worth £8M in total under Lot 2 of its Professional Services Framework covering Railway Systems Design Services.
Water and sewerage firms need step change in innovation, warns regulator

15-May-2012
Water and sewerage firms need to make a step change in innovation if they are to meet the challenges of ever rising customer expectations, population growth and climate change, water regulator Ofwat warned today.
London councils add support to new Heathrow rail link

15-May-2012
Hounslow and Hammersmith & Fulham councils have added their backing to Wandsworth Council’s proposal for a new direct rail services between Waterloo and Heathrow.
Olympic Stadium bidding deadline extended by eight weeks

15-May-2012
The deadline for submitting bid for the use of the Olympic Stadium in legacy has been extended by eight weeks, the London Legacy Development Corporation announced yesterday.
Environment Agency relaxes drought status after heavy rains

14-May-2012
The Environment Agency has said that south west England, the Midlands and parts of Yorkshire are no longer in drought due to the recent rainfall.
Contractors demand government action after figures show industry in worse state than thought

14-May-2012
The Civil Engineering Contractors Association (CECA) has called for government to act after publication on Friday of worse-than-expected construction output figures by the Office of National Statistics.
Grontmij sells Trett Consulting to Driver Group

14-May-2012
Troubled consultant Grontmij has sold its UK dispute resolution and contractual advice consultancy, Trett Consulting, to Driver Group.
Arup to work with Herzog & de Meuron and Ai Weiwei on new Serpentine pavilion

10-May-2012
Consultant Arup is to work with architects Herzog & de Meuron and Ai Weiwei on the next summer pavilion at the Serpentine Gallery in London.
Government grants consent for new 299MW Welsh wind farm

10-May-2012
Energy minister Charles Hendry this week granted consent to developer Vattenfall for the Pen Y Cymoedd project, a 299MW wind farm between Neath and Aberdare in South Wales.
Drax closes in on major turbine modernisation

10-May-2012
Drax Power Station is a month away from completing what it claims is the largest steam turbine modernisation programme in UK history in an attempt to increase the coal-fired power station’s efficiency.
First sprayed concrete Crossrail tunnels complete

10-May-2012
Crossrail this week revealed that the £14.5bn project’s first two sprayed concrete tunnels have been constructed under Finsbury Circus in the City of London.
Government confirms intention for long awaited energy market reform

10-May-2012
The government confirmed its commitment to overhauling the energy market by promising an Energy Bill in the Queen’s speech yesterday.
Repairs begin on M4's Boston Manor Viaduct

10-May-2012
Engineers will this week begin work on repairing cracks on Boston Manor Viaduvt, a crucial M4 motorway structure that is part of the Olympic Route Network.
Construction firms fined over Liverpool crane collapse

10-May-2012
Two construction firms have been sentenced after a crane collapsed onto a city centre apartment block in Liverpool, resulting in the crane driver being paralysed from the waist down.
Andrew McNaughton named Balfour Beatty deputy chief executive

10-May-2012
Andrew McNaughton is to step up to the role of deputy chief executive at Balfour Beatty following the retirement of Anthony Rabin
Middle East and US wins help Balfour Beatty maintain its £15bn order book

9-May-2012
Balfour Beatty has maintained an order book of £15bn thanks to good wins in its US and Middle East operations.
Kent to consult market over £25M design and consultancy contract

9-May-2012
Kent County Council is to hold a market engagement day ahead of tendering for five year design and consultancy services contracts worth up to £5M per annum.
New figures show 911 construction firms went bust in last three months

8-May-2012
The latest construction insolvency figures out today show that 911 construction companies went out of business in the last registered quarterly figures.
Cumbria's Northside bridge rebuild reaches key milestone

8-May-2012
Birse Civils has installed the main beams of Cumbria County Council’s £11.2M reconstruction of Northside Bridge in Workington, over the River Derwent.
Two local roads schemes worth £144M to start

8-May-2012
Transport ministers have given the green light for construction to start on Devon’s £109M Kingskerswell bypass and Corby’s £34M link road.
Development work to start on six delayed road schemes

8-May-2012
Roads minister Mike Penning has sanctioned the development of six road schemes delayed following the 2010 Comprehensive Spending Review.
Aecom wins to £1.8M contract to develop transport masterplan for Romania

7-May-2012
Aecom’s UK transport team has been appointed by the Romanian Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure to develop a masterplan and development strategy for its national transportation system.
Crossrail's first TBM breaks ground at Royal Oak

7-May-2012
Crossrail’s first tunnel boring machine (TBM), Phyllis, has broken ground near Paddington to construct the first section of tunnel between Royal Oak and Farringdon.
Costain first contractor to achieve BS11000 status for collaborative working

7-May-2012
Costain has become the first construction company in the UK to achieve BS11000 status for collaborative working.
Arup to design £400M cable stayed bridge in Long Beach, California

7-May-2012
A £400M Arup-designed cable stayed bridge has been chosen as the best value option for the Gerald Desmond Bridge Replacement Project by California’s Port of Long Beach and Caltrans officials.
Trade body urges construction firms to seek out £20bn construction bonanza in Brazil

4-May-2012
UK Trade & Investment is urging UK companies to bid for more than £20bn worth of infrastructure projects in Brazil. The contracts relate to the Pedra de Ferro mining project, the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympics.
Arup wins Chilean metro station concept design work

4-May-2012
Consultant Arup has been appointed by Metro de Santiago to lead the concept design of 11 stations in the Chilean capital.
Cost of water may have to rise, says Lords committee

4-May-2012
Governments of the UK and other European countries may have to act urgently to facilitate a rise in the cost of water to safeguard supplies and quality, a House of Lords committee warned this week.
Rail regulator sets out plan to scrutinise Network Rail funding at route level

3-May-2012
The Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) has set out plans to assess the amount Network Rail can charge for access to its lines at a route level in future as part of moves to drive savings,
Government launches new dash for gas

3-May-2012
The government has launched a call for evidence to inform a strategy that would make gas-fired power stations part of a “secure and affordable” route to a low carbon economy.
ICE reports 75% rise in media coverage

03 May 2012
Media coverage of the ICE inreased sharply during the first quarter of the year, the Institution’s latest media report shows.
Painless extraction

03 May 2012
Bauer Technologies has come up with an innovative way of removing piles from a Crossrail site in Moorgate, central London. NCE reports.
Piling: Birthday presence

03 May 2012
Piling equipment and plant supplier Watson & Hillhouse is celebrating its 40th anniversary with a new contract to supply machines for Italian manufacturer Enteco.
Piling: timely decisions

03 May 2012
Crewe-based piling company Terrawise Construction was given just two weekends to install foundations for new overhead rail lines. NCE reports on how the team pulled it off.
Thames Hub airport plans debated

03 May 2012
A panel of experts debated the economic, engineering and environmental viability of a Thames Hub airport at a joint ICE South East, London and East of England event at One Great George Street last week. Panellists London Assembly Environment Committee chair Murad Qureshi, Nick Raynsford MP, Deutsche Bank managing director Mike Redican, Volterra Consulting chair Bridget Rosewell and Foster & Partners partner Huw Thomas explored the concept in front of aviation, business and regeneration ...
Gatwick airport expands offering with Korean Air

1-May-2012
Gatwick Airport has stepped up its expansion drive by signing up Korean Air to provide passengers with flights to and from the South Korean capital Seoul three times per week.
Tarmac and Lafarge merger given green light - provided they sell plants

1-May-2012
The Competition Commission (CC) has ruled that Tarmac owner Anglo American and Lafarge must sell a significant portfolio of their operations, paving the way for entry by a new competitor into the UK cement market, before their proposed construction materials joint venture can go ahead.
What will the civil engineer's world look like in 2052?

1-May-2012
As NCE prepares to celebrate its 40th birthday, we are looking 40 years ahead to 2052 and asking our readers to tell us what they think their world will look like.
One World Trade Center becomes tallest building in New York

1-May-2012
One World Trade Center, while still under construction, yesterday became the tallest building in New York, overtaking the current tallest, the Empire State Building, by 6.4m.
Power connection between Britain and Denmark to be studied

1-May-2012
National Grid and Denmark’s Energinet.dk yesterday announced the start of a study to look at the possibility of a first electricity power connection between Great Britain and Denmark.
Three more big names sign up for CARE Construction Challenge

30-Apr-2012
Teams from Enterprise Mouchel, Ramboll and Fairhurst are the latest to sign up for the CARE Construction Challenge supported by NCE and Ground Engineering.
International Tunnelling Awards back and open for entries

30-Apr-2012
The 2012 International Tunnelling Awards are now open for entries - and this year we are taking the event to Toronto, Canada.
Downpours do nothing to ease drought - Environment Agency

29-Apr-2012
The recent wet weather sweeping the UK has done little to restore groundwater supplies and relieve drought conditions, the Environment Agency has warned.
Network Rail battles to repair Highland line after landslip

29-Apr-2012
Network Rail engineers have been working over the weekend to repair damage caused to the railway by a landslip on the Highland main line between Carrbridge and Slochd on Friday.
Warning as sales of aggregates, ready mixed concrete and asphalt collapse

29-Apr-2012
The Mineral Products Association has warned of a grim 2012 for the industry after releasing figures showing that sales of key construction materials has fallen dramatically in the last three months.
Balfour Beatty wins offshore wind farm cabling contract

29-Apr-2012
Balfour Beatty Utility Solutions has been awarded a £19M contract by Eon to install the cable for its Humber Gateway offshore wind farm.
Record first quarter results for Volvo

27-Apr-2012
Volvo Construction Equipment (Volvo CE) has reported strong results for the first quarter 2012, with sales up 17% and record levels of operating income and operating margin for a first quarter.
Another nuclear reactor closes down for good

27-Apr-2012
One of Wylfa’s twin reactors ceased generating electricity on Wednesday, five days earlier than planned after an issue was identified with the plant.
Hill International wins Iraq hospital deal

27-Apr-2012
Project manager Hill International has won a contract worth $5.2M (£3.2M) to provide design management and construction management services for the new Al Bayaa Teaching Hospital in Baghdad, Iraq.
Alison Munro re-appointed as chief executive of HS2 Ltd

27-Apr-2012
Alison Munro has been re-appointed as chief executive of HS2 Ltd, the government-backed company responsible for delivering a high speed rail network between London and the North of England.
Updated government funded construction pipeline highlights £40bn of work

27-Apr-2012
The government has updated its construction pipeline last published in November alongside the National Infrastructure Plan update and the infrastructure investment pipeline.
Turnover up but margins squeezed at Bam Nuttall

27-Apr-2012
Contractor Bam Nuttall saw a strong increase of 16% in turnover to £809M last year but has battled to keep margins from suffering in tough market conditions.
Clarke urges construction to drive low carbon economy

26-Apr-2012
Former Atkins chief executive Keith Clarke has used an ICE backed lecture to urge construction leaders to drive forward the creation of a low carbon economy.
Arup team triumphs in 2012 Merit prize competition

26 April 2012
A team from Arup’s Solihull office led from start to finish in the finals of the 2012 Merit prize at Loughborough University earlier this month.
ICE launches careers initiative

26 April 2012
Graduates struggling to find permanent work now have somewhere to turn to for help following the roll out of a nationwide roadshow of workshops run by the ICE.
Making an entrance

26 April 2012
Peri formwork is helping Bam Nuttall make space for a sliding dock wall at the Rosyth submarine base in the Firth of Forth. NCE reports.
Government ploughs £60M carbon capture cash into international pool

25-Apr-2012
Climate change minister Greg Barker today announced that the government would plough £60M to help develop carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology in emerging markets.
Arcadis and EC Harris win place on Abu Dhabi ports framework

25-Apr-2012
Abu Dhabi Ports Company (ADPC) has appointed consultant Arcadis, along with its subsidiary cost consultant EC Harris, to a three year framework contract to provide masterplanning, engineering design and programme management skills among other services.
HS1 renews contract with Network Rail to 2025

25-Apr-2012
High speed rail owner HS1 Ltd has extended its contract with Network Rail allowing the latter to operate and maintain the line until at least 2025.
Construction downturn pushes economy into double dip recession

25-Apr-2012
Official government figures today reveal that a sharp drop of 3% in construction sector output has forced the UK overall economy to plunge back into recession.
Hammersmith flyover cable tensioning works complete two days early

25-Apr-2012
Amey and Transport for London engineers last night finished the installation and tensioning of new post tensioning cables inside London’s Hammersmith flyover, two days ahead of schedule.
Highways Agency Area 8 ASC to go out to tender

25-Apr-2012
The Highways Agency has given advance notice of its plan to put out to tender its Area Support Contract for Area 8 at Bedford.
Bexhill to Hastings link road gets early start

25-Apr-2012
East Sussex County Council yeseterday approved a plan to allow an early start to work on the Bexhill to Hastings Link Road following the government’s pledge to provide £56M towards the cost of the road last month.
Architecture and engineering bursary invites entries

25-Apr-2012
The RIBA ICE McAslan Bursary, worth £7,500 and funded by architect John McAslan + Partners, will open to entries on Wednesday 2 May.
Shortlist revealed for innovation-focused £500M Bank station contract

25-Apr-2012
London Underground (LU) yesterday revealed the shortlisted bidders for its £500M Bank Station Capacity Upgrade project, which is pioneering a new procurement process that aims to reward failed bidders if they come up with money saving ideas that are adopted by the winning team.
Crossrail's Connaught tunnel refurbishment surges ahead

24-Apr-2012
Site workers have begun drilling wells at Connaught Tunnel to draw down the water table ahead of works to deepen and widen the 130 year old tunnel in East London, Crossrail announced this week.
Mott MacDonald wins Indian road scheme

24-Apr-2012
Mott MacDonald has been appointed design consultant by IVRCL Raipur-Bilaspur Tollways for the planned Raipur-Bilaspur national highway 200 in India.
ACE engineering excellence awards shortlist revealed

24-Apr-2012
The Association for Consultancy and Engineering (ACE) has revealed the shortlist for its Engineering Excellence Awards.
BAA to sell Edinburgh airport to Gatwick and City owner

24-Apr-2012
Airport operator BAA yesterday announced it had agreed to sell Edinburgh airport to fund manager and infrastructure investor Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP) for £807.2M.
UK and US to work together to develop floating wind turbines

23-Apr-2012
Developing floating wind turbines is to be the initial focus of a new agreement between Britain and the United States, it will be announced this week.
Government says industry on track to cut cost of delivering infrastructure

23-Apr-2012
The construction industry is on track to deliver cost savings demanded by government, according to the first annual report of Infrastructure UK’s three year cost review programme.
Olympics organisers reveal likely extent of congestion on Tube and rail network

22-Apr-2012
London 2012 organiser Locog, Transport for London (TfL), Network Rail, train operating companies and the Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC) have published full and final information on when and where the UK’s Tube and rail networks will be most affected during this summer’s London 2012 Games.
Fehmarnbelt crossing project hit by one year delay

22-Apr-2012
Construction work on the fixed link under Fehmarnbelt is set to commence about a year later than originally planned – in the middle of 2015 instead of 2014.
Crossrail plans to transform Tottenham Court Road and West End approved

22-Apr-2012
Westminster City Council has given its approval for the regeneration of Tottenham Court Road and the east end of Oxford Street, including the former Astoria site.
Universities told to teach innovation better

20-Apr-2012
UK universities need to teach their engineering students how to innovate in a way they have not done before if the country is to thrive economically, the Royal Academy of Engineering has warned.
Work halted on ICE's 8 Storeys Gate refurb

20-Apr-2012
The ICE has confirmed that work stopped on the 8 Storeys Gate development on Wednesday following the news that its contractor Killby and Gayford had gone into administration.
Lorries need to be fitted with technology to prevent ‘blind-spot’ deaths, say engineers

20-Apr-2012
Collision-avoidance technologies which help eliminate cyclist and pedestrian deaths caused by driver ‘blind-spots’ should be made mandatory for all UK buses and lorries by 2015, according to a new report by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers.
Research says carbon capture and storage technologies can work

20-Apr-2012
Government plans to develop carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies to reduce carbon emissions from coal and gas fired power stations have received a cautious boost after a new report concluded that most of the uncertainties facing these technologies can be resolved.
ICE Storeys Gate contractor goes bust

18-Apr-2012
The contractor carrying out the £5.1M refurbishment of the ICE’s new 8 Storeys Gate gate office has gone into administration.
Scotland's finance secretary welcomes Scottish-Japanese partnership to invest in renewables

18-Apr-2012
Scottish finance secretary John Swinney has welcomed the formation of a Scottish-Japanese partnership to invest in oil and gas and renewables opportunities in Scotland and internationally.
Dedicated BIM group for rail set up

18-Apr-2012
A dedicated BIM group for rail clients, consultants and contractors has been set up as an offshoot of the government-backed BIM Task Group
New chief executive announced for construction skills body

18-Apr-2012
The Construction Skills Certificate Scheme (CSCS) has appointed Balfour Beatty Ground Engineering managing director Graham Wren as its new chief executive.
Costain progresses preparatory works for A465 on Wales

18-Apr-2012
Contractor Costain is pushing ahead preparatory work on its contract to improve the A465 Heads of the Valleys road in South Wales.
Volvo breaks ground on new Russian excavator factory

17-Apr-2012
Volvo Construction Equipment announced at Intermat in Paris that it will break ground at the site of it’s new Russian factory today.
Plant giant JCB posts record results with turnover up 37%

17-Apr-2012
UK-based equipment manufacturer JCB today reported record financial results, with a turnover for 2011 of £2.75bn - up 37% on the previous year.
Environment Agency warns drought could continue into 2013

17-Apr-2012
The Environment Agency yesterday warned that the drought affecting parts of England could last beyond Christmas, as it revealed that 17 counties in the South West and Midlands had joined the South East, East Anglia and parts of Yorkshire as suffering from drought.
Network Rail infrastructure projects business launches

17-Apr-2012
Changes to the way Network Rail delivers infrastructure projects worth £2bn a year come into force yesterday – part of a wider programme of reforms at the company that aim to encourage competition and drive down costs.
Parsons Brinckerhoff/Arup win detailed design job for Australia's Pacific Highway

17-Apr-2012
A Parsons Brinckerhoff/Arup joint venture has been selected to complete the detailed design work on the upgrade and duplication of the Pacific Highway between Woolgoolga and Glenugie, the firms announced today.
Government proposes more stringent shale gas fracking procedures

17-Apr-2012
The Department for Energy and Climate Change (Decc) has released for consultation today an independent report that recommends stricter controls and procedures for developers extracting shale gas in the UK.
Crown Estate takes on new head of offshore wind

17-Apr-2012
The Crown Estate has appointed Huub den Rooijen as head of offshore wind in a new role created as the organisation moves into the delivery phase of its £75bn Round 3 programme.
High Speed 2: Johnson details objection to link with High Speed 1

15-Apr-2012
London mayor Boris Johnson’s objection to the proposed connection between High Speed 1 and 2 has been confirmed in a question time answer.
Aecom reveals outcome of senior level recruitment splurge

15-Apr-2012
US giant Aecom has announced a string of key appointments in its European built environment and infrastructure business following a recruitment push.
Kidnapped Skanska workers freed in Peru

15-Apr-2012
The Peruvian government has rescued 36 construction workers kidnapped by rebels last Monday in Kepashiato, a town near the city of Cusco.
Last chance to enter British Construction Industry Awards

13-Apr-2012
While the Project Categories for the BCI Awards 2012 have now closed for entries, six new categories are still accepting entries.
Plans for unconventional Buro Happold-designed tower unveiled in Vancouver

12-Apr-2012
A collection of American and European architects and design houses have unveiled plans for a 150m tall signature tower for the Canadian city of Vancouver.
Installation of Hammersmith flyover's new cables set to begin

12-Apr-2012
Amey is to begin installing the new tensioning cables inside Hammersmith flyover next week, as part of its ongoing work to fully reopen the structure to all traffic.
Environment Agency warns of risk of flooding despite continued drought

12-Apr-2012
Drought conditions being experienced across large parts of England and Wales could increase the risk of flash flooding, the Environment Agency has warned.
Hyder boasts increased order book of £350M

12-Apr-2012
Hyder Consulting has revealed that it expects to announce an order book of £350M in results for the year ending 31 March.
Construction skills crisis forces Canada to relax immigration rules

11-Apr-2012
Canada’s citizenship and immigration minister Jason Kenney has announced plans to make it easier for skilled tradesmen to immigrate to Canada in a bid to tackle escalating labour shortages.
Emirates Air Line project hits key engineering milestone

11-Apr-2012
Construction of the Emirates Air Line has reached a major milestone with the completion of all three towers and the installation of a 1.1km long stretch of steel cable across the River Thames in East London.
Surrey County Council transport boss calls for more trains

11-Apr-2012
Surrey County Council transport boss John Furey has written to transport secretary Justine Greening urging her to improve rail services in the county.
Amey scoops £2bn Sheffield highways PFI mega-deal

11-Apr-2012
Amey has been chosen by Sheffield City Council as the private contractor for maintaining the city’s highway network for the next 25 years, it has just been revealed.
Bouygues buys Thomas Vale in UK expansion plan

11-Apr-2012
Bouygues Construction subsidiary Bouygues Bâtiment International has signed an agreement to acquire Midlands construction firm the Thomas Vale Group.
Midlands could supply water to drought hit East Anglia

11-Apr-2012
A plan to flow water from the Midlands into the drought-hit East of England is being considered by water company bosses at Severn Trent and Anglian Water.
Government says UK firms could assist Fukushima clean up

10-Apr-2012
The UK and Japan today agreed a Framework on Civil Nuclear Cooperation, providing the basis for UK companies to engage in multi-billion pound decommissioning opportunities in Japan.
Councils told how to fix potholes

10-Apr-2012
Local authorities across England have been given advice on how to tackle the problem of potholes on their roads.
Procurement for multimillion pound A77 and A75 schemes begins

10-Apr-2012
Contractors are being offered the opportunity to bid for two major roads projects in south Scotland.
Hosepipe ban comes into force in much of south and south east England

10-Apr-2012
Hosepipe bans were formally introduced late last week in an attempt to preserve water supplies in parts of south and south east England.
Soil Engineering transfers to Bachy Soletanche

10-Apr-2012
Vinci Construction UK is to this month transfer its site investigation and grouting firm Soil Engineering to Bachy Soletanche, the UK geotechnical arm of parent firm Vinci’s Soletanche Freyssinet.
Armitt in line to become ICE President in 2015

10-Apr-2012
The ICE has elected Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) chairman Sir John Armitt to its Presidential team, with a view to him becoming President by 2015.
Vinci's operating profit drops 22%

10-Apr-2012
Contractor Vinci saw its operating profit fall from £28.4M to £22.3M (before exceptional items) in 2011, a drop of almost 22%, it said last week.
Poole's Twin Sails Bridge opens at last

5-Apr-2012
Poole’s iconic Twin Sails lift bridge is now open to traffic after contractors fixed problems with the road surfacing.
Black & Veatch named programme manager for £94M earthquake retrofit of northern California dam

5-Apr-2012
The Santa Clara Valley Water District has selected Black & Veatch to lead an urgent seismic retrofit programme for Anderson Dam in northern California.
Network Rail fined £4M for Grayrigg train derailment

5-Apr-2012
Network Rail has been fined £4M and ordered to pay costs of £118,052 for health and safety failings that led to a train derailment near Grayrigg, Cumbria in 2007, that caused the death of one passenger and injured 86 people.
Work begins on Crossrail's Heathrow link

5-Apr-2012
Work has begun on the Stockley Interchange in west London, a crucial part of the Crossrail network that will allow Crossrail services to operate to and from Heathrow.
Coackley praises Ground Zero reconstruction

5 April 2012
ICE president Richard Coackley praised those involved in the reconstruction of New York’s World Trade Center at a conference in Manhattan last week.
ICE gives cautious welcome to new planning proposals

5 April 2012
ICE director general Nick Baveystock last week welcomed the government’s drastically scaled down national planning framework but warned that its localism agenda must not obstruct efficient infrastructure delivery.
Great Western Main Line £400M signalling upgrade underway

4-Apr-2012
The £400M scheme to modernise the 1960s signalling infrastructure on the Great Western Main Line has started, Network Rail announced yesterday.
Government resurrects £1bn carbon capture and storage competition

4-Apr-2012
The government yesterday revealed it intends to resurrect its £1bn carbon capture and storage (CCS) competition, just a few months after £1bn from a first failed attempt at promoting the technology was reallocated to other infrastructure schemes by the Treasury.
Volvo in list of best companies to work for

3-Apr-2012
Machinery supplier Volvo Construction Equipment’s UK operationhas been ranked 46th in this year’s Sunday Times 100 Best Companies To Work For.
Work starts on £4M Ipswich to Lowestoft 'loop'

3-Apr-2012
Work has started to build a passing loop to enable more frequent services to run between Ipswich and Lowestoft, Network Rail revealed yesterday.
Pitt turns down Hinkley extension request

3-Apr-2012
Infrastructure Planning Commission (IPC) chairman Sir Michael Pitt has turned down a request by two councils to extend the six month examination period to enable their review of theHinkley Point nuclear station planning proposal.
Babcock consortium takes over Dounreay Site Restoration

3-Apr-2012
A Babcock-led consortium has formally taken ownership of Dounreay Site Restoration (DSRL) — the firm responsible for cleaning up and closing the redundant nuclear site in the north of Scotland.
Parsons Brinckerhoff employed for wider South East airports study

3-Apr-2012
The recently formed South East Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) has appointed consultant Parsons Brinckerhoff to carry out a new study to identify how airports in the Greater South East can be more effective and efficient and their growth potential.
Hill International wins three major contracts in Iraq

1-Apr-2012
Hill International has been awarded three contracts to provide project management and construction management services for various clients in Iraq.
Balfour Beatty restructure will not lead to job losses for operational staff

1-Apr-2012
Contracting giant Balfour Beatty has said that it does not expect “operational staff” to lose their jobs as a result of a major restructure of its Construction Services UK division.
ERM named NCE/ACE Global Consultant of the Year

1-Apr-2012
Environmental consulting giant ERM has been named Global Consultant of the Year in the prestigious NCE/ACE Consultants of the Year awards.
Major £194M upgrade of A453 given green light

1-Apr-2012
A major scheme to widen the A453 between M1 Junction 24 and the Nottingham Ring Road has been given the go-ahead after completing its final planning stages, roads minister Mike Penning has announced.
London Bridge redevelopment gets planning permission

1-Apr-2012
Network Rail’s £500M redevelopment of London Bridge station has been awarded formal planning consent.
Final section of steel lifted into place on London's Shard

1-Apr-2012
Developer Sellar has announced that the final section of steel has been lifted into place on the Shard, 310m above London.
Weight restriction on key M4 viaduct extended after inspection reveals worsening condition

1-Apr-2012
The Highways Agency’s weight restrictions on the elevated section of the M4 between junctions 1 and 3 have been extended to include any vehicles weighing more than 7.5t.
Mouchel to shut offices in major restructure

30-Mar-2012
Consultant Mouchel is to restructure into two main businesses in a move that will save it £18M a year.
Highways Agency confirms just four major schemes to start this year

29-Mar-2012
The Highways Agency has confirmed that intends to start work on just four major schemes in the next financial year, the first year to feel the full force of the 2010 Comprehensive Spending Review cuts.
Green group declares Britain's new nuclear plans dead

29-Mar-2012
Environmental group Friends of the Earth (FoE) has declared Britain’s new nuclear aspirations as over following Eon and RWE’s decision to abandon plans to build plants in the UK.
Thirteen shortlisted for Great Western, Thameslink and Essex Thameside rail franchises

29-Mar-2012
Rail minister Theresa Villiers has revealed that a total of 13 firms are in the running to become the next operators of the Great Western, Thameslink and Essex Thameside rail franchises.
Transport Scotland holds motorway improvements industry day

29-Mar-2012
Transport Scotland today hosted an industry day to generate interest for its M8/M73/M74 Motorway Improvements project.
Parts of Yorkshire join the South East and Anglia in drought

29-Mar-2012
Parts of Yorkshire have today moved into official drought status after another dry month has left river levels and underground water supplies depleted, the Environment Agency has said.
Big Bang pushed students to new highs

29 March 2012
Teams of students at the 2012 Big Bang Fair at the Birmingham NEC earlier this month competed to build the tallest observation tower for an imaginary ski resort at the ICE stand.
Coackley witnesses Crossrail start

29 March 2012
ICE President Richard Coackley and Crossrail chief engineer Chris Dulake, at the “Ready to Dig” event marking the start of the Crossrail tunneling earlier this month.
Smart lifter

29 March 2012
Hevilifts has developed a versatile system for lifting, lowering and tilting structures.
High Speed 1 underwhelming passenger numbers exposed taxpayer to debt risk

28-Mar-2012
Underwhelming passenger numbers on the UK’s first super-fast railway, High Speed 1, have left the taxpayer exposed to a potential debt risk, according to a report by public spending watchdog the National Audit Office.
Crossrail Moorgate over site development given green light

28-Mar-2012
Plans submitted by Crossrail and Aviva Investors for a commercial and retail development above the new Crossrail Liverpool Street Station western ticket hall shaft at 101 Moorgate have been given the go ahead by the Corporation of London.
Network Rail ushers in European style signalling with framework announcement

28-Mar-2012
Network Rail has appointed four suppliers to a framework for the development and design of a new European-standard signalling system.
Government reveals shrunken planning guidelines

27-Mar-2012
The government has today published its National Planning Policy Framework, which reduces the planning guidelines from 1,000 plus pages to a 50 page document.
High Speed 2 awards remaining environmental contracts

27-Mar-2012
A consortium of ERM, Temple Group and Mott MacDonald, along with Atkins and Arup (supported by URS) have today emerged as winners of the remaining four Environmental Services consulting contracts for High Speed 2.
Glasgow metro modernisation gets £246M in capital funding

27-Mar-2012
The Scottish Government will provide up to £246M in capital funding for the modernisation of Glasgow’s subway, it was announced yesterday.
Borders Railway project inches forward with £2M contract for Bam Nuttall

27-Mar-2012
Network Rail has awarded Bam Nuttall a £2M contract on behalf of Transport Scotland to develop designs of the Borders Railway project, signalling its gradual move towards delivery.
Industry figurehead Oakervee to be new High Speed 2 chairman

26-Mar-2012
Former Crossrail chairman Douglas Oakervee has been appointed as the new chairman of scheme promoter High Speed 2 (HS2) Ltd, it has just been revealed.
Tube extension to Watford Junction moves forward with industry day

26-Mar-2012
Contractors are being invited to a project briefing day before tendering starts for the £80M extension of the London Underground from Croxley to Watford Junction.
Balfour Beatty to bring savings to three West Midlands highways authorities

25-Mar-2012
Three neighbouring West Midlands councils have joined together to sign up Balfour Beatty to a highways contract that it is hoped will bring joint savings of £1M a year.
Wind turbine giant Gamesa to build huge plant in Leith

25-Mar-2012
Wind turbine manufacturer Gamesa has given a vote of confidence to the UK offshore wind industry by announcing plans to build a major manufacturing facility in Leith to produce the turbines that are set to be built around the British coast.
Morgan Sindall and Grontmij win £26M storm water storage deal from Yorkshire Water

25-Mar-2012
A Morgan Sindall/Grontmij joint venture (MGJV), has been awarded a circa £26M project from Yorkshire Water Services to improve Scarborough’s bathing water quality.
Government signs off £2.8bn funding deal for Transport for London

22-Mar-2012
Transport secretary Justine Greening has rubber-stamped Transport for London’s £2.8bn grant for 2012/13 that ensures continued investment in Tube upgrades and other infrastructure projects.
Morgan Sindall awarded £13M Midland Metro depot

22-Mar-2012
Morgan Sindall has won a £13M project to extend and enhance Centro’s Wednesbury depot in preparation for the arrival of a new fleet of trams.
Atkins wins design contract for major rail upgrade in Stockholm

22-Mar-2012
Atkins has been awarded a major design contract for one of the largest infrastructure projects in Sweden, the Mälaren Line Project.
Shortlist for £400M Crossrail tunnels fit-out contract confirmed

22-Mar-2012
Crossrail has shortlisted five firms and joint ventures for the £400M deal to fit-out its 42km of rail tunnels.
Hunt begins for nine new Council members

22 March 2012
The ICE Council is looking to fill a number of vacant trustee posts to help guide the Institution’s strategic decision making body.
Movement monitoring: Sound product

22 March 2012
Campbell Scientific has come up with a new piece of movement monitoring equipment which is less prone to electromagnetic interference.
Movement monitoring: Watching brief

22 March 2012
Motion capture technology is increasingly being used to track building movements close to excavations.
Highways Agency begins drive for annual network-wide structural condition surveys

21-Mar-2012
Survey specialist Fugro Aperio has begun an innovative high-speed road condition survey as part of the Highways Agency’s drive to introduce annual network level structural testing on the full trunk road network
Balfour Beatty commits to Autodesk for BIM software

21-Mar-2012
Balfour Beatty has signed a muti-million three year deal that commits it to Autodesk’s suite of design software for Building Information Modelling (BIM).
Aecom snares deal to weigh up options for third Dartford Crossing

20-Mar-2012
The Department for Transport (DfT) has brought in Aecom to assess options for the M25 Dartford Crossing, including whether a new bridge or tunnel should be built.
More cash saved as Highways Agency switches off more motorway lighting

20-Mar-2012
Motorway lighting is to be permanently switched off at two more sites in the south west of England to save cash and cut carbon emissions, the Highways Agency has announced.
Heathrow Games Terminal roof lift complete

20-Mar-2012
Heathrow airport last week carried out the roof lift for its temporary London 2012 Games Terminal.
Manchester unveils new busway image

20-Mar-2012
Transport for Greater Manchester has unveiled an image of how its new busway scheme is expected to look on completion in 2014.
Cameron's roads plan: Industry responds with cautious optimism

19-Mar-2012
Cautious optimism greeted today’s announcement by prime minister David Cameron that the government would conduct a feasibility study to look at how private sector funds could be used to fund road maintenance, improvements and construction.
Preferred bidders announced for Midlands airport and road schemes

19-Mar-2012
Joint venture contractors VolkerFitzpatrick and Colas have been announced as the preferred bidders for two major Midlands construction projects – the A45 Transport Corridor Improvement Scheme and the Runway Extension at Birmingham airport.
National BIM Library launches this week

19-Mar-2012
A free library of generic and proprietary BIM objects for a range of systems and products such as walls, windows, doors, foundations, cladding and roofs is to launch this week.
Green light for London's lane rental scheme

19-Mar-2012
A lane rental scheme to help reduce disruption caused by road works on London’s busiest roads has been given the go-ahead by transport secretary Justine Greening.
Network Rail faced with possibility of further £6.1bn efficiency drive

16-Mar-2012
Network Rail could be faced with finding £6.1bn more in savings over the next five year control period than it has planned, if the government accepts the recommendations of the rail regulator.
Crossrail awards last remaining tunnel portal deal to Vinci

16-Mar-2012
Crossrail has announced its intention to award the contract for the last remaining tunnel portal at Victoria Dock to Vinci Construction UK.
Costain/Laing O'Rourke discover cunning use for QR codes in construction

15-Mar-2012
The Costain/Laing O’Rourke joint venture upgrading London’s Bond Street station is pioneering a clever use for QR codes - the square digital pattern of black and white blocks that act as modern form of barcode and can be ‘read’ by BlackBerrys and iPhones.
Shepherd to build biomass plant at Drax power station

15-Mar-2012
Contractor Shepherd is to build a biomass plant at the Drax power station as part of the plant owner’s bid to generate 20% of its output from sustainable sources.
Nuclear site owners to begin preparing for clean up from next June

15-Mar-2012
Owners of Britain’s nuclear facilities have been told that they will from next June begin the process of working out how and when their sites should be decommissioned.
Atlas Copco launches new stand-alone drilling rig for tunnelling

15-Mar-2012
Plant specialist Atlas Copco has launched a new drilling rig specifically designed for mines or construction sites lacking water and electrical infrastructure.
M6 link road scheme accepted by Infrastructure Planning Commission

15-Mar-2012
The proposed Heysham to M6 Link Road Scheme in Lancashire has reached a significant milestone after the Infrastructure Planning Commission (IPC) formally accepted an application for the Scheme to be examined.
London Luton reveals new airport 'masterplan'

15-Mar-2012
Airport operator London Luton Airport Operations yesterday revealed a new masterplan that aims to help it meet a forecast of a rise in passenger numbers from 10M to between 15M and 16M annually.
Network Rail reveals completed Western Concourse at King's Cross

15-Mar-2012
Network Rail yesterday revealed the completed new Western Concourse at King’s Cross station.
Costain engineer scoops Rennie prize

15 March 2012
Newly qualified civil engineer Eamonn Slevin, a Costain construction manager, has won this year’s prestigious ICE James Rennie Medal for his Chartered Professional Review (CPR) project on the M53 Bidston Moss Viaduct Strengthening Scheme.
Subway switch

15 March 2012
Precast concrete was the key to success for contractor Cleshar as it raced against time to replace a vital piece of rail infrastructure during a 52 hour track possession. NCE reports.
Technical highs

15 March 2012
Construction of Bahrain’s largest ever precast concrete flyover called for some heavy duty shoring on site, which was taken on by falsework specialist RMD Kwikform, as NCE reports.
Cash-strapped local authorities struggling to repair winter damaged roads, says report

14-Mar-2012
Two thirds of local authorities have revealed that they were unable to make good damage caused by last year’s severe winter, with the bill for repairs running to £600M across England and Wales.
Fines for over-running road works to quadruple

14-Mar-2012
Utility companies who take too long to complete their road works will face significantly higher charges from October, transport minister Norman Baker has announced.
Milestone for Crossrail as TBMs named ahead of launch

14-Mar-2012
London mayor Boris Johnson and transport secretary Justine Greening have marked the start of tunnelling on London’s Crossrail scheme at a tunnel boring machine naming ceremony.
Cost saving proposals for Mersey Gateway bridge approved

14-Mar-2012
Plans to cut the cost of the £600M Mersey Gateway Bridge by £30M have been approved by Halton Borough Council.
MPs repeat call for Network Rail to have more taxpayer accountability

13-Mar-2012
MPs today repeated their demand for public spending watchdog the National Audit Office to have immediate access to Network Rail costs to enable it to fully scrutinise Department for Transport spending.
Seven south east water companies initiate hosepipe bans

12-Mar-2012
Seven water companies in drought hit areas have today announced their intention to instigate hosepipe bans from next month.
Green light given to new biomass plant in Bristol

12-Mar-2012
The Department for Energy and Climate Change (Decc) has today approved energy firm Eon’s plans to construct a 150MW biomass plant at Royal Portbury Dock in the Port of Bristol.
Arup to design Euston High Speed 2 station

12-Mar-2012
Scheme promoter High Speed 2 (HS2) Ltd has appointed consultant Arup to produce preliminary designs for a redeveloped Euston station that will become a new terminus for HS2 and help regenerate the surrounding area.
Minister opens new £13M flood defence scheme at Borth

11-Mar-2012
Environment minister John Griffiths has opened the £13M Borth flood defence scheme in west Wales which will protect 420 homes and businesses as well as the Cambrian Coast railway.
Japan quake anniversary timely reminder of need for disaster preparedness

11-Mar-2012
Engineering disaster relief charity RedR has used the one year anniversary of the Japan earthquake to stress the need for effective disaster preparation in at-risk countries.
British Construction Industry Awards - enter now

11-Mar-2012
Time is running out to enter the 25th Anniversary British Construction Industry Awards with the closing date for entries Thursday 28 March.
Contractors sign up to government's SME friendly contracts database

9-Mar-2012
Amey, Balfour Beatty and Capita are among the first nine firms to agree to put subcontracts out to tender using the government’s free website Contracts Finder.
Government rubber-stamps Network Rail rebirth

9-Mar-2012
Transport secretary has given her full backing to Network Rail’s plan to restructure itself in order to deliver £1.8bn a year of efficiency savings.
Vinci beats Balfour Beatty to £800M Hounslow highways maintenance PFI deal

9-Mar-2012
The London Borough of Hounslow Council has named Vinci preferred bidder for a 25 year contract to upgrade and maintain its 432km of roads and 763km of pavements.
Edinburgh to be home to Green Investment Bank

9-Mar-2012
The government’s Green Investment Bank is to be headquartered in Edinburgh, it has been announced.
Grontmij to cut agency staff and offshore work to Eastern Europe and Asia in bid to return to profit

9-Mar-2012
Troubled consultant Grontmij is to cut agency staff and offshore design work to Eastern Europe and Asia as part of a wholesale restructure focused on profitable organic growth.
Arup joins Turner & Townsend on Sydney Metro rescue bid

9-Mar-2012
Arup has been brought in by Australia’s New South Wales government to join Turner & Townsend in working to revive plans for a light rail network in Sydney city centre.
Gifford takeover helps boost Ramboll order book

7-Mar-2012
Danish consultant Ramboll posted a 13% rise in its turnover in 2011 to €925M (£722M) aided by its takeover UK consultant Gifford, its annual results revealed today.
Northern Line extension to progress without developer

6-Mar-2012
London mayor Boris Johnson has pledged to continue developing plans for an extension of the Northern Line to Battersea Power Station despite the owner of the development site going into administration.
Arup tall buildings boss David Scott joins Laing O'Rourke

6-Mar-2012
Arup’s US tall buildings boss David Scott is to join Laing O’Rourke as structural engineering leader.
Johnson puts cost of Crossrail 2 at up to £15bn

5-Mar-2012
London mayor Boris Johnson has revealed that the likely cost of building a second Crossrail line across London has escalated from £2.8bn to £15bn since the proposal was last examined in 1995.
New chief for Nuclear Decommissioning Authority

5-Mar-2012
John Clarke has been announced as the new chief executive of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority following the departure of Tony Fountain in December.
Tube set to post most reliable performance figures for a decade

4-Mar-2012
London Underground is heading for its most reliable year since Transport for London took responsibility for the Tube a decade ago,official figures show.
High Speed 2 promoter to work on Scottish extension

4-Mar-2012
Transport secretary Justine Greening has told high speed rail company HS2 Ltd to work with the Scottish Government on proposals to extend the route north of the border.
Government reiterates plans for dealing with waste from new nuclear

4-Mar-2012
Energy Secretary Edward Davey has reiterated the government’s policy that new nuclear operators cover their waste and decommissioning costs.
London’s utility bosses agree action plan for less disruptive roadworks

4-Mar-2012
The six largest utility companies working in the capital have agreed to team up with Transport for London (TfL) to trial innovative working methods that could speed up road works.
Emergency works for Forth Road Bridge suspension cables

4-Mar-2012
Engineers were this weekend carrying out emergency works on the Forth Road Bridge’s suspension cables.
Scots join push for tram-train technology

4-Mar-2012
Transport Scotland and Glasgow airport owner BAA are investigating the merits of building a tram-train link to the citry centre, it has been revealed.
Quake-hit Christchurch cathedral to be demolished

2-Mar-2012
Church officials have today confirmed their decision to demolish New Zealand’s Christchurch cathedral after the 2011 earthquake left it in a state of disrepair.
Consultants Awards 2012 hopefuls announced

2-Mar-2012
Twenty six firms have bucked the global downturn to make the shortlist for the prestigious NCE/ACE Consultants of the Year Awards.
Ten shortlisted for multi-billion pound London highways maintenance deals

1-Mar-2012
Transport for London (TfL) has shortlisted 10 contractors to tender for four, area based, highways alliance deals worth upwards of £1.8bn.
Laing O'Rourke wins £300M Crossrail Liverpool Street station contract

1-Mar-2012
Contractor Laing O’Rourke Construction has won the £300M contract for Crossrail’s C502 Liverpool Street Station contract, it has just been announced.
Royal institutions launch shale gas extraction investigation

1-Mar-2012
The Royal Society and the Royal Academy of Engineering today announced that they plan to jointly investigate the potential risks of shale gas extraction.
Oldbury nuclear power station closes after 44 years' operation

1-Mar-2012
The world’s oldest operating nuclear power station, Oldbury near Bristol, stopped producing electricity yesterday morning after 44 years of operation.
Construction firms shortlisted for defence capital works framework

1-Mar-2012
Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) has announced a shortlist of 10 bidders for its future commercial arrangements for the delivery of large-scale construction projects across the UK Defence estate.
Letters: Anatomy of failure at Hammersmith Flyover

1 March 2012
US pension funds plot water infrastructure fund to pay for upgrades

29-Feb-2012
US politicians have heard that public sector pension funds are developing a water infrastructure fund to help finance an estimated £250bn upgrade of America’s water and wastewater networks.
Heathrow Terminal 2 tops out

29-Feb-2012
Construction of Heathrow Airport’s new Terminal 2 passes a major construction milestone today with a topping out ceremony to mark the end of major structural work.
Olympic construction programme remains on time and on budget

28-Feb-2012
The latest official update shows that the London 2012 construction programme remains on budget, with the overall cost still within the £9.3bn funding envelope.
URS, Jacobs and Mott MacDonald big winners as Sellafield awards mega £1.5bn design framework

28-Feb-2012
Nuclear decommissioning giant Sellafield has awarded a £1.5bn, 15 year design contract to two joint ventures of UK and international consultants featuring URS, Jacobs and Mott MacDonald.
Crossrail shortlists four for £1bn rolling stock contract

28-Feb-2012
Crossrail has shortlisted four firms to supply the 60 trains and associated depot at Old Oak Common needed to carry passengers on the £14.8bn railway
Network Rail considers wider use of tram-train technology

28-Feb-2012
Network Rail is to look at rolling out the use of tram-train technology as part of its drive to cut costs.
Dutch consultants Royal Haskoning and DHV to merge

28-Feb-2012
Dutch consultants DHV and Royal Haskoning are to merge, creating a £590M turnover, 8,000-strong firm with more than 100 offices in over 35 countries.
WSP blames fall in highways work for dip in UK staff numbers

28-Feb-2012
Consultant WSP has confirmed that staff numbers in the UK fell by 275 last year, largely due to enforced redundancies in its highways business.
Fugro fined following Crossrail cable strike

28-Feb-2012
Geotechnical firm Fugro has been fined £55,000 after one of its employees suffered life-threatening burns in a cable strike during ground investigations for Crossrail.
Turner & Townsend brought in to revive Sydney Metro

28-Feb-2012
Cost consultant Turner & Townsend has been brought in by Australia’s New South Wales government to help it revive plans for a light rail network in Sydney city centre.
Network Rail architectural drawings archive goes live

28-Feb-2012
Network Rail has published a new online archive that shows historic images of the original architectural drawings of the Forth Bridge, Paddington station and other iconic railway structures.
Atkins/Skanska joint venture claims first £400M Asset Support Contract

27-Feb-2012
The Highways Agency has awarded the first of its new Asset Support Contracts (ASC) to an Atkins Skanska joint venture.
MPs call for fairer transport spending in the regions

27-Feb-2012
The government must ensure that transport spending is fairly allocated across the nation, a report by the House of Commons transport select committee has said.
NDA continues to seek alternatives for Mox fuel

27-Feb-2012
The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) has announced it continues to seek alternatives for managing the UK’s plutonium stockpile this week.
Troubled Battersea Power station for sale

27-Feb-2012
Battersea Power station has been put up for sale on the open market in a package that includes an estimated £200M contribution to the Northern Line Extension.
TfL work on river services 'half hearted'

27-Feb-2012
London’s river services need attention if London mayor Boris Johnson is to realise his ambition to see passenger journeys on the Thames hit 12M a year.
Bright, portable, cordless and rechargeable lights for all working environments

27-Feb-2012
Schuberth KSE has introduced its latest range of CREE LED cap lamps and torches.
AD network to generate 100MW of electricity backed by Prince of Wales and Sainsbury's

24-Feb-2012
A new company has been launched to develop a network of more than 40 anaerobic digestion (AD) plants to generate 100MW of electricity during the next five years.
Final four in Crossrail Custom House bid revealed

24-Feb-2012
Crossrail has revealed a shortlist of four bidders for the C520 Custom House station contract in east London worth around £35M.
Civil engineers publish London manifesto

24-Feb-2012
ICE London is today calling on the London Mayoral candidates to put continued investment in the capital’s energy, transport, waste and water systems at the centre of their agendas.
World's tallest tower gets go ahead in Saudi

24-Feb-2012
The Saudi Arabian government has this week given the go-ahead for construction for the Kingdom Tower in Jeddah which will rise to a height of over 1km making it the world’s tallest.
Kier expects 'difficult' UK construction market

23-Feb-2012
Contractor Kier said that it expects a “difficult” UK construction market over the next year despite seeing a 9% rise in its pre-tax profits, according its 2011 results to the end of December released today.
Osborne’s 2012 Budget must translate infrastructure pledges into action, says CBI

22-Feb-2012
Business lobby group the CBI has called on chancellor George Osborne to use his 21 March Budget to implement plans to get pension funds to invest in infrastructure.
Hochtief commissions construction of new special-purpose vessel for offshore wind farm installation

22-Feb-2012
German contracting giant Hochtief has commissioned the construction of a further heavy-lift jack-up vessel from the Crist shipyard in Poland for the installation of offshore wind farms.
URS buys oil and gas firm Flint for £800M

21-Feb-2012
Consulting giant URS has bought Flint Energy Services for C$1.25bn (£800M) expanding its presence in the North American oil and gas industry.
MOD unveils £4.3bn worth of facilities contracts

21-Feb-2012
The Ministry of Defence’s property management arm has today unveiled facilities contracts worth up to £4.35bn.
Government EfW guide too 'negative' and could undermine the technology

21-Feb-2012
A draft government guide designed to help local authorities decide whether to choose energy from waste (EfW) technology is “unduly negative” industry experts have warned.
Lafarge/Tarmac merger may be 'unfair', says commission

21-Feb-2012
The Competition Commission (CC) said today it has a “number of concerns” over the proposed merger between materials firm Tarmac and French rival Lafarge.
Blackfriars Tube station reopens after three years' Thameslink work

20-Feb-2012
Blackfriars Tube on the London Underground’s District and Circle lines reopened today following three years of extensive building work.
Grontmij to make £47M loss

20-Feb-2012
Consultant Grontmij has today warned that it expects to make a loss of between £45M and £47M this year.
Crisis talks held to avoid summer drought

20-Feb-2012
A drought summit is taking place today as parts of the UK have been experiencing reduced rain fall for months which may continue into the summer.
Government needs visionary approach to marine renewables

20-Feb-2012
MPs called for the government to have a more “visionary approach” to develop wave and tidal technology powers in a report released by Energy and Climate Change select committee this week.
UK and France sign nuclear energy agreement

20-Feb-2012
Prime minister David Cameron and French president Nicolas Sarkozy have this week announced further cooperation between the two countries on nuclear energy.
Kier Bam joint venture signs off on £100M Hinkley earthworks contract

20-Feb-2012
A joint venture between contractors Kier and Bam has signed a £100M contract with energy giant EdF to carry out site preparation works for the Hinkley Point C nuclear power station in Somerset.
Work set to start to cool Tube platforms at Green Park and Oxford Circus stations

17-Feb-2012
Work to cool the platforms at two major central London Underground stations is set to begin next month, Transport for London has announced.
Midlands Metro extension gets green light

17-Feb-2012
Construction of a £128M extension to the Midland Metro from Snow Hill Station through to New Street Station in the city’s centre has been given the go-ahead.
Scottish firms get boost from £1bn Forth Bridge project

17-Feb-2012
Multiple materials and equipment contracts for concrete production on the £1bn Scottish Forth Bridge project have been awarded locally to boost jobs and economy north of the border.
Government told to do more to attract private sector funding for transport

17-Feb-2012
Transport experts have told the government that it must do more to lure private sector investment into transport through pump-priming or commercially underwriting viable schemes.
Rolls Royce to provide Hinkley Point nuclear reactors

17-Feb-2012
Engineering giant Rolls Royce has today signed an “enhanced cooperation agreement” with nuclear reactor manufacturer Areva to provide equipment and services for new build site Hinkley Point worth £100M.
Northern Irish contractors get Crossrail work nudge

17-Feb-2012
Northern Ireland enterprise minister Arlene Foster has hosted a networking dinner for local construction firms to meet with Crossrail’s major contractors.
Final three bidders for £600M Mersey Gateway Project revealed

17-Feb-2012
A shortlist of three bidders has been revealed for the £600M Mersey Gateway Project which will be one of the biggest transport projects in England.
US to 'compete' for cleaner energy and jobs with £17.4bn budget

16-Feb-2012
America must “compete in the global race for the clean energy jobs of the future” and be at the forefront of green energy technology for a strong economy said US energy secretary Steven Chu.
Arup wins £7M environmental contract with HS2

16-Feb-2012
Scheme promoted High Speed 2 (HS2) has appointed Arup, supported by URS Scott Wilson, to provide Environmental Overview Services for the stretch of high speed rail line between London and the West Midlands.
Atkins to work on Adelaide Oval footbridge

16-Feb-2012
The South Australian government has appointed consultant Atkins to carry out detailed modelling for a new footbridge, which will be part of the redevelopment of the 140-year-old Adelaide Oval.
Siemens to build £1bn subsea England-Scotland link

16-Feb-2012
Engineering giant Siemens and cable manufacturer Prysmian has today won the contract to build the £1bn subsea link and on shore connections between Scotland and England.
New Wear crossing inches closer to being built

16-Feb-2012
The short-list of potential contractors for Sunderland’s multi-million pound New Wear Crossing is being finalised, according to Sunderland City Council today.
£500M boost for Northern Ireland road schemes

15-Feb-2012
Road infrastructure in Northern Ireland is being given a £500M funding boost that should generate 2,500 jobs over the next four years.
Flood prevention scheme unveiled for Mythe Farm in Tewkesbury

15-Feb-2012
Severn Trent Water has presented its plans to develop flood compensation works on Mythe Farm in Tewkesbury.
Faulty thermometer blamed for temperature rise at stricken Fukushima plant

15-Feb-2012
Japanese officials believe a faulty thermometer signalled a spike in temperature at reactor two at the stricken Fukushima plant last week.
Protests over pay due to roll out across power plants

15-Feb-2012
Construction workers are due to start today a rolling programme of demonstrations refineries and power stations across the UK in the latest in a long-running dispute over pay and conditions.
Council relaxes transport and housing targets for new Spurs ground

15-Feb-2012
Haringay council has relaxed its housing and transport commitment to help secure Tottenham Hotspur Football Club’s plans for a new £400M stadium.
New Fukushima report recommends seismic improvements to reactors

15-Feb-2012
Latest research from a team of Japanese and Chinese academics recommends the stricken Fukushima nuclear power station in Japan will require additional seismic-resistant reinforcing.
Malfunction of Port Mann bridge gantry crane under investigation

14-Feb-2012
Investigators were this week trying to establish why a gantry crane on the Port Mann Bridge project dropped a precast concrete deck segment into the Fraser River in Vancouver.
Work starts on M4 link route

14-Feb-2012
Work yesterday began on construction of a £13M on the former Llanwern Steelworks access road to create a new dual carriageway linking the Newport Southern Distributor road with junction 23a of the M4.
Edinburgh Tram latest phase of works announced

14-Feb-2012
City of Edinburgh Council yesterday confirmed the latest phase of works for the beleaguered Edinburgh Tram scheme.
New Welsh planning boss announced

14-Feb-2012
Planning inspector Richard Poppleton has been appointed as the director for Wales in the Planning Inspectorate. Poppleton, who has worked for 22 years as a Planning inspector, will take up his new role officially from April 2012.
North London waste and energy project reaches final stages of procurement

13-Feb-2012
The North London Waste Authority (NLWA) has today announced its shortlist of bidders for its waste services and fuel use contracts that are estimated to be worth between £3bn and £4bn.
Bentley confirms Crossrail BIM collaboration details

13-Feb-2012
Software house Bentley Systems has confirmed the details of its initiatives that will aim to support Crossrail’s construction.
'Vital' Welsh gas pipeline to be replaced

13-Feb-2012
A “vital” gas pipeline providing energy security to thousands of households in North Wales is to be replaced, the Department for Energy and Climate Change announced today.
Eton Manor complete as 200 day Paralympic countdown begins

13-Feb-2012
Eton Manor, the only venue designed to be solely used for the Paralympic competition, has been completed after two years of construction, the Olympic Delivery Authority has announced.
Bilfinger Berger wins £193M worth of underground contracts

13-Feb-2012
German contractor Bilfinger Berger has won contracts worth €230M (£193M) to build an underground railway in Berlin.
Build operate license approved for Westinghouse AP1000 reactor in US

10-Feb-2012
US nuclear safety regulators have given approval for the first AP1000 nuclear reactor by manufacturer Westinghouse to be built in Georgia.
Government figures show infrastructure spend at record levels

10-Feb-2012
Infrastructure spending in the UK hit a record high in the final quarter of 2011, official figures from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) have shown.
Transport Scotland says no Scottish firms bid for FRC steel contract

10-Feb-2012
Transport Scotland yesterday said that no Scottish firms had bid for the contract to provide steel for the Forth Replacement Crossing (FRC).
Full investigation for West Coast Main Line derailment

10-Feb-2012
A full investigation will be carried out into the derailment on the West Coast Main Line, which occurred in the early hours of last Thursday.
Atkins engineers to teach new postgraduate degree in railway design

10-Feb-2012
Atkins’ rail business has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with University College London (UCL) to launch a new MSc in Rail Integrated Design Management.
Crossrail concrete batching plant up and running in west London

9-Feb-2012
A tunnelling construction plant producing concrete segments for 42km of Crossrail tunnels has officially opened in west London.
CTV building in Christchurch did not meet building standards

9-Feb-2012
An official report into the collapse of the Christchurch (CTV) building in Christchurch released today found the construction failed to meet key building standards.
Scottish Parliament sets out £72M transport package

9-Feb-2012
Details of how new budget allocations will be spent have been unveiled by Scottish finance secretary John Swinney in the Scottish Parliament.
Historic bridges and infrastructure awards: Repair, Refurb and Recreate

9 February 2012
Judges made three awards, two commendations and singled one project out for a special mention in this year’s Historic Bridges & Infrastructure Awards.
Kings Cross piling: return fixture

9 February 2012
Major piling and remediation works are underway in north London as a full scale regeneration of the King’s Cross railway lands gets underway. NCE reports.
Piling for Glasgow Conference Centre car park gets underway

9 February 2012
New Bauer rig in use to case piles in unstable ground near surface.
Suspended slabs for Welsh retail project

9 February 2012
Foundation contractor Keller is installing more than 2,400, 350mm diameter continuous flight auger (CFA) piles to depths of 19m for a new retail development in Prestatyn, Wales, being built by Marshall Construction.
Letters: Let’s not be seduced by the glamour of a new hub

8-Feb-2012
Outlook gloomy for construction, says RICS report

8-Feb-2012
Construction continued to stall in the last three months of 2011 and the outlook for the next 12 months looks bleak, according to a report released today.
Dounreay sets out options for 'exotics' nuclear material

8-Feb-2012
Spent nuclear fuel from Dounreay’s fast reactor breeders could be transported to Sellafield in Cumbria for treatment, according to plans outlined by the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) this week.
Skanska reports slight drop in turnover

8-Feb-2012
Skanska has reported a slight drop in turnover for the year ending 31 December 2011 but it also witnessed a slight increase in operating margin.
Femern seeks international contractors for £4.6bn crossing

8-Feb-2012
Project promoter Femern is seeking interest from international contractors in bidding for work on the €5.5bn (£4.58bn) Fehmarnbelt crossing.
Government announces major projects skills academy to save costs

7-Feb-2012
A skills academy to improve the building and consultancy expertise of civil servants working on major tax-payer projects has been launched by the Cabinet office today.
Environment Agency wins recognition for Cumbrian flood work

7-Feb-2012
Environment Agency (EA) flood defence work has scooped the community award in the ICE North West Engineering Awards.
Farringdon reopens station entrance

7-Feb-2012
London mayor Boris Johnson reopened Farringdon station’s London Underground entrance in the City of London yesterday following an eight week closure to restore and expand the grade II listed building.
Consultation opens for new Thames crossing

7-Feb-2012
Transport for London (TfL) has today launched a public consultation for a road tunnel and ferry crossing in east London.
Olympics environmental work complete

7-Feb-2012
Environmental work on the Olympic Park was completed yesterday following eight years of construction, the Environment Agency announced yesterday.
Bored tunnel downplayed as Fehmarnbelt crossing option

7-Feb-2012
Promoter Femern has played down the possibility of a bored tunnel for its Fehmarnbelt road and rail crossing between Denmark and Germany.
Mayor outlines formal plan to take on London rail franchises

6-Feb-2012
London mayor Boris Johnson has published a document that outlines how he is seeking powers to control the capital’s suburban railways.
Conservative MPs rebel over onshore wind farm subsidies

6-Feb-2012
Over 100 Conservative MPs have written to prime minister David Cameron urging the government to reduce onshore wind farm subsidies in a letter published in the Sunday Telegraph yesterday.
High Speed Two seeks new chiefs

6-Feb-2012
High Speed Two kicks off its search next week for a new chief executive and a number of new non-executive directors
Huhne resigns as energy secretary

3-Feb-2012
Energy secretary Chris Huhne has resigned this morning after the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) decided to bring criminal charges against him for perverting the course of justice over speeding offences.
London mayor accused of sidelining green priorities over capital tunnel plan

3-Feb-2012
London mayor Boris Johnson’s plans to build a road tunnel connecting Greenwich Peninsula to Silvertown has been slammed by chair of the London Assembly’s Environment Committee.
Further strike action at Balfour Beatty

3-Feb-2012
Members of trade union Unite have today voted for strike action at Balfour Beatty Engineering Services (BBES) the latest in a dispute over pay and conditions.
Atkins to work on Alcatraz repairs

3-Feb-2012
The US National Park Service has appointed consultant Atkins to provide construction management services for structural repairs to the famous federal penitentiary building on Alcatraz Island in San Francisco Bay, California.
Crossrail amends Connaught Tunnel works

3-Feb-2012
Crossrail has changed its restoration and improvement plans for the Connaught Tunnel in the Docklands, east London, to what it says is a safer and easier method.
Ministry of Defence announces training estate shortlist

2-Feb-2012
The Ministry of Defence has this week announced, via the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO), its shortlist of bidders to manage its up to £950M training estate contract.
Bam Nuttall scoops £70M Olympic Park legacy contract

2-Feb-2012
Bam Nuttall has won the £70M deal to transform the Olympic Park generating 500 temporary jobs and create a foundation for further development over the next two decades.
Tunnelling machine set for Beckton sewage works run

2-Feb-2012
A tunnel boring machine named Beckton Becky has been lowered into position 20m below ground in London, as part of a £190M project to extend one of Europe’s largest sewage treatment works.
Government must support fragile growth in infrastructure

2-Feb-2012
Fragile signs of growth in civil engineering may be crushed if the government pulls funding on public sector infrastructure projects, say contractors.
First phase of £1bn Edinburgh rail project consultation complete

2-Feb-2012
Network Rail has completed the first phase of its consultation into the £1bn Edinburgh Glasgow Improvement Programme.
ICE highlights the need for changes in CDM regs

2 February 2012
An ICE report highlighting areas in the current Construction Design and Management (CDM) Regulations where improvements could bring significant benefit to industry has been welcomed by government and will contribute to a public review later in the year.
ICE’s profile raising effort boosts media coverage

2 February 2012
The ICE’s work to raise the profile of civil engineering and make the Institution the ‘voice of infrastructure’ in the media led to 565 ICE mentions during the final quarter of 2011.
Iraq seeks bids for 20 year transport masterplan

2 February 2012
Iraq is seeking consultants to help it draw up a 20 year national multi-modal transport plan.
Racing to help

1-Feb-2012
Aid agency CARE is urging people in the construction sector to challenge themselves and challenge poverty.
US states to fight it out for share of £315M transport cash pot

1-Feb-2012
US transportation secretary Ray LaHood has kick-started a scramble for $500M (£315M) of government cash for transport projects across the country.
Airport operator BAA loses Stansted sale appeal

1-Feb-2012
Airport operator BAA has today lost its appeal against a Competition Commission ruling that will force it to sell Stansted.
Spurs agrees to stay in Haringay

1-Feb-2012
A pact to regenerate North Tottenham has been made between Haringey Council and Tottenham Hotspur Football Club which has also said it will stay in the area.
Start date for work to dual A9 set for 2017

1-Feb-2012
Construction work to dual the A9 between Luncarty and Birnam will start in 2017 announced Scottish transport minister Keith Brown today.
Overhead pylons still the cheapest

1-Feb-2012
A cost study on installing new high-voltage transmission lines by the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) has showed they are still five times cheaper than burying the cables underground.
Bids now in to host Green Investment Bank

1-Feb-2012
Competition to host the Green Investment Bank is fierce with 32 sites applying says business secretary Vince Cable who will reveal the successful bidder next month.
MPs misled over ‘nuclear cheaper and greener’ argument

1-Feb-2012
Ministers and Parliament have been misled in the argument for and against nuclear power and the debate must be re-opened and a vote on the issue held, claims a report.
Highways Agency announces stop-gap solution for A14

31-Jan-2012
A scheme to strengthen the viaduct that carries the A14 over the East Coast Main Line railway in Huntingdon has been announced by the Highways Agency.
US nuclear plant being monitored after power failure

31-Jan-2012
A nuclear power plant in Illinois, US, operated by power firm Exelon Generation is being monitored after offsite power was lost and smoke was seen coming from an onsite transformer.
Thales-Balfour Beatty win £335M Danish rail signalling contract

31-Jan-2012
Contractor Balfour Beatty and electronics firm Thales has today won a £335M contract by Danish railway operator Banedanmark to upgrade much of the country’s railway signalling system.
Foster Wheeler to lead flagship CCS scheme

31-Jan-2012
Power consultant Foster Wheeler has today been selected to lead a flagship carbon capture and storage (CCS) is South Yorkshire by its developer 2Co Power.
Water investment boost of £22bn but customers face higher bills

31-Jan-2012
Water companies have pledged to invest a record £22bn over the next five years into the water and sewerage network resulting in higher customer bills.
French/Italian high speed line gets green light

31-Jan-2012
France and Italy have signed an agreement to build an €8.5bn (£7.1bn) high speed rail link between Lyon and Turin.
Engineering bucks declining trend in university applicants

30-Jan-2012
Higher tuition fees appear not to have deterred potential engineers from studying at university, figures from admissions service USAS have revealed.
Top prize for 2012 will be energy projects says KPMG survey

30-Jan-2012
Energy projects will offer the most attractive investment opportunities and could change the direction of the construction industry in 2012, according to KPMG.
US politicians to debate radical reform of Federal transport programmes

30-Jan-2012
The US Congress Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure is to debate a radical plan to reform the way national transport programmes are planned and funded.
Contractor Hochtief warns 2011 losses will be greater than feared

30-Jan-2012
German contracting giant Hochtief has warned that losses for the last financial year will hit €160M (£134M) after suffering major problems in Australia and the Middle East.
Thirteen consultants sweep High Speed 2 framework places

30-Jan-2012
High Speed 2 project promoter High Speed 2 Ltd (HS2 Ltd) has revealed the 13 consultants and consultant joint ventures that have won places on its professional services six year framework, worth in total an estimated £250M to £350M.
Chinese and European firms snap-up new Forth crossing steel contracts

30-Jan-2012
Contractors working on the Forth Replacement Crossing (FRC) have today announced steel fabrication for the new crossing will come from the European Union (EU) and China.
Death toll rises in Brazilian building collapse

30-Jan-2012
The death toll has risen to 17 following the collapse of three building in the Brazilian city of Rio de Janerio, according to local media reports.
Economic uncertainty hits UK steel output

30-Jan-2012
Continuing woes in the eurozone and economic uncertainty in the second half of 2011 has badly affected demand as customers ran down stocks, latest steel production figures out today show.
Arcadis chief executive Harrie Noy to step down

30-Jan-2012
Arcadis chief executive Harrie Noy has announced his decision to step down in May after 12 years at the helm.
Planning Inspectorate appoints non-executive directors

27-Jan-2012
The Planning Inspectorate has appointed three non executive directors — David Clements, Janet Goodland and Valerie Owen — it announced today.
Scotland makes its case for high speed rail

27-Jan-2012
Scottish ministers yesterday set out what they called an “utterly convincing” case for high speed rail network to serve Scotland yesterday, adding work could begin ahead of completion of High Speed 2 (HS2) in England.
Olympic village handed over to event organiser

27-Jan-2012
The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) will today hand over the Olympic and Paralympic Village to games organiser the London 2012 Organising Committee (Locog).
Legal challenge for Norfolk Incinerator project

27-Jan-2012
A legal challenge is being mounted to junk the £500M King’s Lynn incinerator project.
Crack down on scrap dealers, says Transport Committee

27-Jan-2012
Scrap dealers are the “weak link” in tackling metal theft according to the House of Commons Transport Committee, which has recommended trialling a cashless system.
Anaerobic digestion under threat from European Directive

27-Jan-2012
The UK anaerobic digestion (AD) industry is under threat from proposed changes to the European Union (EU) Waste Framework Directive, claims the government and industry this week.
Supply chain signs Network Rail pay charter

27-Jan-2012
Network Rail’s new Fair Payment Charter has been signed by 30 major construction and engineering companies, the rail infrastructure owner and operator said today.
Lane rental scheme to take on road works chaos

26-Jan-2012
Disruption caused by utility companies digging up the roads is to be tackled with local authority powers to charge them “lane rental” of up to £2,500 a day.
Engineers get more track access to improve rail reliability in south west London

26-Jan-2012
Rail operator South West Trains has struck a deal with infrastructure owner and operator Network Rail to grant the latter’s engineers more access time to carry out preventative maintenance on its routes into London.
Jacobs Engineering reports 'positive outlook' for first quarter

26-Jan-2012
Jacobs Engineering Group has revealed first quarter earnings of $89.7M (£57M) with a backlog of work worth £9.25bn.
Construction output fall contributes to declining economy

26-Jan-2012
Official government statistics have confirmed that construction output fell between the third and fourth quarters of 2011, contributing to the first fall in GDP since the end of 2010 when economic activity was badly disrupted by snow.
Evidence on Olympics impact on transport sought by committee

26-Jan-2012
The House of Commons Transport Committee is launching an inquiry into how the Olympics will impact on the road network and public transport.
Government launches climate change adaptation plan

26-Jan-2012
The government is to create a National Adaptation Programme (NAP) that will span different departments with the aim of preparing the UK for the effects of climate change, it was revealed today.
MPs say carbon floor price could have 'devastating effect' on UK industry

26-Jan-2012
MPs have today criticised the government’s decision to set a unilateral carbon floor price saying it could have a “devastating effect” on UK industry and will artificially raise electricity prices for consumers.
Surge stopper: Felixstowe's new coastal defences

26 January 2012
As well as making good severe erosion and improving beach protection, Felixstowe’s fast-track coastal defence project is supporting urban regeneration.
Weight watcher

26 January 2012
Lightweight concrete helped the project team for the Blackfriars Station redevelopment deliver efficiently and successfully. NCE reports.
Speedy starts nuclear crane components contract

26 January 2012
Speedy’s £2M, three year deal to supply crane components to Nuclear Decommissioning Agency (NDA) sites went live at the start of this month.
Bison wins precast order for Welsh football stadium

26 January 2012
Precast manufacturer’s experience with major stadium projects helped it win job.
Eco friendly site huts launched

26 January 2012
Specialist supplier Garic has launched what it claims to be the “greenest” site hut on the market. The Eco Armadillo unit is powered by solar PV cells backed up by a bespoke 12V generator.
Film fame for ICE telescope

26 January 2012
An antique brass telescope which was awarded to ICE member James Henry Apjohn in 1884 and then went on to feature as a prop in Back to the Future III, has been sold at auction for nearly £2,000.
Plant demo days are poised for 2012 repeat

26 January 2012
The Construction Equipment Technology Alliance (CETA) has announced that it will be holding a second event on 3 and 4 October 2012 following the success of its inaugural demonstration days at Uttoxeter in June 2011.
Incinerator projects could be held up by health impact report

25-Jan-2012
The health impact of incinerators is to be given a fresh look at with a government backed report sparking fears that key energy from waste projects could be de-railed.
UK road charge 'fairer' for British business, says government

25-Jan-2012
European hauliers will have to pay to use UK roads in a new charging scheme brought in to create a level playing field for British businesses.
Motts and Arup miss out on Danish mega-tunnel contract

25-Jan-2012
Consultants Mott MacDonald and Arup were amongst the firms to miss out on the mechanical and electrical design systems contract for the Fehmarnbelt road and rail crossing between Denmark and Germany.
Government loses solar Fits appeal

25-Jan-2012
The government has lost its appeal against December’s judicial review which ruled that the cuts to solar panel feed-in tariffs (Fits) subsidies were “legally flawed”.
Taylor Woodrow wins £44.3M London Underground contract

25-Jan-2012
Taylor Woodrow has won a £44.3M contract from London Underground to upgrade two depots that will service the new S7 train fleet.
Bam Nuttall wins Norfolk incinerator contract

25-Jan-2012
Bam Nuttall has won a contract to carry out civil engineering work on the controversial £500M waste incinerator in King’s Lynn, Norfolk.
Construction industry to lose 45,000 jobs in 2012

25-Jan-2012
Trade body Construction Skills Network (CSN) has predicted 45,000 workers and tradesman will lose their jobs in 2012 as the sector output contracts by 3%.
Boc wins place on carbon capture and storage project

24-Jan-2012
Industrial gas provider Boc will join power firm Alstom and coal-fired power station owner Drax in developing a carbon capture and storage (CCS) project in North Yorkshire.
Commons plays down 'Big Ben' subsidence risk

24-Jan-2012
The House of Commons yesterday played down suggestions that the Palace of Westminster is suffering from imminent subsidence.
Channel Islands tidal scheme impact investigated

24-Jan-2012
Small Gloucester environmental consultant Sustainable Direction has been investigating the creation of a network of 2,000 tidal turbines off the coast of Alderney in the Channel Islands.
Keep leaves off the line but protect green benefits, says report

24-Jan-2012
Trackside land must be maintained to avoid leaves on the line but residents should be kept informed, according to a report from the London Assembly.
Wayss and Freytag Ingenieurbau wins £351M German waste water pipeline project

24-Jan-2012
Contractor Wayss and Freytag Ingenieurbau has secured a €420M (£351M) contract in Germany for the construction of a 35km long underground waste water pipeline.
Green light for ScottishPower £2.6bn grid upgrade

24-Jan-2012
Energy firm ScottishPower has today reached agreement with energy regulator Ofgem for a £2.6bn investment in the Scottish electricity grid over an eight-year period between 2013 and 2021.
CH2M Hill named as High Speed 2 development partner

24-Jan-2012
CH2M Hill has scooped the lucrative £50M to £70M development partner role on the High Speed 2 (HS2) project, promoter HS2 Ltd has announced.
New York governor plans £16bn private investment push for infrastructure

23-Jan-2012
New York governor Andrew Cuomo has unveiled plans for a bold $25bn (£16bn) programme of infrastructure investment to be funded largely by private investment.
Legal bid lodged to block nuclear power development

23-Jan-2012
Nuclear power could be blocked from being developed in the UK and European Union (EU) if a complaint over Government subsidies sent by lawyers to the European Commission is upheld.
Galliford Try scoops infrastructure projects worth £40M

23-Jan-2012
Galliford Try has won three infrastructure projects totalling £40M in value.
Warning of energy projects put at risk by investor uncertainty

23-Jan-2012
Plans to revise subsidies for generating renewable electricity could put more than 70 energy infrastructure projects at risk endangering 24,000 jobs, an industry body has warned.
Low carbon district heating system plan revealed

23-Jan-2012
Plans to build a low carbon district heating system that could be the biggest in London have been revealed by Southwark Council and waste firm Veolia.
UK's first marine energy park will be in the south west

23-Jan-2012
The south west will be home to the UK’s first Marine Energy Park, announced cimate change minister Greg Barker on a visit to Bristol.
Stockport sets up rota of inspection and cleaning for gullies

23-Jan-2012
Stockport Borough Council has set up an on-going inspection and cleansing programme to keep on top of drainage and flooding problems on priority routes.
Aggregates, cement and ready-mix industry referred to Competition Commission

20-Jan-2012
The Office of Fair Trading has formally referred the aggregates, cement and ready-mix concrete markets in Great Britain to the Competition Commission.
VolkerFitzpatrick secures £8.9M contract for London library

20-Jan-2012
VolkerFitzpatrick has won an £8.9M contract to design and build a library for the University of East London at its Stratford campus.
Green light for large Asian wind farm supported by Motts

20-Jan-2012
One of the largest wind farms in south east Asia reached financial close today, with consultant Mott MacDonald acting as independent engineer.
Detailed geotechnical investigation for Scottish landslip site given go-ahead

20-Jan-2012
Scottish transport minister Keith Brown has announced the go-ahead for a detailed investigation into mitigation works on a notorious landslip site on the A83.
Network Rail gets month extension to improve performance

20-Jan-2012
Network Rail has been given a month long extension by the rail regulator to draw up “robust” plans to improve passenger train punctuality.
Chinese sovereign fund invests in Thames Water in UK first

20-Jan-2012
China’s sovereign investment fund has made its first UK venture with the purchase of an 8.68% stake in Thames Water today.
Construction insolvency gloom to continue, says PwC

19-Jan-2012
The recession has claimed 5,215 construction firms over the past two years and there is no sign of this trend abating, says accounting giant PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PwC).
Flooding 'swale' first for Thames Water

19-Jan-2012
Thames Water is building its first ever “swale” scheme to protect houses in north London from flooding in times of heavy rain.
Norfolk incinerator claws back PFI credits from Spelman

19-Jan-2012
PFI credits for a Norfolk incinerator that were controversially withheld by environment secretary Caroline Spelman have been released.
Construction output continues to fall in Scotland

19-Jan-2012
Latest gross domestic product (GDP) figures for the Scottish economy out today show a fourth consecutive drop of construction output.
Heathrow plans new terminal for Olympics

19-Jan-2012
Heathrow Airport has today unveiled plans to build a special £20M Games Terminal to handle extra passengers and baggage for this summer’s Olympics.
Mid-Cheshire railway handed over to community

18-Jan-2012
Rail minister Theresa Villiers has today announced the Mid-Cheshire railway line in north west England will now be run as community rail service, giving passengers more say on how the service will be run.
Highways Agency seeks contractor for complex A14 viaduct repairs

18-Jan-2012
The Highways Agency has gone out to tender for a complex £11M project to strengthen the A14 Huntingdon railway viaduct in Cambridgeshire.
Record-breaking piles for Macau crossing completed

18-Jan-2012
The last of 120 record-breaking 22m diameter steel piles has been driven on the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge in front of an audience of 200 people.
Small consultants firms wait 76 days for payment

18-Jan-2012
Research by the Association for Consultancy and Engineering (ACE) has revealed that small consultants have an average wait of 76 days for their invoices to be paid.
Alstom teams up with SSE Renewables for Scottish wave project

18-Jan-2012
Power firm Alstom has today signed a joint venture with energy firm SSE Renewables to develop a wave energy project off the coast of Scotland.
Riots 2011: London town centres receive extra £57M

18-Jan-2012
London mayor Boris Johnson has today announced total investment following last year’s London riots will reach £177M following an additional £57M pledged from private and public partners.
Carillion wins £15.6M Welsh rail viaduct project

17-Jan-2012
Contractor Carillion has been selected by Network Rail to build a £15.6M replacement for the Loughor viaduct in South West Wales today.
Granary Building scoops Mayor’s top prize for planning excellence in London

17-Jan-2012
A 19th century granary store that has been spectacularly transformed into a university for the arts has scooped London mayor Boris Johnson’s Award for Planning Excellence at the London Planning Awards.
Riots 2011: Assessing crime and disorder

17-Jan-2012
Following the 2011 summer riots, industry experts will be discussing its potential impacts on the construction process later this month.
UK not ready for smart meter roll out

17-Jan-2012
Energy firms and the Department for Energy and Climate Change (Decc) are not ready to implement the £11.7bn programme to install smart meters in the UK’s 53M homes, MPs said today.
Vinci named preferred bidder for £620M Strasbourg bypass

17-Jan-2012
Vinci subsidiary Vinci Concessions has been named by Fance’s Ministry for Ecology, Sustainable Development, Transport and Housing (MEDDTL) as the prefered bidder for the concession contract for the A355 western Strasbourg bypass.
Solar subsidies ruling postponed

16-Jan-2012
The Court of Appeal failed to reach a judgement on Friday on the legality of the government’s recent reduction in feed in tariff (Fit) rates for solar photovoltaic energy schemes.
Boris unveils plan to ease London congestion

16-Jan-2012
A package of measures, that include a new East London road tunnel, hoping to ease congestion in the capital has been announced by London mayor Boris Johnson.
ORR not ‘off hook’ for Grayrigg, says RMT

16-Jan-2012
The Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) is “not off the hook” with regards to the 2007 Grayrigg disaster as it was part of a cuts culture that may have contributed to the disaster, rail union RMT has said.
Aecom appoints BAA chief Robinson

16-Jan-2012
Consultant Aecom has appointed Richard Robinson as managing director of its transportation business in Europe to be based in the company’s London office, it announced last week.
US rail operator to make high speed rail plans private finance friendly

16-Jan-2012
US rail operator Amtrak has said it is to update its vision for high speed rail in the north east with a business plan that identifies potential public and private funding sources.
South west council leaders look to resurrect A303 Stonehenge tunnel project

16-Jan-2012
Plans for a £1bn programme to widen the remaining single lane carriageway sections of the A303 between Wiltshire and Devon have been resurrected by south west council leaders.
Unite to reballot for strike action at Balfour Beatty Engineering Services

13-Jan-2012
The Unite union has said it will re-ballot for strike action its members at Balfour Beatty Engineering Services over attacks on skills and pay.
French firms team up for offshore wind bid

13-Jan-2012
Three major French firms — contractor Vinci, power firm GDF Seuz, and state-owned finance firm CDC Infrastructure — have submitted a joint bid to build up to 3GW of offshore wind capacity off the coast of northern France.
Network Rail announces £1.5bn signalling work team

13-Jan-2012
Network Rail has awarded framework agreements for signalling projects worth £1.5bn to Invensys Rail, Signalling Solutions and Atkins, it confirmed yesterday.
Wear red for RedR on 10 February

13-Jan-2012
Engineering charity RedR’s annual “Wear Red for RedR” fundraising event will take place on 10 February, to help raise funds and awareness for the organisation.
Repair plans enable Hammersmith reopening

13-Jan-2012
Transport for London (TfL) has revealed its repair plans for the Hammersmith flyover today which will focus on strengthening six of the 16 spans while allowing the structure to reopen to light traffic.
Camden Council approves King's Cross Square plan

13-Jan-2012
Camden Council has given the go ahead to plans to redevelop the public space in front of King’s Cross station, Network Rail revealed today.
High Speed 2: Project promoter starts recruitment drive for engineers

12-Jan-2012
High Speed 2 project promoter HS2 Ltd has started its first recruitment campaign by advertising jobs for specialist railway engineers and experienced civil engineers.
Green light for United Utilities’ £200M Liverpool waste water plan

12-Jan-2012
United Utilities has been granted planning to build a £200M extension to its waste treatment plant on the banks of the River Mersey, Liverpool.
Disused railway reinstated for coal freight in South Wales

12-Jan-2012
A 12.9km long disused freight railway line in Cymgrach, South Wales has been resurrected for coal producer Unity Mine to enable it to reduce lorry movements.
Dark clouds end water companies' drought panic

12-Jan-2012
A run on water companies applying for drought permits in the south east may have been averted with recent increased rainfall.
Vinci sets sights on Indian infrastructure sector

12-Jan-2012
Vinci Group subsidiary Eurovia has bought Indian construction and public works firm NAPC as part of its ambitions to establish a presence in the country.
Former ICE DG Foulkes is now OBE in New Year’s honours

12 January 2012
Former ICE director general Tom Foulkes has been given an OBE.
Letters: Why skew Scottish transport spend so much towards roads?

12 January 2012
Why skew Scottish transport spend so much towards roads?Scottish roads: spending dwarfs that set aside for low carbon transport
Pride Park

12 January 2012
Just before Christmas, the London Organising Committee for the Olympic Games (LOCOG) released the latest aerial images of the Games venues, giving a hint of what spectators will be greeted with this summer.
Black & Veatch expands in Middle East

11-Jan-2012
Consultant Black & Veatch is expanding its operations in the Middle East by moving into a new office in Dubai, the firm confirmed today.
Value for money is ‘crucial’ and PFI must now deliver for tax payers

11-Jan-2012
PFI funding has not delivered “best possible value” for taxpayers in the past but this must change, Treasury Select Committee chairman Andrew Tyrie said today.
Network Rail carries out £1.6M Long Eaton station face ‘lift’

11-Jan-2012
Lifts are being installed at a cost of £1.6M on both platforms at Long Eaton station, in Derbyshire, by Network Rail to improve accessibility.
Collision between car and train in Suffolk under investigation

11-Jan-2012
An investigation is underway into how a car crashed through a wire fence onto the main line near Old Newton, Suffolk, last November and was struck by a train.
Up to 700 jobs at risk as Scottish contractor WJ Harte goes into administration

11-Jan-2012
Scottish contractor WJ Harte has gone into administration, putting up to 700 jobs at risk.
Highways Agency makes interim major projects boss permanent appointment

10-Jan-2012
The Highways Agency has confirmed that its interim major projects director Peter Adams is to retain the role on a permanent basis.
Atkins wins £70M Qatar transport contract

10-Jan-2012
Consultant Atkins has this week won a £70M three-year contract to provide transport infrastructure services to the Qatar Ministry of Municipality and Urban planning.
Balfour Beatty has £15bn order book and says trading in line with expectations

10-Jan-2012
Balfour Beatty said it has a £15bn order book and forecasts trading will remain in line with expectations, according to today’s trading update.
Obama administration releases £1.02bn for disaster repair work

10-Jan-2012
The US Government has released $1.58bn (£1.02bn) to help cover the cost of repairs to roads and bridges damaged by recent natural disasters.
London Array hampered by cable delay

10-Jan-2012
Cable installation for the London Array offshore wind farm has been rescheduled following bad weather and engineering challenges, its operators said today.
Week beginning 5/12 January

9-Jan-2012
NCE begins its week-by-week look at what news has broken over the years with the January double issue - traditionally a quiet news week with Parliament still in recess and many construction sites yet to get back into full swing after the Christmas break.
WYG boss Hamer becomes ACE chairman

9-Jan-2012
Consultant WYG chief executive Paul Hamer has taken up his role as Association for Consultancy and Engineering (ACE) as 2012 chairman.
Bournemouth Borough Council ratifies decision to outsource to Mouchel

9-Jan-2012
Bournemouth Borough Council’s Cabinet has ratified its previous decision to outsource the operation of its HR and finance departments to Mouchel after carrying out a risk assessment of the troubled consultant.
Consultant File entry deadline getting closer

9-Jan-2012
All the firms wishing to appear in this year’s NCE Consultants File should now have received information on how to access the online forms. Deadline for submitting completed forms is the end of the month.
Esh Construction to design and build new nuclear construction skill centre

9-Jan-2012
Cumbria County Council las week awarded Esh Constructon a £5.5M contract to design and build the new Construction Skills Centre at Lakes College in West Cumbria
Construction to start on first major new Thames road crossing in 20 years

9-Jan-2012
Construction is set to start today on the first new major road bridge over the River Thames in over 20 years.
URS drops Scott Wilson brand for UK, Europe and Middle East operations

9-Jan-2012
URS has announced that the Scott Wilson name has been dropped for its UK & Ireland, Europe and the Middle East operations as part of a global programme to have a single and consistent brand.
Olympic Park Legacy Company awards key operator and maintenance contracts

9-Jan-2012
The Olympic Park Legacy Company (OPLC) has today announced that it has awarded key operator and maintenance contracts for the Aquatics Centre, Handball Arena and the ArcelorMittal Orbit.
Sir David Higgins to chair British Construction Industry Awards 2012 judges

6-Jan-2012
Network Rail chief executive Sir David Higgins is to chair the 2012 British Construction Industry Awards judging panel which this year celebrates its 25th anniversary of rewarding excellence in UK construction delivery.
Bam Nuttall and Bechtel complete Reading rail bridge replacement

6-Jan-2012
Bam Nuttall and Bechtel have completed a major bridge replacement on Network Rail’s Reading Station Area Redevelopment project in England. The work to install a new bridge at Cow Lane took place while the Reading West Curve rail line was taken out of commission during a 104-hour time slot over Christmas.
World’s highest cable-stayed bridge inaugurated in Mexico

6-Jan-2012
Mexican president Felipe Calderón has inaugurated the world’s highest cable-stayed bridge this week – the 403m long Baluarte Bridge – in north west Mexico.
December storms produce record wind farm electricity production

6-Jan-2012
December’s stormy weather resulted in wind farms producing up to 12.2% of the UK’s electricity demand in December, according to figures released from green-lobby group RenewableUK today.
Vinci expands Canadian operation through acquisition

6-Jan-2012
Vinci subsidiary Eurovia has signed an agreement to acquire Carmacks, a group of companies based in Edmonton, Alberta.
Wind turbine manufacturer Vestas issues profit warning

5-Jan-2012
Wind turbine manufacturing giant Vestas yesterday reduced its revenue and profit outlook for the second time in two months and announced it will be “significantly restructuring” its organisation.
Balfour Beatty wins £750M National Grid contract extension

5-Jan-2012
Contractor Balfour Beatty has won a £750M contract extension from National Grid to continue to maintain and upgrade the UK’s electricity transmission network.
Christchurch needs tens of thousands of workers for rebuild

4-Jan-2012
Earthquake-hit Christchurch in New Zealand will require about 24,000 additional construction-related workers at the peak of its rebuild, official figures revealed this week.
UK nuclear power stations given all clear following stress tests

4-Jan-2012
Safety reassessments at UK nuclear power stations following the Fukushima disaster in Japan have revealed no “fundamental weaknesses”, according to an official report out today.
Vinci wins Stoke bus station job

4-Jan-2012
Contractor Vinci Construction UK is to build a new landmark bus station in Stoke-on-Trent as part of the £350M City Sentral shopping and leisure development.
Offshore wind turbines threatened by scour

4-Jan-2012
Offshore wind turbines appear to be more susceptible to scour than previously predicted, according to recent research in the latest issue of the ICE’s Maritime Engineering journal.
New ICE Scotland director takes up post

4-Jan-2012
Newly-appointed ICE Scotland director Sara Thiam will start her new role today.
Epsom racecourse roof damaged in high winds

3-Jan-2012
Epsom racecourse has been evacuated today after part of the grandstand roof was damaged in high winds.
Engineering bosses feature in New Year honours list

3-Jan-2012
Olympics construction chiefs and a former ICE boss are among the construction and engineering names rewarded in the New Year honours list.
Edgware Road signalling improvements complete

3-Jan-2012
Transport for London has completed the signalling system this week at Edgware Road Tube station paving the way for new longer, accessible and air-con installed “S-Stock” trains on the Circle, District and Hammersmith and City lines.
Carillion scoops £126M Managed Motorways scheme

3-Jan-2012
Contractor Carillion has been awarded a £126.4M Managed Motorways scheme on the M6 around Birmingham.
Birmingham New Street works hit milestones over Christmas

3-Jan-2012
Site workers have carried out major works for the redevelopment of Birmingham New Street station over the Christmas period, marking a year to go before the first phase completes and a new concourse opens.
Skanska wins two Americas rail deals

3-Jan-2012
Skanska was won two contracts to work on rail projects in California, USA and Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Skanska buys £320M turnover contractor in Indiana, USA

3-Jan-2012
Skanska has acquired a £320M turnover construction company in Indiana, USA, for £87M.
Highways Agency extends tender deadline for latest maintenance deal

3-Jan-2012
The Highways Agency has been forced to extend the tender submission deadline for its Area 6 Asset Support Contract (ASC) because of continuing delays in awarding the contracts for Areas 2 and 10.
Balfour Beatty and Urbaser named preferred bidder for Essex waste PPP

3-Jan-2012
A joint venture between contractor Balfour Beatty and waste management firm Urbaser has been named preferred bidder for the £800M Essex Waste Partnership’s Residual Waste Treatment Contract.
Three major aftershocks hit Christchurch

23-Dec-2011
Christchurch’s central business district has been evacuated today after more three major aftershock hit the New Zealand city.
European Investment Bank provides £110M loan for Nottingham Tram

23-Dec-2011
The European Investment Bank has agreed a £110M loan for two new lines of the Nottingham tram network, which will supplement the £371M pledged by the Department for Transport last week towards the expected £570M total cost of the scheme.
New Olympics aerial shots hint at final look of Park

23-Dec-2011
Just before Christmas organisers of the London Olympics LOCOG released the latest aerial images of the Games venues, giving a hint of what spectators will be greeted with this summer.
Waterloo International station to reopen in July 2014

23-Dec-2011
The former Waterloo International Station is to be reopened for commuter services transport secretary Justine Greening announced today.
Merry Christmas to all our readers

23-Dec-2011
The NCE editorial team would like to wish all our readers a very Merry Christmas and a Happy and Prosperous New Year.
Energy minister gives green light to waste wood power station

23-Dec-2011
Energy minister Charles Hendry yesterday gave the green light to a new 53MW waste wood power station in Yoskshire.
Local authority rift threatens to scupper Humber Bridge toll deal

22-Dec-2011
THe Humber Bridge Board was in desperate talks today to try and resolve a rift between local authorities that threatens to derail chancellor George Osborne’s plan to cut toll fares from £3 to £1.50.
Gas and coal provide for 70% of electricity needs

22-Dec-2011
Latest figures from the Department for Energy and Climate Change (Decc) released today show that coal and gas powered electricity accounted for 69.6% of electricity generation in the third quarter of 2011.
Water experts vote in favour of Thames Tunnel super sewer

22-Dec-2011
Water experts from across London last week rejected suggestions that controlling rainwater near source is a better way of controlling sewage discharges into the River Thames than Thames Water’s £4.1bn Thames Tunnel.
Bored tunnel resurrected as Fehmarnbelt crossing option

22-Dec-2011
Promoter Femern has decided to resurrect the possibility of a bored tunnel for its Fehmarnbelt road and rail crossing between Denmark and Germany following a public consultation.
Feed in tariff cut proposals unlawful, says High Court

22-Dec-2011
Government plans to rush through cuts to solar tariff payments are illegal, the High Court ruled yesterday.
Case for Midland Main Line upgrade and electrification outlined to government

21-Dec-2011
East Midlands Councils and the South Yorkshire Integrated Transport Authority have written to government strongly urging it to consider the benefits of upgrading and electrifying the Midland Main Line.
Balfour Beatty wins Australian rail link project

21-Dec-2011
A joint venture of Balfour Beatty, Thiess and Sinclair Knight Merz has been awarded a $835M (£535M) contract for work on a section of the Regional Rail Link project in Melbourne, Australia.
Government must make significant changes to draft planning policy, say MPs

21-Dec-2011
Significant changes must be made to improve the draft National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), including removing a default acceptance of developments, MPs said today.
VolkerFitzpatrick starts work on £11M refurbishment job

21-Dec-2011
VolkerFitzpatrick has begun work on an £11M design and build contract for a complex refurbishment job in London’s West End.
London Bridge station designs given go-ahead

21-Dec-2011
Southwark Council’s planning committee yesterday passed a resolution to grant planning permission for Thameslink’s redevelopment of London Bridge station.
WSP expects a 'challenging' 2012

20-Dec-2011
Consultant WSP said it expects a challenging 2012 and confirmed it had spent £3.5M on restructuring its UK operations this year, according to a trading update released to the market today.
Government takes over wave hub in Cornwall

20-Dec-2011
The government is to take ownership of the Wave Hub, an offshore marine energy project in Cornwall which allows developers to test new wave energy technology, business minister Mark Prisk announced today.
Regulator finds Network Rail in breach of licence

20-Dec-2011
The Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) has found Network Rail in breach of its licence with regard to a decline in performance in the freight sector and long distance passenger services.
King's Cross western concourse completed

19-Dec-2011
Construction of the new western concourse at King’s Cross station completed today, signalling a key milestone in the £500M station redevelopment.
Urbaser Balfour Beatty named preferred bidder for 25 year energy from waste project

19-Dec-2011
The Urbaser Balfour Beatty consortium has been named preferred bidder by Gloucestershire County Council for its 25 year contract to design, build and operate an energy from waste facility at Javelin Park, Haresfield near Junction 12 of the M5.
Crossrail awards £50M marine transportation contract to Bam Nuttall/Van Oord

19-Dec-2011
Crossrail has awarded its marine transportation contract to a joint venture between Bam Nuttall and Van Oord UK, it announced on Friday.
Rolls Royce wins £210M nuclear reactor contract

19-Dec-2011
Engineering giant Rolls Royce has won a €250M (£210M) contract from nuclear reactor vendor Areva to supply safety instrumentation and control technology to France’s nuclear reactor fleet.
Up to 200 jobs to go at Grontmij

19-Dec-2011
Consultant Grontmij has announced plans to axe up to 200 jobs as part of a comprehensive restructuring triggered by sharp drop in profits.
Picture gallery: Massive machine positioned for Lee Tunnel

16-Dec-2011
An 8m diameter tunnel boring machine (TBM) was yesterday lowered into a vast shaft, the deepest structure in London, in preparation to start work creating the 6.4km long Lee Tunnel.
Bechtel rail head Tom McCarthy dies

16-Dec-2011
Managing director of Bechtel’s global rail business Tom McCarthy has died aged 54.
Thames Tunnel chief opponent stands down as council leader

16-Dec-2011
Hammersmith and Fulham Council leader and vocal opponent of Thames Water’s Thames Tunnel super sewer Stephen Greenhalgh has announced that he intends to stand down.
Arup reports rise in turnover and staff numbers

16-Dec-2011
Arup has published annual results showing that global turnover jumped 8.7%to £966M for the year ending 31 March 2011, largely due to the Group’s acquisition of Arup’s independent South African business.
Nottingham Tram phase two extensions set to start

16-Dec-2011
Transport minister Norman Baker yesterday announced that the Department for Transport would providing £371M of funding to enable work to extend the Nottingham Tram to begin in January.
Philip Dilley chair of London First

15-Dec-2011
Arup chairman Philip Dilley has been appointed business lobby group London First’s new chairman, succeeding Adrian Montague, who has been chairman since 2008.
Balfour Beatty preferred bidder in £500M waste project

15-Dec-2011
Balfour Beatty has been named the preferred bidder for the £500M Gloucestershire Residual Waste Project in joint venture with Urbaser.
Infrastructure in 2012: a special report on prospects for the year ahead

15 December 2011
With the UK government now recognising the value of infrastructure investment, NCE offers an industry outlook for home and abroad.
Talking Point

15 December 2011
Industry and market developments mean that it is now time to revisit the Managing Geotechnical Risk document, according to Barry Clarke
Talking Point

15 December 2011
With an increasing need for low-cost, low-carbon renewable energy, the hidden potential of deep geothermal energy needs to be considered more closely, says Róisín Goodman
Letters: Government funded Thames Hub could be an improvement

15 December 2011
Government funded Thames Hub could be an improvement
Major project report: Network Rail's Western Route Modernisation

15 December 2011
Express delivery: Brunel’s historic Great Western railway gets a £4.5bn upgrade
Rail industry calls for long-term thinking from government

14-Dec-2011
Rail industry players have called for the government to provide a longer-term strategy for the nation’s railways as well as help to reduce the excessive ‘lag’ between submitting proposals for new infrastructure and project delivery.
More local transport schemes given green light

14-Dec-2011
Transport secretary Justine Greening gave the green light today to 21 local schemes worth £854M, which is in addition to the £574M for 20 schemes announced in the Autumn Statement last month.
Government launches A14 consultation

13-Dec-2011
Road users, businesses and local communities are being encouraged to take part in a “fast-paced” study into widening options for the A14 corridor.
Government figures show construction still shrinking

13-Dec-2011
Construction output in October fell 2.5% from September and is 2.7% down on October last year, the latest Office for National Statistics figures have revealed.
Kier and Bam confirmed for Hinkley Point C earthworks contract

13-Dec-2011
EdF Energy today confirmed that a joint venture involving contractors Bam and Kier is preferred bidder for the £100M-plus contract for site preparation works at the proposed new nuclear power station at Hinkley Point C in Somerset.
Offshore wind and energy from waste priorities for Green Investment Bank

12-Dec-2011
Business secretary Vince Cable published five key investment areas for the Green Investment Bank (GIB) today that includes offshore wind and energy from waste generation.
Ofwat alleges competition breach by Anglian Water

12-Dec-2011
Water regulator Ofwat has this week called on Anglian Water to explain the circumstances of its pricing for water and sewerage services at a new Milton Keynes development amid concerns by the regulator that it may “have abused its dominant position and infringed the Competition Act 1998”.
University researchers to investigate performance of pothole repairs

12-Dec-2011
Researchers from Nottingham Trent University and the University of Nottingham have been awarded initial funding from the ICE Research and Development Enabling Fund for a six month research project into the performance of repair work on potholes.
Renewables cannot meet UK's energy demands, says think tank report

12-Dec-2011
Renewable energy will not meet the UK’s energy needs as it cannot replace gas, coal and nuclear generation a think-tank claimed in a report today.
Colas calls for UK to adopt more European innovation

12-Dec-2011
Contractor Colas has called on highways clients to be bolder and relax specifications to allow greater innovation and new technologies to be used.
Major milestones reached in Thameslink improvement works

12-Dec-2011
Major milestones on the Thameslink upgrade were made this morning as the first 12-carriage trains made a journey this morning from Bedford to Brighton and Farringdon station opened its new ticket hall.
Construction industry challenged to do better on worker health

12-Dec-2011
Government construction health and safety supremo Philip White has warned the industry that it has “taken its eye off the ball” over efforts to combat traditional health problems among the workforce.
Minister opens Gloucester flood storage area

9-Dec-2011
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs minister Richard Benyon today opened the Horsbere flood storage area, which will reduce flood risk to more than 350 homes in Gloucester.
Forth Rail bridge painting now complete

9-Dec-2011
Painting of the Forth Rail bridge is now complete following a 10-year, £130M refurbishment and repainting project, Network Rail announced yesterday.
Farrell releases new Battersea power station plan

9-Dec-2011
Architect Terry Farrell and Parners has released proposals for Battersea Power Station, which it said offer a radical rethink of its future.
Bad weather causes wind turbine fire in Scotland

9-Dec-2011
Gales of up 250km/h lashing the Scottish coast in the past 24 hours have a caused a wind turbine fire on the Ardrossan wind farm in Ayrshire.
UK carbon reduction plans on track

8-Dec-2011
UK carbon emissions have already been cut by more than 25% on 1990 and should exceed the 34% target set for the first 15 years under the Climate Change Act, the latest Carbon Plan released by the Department of Energy and Climate Change shows.
Government finalises new nuclear waste framework

8-Dec-2011
The Department for Energy and Climate Change has today set out statutory guidance for nuclear operators for establishing their funding for decommissioning plans.
URS Scott Wilson, Jacobs and Mott MacDonald in frame for 15-year Sellafield framework

8-Dec-2011
Nuclear site operator Sellafield has announced two preferred bidders for its 15-year Design Services Alliance framework contract this week with consultants Scott Wilson URS, Jacobs and Mott MacDonald shortlisted.
Water White Paper signals industry shake up

8-Dec-2011
The government has laid out its plans to deregulate water markets, remove barriers to encourage new entrants to the markets and tackle the “historic unfairness” of water prices in the South West in its Water White Paper published today.
Interserve wins £19M health research project

8-Dec-2011
Contractor Interserve has this week won a £19.4M contract to build a research, innovation, learning and development centre for joint health clients in the south west of England.
Letters: Is reversing points the best way to prevent another Grayrigg?

08 December 2011
Is reversing points the best way to prevent another Grayrigg?
Carillion expects strong 2011 but takes £10M hit from solar power cuts

7-Dec-2011
Contractor Carillion is expecting a strong increase in profits in 2011 according to its latest trading statement released today, but has set aside £10M to downsize its solar photovoltaic division after the government reduced the levels of subsidy through its feed in tariff.
UK needs biomass to meet energy targets

7-Dec-2011
The UK will need 10% of its energy produced by biomass in order to meet the UK’s 2050 emissions target, according to a report released today by independent government advisory body the Committee on Climate Change (CCC).
Government announces £16M investment in third rail heating

7-Dec-2011
Transport secretary Justine Greening announced today a £16M investment in third rail heating as part of a £38M programme to make sure the rail network is better prepared for severe bad weather this winter.
Plans to replace M5 bridge near Gloucester to be reviewed

7-Dec-2011
The Highways Agency is to reprogramme work needed on the Piffs Elm Bridge which carries the A4019 over the M5 at junction 10 near Gloucester to allow a full review of the project to take place.
Highways Agency goes out to tender for barrier-less toll gates on Dartford Crossing

7-Dec-2011
The Highways Agency has gone out to tender for a firm to help it develop and install a barrier-less payment method for users of the M25 Dartford Crossing.
Lack of skills could hamper new nuclear build

6-Dec-2011
A shortfall in specialist steel reinforcement fixers, concreters and scaffolders could hamper the nuclear new build programme according to a report from industry-body CITB-ConstructionSkills released today.
Trevor Walker steps down as chairman of industry skills certification scheme

6-Dec-2011
Construction Skills Certification Scheme chairman Trevor Walker has stood down after five years in charge.
Mouchel names David Shearer as permanent chairman

6-Dec-2011
Mouchel has brought in former Crest Nicholson chairman David Shearer as its new chairman.
Spending watchdog warns Olympics could still go over budget

6-Dec-2011
The National Audit Office today said the construction of the Olympic Park remains on time and on budget, but warned that the £9.3bn of public cash set aside for the Games may not be enough.
New entrance opens at Blackfriars station as redevelopment edges towards completion

5-Dec-2011
A new station entrance for Blackfriars rail station opened on the south bank of the River Thames today, giving passengers access from both sides of the river for the first time.
Scottish Government to unveil infrastructure pipeline

5-Dec-2011
The Scottish Government will this week publish an infrastructure pipeline of more than 50 major projects and 30 programmes across Scotland.
Network Rail orders 'revolutionary' line electrification train

5-Dec-2011
Network Rail has ordered a new £35M, 23-vehicle train that it said will “revolutionise” electrification of routes.
Five firms singled out as best at driving down costs in highways

5-Dec-2011
The Highways Agency has recognised contractors Colas, Costain, Carillion and Morgan Sindall and consultant Halcrow as the best at driving down costs and providing best value.
South Kensington underground network to help buildings reduce energy consumption

5-Dec-2011
A proposal for a £32M underground network linking the South Kensington museums, Royal Albert Hall and Imperial College London was launched last week.
NCE Graduate of the Year revealed

5-Dec-2011
NCE Graduate of the Year Claire Gott confirmed this week that she intends to devote her £1,250 first prize to the engineering charity Cameroon Catalyst that she founded three years ago at Southampton University. In the past she has raised over £90,000 towards infrastructure development of her chosen central African village Bambouti.
High Speed 2 decision delayed until 2012

3-Dec-2011
Transport secretary Justine greening has delayed making her decision about whether to proceed with High Speed 2 (HS2) until 2012.
Berkeley signs up Olympic chief

2-Dec-2011
Housing firm Berkeley has signed up Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) chairman John Armitt to join its board this week.
Mott MacDonald big winner in NCE's International Tunnelling Awards

2-Dec-2011
Last night at a glittering awards ceremony held at the Conrad Hong Kong, the winners of the 2011 NCE International Tunnelling Awards were announced. With just over 250 of the industry’s finest present, the most innovative and successful projects, companies and individuals in the tunnelling industry were rewarded and celebrated.
Anglian Water granted drought permit

2-Dec-2011
Utility Anglian Water has been granted a drought permit by the Environment Agency to extract water out of the River Nene to top up its Pitsford Water reservoir this week due to this year’s low rainfall.
UK's first carbon capture plant opens

1-Dec-2011
Energy secretary Chris Huhne has opened the UK’s largest carbon capture pilot plant at energy firm SSE’s Ferrybridge coal-fired power station in West Yorkshire.
Green wall unveiled at Edgware Road Tube station

1-Dec-2011
A 200m2 green wall was this week unveiled at Edgware Road Tube station in central London.
Treasury asserts infrastructure as best route to growth

01 December 2011
Contractors received a boost on Monday ahead of the formal Autumn Statement as chief secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander revealed plans to redirect £5bn of unspent government funds into infrastructure spending.
Letters: How should we encourage equality in construction firms?

01 December 2011
How should we encourage equality in construction firms?A female engineering student on a construction site marking blueprints as her instructor watches.
Natural disaster relief money provided to fix US roads

30-Nov-2011
More than $215M (£137.5M) has been granted to 37 US states and protectorates for repair of roads and bridges that have been damaged by a variety of natural disasters, the Department of Transportation announced yesterday.
Mouchel warns of more tough times ahead after new bank loan keeps company trading

30-Nov-2011
Consultant Mouchel has today unveiled a new deal with its banks that keeps the company in business, but warned of further wholesale review of its business to further cut costs.
Over one third of London's basement construction unsafe

30-Nov-2011
More than one in three basement construction sites in London has failed health and safety checks the Health & Safety Executive (HSE), said today.
Two injured on the Thames as gangway to HMS Belfast collapses

29-Nov-2011
The gangway connecting museum ship HMS Belfast to the river bank on the River Thames in London collapsed this afternoon injuring two contractors.
Autumn Statement 2011: Government identifies 40 long-term priority projects

29-Nov-2011
Forty key areas of infrastructure investment have been identified in Infrastructure UK’s National Infrastructure Plan update, released alongside the Autumn Statement.
Autumn statement 2011: Cabinet committee on infrastructure set up

29-Nov-2011
Prime minister David Cameron has asked chief secretary to the Treasury to chair a new Cabinet committee on infrastructure.
Autumn Statement 2011: Industry reaction

29-Nov-2011
Industry responses to chancellor George Osborne’s Autumn Statement have been overwhelmingly positive so far.
Autumn Statement 2011: the key transport projects given the go-ahead

29-Nov-2011
Chancellor George Osborne has committed £5bn to bring forward new projects and accelerate existing ones. Details of the key transport projects here.
Parsons Brinckerhoff latest firm to scoop Qatari highways deal

29-Nov-2011
Parsons Brinckerhoff has become the third UK consultancy to land a big deal with Qatar’s public works authority Ashghal.
Highways Agency goes out to tender for £200M Area 6 maintenance deal

29-Nov-2011
The Highways Agency has invited tenders for its five year Area 6 Asset Support Contract
Hinkley Point council names consultants to help with planning submission

29-Nov-2011
Sedgemoor District Council has named 13 consultants to form its specialist consultancy panel for planning and technical support to major infrastructure projects and service delivery in its area.
Osborne signs deal with UK pension funds to provide new infrastructure spending

28-Nov-2011
Chancellor George Osborne yesterday signed a memorandum of understanding with the National Association of Pension Funds (NAPF) and the Pension Protection Fund (PPF) to help provide new funds for infrastructure.
Atkins wins second Qatari roads framework agreement

28-Nov-2011
A second large roads framework contract in Qatar has been awarded to another UK consultant, Atkins, days after the first went to Hyder, for road and drainage works on the capital’s new-build road projects.
Network Rail unveils £46M station upgrade fund

28-Nov-2011
Network Rail has today announced that 21 projects across the country are to share a £46M pot of funding to improve stations and support regeneration.
Velodrome takes top prize at IStructE awards

25-Nov-2011
The London 2012 Velodrome was the winner of the Supreme Award for Structural Engineering Excellence at last week’s Structural Awards 2011.
Grontmij finance boss to leave as business copes with slim profit margins

25-Nov-2011
Grontmij chief financial officer Mel Zuydam will leave the company, it was announced only a week after the company announced deteriorating markets and falling profits.
Babcock preferred bidder to take ownership of Dounreay nuclear site

25-Nov-2011
Nuclear consortium Babcock Dounreay Partnership has been selected as preferred bidder to take over ownership of decommissioning company Dounreay Site Restoration in northern Scotland.
Farrans wins £50M Belfast Harbour upgrade

25-Nov-2011
Northern Ireland-based contractor Farrans has won a £50M contract this week to build a new terminal at Belfast Harbour in Northern Ireland that will be used as a base for offshore wind farm construction.
Thumbs up for Highways Agency after year long review

24-Nov-2011
The year-long review of the Highways Agency has concluded that the road operator remains largely fit for purpose.
Infrastructure Planning Commission accepts Hinkley Point planning application

24-Nov-2011
The Infrastructure Planning Commission (IPC) today accepted for examination energy firm EdF Energy’s planning application for its proposed nuclear power station at Hinkley Point in Somerset.
Contractors reveal cut price deals for latest Crossrail contract awards

24-Nov-2011
Crossrail’s Farringdon and Whitechapel main station contracts will be delivered for less than half the anticipated £625M price, it has emerged today.
Construction bodies urge chancellor to unlock infrastructure investment

24-Nov-2011
A group of seven construction industry groups has urged chancellor George Osborne to announce new measures to encourage infrastructure investment when he delivers his Autumn Statement on Tuesday.
Hyder Doha win its 'biggest ever' design contract

24-Nov-2011
Consultant Hyder has won an £80M design framework contract in Doha, the Qatar capital.
Network Rail investment increases 20% but punctuality drops

24-Nov-2011
Rail infrastructure owner and operator Network Rail today said it had invested £300M in the six months to 30 September this year compared with the same period last year, but train punctuality showed a fall.
Testing Times

24 November 2011
Ground investigations are essential for any new development, but if the site is to become home to the next generation of nuclear power plants the challenge is magnified. GE reports on recent experiences in north Wales.
Talking Point

24 November 2011
Industrial collaboration with the higher education sectors is essential and it is needed now, according to University of Portsmouth’s Nick Koor.
Ground Rules

24 November 2011
Many bemoan lack of investment in ground investigation by clients. GE spoke to Arup’s Tim Chapman, who believes we have to educate them about its importance.
Fast-Track Cleaning

24 November 2011
Clean up of an old gasworks in Scarborough by Sirius Group is being fast-tracked through the first UK use of new equipment from Komatsu.
Knowledge base

24 November 2011
Newcastle University offers a wide range of courses for full time, part time and post graduate students.
Letters: Is PFI the best way to trigger infrastructure-led recovery?

24 November 2011
Powerful opportunity
Money well spent

24 November 2011
Employers should not see training cutbacks as a good way of saving money during the economic downturn. NCE reports.
Train punctuality sees rise last month compared with same period last year

23-Nov-2011
Punctuality on trains rose to 89.3% during period 8 (16 October to 12 November) compared with 86.5% for the same period last year, according to monthly performance data released today by Network Rail.
Sensitive water pipeline project successfully completed during a river's low tide

23-Nov-2011
A complex and sensitive water pipeline project has been successfully completed under a Lancashire riverbed.
California gets £631M grant to start construction of high speed rail line

23-Nov-2011
US transportation secretary Ray LaHood has awarded a $928.6M (£631M) grant to the California High Speed Rail Authority so it can start building the first phase of its high speed rail project.
Crossrail confirms Farringdon and Whitechapel contract awards

23-Nov-2011
Crossrail has today formally announced the winners of two key central London station works contracts, which NCE was the first to reveal last week.
Croydon receives £23M transport spending boost after riots

22-Nov-2011
London mayor Boris Johnson has announced a £23M investment improving transport infrastructure in Croydon city centre following damaged caused by the August riots.
UK 'too complacent' about nuclear research

22-Nov-2011
The UK Government is too complacent about nuclear research and development (R&D) according to a House of Lords Science and Technology Committee report out today.
Duke of Edinburgh 'seriously misinformed' over wind farms

22-Nov-2011
Trade body RenewableUK has labelled the Duke of Edinburgh as “seriously misinformed” following remarks criticising wind farms this week.
Design and build contractors sought for £500M Bank Tube station upgrade

22-Nov-2011
Transport for London (TfL) has invited expressions of interest from contractors to carry out an up to £500M upgrade of Bank Tube station.
Buro Happold team wins Paris university building contract

21-Nov-2011
Consultant Buro Happold is part of a team that has won a contract to design a 15,000m² scientific research centre in Paris, that will feature a mirrored facade to reflect the nearby Notre Dame Cathedral.
Procurement shake-up announced by government

21-Nov-2011
From today, the government will begin publishing details of £50bn worth of future contracts online, as part of a package of measures to create relationships with its supply chains that are less formal and more collaborative.
Local Enterprise Partnerships are unaccountable, says report

21-Nov-2011
Local Enterprise Partnerships (Leps) have too little transparency and accountability and may neglect local and environmental concerns as a result, a new report by Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) has claimed.
Dounreay radioactive waste disposal facility construction to begin this week

21-Nov-2011
Construction will begin this Friday on Scotland’s first low level radioactive waste disposal site for 60 years, at Dounreay.
Water company uses abandoned gas mains as sleeve for water mains

21-Nov-2011
A scheme by Scottish Water to use abandoned gas mains as a “sleeve” for new water mains has resulted in an improved water supply and reduced leakage, and could be repeated in future, the company said this week.
Olympic Park public space design concept shortlist revealed

21-Nov-2011
The Olympic Park Legacy Company has unveiled images of the shortlisted designs for London’s newest public space that will be located between the Aquatics Centre, the Stadium, the ArcelorMittal Orbit and the 2012 Gardens.
Centrica agrees £13bn energy deal with Statoil

21-Nov-2011
Energy firm Centrica today announced a £13bn 10 year gas supply deal from 2015 with Norwegian state-owned oil firm Statoil.
Forth Road Bridge maintenance to be privatised

21-Nov-2011
Scottish transport minister Keith Brown is to invite private sector firms to maintain and operate the new Forth crossing and existing Forth Road Bridge.
Tyne tunnels become fully operational today

21-Nov-2011
The two Tyne tunnels have been fully opened to traffic today as northbound traffic moves into the refurbished tunnel.
John Sisk & Son wins Birmingham airport contract

21-Nov-2011
John Sisk & Son has won a £2.5M contract to build a new hangar and ancillary office with crew and passenger facilities at Birmingham Airport.
London's Albert Bridge to reopen next week following delays

21-Nov-2011
The Albert Bridge, spanning the Thames between Chelsea and Battersea in London, is set to reopen on 2 December, following almost two years of extensive restoration and bridge strengthening.
Energy investments boost Fugro results

18-Nov-2011
Supplier Fugro has said that spending in the oil, gas and renewable energy market was the main driver behind its strong results for the current financial year.
Network Rail acquires Hydrex Rail

18-Nov-2011
Network Rail has purchased the rail division of Hydrex Equipment, which will also include a transfer of its staff.
Interserve completes £32M Leeds West Academy

18-Nov-2011
Contractor Interserve has completed construction of the £32M Leeds West Academy for client Leeds City Council this week.
Atkins wins place on UAE new nuclear build team

18-Nov-2011
Consultant Atkins has this week been appointed technical adviser for the United Arab Emirates nuclear energy programme.
Liebherr adds power boom to crawler crane

17-Nov-2011
Liebherr is boosting lifting capacity on its large crawler cranes with the innovative “power boom” design.
Doosan to the rescue for flood relief scheme

17-Nov-2011
A fleet of five Doosan crawler excavators has been used on a flood relief contract in the picturesque village of Delph, near Oldham, Lancashire.
Finding fault

17-Nov-2011
Ground discontinuity at a University College hospital project in London show that the London basin is more faulted than thought. NCE reports.
Thameslink route ready for 12 car trains

17-Nov-2011
The final platform extensions which are needed to allow 50% longer 12-car trains to operate on the Bedford to Brighton Thameslink route from next month have been completed at Flitwick and Harlington stations.
Bam gloomy after announcing sharp fall in profits

17-Nov-2011
Royal Bam Group has pointed to the “uncertain and unfavourable market conditions” for the company’s levelling off in profits after it released its third quarter report.
Contractors sought for massive UAE rail line

17-Nov-2011
UAE national rail developer Etihad rail is seeking expressions of interest from contractors to build stage two of a $11bn (£7bn) rail network that will stretch from Abu Dhabi to Dubai and across the border into Oman.
Atkins confirms 230 more jobs lost in UK as highways business restructures

17-Nov-2011
Consultant Atkins has shed a further 230 UK jobs in the last six months as it completes a “significant” restructuring of its highways and transportation.
Letters: Thames Hub: visionary plan or recipe for more congestion?

17 November 2011
Thames Hub: visionary plan or recipe for more congestion?
New Holland Grand Prix seeks out Europe’s best operators

17 November 2011
Machine operators from seven European countries went head to head in a tournament to test their skills last month, as New Holland Construction’s 2011 Grand Prix reached its Grand Finale in Turin.
The public must pay up for the roads they want

17 November 2011
Rumours that Chancellor George Osborne is planning a £50bn programme of privately funded road and housebuilding as the centrepiece to his growth strategy should set pulses racing among UK civil engineers.
Transport Scotland launches 2014 rail consultation

16-Nov-2011
Transport Scotland has today launched a consultation into how the country will operate its rail services beyond 2014, when existing agreements with Network Rail and Scotrail come to an end.
Environment Agency £1.3M grant to pay for flood defence products

16-Nov-2011
The Environment Agency today announced £1.3M worth of grants for flood defence products such as barriers and airbrick covers to be purchased for 500 properties in areas of high flood risk.
Anglian Water applies for drought permit in anticipation of dry winter

16-Nov-2011
Anglian Water has applied to the Environment Agency for a drought permit to top up its Pitsford Water reservoir, to mitigate supply problems that could arise from a potentially dry winter.
Central Line track problems cause rush hour chaos

16-Nov-2011
Emergency engineering work is ongoing today on London’s Central Line after a problem with the track forced services to be suspended during the morning rush, creating chaos for commuters.
Voting underway for Energyshare Fund community renewables competition

16-Nov-2011
A public vote got underway yesterday to decide which four community renewable energy projects would win up to £100,000 each from the Energyshare Fund.
Bechtel hires unprecedented 400 adult apprectices for Australian programme

16-Nov-2011
Project management firm Bechtel has announced plans to hire 400 adult apprentices to work on three liquefied natural gas (LNG) plants in Queensland, Australia.
Scottish government funds Glasgow hard shoulder running

16-Nov-2011
The Scottish government has provided £725,000 of funding for a hard shoulder running scheme for buses along the northbound M77 between Kilmarnock and Glasgow.
Morgan Sindall completes nuclear research facility

16-Nov-2011
Contractor Morgan Sindall has this week completed construction on a £5.5M nuclear research centre in West Cumbria for the University of Manchester, which will support nuclear engineering and decommissioning research.
Crossrail goes out to tender for Custom House station job

16-Nov-2011
Crossrail has gone out to tender for the £35M Custom House station construction contract.
International Tunnelling Awards shortlist announced

15-Nov-2011
The shortlisted entires for this year’s International Tunnelling Awards have been announced ahead of next month’s awards ceremony in Hong Kong.
Localism Bill becomes Localism Act after receiving royal assent

15-Nov-2011
The Localism Bill has received Royal Assent, meaning it will now pass into law as the Localism Act, but a planning expert has cast doubt on how much community influence will actually be felt as a result.
US Department of Transportation overwhelmed by funding bids

15-Nov-2011
US transportation secretary Ray LaHood has confirmed that bids have massively exceeding funding available for the latest round of grants, called Tiger grants, aimed at boosting economic growth.
Keller Group closes third UK office and warns of lower than expected profit

15-Nov-2011
Global geotechnical firm Keller Group today announced that “extremely difficult” conditions in the UK market had led it to last week decide to close its third regional office in two years.
Treasury seeks new model for private finance

15-Nov-2011
The government will undertake a “fundamental reassessment” of the private finance initiative (PFI) to create an improved delivery model, chancellor George Osborne announced today.
Trade union to examine victimisation of women in construction

15-Nov-2011
A study into levels of harassment, discrimination and bullying experienced by women construction workers has been launched by trade union the Union of Construction, Allied Trades and Technicians (Ucatt).
Welsh Government launches flooding and coastal National Strategy

15-Nov-2011
Wales’s first National Strategy for Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management was launched yesterday by the Welsh Assemby Government, enabling local authorities to produce their own local strategies.
Victorian museum's glass roof is painstakingly restored

15-Nov-2011
The first of three projects to repair and restore 8,500 glass panes on the Victorian iron and glass roof of the Oxford University Museum of Natural History — which is historically prone to leakage — has begun.
Bam-designed community building over dual carriageway gets go ahead

15-Nov-2011
Bam Design has secured full planning permission for a “landmark” £10.4M mixed use community building that spans a dual carriageway in Portsmouth.
Manchester's 42 new waste facilities near completion

15-Nov-2011
Contractor Costain’s £397M project to design and construct a network of state-of-the-art recycling and waste management facilities across Greater Manchester is nearing completion this week with 37 of the 42 facilities completed.
Halcrow, Amec and MWH win places on £304M nuclear decommissioning framework

15-Nov-2011
Consultants Halcrow, Amec and MWH are among the firms appointed to a £304M framework for de-planting, demolition and asbestos removal at 10 UK nuclear reactor sites by nuclear contractor Magnox.
Tarmac trials hydrogen powered vehicles

15-Nov-2011
Quarrying and aggregates company Tarmac has begun trialling hydrogen powered vehicles at its Cavenham site in Suffolk, to test their performance against petrol and electric vehicles.
Vinci wins £8.6M contract for South Bank dance studios

15-Nov-2011
Vinci Construction UK has been awarded an £8.6M contract by Rambert Dance Company to build a dance studio and ancillary facilities.
New nuclear economic case could be undermined by changes to transmission charges

14-Nov-2011
A new study commissioned by energy regulator Ofgem suggests that changes to transmission charging could remove the economic case for building new nuclear in England in favour of renewable energy projects in the north of Scotland.
Grayrigg derailment recommendations still to be acted on

14-Nov-2011
Five of the key recommendations to Network Rail following the fatal Grayrigg train derailment have yet to be satisfactorily implemented, more than three years after they were issued.
Large coal plants should be upgraded not shut, says new report

14-Nov-2011
Extending the life of Europe’s largest coal-fired power stations would be the much more cost effective than shutting the facilities, according to a new report by consultant Parsons Brinckerhoff.
Historic railway signal boxes to be preserved beyond redundancy

14-Nov-2011
Network Rail has announced plans to protect a number of historically significant signal boxes, out of the 800 signal boxes due to become redundant under a 30-year strategy to modernise the company’s signalling systems.
'Deteriorating' UK and Netherlands markets concern Grontmij

14-Nov-2011
Consultant Grontmij has announced it will probably be unable to cover this year’s dividend payment after “postponed, delayed and even cancelled orders” led its Netherlands business’ operating profit to drop by 50%.
Government taken to court over Feed-in Tariff reduction

14-Nov-2011
The government is set to be taken to court over its plans to reduce Feed-in Tariffs (FITs) for solar electricity installations, after charity Friends of the Earth confirmed on Friday that it will launch a legal challenge.
Contractor fined for concealing accident from Health and Safety Executive

14-Nov-2011
A small contractor has been fined £1,000 for failing to report an accident to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).
Sewer project puts 44t drilling platform in Lake Windemere

14-Nov-2011
A 44t drilling platform has been erected on Lake Windemere to enable ground investigations on a £5M project for water comany United Utilities that involves laying a new sewer pipe under the lake bed.
Stratford bus station reopens following improvement works

14-Nov-2011
Stratford bus station reopened yesterday, following the first phase of improvement works in preparation for thethousands more passengers that are expected to use the station during the Olympic Games.
Vauxhall station access improvements begin

14-Nov-2011
Network Rail is to begin upgrades on Vauxhall station in London this week to provide step-free access to all platforms.
Business leaders urge George Osborne to invest in infrastructure

11-Nov-2011
A group of business leaders including representatives of Atkins, Vinci, Turner & Townsend and Skanska have urged chancellor George Osborne to make a commitment to increase infrastructure investment by the end of this Parliament.
CH2M Hill completes acquisition of Halcrow

11-Nov-2011
US giant CH2M Hill has today completed its acquisition of UK consultant Halcrow for approximately £124M.
Acquisitions help Aecom to 23% revenue boost

11-Nov-2011
Aecom has announced a 23% increase in revenue and 13% increase in pretax profit for the year ending 30 September 2011.
Construction output falls in the third quarter of 2011

11-Nov-2011
Construction output has fallen against the previous quarter and also against last year’s figures, new data from the Office of National Statistics shows.
New £100M funding for Scottish renewables

11-Nov-2011
The UK government has today announced an additional £100M funding for Scottish renewable energy projects.
Localism Bill now ready for Royal Assent

11-Nov-2011
The Localism Bill has fully passed through Parliament and could receive Royal Assent as early as next week, paving the way for the abolition of the Infrastructure Planning Commission.
Renewable Energy Infrastructure Awards winners revealed

11-Nov-2011
Winners of the inaugural Renewable Energy Infrastructure Awards were revealed yesterday at Kensington’s prestigious Royal Garden Hotel in London.
North-south transport funding divide revealed by new figures

11-Nov-2011
London is receiving nearly three times the spending per head on transport compared to the north and West Midlands, new expenditure figures released by the Treasury reveal.
Work progressing well on River Dee protection scheme

11-Nov-2011
Contractor Balfour Beatty has reported it is making good progress on the £1.1M Inchgarth Raw Water Intake Repair Scheme on the River Dee in Scotland.
Thames Tunnel gets Bazalgette family support

11-Nov-2011
The descendant of civil engineering hero Sir Joseph Bazalgette has this week lent his name to arguments in favour of building the £4.1bn Thames Tunnel mega-sewer beneath London.
Planning and procurement reform will create economic growth, says construction minister

10-Nov-2011
Construction minister Mark Prisk said yesterday that the government’s planning and procurement reforms will stimulate wider economic growth by removing regulatory and investment barriers to infrastructure projects.
UK market drags down Balfour Beatty's last three-month performance

10-Nov-2011
The UK construction market has dragged down contractor Balfour Beatty’s overall £15.5bn order book but the US market helped to prop up the figures, the company’s latest quarterly report said.
Funding secured for major Brazilian road project

10-Nov-2011
The Inter-American Development Bank has granted Brazil a loan of $1.15bn (£722M) for the construction of a 43km northern section of a ring road around São Paulo.
New trenchless sewer repair system launched

10-Nov-2011
A new polyurethane resin-based system for repairing broken or fractured sewer pipes has been launched, offering significant time and cost savings for utility firms.
Carbon capture and storage developer to carry on despite planning rejection

10-Nov-2011
Project promoter Ayrshire Power has said it will keep pushing for its proposed coal-fired power station with carbon capture and storage (CCS) to be built at Hunterston in Scotland, despite a planning rejection yesterday.
Shoddy maintenance led to Grayrigg crash

10 November 2011
A jury last week ruled that a poorly maintained set of points caused the 2007 Grayrigg train crash which killed 84-year-old grandmother Margaret Masson.
Chatter over the Chilterns covers a great deal of ground

10 November 2011
I share Judi Rastall’s concern about the fading away of the Central Railway scheme for freight railway from the Channel Tunnel to Sheffield, Manchester and Liverpool (NCE letters 29 September).
Delight as Watt graces £50 note

10 November 2011
ICE’s delight at honour for pioneering civil and mechanical engineer.
Keller rig underpins Chatham pump house

10 November 2011
Engineers have recently stabilised a Victorian pump house in Chatham’s docks in Kent.
QUEST scheme hands out £120,000

10 November 2011
Almost £120,000 has been awarded to gifted civil engineering students this year through the ICE QUEST undergraduate scholarship scheme, the institution said this week.
Test drilling precedes Liverpool dock deepening

10 November 2011
The Port of Liverpool has always had to develop and reinvent itself to meet the changing needs of the world economy.
CBI outlines ambitious vision for privately financed roads programme

9-Nov-2011
Business lobby group the CBI has unveiled a bold vision to roll out a raft of privately financed road schemes that could help kick start the UK economy.
Pan-European gas pipeline Nord Stream comes online

9-Nov-2011
The first of the twin 1,224km Nord Stream pipelines linking Germany and Russia under the Baltic Sea came online yesterday.
Unite announces strike ballot at Balfour Beatty Engineering Services

9-Nov-2011
The Unite union has today given Balfour Beatty Engineering Services notice of its intention to ballot over 1,000 members employed at the firm for strike action over proposed contractual changes, which the union said would see thousands of workers’ pay cut by one third.
KDC to decommission 12 gas holders in the South West and Wales

9-Nov-2011
Decommissioning, demolition and remediation specialist KDC has won a £3M contract from gas pipeline company Wales & West Utilities (WWU) to decommission and demolish 12 gas holders in the South West and Wales.
Dounreay radioactive leak proves value of environmental protections

9-Nov-2011
Decommissioning company Dounreay Site Restoration’s (DSRL) environmental protection systems operated successfully during a radioactive leak last month, DSRL said today.
Germany and Poland plan cross-border tram link

9-Nov-2011
A new study has said that a cross border tram link between the German city of Frankfurt and the Polish city of Slubice would cost around €10.5M (£9M).
Rail industry calls for government action on cable theft

9-Nov-2011
Rail industry representatives yesterday urged the government to take cable theft seriously and take tough measures to reduce the disruptive effects of the crime.
Sellafield nuclear plant site investigations approved by council

9-Nov-2011
Copeland Borough Council has approved preliminary site investigation and characterisation works on the site for nuclear developer Nugen’s proposed 3.6GW nuclear plant near Sellafield in Cumbria.
Civils and utilities firms perform well in first carbon reduction league table

9-Nov-2011
Skanska, Carillion and Atkins are the best civil engineering companies in the UK carbon trading and ranking system, known as the CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme, administered by the Environment Agency.
Almost 1,000 construction companies out of business in past three months

9-Nov-2011
Almost 1,000 construction companies were forced out of business in the last quarter of 2011, with the level of compulsory liquidation increasing by 24% to 244, according to the latest insolvency service statistics.
WSP chief executive Chris Cole recognised for lifetime achievement

9-Nov-2011
WSP chief executive Chris Cole won the lifetime achievement award at last night’s Association for Consultancy and Engineering (ACE) inaugural European CEO Awards.
SSE and Shell tie-up for carbon capture and storage

9-Nov-2011
Energy firm SSE has entered into a joint development agreement with oil and gas firm Shell UK to develop the proposed carbon and capture and storage (CCS) gas fired power station in Peterhead, Aberdeenshire.
Huhne asks Ofgem to investigate long term gas security

8-Nov-2011
Energy secretary Chris Huhne has asked energy regulator Ofgem to look into whether further action is needed to secure gas supplies in the medium to long term.
England's bathing waters achieve 98% EU water quality compliance rate

8-Nov-2011
Figures released today by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) show that almost 98% of English bathing waters met minimum European Union (EU) water quality standards in 2011.
Mosen expands fire engineering team

8-Nov-2011
Fire engineering firm Mosen has added computational fluid dynamics expert Karl Else to its team as engineering director.
Tower Bridge's Olympic makeover gets planning permission

8-Nov-2011
Plans to refurbish Tower Bridge with temporary giant Olympic Rings and Paralympic Agitos and a new energy efficient lighting system have been granted final planning and listed building consent.
NCE's 2011 Graduate Awards down to six finalists

8-Nov-2011
Six finalists in NCE’s 2011 Graduate Awards face a challenging half hour this week as they are interviewed by a judging panel of senior engineers from all 16 sponsors of this international competition.
Aecom wins tornado reconstruction work

8-Nov-2011
Consultancy Aecom has been awarded a design-build contract for the reconstruction of a US Air Force Base that was damaged by a tornado in April.
Enviable line-up for NCE Flood Management 2011 conference

7-Nov-2011
NCE’s Flood Management conference next month is set to host an enviable line-up of speakers examing the industry’s most pressing issues. Book your place today.
Government unveils £500M growth fund

7-Nov-2011
Communities secretary Eric Pickles unveiled a new £500M Growing Places Fund today which will be distributed through Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs).
RAC highlights £12.8bn funding shortfall for high value roads schemes

7-Nov-2011
Almost 100 high value roads schemes will not get off the ground because of a £12.8bn funding gap, a report by Arup and the RAC Foundation has found.
Network Rail prepares for winter

7-Nov-2011
Network Rail has unveiled a number of initiatives in Scotland, including a new £1M winter weather engineering train and insulated points heater strips, in a bid to overcome delays due to winter snow.
Birse Civils scoops £10.5M in Highways Agency contracts

7-Nov-2011
Birse Civils, a division of Balfour Beatty Regional Civil Engineering, has been awarded £10.5M of new work on the M1, M62 and A64 by the Highways Agency.
Wales poised for massive £1.3bn investment in new infrastructure

7-Nov-2011
The Welsh Government is set to invest over £1.3bn in transport, hospitals, schools and other major infrastructure projects in this financial year, the first minister of Wales Carwyn Jones announced today.
Costain shores up over £1.8bn in orders for 2013 and beyond

7-Nov-2011
Contractor Costain said today that its order book has increased to £2.6bn after a number of contract awards including the £400M London Bridge station revamp.
M5 reopens following fatal fire

7-Nov-2011
The M5 re-opened about 9pm last night between junctions 24 and 25 in Somerset following a devastating accident that caused a 34-car pile up, which killed seven people.
Balfour Beatty wins £290M transmission contract

7-Nov-2011
Contractor Balfour Beatty has won a £290M contract from energy firm Scottish Hydro Electric Transmission to replace the electricity lines between Neauly and Wharry Burn in Scotland.
Slideshow: Olympic Park's Orbit on its journey to final height

7-Nov-2011
With the final flourish of the top lattice loop lowered into place, last Friday saw the completion of of the intricate yet bold sculpture and public viewing platform, the Olympic Park ArcelorMittal Orbit.
Network Rail original board member to step down

4-Nov-2011
One of the original board members of Network Rail, group asset management director Peter Henderson, is to step down next year after 10 years with the company.
New guidance issued for sustainable football pitches

4-Nov-2011
Football charity the Football Foundation has issued new guidance on the construction of environmentally friendly football pitches.
Piccadilly Circus streetscape improvements complete

4-Nov-2011
Construction on a £14M overhaul of Piccadilly Circus in London has completed with the opening this week of an extra 480m² of footpath, new central pedestrian strips and street signalling.
Blackwall Tunnel upgrade set for early completion

4-Nov-2011
Safety upgrades on the 114-year-old Blackwall Tunnel are due for completion this week, more than one year ahead of schedule.
Ramboll expands in Finland with consultant takeover

4-Nov-2011
Danish consultant Ramboll has expanded operations in Finland with the acquisition of structural designer Magnus Malmbery Consulting Engineers.
Texas unveils plans for £620M Dallas PFI road

4-Nov-2011
The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) has issued a request for information (RFI) seeking firms to assist in creating a strategy for a $900M (£620M), 11km highway project in Dallas County.
Bond Street station shafts mark Crossrail earthworks milestone

3-Nov-2011
Contracting joint venture Costain Skanska has reached a key milestone on the advanced works for Crossrail’s Bond Street station this week by completing the first two of five compensation shafts.
Council finds £62M savings on Sheffield highway maintenance PFI scheme

3-Nov-2011
Budgeting and borrowing revisions could save £62M on Sheffield City Council’s Highway Maintenance PFI project — the UK’s largest local authority PFI scheme — according to the council.
Famous King's Cross bridge transported to new location

3-Nov-2011
Network Rail has found a new home in Hampshire for a wrought iron bridge at King’s Cross station made famous by its appearance in the Harry Potter films.
High Speed 2 reveals shortlisted project developers

3-Nov-2011
Project managers Turner & Townsend, Mace, CH2M Hill and consultant Parsons Brinckerhoff have been shortlisted as development partners for the £32bn High Speed 2 (HS2) rail project.
Renewed energy

03 November
The inaugural Renewable Energy Infrastructure Awards offer the sector a great opportunity to champion the successes, innovation and delivery on new renewable infrastructure schemes. Read on to see which entries have made the shortlist.
Scantastic models

03 November
Mining Surveys (UK) is using laser scanning to create quick to produce 3D images of buildings like old factories which are being redesigned. NCE reports.
Tunnelling stars in the spotlight

03 November
British and international projects are lining up for the biggest tunnelling event of the year. NCE sets the scene for the 1 December extravaganza in Hong Kong.
Women in construction to benefit from new funding for training

2-Nov-2011
A new funding scheme has been created to train and progress women in the UK construction industry, skills body CITB-ConstructionSkills training division the National Construction College (NCC) has announced.
Network Rail awards £35M ballast framework to Lafarge

2-Nov-2011
Aggregates and concrete supplier Lafarge has secured a framework contract worth £35M to provide ballast and other crushed rock material from Mountsorrel Quarry, near Loughborough, to Network Rail.
Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route legal challenge to progress quickly

2-Nov-2011
The Scottish Government yesterday reaffirmed its commitment to progressing the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route (AWPR) project as soon as possible, despite a legal challenge by campaign group RoadSense.
Local enterprise partnerships criticised for slow progress

2-Nov-2011
“Slow progress” on local enterprise partnerships (LEPs) — one of the government’s key local growth strategies — has been criticised in a new report by think tank the Centre for Cities.
Concrete wash water risks could be underestimated, expert says

2-Nov-2011
The classification system used in new Environment Agency guidance on concrete wash water could lead to environmental risks being underestimated, supplier Siltbuster managing director Richard Coulton has said.
Scottish renewable projects coming online in past 12 months totalled £750M

2-Nov-2011
Trade body Scottish Renewables’ latest figures show that £750M worth of new renewable energy projects in Scotland began generating in the last 12 months.
Walney Two offshore wind farm begins electricity generation

2-Nov-2011
Walney Two offshore wind farm began generating electricity today 15km off the coast of Walney Island, near Barrow in Furness in Cumbria.
Ringway Jacobs joint venture to scoop £1bn Essex highways deal

1-Nov-2011
Essex County Council has selected Ringway Jacobs as its preferred bidder to form one of the largest integrated highways partnerships in the UK.
Special report: Structural Steelwork in Action

1-Nov-2011
NCE teamed up with the British Constructional Steelwork Association (BCSA) and Tata Steel to produce this special report examining the crucial role in UK construction played by structural steelwork and the specialist supply chain.
Construction output falls 4% year on year

1-Nov-2011
Construction output fell 0.6% in the third quarter of 2011 and 4% year on year, official figures have revealed.
Glasgow White Cart Water flood defence scheme opened

1-Nov-2011
Glasgow City Council yesterday officially opened the £53M White Cart Water flood prevention scheme, protecting 1,750 homes and 40 businesses in the south of the city.
EC Harris partners approve Arcadis deal

1-Nov-2011
The purchase of cost consultant EC Harris by consultant Arcadis has been approved following yesterday’s vote by the former’s 183 partners, in which 99.5% agreed with the deal.
Danish firm Ramboll plans expansion in Poland

1-Nov-2011
Danish consultancy Ramboll has bought Polish energy firm EPPL to help tap into the county’s expanding renewable energy market.
Sculptural steel tower unveiled in Gloucester

1-Nov-2011
Structural engineer Toby Savage Design this month unveiled its large steel sculpture Kyneburgh Tower in Gloucester, a complex steel structure featuring 60 horizontal irregular hoop elements.
Geoff French to head up international consulting federation

1-Nov-2011
Former Scott Wilson chairman Geoff French has been announced as the new president of the international federation of consulting engineers FIDIC.
Costain wins £400M London Bridge revamp deal

1-Nov-2011
Contractor Costain has won the £400M contract to redevelop London Bridge Station for Network Rail.
Infrastructure Planning Commission receives Hinkley Point application

31-Oct-2011
Energy company EdF Energy today submitted its development consent application to the Infrastructure Planning Commission (IPC) for its proposed Hinkley Point nuclear plant in Somerset.
Engineering firms among winners of £950M growth fund

31-Oct-2011
Construction companies were among the winners of the government’s Regional Growth Fund (RGF) second round, which distributed £950M across 119 companies.
Skanska to reuse old piles in sustainability rating bid

31-Oct-2011
Contractor Skanska has said it will reuse existing piles from the previous building on the site of a new development in London, in a bid to achieve the environmental assessment system Breeam’s Excellent rating.
Scottish minister urges UK to rethink biomass plants

31-Oct-2011
Scottish energy minister Fergus Ewing has called on the UK government to abandon subsidies for large scale woody biomass in plants which only produce electricity.
Solar energy project subsidy rates slashed by government

31-Oct-2011
The Department for Energy and Climate Change (Decc) has proposed plans to slash feed-in tariffs (Fit) for small scale solar developments by over 50%.
Two new Yorkshire power stations get green light

31-Oct-2011
Energy minister Charles Hendry gave the go-ahead for two new power stations in Yorkshire today — a 1.5GW combined cycle gas turbine (CCGT) power plant in Doncaster and a 108MW multifuel plant in Wakefield.
Bids invited for £110M New Wear Crossing

31-Oct-2011
Firms are being invited to pre-qualify for the £110M for the New Wear Crossing along with associated highway works in Sunderland today.
ArcelorMittal Orbit tops out to create UK's tallest sculpture

31-Oct-2011
The Olympic Park sculpture and public viewing platform, designed by sculptor Anish Kapoor and renowned Arup structural engineer Cecil Balmond, reached its full height of 114.5m on Friday, marking the completion of the main steelwork.
Balfour Beatty and Jones Bros complete Welsh bypass ahead of schedule

28-Oct-2011
A joint venture of contractors Balfour Beatty and Jones Bros Civil Engineering UK has completed the new £35M A487 Porthmadog, Minffordd and Tremadog bypass in Wales on budget and ahead of schedule.
Scottish government website to help SMEs bid for contracts

28-Oct-2011
The Scottish government has launched a website to make it easier for Scottish companies — particularly small businesses — to bid for infrastructure work in the public sector.
C Spencer wins £2.6M Forth bridge inspection contract after fee negotiations

28-Oct-2011
Contractor C Spencer has been awarded a £2.6M contract for a third internal inspection of the main cables on the Forth Road Bridge.
Flood defences face major funding gap, says report

28-Oct-2011
England’s flood defences will face a major funding gap if the poor economic climate prevents “significant” private funding from coming forward, as is feared, the National Audit Office (NAO) said today.
Wandsworth reveals Waterloo-Heathrow direct rail plans

28-Oct-2011
Wandsworth Council has today unveiled plans for a new direct rail service from south London to Heathrow airport.
Bristol Water builds major solar project for free

28-Oct-2011
Bristol Water has built a solar power system at no cost to the water company itself at one of its treatment works, under the government’s Feed-in-Tariff (Fit) scheme.
Aecom restructures for AMP6 and eastern Europe work

28-Oct-2011
Aecom has unified all of its European water operations under one managing director in order to capitalise on growth in former Soviet countries, and on work in the 2015-2020 UK regulatory period for water.
NCE/Vinci iPad app wins marketing award

28-Oct-2011
NCE’s partnership with Vinci Construction Grands Projets to launch the magazine’s iPad edition in February this year was rewarded last night at the Vinci 2011 Innovation Awards.
Geothermal drilling skills to be boosted by new grant

28-Oct-2011
The British Drilling Association (BDA) has secured a record-breaking grant of over £90,000 from training body CITB Construction Skills which will fund investment in training and qualifications for the developing geothermal sector.
Ofwat names water companies with sub-standard infrastructure maintenance

27-Oct-2011
Water regulator Ofwat has criticised Anglian Water, Northumbrian Water, United Utilities, Southern Water, Severn Trent Water, Yorkshire Water and Veolia Central for not adequately maintaining their underground infrastructure.
Vinci wins two UK energy from waste project contracts

27-Oct-2011
Contractor Vinci has won contracts to build two major waste to energy projects in Hertfordshire and North Yorkshire, worth a total of more than €380M (£333M).
Water companies gear up for winter freeze

27-Oct-2011
Utility company Anglian Water has announced that it has almost doubled its leakage detection staff and spent £6.8M in an effort to fight pipe bursts caused by freezing winter weather.
Murphy begins work on 1.3km long London tunnel

27-Oct-2011
Contractor Murphy has begun work on a £10M cable tunnel stretching for 1.3km underneath north west London.
Royal Haskoning wins Round 3 environmental assessment work

27-Oct-2011
Royal Haskoning has won work relating to Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) for projects in the Dogger Bank Offshore Wind Farm Zone, one of nine zones released under the Round 3 wind power programme last year.
Talking Point

27 October 2011
Ground source heat pump systems can play a greater part in minimising carbon emissions, but improvements in design standards and training are critical, says Duncan Nicholson
Letters: Fossil fuels must still have a vital part in the energy mix

27 October 2011
Fossil fuels must still have a vital part in the energy mixFossil fuel: Don’t underestimate its benefits
Poole’s iconic new bridge to set sail

27 October 2011
Testing of the striking 65t leaves for the Twin Sails bridge in Poole, Dorset, is underway.
Saltire civil engineering awards 2011

27 October 2011
For 30 years the Saltire Awards have been showcasing all that is best in Scottish civil engineering. This year’s schemes show the industry continuing to set new standards.
Industry federations support levy to fund construction skills body

26-Oct-2011
Training body CITB-Construction Skills received a major boost this week when 13 construction industry federations voted to allow it to continue using a statutory levy/grant system to raise funding.
London Enterprise Zone developer shortlist announced

26-Oct-2011
London mayor Boris Johnson today announced the three developers that have been shortlisted for the Silvertown Quays site in the Royal Docks.
UK and Norway sign deal to develop energy technologies together

26-Oct-2011
Energy ministers from Norway and the UK yesterday signed a joint agreement to co-operate further on renewable energy, oil and gas and jointly develop technologies such as carbon capture and storage (CCS).
Engineers must step outside comfort zone to get green infrastructure built, experts say

26-Oct-2011
Water and drainage engineers must step out of their comfort zones and form relationships with people outside their sector in order to ensure green and blue infrastructure is understood and built, experts said yesterday.
Balfour Beatty wins M4/M5 managed motorway contract for £77.6M

26-Oct-2011
Contractor Balfour Beatty has today won a £77.6M managed motorway contract on the M4/M5 junction near Bristol.
Huhne attacks 'armchair engineers' for criticising renewables projects

26-Oct-2011
Energy secretary Chris Huhne has attacked “armchair engineers, climate sceptics and vested interests” for trying to prevent the construction of renewable energy infrastructure in the UK.
London River Park releases walkthrough video

26-Oct-2011
A new video has been released showing what it might be like to walk along the north side of the River Thames if the London River Park scheme gains planning permission next month.
Osborne wins London Bridge enabling works worth over £10M

26-Oct-2011
Network Rail has awarded contractor Osborne the Thameslink enabling works contract for London Bridge Station worth over £10M, it was announced today.
Are environmental issues part of your remit?

25-Oct-2011
All full Concrete Repair Association (CRA) members must be accredited to environmental standard BS EN ISO 14001.
Twin Sails bridge leaves lifted into place

25-Oct-2011
Testing of the striking 65t leaves for the Twin Sails bridge in Poole, Dorset, is underway. The two final bridge decks have been installed, completing the structure across the Backwater Channel.
ICE awards celebrate flood defence scheme and sewage treatment project

25-Oct-2011
The largest ever publicly funded coastal defence scheme and the UK’s first commercial scale anaerobic digestion plant to power a city’s main sewage treatment works are among this year’s prestigious ICE Awards winners.
Olympics health and safety regime should be imitated, says executive

25-Oct-2011
The UK construction industry should follow the “no scapegoating” health and safety example set by the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA), the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) said yesterday.
Government electricity reforms fall short, say MPs

25-Oct-2011
The government’s electricity market reform proposal has failed to strike the right balance of encouraging investment in new gas-fired power stations in the short term and energy decarbonisation by 2030, MPs said today.
Local companies are shut out from Welsh wind projects, claims developer

25-Oct-2011
Onshore wind developer West Coast Energy has called on the Welsh Assembly Government to tackle what it claims is a “bias” against independent UK companies in the development of Welsh wind farms.
Talent 2030 campaign launched to tempt young women into engineering

25-Oct-2011
Business group the Council for Industry and Higher Education (CIHE) today launched a campaign to tempt more young people — especially young women — into careers as engineers, for the good of the UK economy.
Welsh energy from waste plant cancelled by Covanta

25-Oct-2011
Developer Covanta has cancelled its plans to construct a 77MW energy from waste plant costing £400M in Merthyr Tydfil, Wales.
Renewables job creation could be hindered by government incentives review, says bank

25-Oct-2011
Job creation and increased sustainability created by small scale renewable energy projects could grind to a halt if the government takes too long over its review of green energy incentive schemes, a lender has said.
Highways Agency appoints interim major projects head

25-Oct-2011
The Highways Agency has appointed Peter Adams as acting director for major projects while it seeks a replacement for departed chief Nirmal Kotecha.
Road works lane charging could increase hassle and costs for residents, says committee

24-Oct-2011
The London Assembly Transport Committee has warned that plans for a lane rental scheme to charge contractors for road works could lead to residents bearing the cost of payments under the scheme.
Independent commission to conclude on Thames Tunnel in coming weeks

24-Oct-2011
Hammersmith and Fulham Council’s independent commission on the Thames Tunnel mega-sewer project will publish its findings by the beginning of November, just before public consultation re-starts on the project.
Heavy rain causes double landslip in New Zealand

24-Oct-2011
The New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) has confirmed that a major landslip occurred last week on the SH3 highway in the Manawatu Gorge, near Palmerston on the North Island, due to torrential rain.
Bidding opens for £510M Mersey Gateway project

24-Oct-2011
Firms are being invited to pre-qualify for the £510M Mersey Gateway project to design, build and operate the new toll bridge across the River Mersey between Runcorn and Widnes and refurbish the existing Silver Jubilee crossing.
Construction work decline to be worst in three decades

24-Oct-2011
The construction industry is facing the worst decline in activity for 30 years, with activity unlikely to return to growth until 2014, according to new forecasts published by the Construction Products Association (CPA).
Chief planning inspector appointed ahead of major projects planning reshuffle

24-Oct-2011
Planning Inspectorate Wales director Peter Burley has been appointed to become Planning Inspectorate chief planning inspector from April 2012, when the Major Infrastructure Planning Unit (MIPU) is expected to launch.
Mouchel makes latest sale as Mott MacDonald buys energy business

24-Oct-2011
Consultant Mott MacDonald has acquired Mouchel’s gas pipeline business, Mouchel Energy, for £2.55M cash.
Scottish government proposes measures to favour tidal energy over biomass

21-Oct-2011
Scottish energy minister Fergus Ewing today launched a consultation on plans to reduce financial support for large-scale biomass electricity generators and increase Renewables Obligation Certificate (Roc) awards for tidal energy.
Councils get design advice on disabled pedestrians in shared spaces

21-Oct-2011
Transport minister Norman Baker today published new guidance on the design of shared space schemes, including advice on meeting the needs of disabled people.
Nuttall wins early Christmas present with Hooley

21-Oct-2011
Contractor Bam Nuttall has announced that it has won a major contract to undertake remediation work on the Hooley Cutting on the London to Brighton railway line during a Christmas track possession.
Wave and tidal big winners following renewable energy funding review

21-Oct-2011
Government support for wave and tidal stream renewable is set to increase by up to 250% following its Renewable Obligation Certificate (Rocs) banding review unveiled yesterday.
New report finds 70,000 structurally deficient bridges in the US

21-Oct-2011
Nearly 70,000 US bridges are “structurally deficient”, and 18,000 of those are in traffic-heavy metropolitan areas, lobby group Transportation for America has said in a new report.
Transport for London told to ramp up accessibility improvement work

21-Oct-2011
Transport for London (TfL) must increase its urgency and focus on making accessibility improvements for passengers with reduced mobility, according to the London Assembly Transport Committee.
London transport projects dominate English local authority spending

21-Oct-2011
The vast majority of England’s local authority capital expenditure in the last financial year was associated with transport projects in London, including Crossrail, according to new government statistics.
Turner & Townsend merges with Ferzan Robbins & Associates

21-Oct-2011
Programme manager Turner & Townsend has merged its New York operations with fellow US project management firm Ferzan Robbins & Associates to help increase growth in the country.
Government to cut up to £1.3bn from renewable energy funding

20-Oct-2011
The government is set to reduce funding for large scale renewable energy projects by up to £1.3bn by cutting support for the renewable obligation certificates (Rocs).
Hilti fits vans with grippier winter tyres

20 October 2011
Power tools firm Hilti has invested £200,000 to provide winter tyres for its fleet of over 300 company vehicles.Unlike normal driving tyres, winter tyres do not harden in cold weather, so they can maintain better traction at low temperatures, as well as in the wet and on snow, slush and ice.
Letters: Land value tax could boost infrastructure spending

20 October 2011
Land value tax could boost infrastructure spending
International Tunnelling Awards reservations now available

19-Oct-2011
Tables are being snapped up quickly at the International Tunnelling Awards — the biggest event in this year’s tunnelling calendar.
Longannet pioneering carbon capture and storage project collapses

19-Oct-2011
The UK’s first commercial-scale carbon capture and storage (CCS) project at Longannet in Scotland has been scrapped, after project negotiations broke down.
Crossrail submits Tottenham Court Road plans

19-Oct-2011
Crossrail today submitted plans for developing the area surrounding Tottenham Court Road and Oxford Street that include a replacement for the demolished Astoria theatre.
Olympic Park's central footbridge completed

19-Oct-2011
The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) today announced the completion of the Central Park footbridge, a focal point of the Olympic Park between the Olympic Stadium and Aquatics Centre.
Parsons Brinckerhoff wins Northern Hub contract

19-Oct-2011
Consultant Parsons Brinckerhoff has secured the lead engineering services contract on Network Rail’s Northern Hub programme, which aims to accommodate forecast rail growth through to 2030.
Work starts on Birmingham New Street's new station entrance

19-Oct-2011
Network Rail has started work to construct a new entrance to Birmingham New Street station, which will provide better links between the city’s business district and the redeveloped station.
Bookings open for Renewable Energy Infrastructure Awards

18-Oct-2011
The Renewable Energy Infrastructure Awards present an exciting opportunity to champion achievement across the entire renewables sector. The awards recognise and reward the finance, delivery and success of all new infrastructure projects and facilities, within the renewable energy sector.
Landmark grass roof completed in Sussex

18-Oct-2011
4Delivery — a joint venture of Costain, MWH and Veolia Water — has completed the construction of one of Europe’s largest grass roofs, at Southern Water’s new wastewater treatment works at Peacehaven, Sussex.
Programme manager says civils firms are looking to mergers for survival

18-Oct-2011
Programme manager Turner & Townsend chief executive officer Vincent Clancy has said civils businesses are looking to mergers and acquisitions to help them survive the economic downturn.
Crossrail 2 business case to be examined by working group

18-Oct-2011
Business lobby group London First today launched a working group of business leaders, chaired by former transport secretary Andrew Adonis. It will examine the case for building the Crossrail 2 rail link beneath London.
Design commission picks apart Thames River Park proposal

17-Oct-2011
Design advisory body Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (Cabe) has listed “significant issues” that need to be addressed before planning permission is granted to the proposed Thames River Park floating structure.
Olympic Delivery Authority unveils its learning legacy framework

17-Oct-2011
Client the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) has today announced its learning legacy framework programme in a bid to maintain and replicate the high standards set by the London 2012 project.
International consultant Arcadis to buy cost consultant EC Harris

17-Oct-2011
International consultant Arcadis is set to buy cost consultant EC Harris, in a move that will see the firms merge to have 19,000 staff and revenues of €2.3bn (£2bn), it was announced today.
Stricken Mouchel loses second chairman in three days

17-Oct-2011
Troubled consultant Mouchel has lost its second chairman in three days after latest incumbent David Sugden quit over the weekend.
Teignmouth tidal defence gains green light

17-Oct-2011
Plans to protect 410 properties in Teignmouth, Devon from the risk of tidal flooding have been approved by the local authority.
Costain eyes up big two weeks of contract awards

17-Oct-2011
Contractor Costain has a big two weeks ahead of it, as it sweats on news of contract awards for Network Rail’s massive London Bridge station redevelopment and Essex County Councils mega highways maintenance deal.
Yorkshire Water wind turbine planning struggle continues

17-Oct-2011
Yorkshire Water sister company Kelda Water Services (KWS) will appeal against a planning refusal for a wind monitoring mast near Ripon, as it continues to fight planning resistance to its wind power ambitions.
Infrastructure Planning Commission makes landmark energy decision

17-Oct-2011
The Infrastructure Planning Commission (IPC) on Friday approved its first energy application — a 65MW energy from waste power station in Rookery South, Bedfordshire.
Mayor pleads for Boris Island to be taken seriously

17-Oct-2011
London mayor Boris Johnson has repeated his warning to the government today that the country risks becoming a “bit-part” player in the global economy unless its gives serious consideration for construction of a new airport hub in the South East of England.
Cornwall incinerator project halted by High Court

14-Oct-2011
A High Court judge yesterday overturned a ministerial decision to grant planning permission to a waste incinerator in Cornwall, following a long-running planning battle.
Turner & Townsend warns that 2012 could be grim year for construction industry

14-Oct-2011
Cost consultant Turner & Townsend’s Autumn UK market intelligence report – published this week – suggests tender prices in UK infrastructure will grow by just 3.0% next year, but this increase is driven almost entirely by increases in raw material costs – not profits.
Atkins reveals bold plans for Middle East expansion

14-Oct-2011
Atkins has told analysts that it expected to double its revenues in the Middle East over the next five years, with the work coming in at an underlying margin of 10%.
Government streamlines traffic sign rules

14-Oct-2011
Transport minister Norman Baker has unveiled plans to relax rules around traffic signs, in an effort to clean up Whitehall bureaucracy and save councils’ money.
T-Pylon wins pylon design competition

14-Oct-2011
Danish firm Bystrup’s T-Pylon has been announced as the winner of the Department of Energy and Climate Change’s competition to design a new electricity pylon.
London mayor approves South London energy from waste scheme

14-Oct-2011
London mayor Boris Johnson has approved waste management firm Sita’s plans for an anaerobic digestion and material recycling facility in Mitcham, South London.
Jubilee Line upgrade's final costs were way over original estimate, says mayor

14-Oct-2011
The final cost of the upgrade to the Tube’s Jubilee Line soared to two and a half times the original estimate, London mayor Boris Johnson has said in a London Assembly question time session.
Aecom reveals Rio 2016 masterplan for Olympic games and legacy

14-Oct-2011
Consultant Aecom has revealed its masterplan design for the 2016 Rio Olympic and Paralympic Games, developed by the same team that worked on the London 2012 Olympic Park and legacy plans.
High Speed 2 seeks consultants for £350M framework

14-Oct-2011
Scheme promoter High Speed 2 (HS2) has published a contract notice to recruit up to 19 firms for a six year framework worth between £250M and £350M, to do preparatory work for parliamentary procedures needed if the project moves forward.
Pitt Review progress criticised by environmental groups

14-Oct-2011
The government is “failing” on its pledge to take forward the findings of the Pitt Review to improve flood defences and prevent unnecessary development on flood plains, an environmental report said today.
Obama's National Infrastructure Bank plan slammed

13-Oct-2011
US congressman and transport officials and experts have slammed Obama’s plan for a National Infrastructure Bank, claiming it would add to the amount of red tape and federal bureaucracy that already slows down and diverts funding away from transport and infrastructure projects.
Olkiluoto nuclear plant could be delayed until 2014

13-Oct-2011
Construction on Finland’s Olkiluoto nuclear power station could be put back until 2014, according to client Finnish utility Teollisuuden Voima Oyj (TVO).
Wooden 1930s railway station to be rebuilt

13-Oct-2011
The wooden platforms of a 1930s railway station, which were constructed from 100-year-old railway sleepers, are set to be rebuilt in plastic, concrete and steel from the end of this month, Network Rail has announced.
Birmingham £61M relief road opened

13-Oct-2011
A new £61M relief road designed to reduce congestion in Birmingham’s Selly Oak was opened today by transport minister Norman Baker.
Prime minister calls for targets for women on boards

13-Oct-2011
Prime minister David Cameron yesterday challenged more businesses to pledge to increase the number of women in senior positions, after a new report said 33 FTSE 100 companies have set targets for women on their boards.
Letters: Should the Highways Agency set a cost cutting example?

13 October 2011
Should the Highways Agency set a cost cutting example?
Velodrome wins Prime Minister's award at British Construction Industry Awards

12-Oct-2011
The Velodrome at the Olympic Park won the Prime Minister’s Better Public Building Award at the 24th British Construction Industry Awards, it was announced last night in London, in front of 900 industry leaders.
Offshore wind cost-cutting task force unveiled

12-Oct-2011
Energy minister Charles Hendry today unveiled the line-up of the industry-led Offshore Wind Cost Reduction Task Force.
Sir Terry Farrell chooses west London 'constellation hub' over Boris airport

12-Oct-2011
Architect and masterplanner Sir Terry Farrell yesterday rejected the Thames Estuary airport plan and instead made the case for a “constellation hub” linking five airports by high speed rail, to delegates at Place West London.
Costain wins Northumberland water main project

12-Oct-2011
Costain has secured its first project within a competitive tender framework with Northumbrian Water, to construct a duplicate rail crossing in Northumberland.
Environment minister launches green infrastructure partnership

12-Oct-2011
A new body to encourage and support the creation of green infrastructure in towns and cities was launched today by environment minister Richard Benyon.
Jacobs wins nuclear and oil sands contracts

12-Oct-2011
Consultant Jacobs yesterday announced an extension to its contract with Horizon Nuclear Power in the UK, on the same day it also announced $1.4bn (£888M) worth of contracts with Alberta oil sands clients.
Dartford Crossing toll should be dropped during Olympics, says mayor

12-Oct-2011
London mayor Boris Johnson has written to government to suggest that the charge to use the Dartford Crossing be suspended during the 2012 Olympic Games, to help relieve pressure on the transport network.
Five new construction colleges set to attract young talent

12-Oct-2011
Plans for five new technical colleges specialising in construction will bring “new blood” into the industry, training body CITB-ConstructionSkills said today.
Consultant Aecom expands water business in Romania

12-Oct-2011
Consultant Aecom has announced that it will expand its water business in Romania following a succession of multi-million Euro contract wins across five Romanian counties.
UK consultants told to emulate US delivery style

12-Oct-2011
UK consultants should emulate the urgent and demanding style of US consultants to boost their reputation overseas, construction consultant McBains Cooper director Richard Fewings has said.
Tata and Balfour Beatty join forces for emerging markets

11-Oct-2011
Indian engineering giant Tata Projects and UK contractor Balfour Beatty have today signed a memorandum of understanding to target emerging infrastructure opportunities.
Review of carbon budgets criticised by government watchdog

11-Oct-2011
The government’s plan to review carbon budgets set for the UK in 2014 undermines certainty on the UK’s commitment to those budgets, Parliament’s green watchdog the Environmental Audit Committee has warned.
Scottish ministers call for Longannet rumour resolution

11-Oct-2011
Scottish first minister Alex Salmond has pressed energy secretary Chris Huhne for a “speedy resolution” to reports that the UK’s first commercial scale carbon capture and storage (CCS) project could collapse.
Weightman gives go-ahead for new nuclear

11-Oct-2011
Chief nuclear inspector Mike Weightman has said there is no need to curtail the UK’s new nuclear programme, in his full report into the crisis at Fukushima Dai-ichi in Japan this March.
Government questions Olympics public transport preparations

11-Oct-2011
Transport commissioner Peter Hendy faced questions this morning from the London Assembly Transport Committee on Transport for London’s (TfL) plans for public transport during the 2012 Olympic Games.
Crossrail's tunnelling academy opens to students

11-Oct-2011
The £13M Tunnelling and Underground Construction Academy (TUCA) in Ilford, east London, has welcomed its first students for training ahead of the start of Crossrail tunnelling in spring 2012.
National Construction College redevelops Norfolk campus

11-Oct-2011
Training body CITB-ConstructionSkills training arm the National Construction College (NCC) has announced the start of work on a project to redevelop its East Campus in Bircham Newton, Norfolk.
Cheeky Heron Tower workers recreate iconic image

10-Oct-2011
Construction workers at London’s Heron Tower project have recreated one of the 20th century’s most iconic images of New York – the 1932 image Lunch Atop a Skyscraper.
Ferrovial loses BAA majority stake in share sell off

10-Oct-2011
Contractor Ferrovial has agreed to sell a 5.88% stake in UK airports operator BAA to infrastructure firm Alinda Capital Partners for £280M, which will mean Ferrovial loses its majority share in BAA.
Dyno-Rod wins £40M Southern Water contract

10-Oct-2011
Emergency drainage and plumbing firm Dyno-Rod has won a £40M contract over four years to manage utility firm Southern Water’s 17,000km of new sewers following this month’s transfer of private sewer ownership.
Institution of Structural Engineers formalises its committment to RedR

10-Oct-2011
The Institution of Structural Engineers (IStructE) is to become a patron of engineering charity RedR, following a long standing affiliation between the two bodies.
Network Rail consults public on its vision for rail in the North

10-Oct-2011
Network Rail launched its biggest ever public consultation exercise on Friday on its vision for rail in the North of England, including electrification, a new railway in central Manchester and upgrades to Manchester Victoria station.
New chief executive for Ramboll Group

10-Oct-2011
Consultant Ramboll has appointed new chief executive officer Jens-Peter Saul to take up the role in March 2012, from former chief executive officer Flemming Bligaard Pedersen.
Motorway barriers need upgrade before speed limit change happens, says concrete expert

10-Oct-2011
Concrete paving association Britpave director David Jones has warned that many motorway central reservation barriers may not be fit-for-purpose if the speed limit is increased to 129km/h (80mph).
London cable car gains Emirates sponsorship

7-Oct-2011
Transport for London has secured a £36M deal with Emirates Airline for sponsorship of the London cable car scheme.
Ofwat takes action to reduce regulatory burden

7-Oct-2011
Water industry regulator Ofwat has published a consultation on its plans to free water companies from excessive regulatory work, in line with government recommendations made in July.
Government adopts engineers' recommendations on Millennium Development Goals

7-Oct-2011
The government’s International Development Committee has adopted recommendations made by engineering bodies to promote the role of infrastructure in achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDG).
Network Rail to cut payment time to suppliers

7-Oct-2011
Network Rail is cutting its payment time to contractors and suppliers from 56 days to 21 days, to increase certainty over cash flows.
Laing O'Rourke wins £95M Manchester civic scheme

7-Oct-2011
Contractor Laing O’Rourke has won a £95M contract from Manchester City Council to transform the city’s listed Central Library and Town Hall Extension by 2014.
Olympic Park legacy takes step forward with planning application

7-Oct-2011
The Olympic Park Legacy Company has submitted a planning application to build five new neighbourhoods at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.
TfL tenders London highway work

7-Oct-2011
Transport for London is tendering £1.8bn of construction and maintenance work for four areas on the London road network.
Site chosen for Finland's next nuclear plant

7-Oct-2011
Finnish power firm Fennovoima has selected a site at Pyhäjoki, 350km north east of Helsinki on the Baltic coast, for its next nuclear power station.
Excavation of first Lee Tunnel shaft completed

7-Oct-2011
MVB — a joint venture of Morgan Sindall, Vinci Construction Grands Projets and Bachy Soletanche — has completed the excavation of the first of three shafts at Beckton for Thames Water’s 6.4km Lee Tunnel.
Yorkshire Water fights for controversial reservoir wind turbines

7-Oct-2011
Utility company Yorkshire Water has confirmed new plans for two 75m tall wind turbines at one of its reservoir sites, after previous planning applications for 125m and 80m tall turbines failed amid fierce opposition from pressure groups.
Skanska wins contract to build two Polish bridges

7-Oct-2011
Skanska to build two bridges and associated access roads in Poland for £29M.
Highways Agency goes out to tender on £1.1bn smalls civils framework

7-Oct-2011
The Highways Agency has invited firms to join its new £1.1bn Asset Support Framework which will award contracts for larger maintenance schemes and small improvement works across the trunk road and motorway network.
London mayor announces projects shortlisted for Planning Awards

7-Oct-2011
Projects shortlisted this year for the London mayor’s planning awards include The Heron Tower, Westfield Stratford City shopping centre, mixed-use development One New Change, and Arsenal Football Stadium.
VolkerStevin Marine awarded Tay Road Bridge contract

6-Oct-2011
Contractor VolkerStevin Marine has been awarded a £15M contract to protect the piers on Tay Road Bridge in Dundee, Scotland.
Underground nuclear geological waste facility contract signed

6-Oct-2011
Consultant Parsons Brinckerhoff today announced it has signed a four-year contract with the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) to provide technical support for developing an underground disposal facility that it is hoped will isolate radioactive materials from the environment for thousands of years.
Italian team favourite for Etihad Rail contract

6-Oct-2011
Sources close to the United Arab Emirate’s £7bn federal railway project, being developed by Etihad Rail, say a predominantly Italian consortium is favourite to win the civil engineering deal for the first phase of the project, according to NCE sister title MEED.
Wind turbine installed at water treatment works

6-Oct-2011
Utility South West Water has installed a 100kW wind turbine at its Lowermoor (Crowdy) Water Treatment Works, near Camelford, in North Cornwall.
Liverpool to be base for Gwynt y Môr offshore wind farm

6-Oct-2011
Energy giant RWE will construct its Gwynt y Môr offshore wind farm using facilities at Birkenhead port near Liverpool after agreeing terms with Cammell Laird shipyard today.
Built brilliance

6 October 2011
This week our coverage of the British Construction Industry Awards shortlist focuses on the major building category for projects worth over £50M.
South East success in 26th ICE golf competition

6 October 2011
South East ICE members triumphed at the 26th Thomas Telford Trophy national team golf competition, hosted by the Glasgow & West of Scotland Branch at Western Gailes Golf Club in Ayrshire last month.
London Gateway port to open by end of 2013

5-Oct-2011
The new global port London Gateway will open in the fourth quarter of 2013 with an initial capacity of 1.6M twenty foot equivalent container units (TEU), port operator DP World announced yesterday.
Tories 'get' the UK's infrastructure challenge, says Conservative MP

5-Oct-2011
Conservative MP Esther McVey said this week that her party “gets it” when it comes to the economic importance of boosting the UK’s infrastructure.
Viaduct strengthening work finished three months early

5-Oct-2011
Contractor Costain has this week completed strengthening work on the M53 Bidston Moss Viaduct in the Wirral three months ahead of the 31 December deadline.
Scottish government confirms NPD model will replace PFI

5-Oct-2011
The Scottish government confirmed today that it has committed to using the Non-Profit Distributing (NPD) financing model to replace the discredited Private Finance Initiative (PFI) model.
Hydrodynamic water treatment device considered for Southeast Asian pollution problems

5-Oct-2011
The United Nations will consider an innovative stormwater treatment device as the solution to water pollution problems caused by urbanisation in the rainy Malaysia and Southeast Asia regions.
Reading sewage storage tank constructed underneath park

5-Oct-2011
Work to construct a 50m long sewage storage tank underneath Palmer Park in Reading is underway, to protect homes that have flooded with sewage 13 times in the last six years.
Offshore wind costs will cripple local businesses, says Scottish organisation

5-Oct-2011
The high costs of building offshore wind farms could cause energy prices to rise to a level that is unsustainable for Scottish businesses, Scottish Chambers of Commerce (SCC) chairman Mike Salter has warned.
New Ove Arup bust unveiled in Durham

5-Oct-2011
A bust of Anglo-Danish engineer Ove Arup was unveiled last Tuesday at the site of his favourite work, the Grade-I listed Kingsgate Bridge in Durham, to replace a previous bust that was stolen in 2006.
New scheme to help graduates find engineering jobs

5-Oct-2011
The Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) today launched a scheme to help engineering graduates make the transition from university to employment.
Come to the Infrastructure Show

4-Oct-2011
This month’s Infrastructure Show has something for everyone, with seminars covering everything from roads and rail, to energy and water.
Blackfriars bridge solar panel roof installation begins

4-Oct-2011
Work started today to install over 4,400 solar photovoltaic (PV) panels on the new Blackfriars station being built on the new bridge spanning the River Thames, to make it what is claimed to be the world’s largest solar bridge.
Dual carriageways could have higher speed limits than motorways under new plans

4-Oct-2011
The Department for Transport’s (DfT) plans for changes to driving speed limits could lead to some dual carriageways having higher speed limits than some stretches of motorway, it emerged yesterday.
Reading station gets £9.6M for road improvements

4-Oct-2011
The Department for Transport will invest £9.6M to improve access to Reading station, local transport minister Norman Baker announced today.
Scotland better prepared for ice and snow chaos this winter, says minister

4-Oct-2011
Transport Scotland is well prepared to maintain transport resilience against winter weather, but cannot guarantee to keep roads free from snow and ice, Scottish transport minister Keith Brown said yesterday.
Atkins sets boardroom gender diversity target for 2015

4-Oct-2011
Consultant Atkins has set a goal for the percentage of its board members who are women to increase from the current 22% to 33% by 2015.
London infrastructure investment helps the UK, says mayor

4-Oct-2011
London mayor Boris Johnson said today that investment in London’s transport infrastructure improved the economic health of areas across the UK, and should therefore be protected.
Bidding opens for Olympic media centre use

4-Oct-2011
The Olympic Park Legacy Company (OPLC) has today formally opened the bidding process for companies wanting to use the Press Centre and Broadcast Centre after next year’s Olympic Games.
Skanska wins New York campus project

4-Oct-2011
Swedish contractor Skanska has won a $373M (£242M) contract to complete the final phase of the City University of New York Advanced Science Research Campus at City College in Manhattan.
Yorkshire Water to begin £4.4M sewer upgrade

4-Oct-2011
Utility Yorkshire Water is due to begin the latest £4.4M phase of a £58M upgrade to sewage, clean water and raw water pumping stations across North Yorkshire this month.
Carillion buoyed by energy and international contracts

4-Oct-2011
Contractor Carillion offset the downturn in the UK construction sector with growth in its energy, Middle East and Canadian markets, according to its latest interim management statement.
Network Rail fined for bridge collapse and train derailment

4-Oct-2011
Network Rail has today been fined £80,000 and ordered to pay costs of £32,000 after a train hit a collapsed public footbridge and derailed, injuring seven people in February 2008.
Project funding and planning delays threaten economic recovery, says industry chief

4-Oct-2011
The UK’s shaky financial recovery will “evaporate” if the government does not speed up infrastructure funding and reduce the “navel-gazing” that has slowed down planning processes in the past, an industry chief said last night.
Mersey Gateway Bridge gets funding green light

3-Oct-2011
Transport secretary Philip Hammond today gave the green light for up to £470M of funding for a new bridge across the River Mersey between Runcorn and Widnes.
Mott MacDonald wins two Romanian water projects

3-Oct-2011
Mott MacDonald has won two technical advisory projects in Romania for wastewater and solid waste projects that will help achieve compliance with European Union directives
Bam and Aarsleff win £33M Tanzania road contract

3-Oct-2011
Aarsleff and Bam have won a £33M contract to rehabilitate 68km of main road in Tanzania for the Tanzania National Roads Agency (Tanroads).
Renewable Heat Incentive launch delayed at 11th hour

3-Oct-2011
The government delayed the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) scheme on Thursday, less than a day before it was due to launch on Friday, following concerns over tariffs voiced by the European Commission (EC).
Hong Kong Port investment to be guided by sustainability strategy

3-Oct-2011
Engineering consultant BMT Asia Pacific has been commissioned by the Hong Kong Transport and Housing Bureau to deliver a major study into the future of the Hong Kong Port.
Wellingborough station access improvements complete

3-Oct-2011
Network Rail has completed major improvements to Wellingborough station in Northamptonshire this week, giving passengers step-free access between entrance and platform for the first time.
Consortium to identify best value options for Green Deal providers and consumers

3-Oct-2011
Companies including engineering contractor Carillion and major energy and finance firms have signed a deal to develop a business plan that will aim to best finance the government-led Green Deal.
Hammersmith flyover upgrades to begin in November

3-Oct-2011
Transport for London (TfL) is due to begin vital upgrade work on the A4 Hammersmith Flyover in west London next month.
Safety and visibility upgrades tested in A1(M) Hatfield tunnel

3-Oct-2011
The Highways Agency this weekend carried out a live emergency simulation exercise to test new visibility and safety improvements recently completed in the A1(M) Hatfield tunnel.
Spending on motorway infrastructure better than speed limit change, says transport institution

3-Oct-2011
The Chartered Institution of Highways & Transportation (CIHT) said today that government proposals to raise the motorway speed limit should be scrapped in favour of spending more on managed motorways and infrastructure improvements.
Shell to remove gas from leak-hit Gannet pipeline

3-Oct-2011
Energy giant Shell this weekend began an operation on its north sea Gannet pipeline — which sustained a leak in August — to release residual gas and make the line safe.
Thames Water to carry out £4M survey of London hotspots following private sewer takeover

3-Oct-2011
Thames Water has launched a £4M pipe surveying project, following its adoption of an estimated 40,000km of private sewers due to a change of law that came into effect on Saturday.
Construction greenwashing to be tackled by task force

30-Sep-2011
The UK Green Building Council today launched a new Green Building Guidance task group to combat “greenwashing” in the industry.
ICE fellow becomes head of Northern Ireland Civil Service

30-Sep-2011
The Northern Irish first minister and acting deputy first minister have appointed civil engineer and ICE fellow Malcolm McKibbin as the new head of the Northern Ireland Civil Service.
John Laing infrastructure fund to raise £155M for projects

30-Sep-2011
John Laing Infrastructure Fund (JLIF) has announced plans to raise £155M to invest in infrastructure projects including schools, hospitals and roads.
Greater Gabbard wind farm due to open despite £300M dispute

30-Sep-2011
The Greater Gabbard offshore wind farm is back on track and due to open in 2012 despite a legal dispute between the client and US contractor Fluor, its owners Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE) announced today.
New sustainability reporting guidelines launched

30-Sep-2011
A new set of global reporting guidlines on sustainability in the built environment have been launched by the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI).
Lend Lease CEO to chair Green Construction Board

30-Sep-2011
The Department of Business, Innovation and Skills has elected a new co-chair of the Green Construction Board.
Two nuclear wins for Mace

30-Sep-2011
Consultant Mace has won two nuclear decommissioning contracts from nuclear contractor Magnox at the Sizewell and Berkley sites.
Glendoe hydro generation to resume in 2012

30-Sep-2011
Electricity generation is due to resume at the Glendoe hydro-electric plant in 2012 following a tunnel collapse in 2009, owner Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE) has announced today.
Hyder bucks economic woes with strong work pipeline

30-Sep-2011
Consultant Hyder said today it has a strong pipeline of work despite the economic downturn, as it released a trading performance update in advance of its interim results.
Infrastructure Show to break down gender barriers within construction, says ODA

29-Sep-2011
Olympic Delivery Authority lead on equality and inclusion Julie Amory has urged firms keen to tackle gender barriers in the industry to join the debate at next month’s Infrastructure Show.
Rail companies say they could save £1.3bn per year by 2019

29-Sep-2011
The cost of running the nation’s railway could be reduced by £1.3bn per annum by 2019, Network Rail, train operators and industry suppliers have said in the Initial Industry Plan (IIP) published today.
New Kings Cross square plans submitted

29-Sep-2011
Network Rail has submitted plans for a new public square in front of King’s Cross station, following a four year design process and more than 4,500 responses to a public consultation on the proposals.
£2.3M Maidenhead water security scheme completed

29-Sep-2011
A 3.6km long water pipeline in Maidenhead has been completed, bringing a £2.3M scheme to secure the town’s water supply to an end.
'Sail and ride' station beneath a canal considered in Netherlands

29-Sep-2011
A consortium including Mott MacDonald and Baca Architects has submitted a feasibility study for a 20km railway connection that would lie underneath the IJmeer Lake in the Netherlands.
Eton Manor Olympic venue nears completion

29-Sep-2011
New photographs have emerged of the final stages of construction of Eton Manor, the only new permanent Paralympic venue on the Olympic Park, which is on track to be complete by early next year.
Glasgow becomes home to offshore wind development centre

29-Sep-2011
International turbine manufacturer Gamesa today opened a £12.5M offshore wind development facility in Glasgow, as the secretary of state for Scotland pledged to help create conditions for growth in the sector.
Chinese rail crashes raise safety issues

29-Sep-2011
A metro train collision in Shanghai has injured 284 people this week, just nine weeks after a high speed rail crash killed 40 people, according to Chinese news agency Xinghua.
Atkins wins major Norwegian signalling contract

29-Sep-2011
Consultant Atkins has won one of the main design contracts to design new signalling systems on the new Follo line in Oslo, Norway.
Environmental engineers add weight to brownfield-first planning battle

29-Sep-2011
The Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management (Ciwem) has urged planning minister Greg Clark to carry forward a “brownfield-first” policy into the final version of planning reforms.
Model Behaviour

29 September 2011
Building Information Modelling is being used to manage the design and construction risks involved in enlarging and modernising one of London Underground’s busiest stations. GE reports.
Plant Care

29 September 2011
With risk limitation an overriding concern, integrated site characterisation investigations are coming to the fore in the evaluation of new nuclear plant sites. Jeffrey L Bachhuber and Dr Rod Eddies report.
Letters: Balance in the boardroom is still a long way off

29 September 2011
Balance in the boardroom is still a long way offBoardroom diversity: Aspiration lacks commitment
World class

29 September 2011
This week our coverage of the British Construction Industry Awards shortlist focuses on the civil engineering category for projects between £3M and £50M.
Capita Symonds to work on Manchester football centre

28-Sep-2011
Capita Symonds is to provide geo-environmental, civil, highway and structural services to Manchester City Football Club’s proposed youth development, comprising training facilities and a 7,000 seat stadium.
Yorkshire Water to begin £5M Wakefield sewer upgrade

28-Sep-2011
Utility company Yorkshire Water will begin a £5M upgrade to improve its sewer system and reduce risk of sewer flooding in Wakefield, West Yorkshire on Monday.
Cambridge rail station gets new footbridge

28-Sep-2011
A 15t, 18m footbridge was carefully lifted into place at Cambridge rail station over the weekend in a project that will upgrade services between Cambridge and London Liverpool Street stations.
Thameslink signalling reaches milestone

28-Sep-2011
New signalling on the Thameslink Programme reached completion at the weekend after 10 months of work, as the old system was turned off and the new one brought into full use.
Bam Construction wins Newcastle Airport job

28-Sep-2011
Contractor Bam Construction has this week won a £3.2M project to build a terminal extension at Newcastle International Airport.
Mitie wins £200M nuclear facilities contract

28-Sep-2011
Facilities management (FM) firm Mitie has won a £200M five year contract to provide FM and energy services to nuclear firms based in Cumbria.
Shard crane claims UK’s tallest title

28-Sep-2011
London’s Shard is set to take the title as Western Europe’s tallest building, but a crane brought onto site by main contractor Mace has already claimed the position of the UK’s tallest crane.
Cutting accidents on site: Safer with steel

28-Sep-2011
The British Constructional Steelwork Association is working hard to promote safe practice with a series of guides. NCE reports.
Hyde Park education centre opens

27-Sep-2011
A £2.2M environmental education facility for city children and the wider community has been launched in Hyde Park.
Labour continues backing for HS2

27-Sep-2011
Labour’s shadow transport secretary Maria Eagle reaffirmed the party’s backing to High Speed 2 at the party conference yesterday.
Major road opens at Kings Cross

27-Sep-2011
A new road has opened at King’s Cross leading from St Pancras International to Goods Way, as part of a £250M investment in new infrastructure by the King’s Cross Central Limited Partnership.
Mark Whitby sets up new Middle East design practice

27-Sep-2011
Past ICE president Mark Whitby has teamed up with former Whitby Bird Middle East head Peyman Mohajer to create a new engineering consultancy based in the United Arab Emirates.
Consultants look to Turkey for growth

27-Sep-2011
Consultants Aecom and URS Scott Wilson are among the major firms looking to win new work on a UK trade mission to Turkey this week.
Network Rail to save £38M from innovative ideas drive

27-Sep-2011
Six months after Network Rail launched its innovation portal, the firm has revealed some of the 600 plus submissions which it hopes will save £38M in efficiency savings by 2014.
Engineers rush to repair collision-hit Norfolk rail line

26-Sep-2011
Engineers were this morning racing to complete repairs to a railway track and overhead cables in Norfolk following a collision yesterday, to ensure the single line stretch of railway could re-open in time for the evening rush.
Atkins to manage Statue of Liberty upgrade

26-Sep-2011
Consultant Atkins has been selected by US client the National Park Service as construction manager for the $27M (£17.4M) Statue of Liberty National Monument enhancement in New York.
Cornwall wind farm gets green light

26-Sep-2011
Cornwall County Council has reached agreement with wind and bio-power developer Renewable Energy Generation (REG) for its wind farm project in Denzell Downs.
Work starts on Welsh flood defence revamp

26-Sep-2011
Work has started on a £190,000 Environment Agency Wales project to upgrade the automated control system which protects Llandudno Junction in north Wales from flooding.
Crossrail completes first tunnel portal

26-Sep-2011
Construction of the first Crossrail tunnel portal — Royal Oak Common near Paddington in West London — was completed this month.
VolkerFitzpatrick wins £17M Stratford university contract

26-Sep-2011
VolkerFitzpatrick has won a £17M design and build contract for University Square Stratford, a sustainable ‘university hub’ building in Stratford, east London.
Oxfordshire sewers to be upgraded for £7M

26-Sep-2011
Thames Water is due to start work on a £7M sewer upgrade scheme to protect homes in the town of Botley, just west of Oxford, from the misery of sewer flooding.
Slough plant turns sewage into new renewable fuel

26-Sep-2011
Thames Water has begun drying sludge at Slough Sewage Works in Berkshire to produce a new renewable fuel that burns like wood chip.
Transport police clamps down on cable theft

26-Sep-2011
The British Transport Police (BTP) has said it is clamping down on railway cable theft, and is offering a £1,000 reward in relation to the theft of six drums of cable from a Horsham rail depot earlier this month.
Scottish and Southern pulls out of nuclear deal

23-Sep-2011
Electricity supplier Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE) has today confirmed it is pulling out of a deal to develop a new nuclear power station.
Second Avenue Subway tunnelling complete

23-Sep-2011
Tunnelling has been declared complete on the much delayed Second Avenue Subway project in New York.
Cornwall's new £3M reservoir is under construction

23-Sep-2011
Balfour Beatty Civil Engineering has begun work on site on a new £3M reservoir for the Newquay area.
Laing O’Rourke and Atkins launch standardised school building system

23-Sep-2011
Consultant Atkins and contractor Laing O’Rourke have launched a standardised offsite construction method to help bring down the cost of building new schools by up to 30%.
Library of Birmingham tops out in Shakespearean style

23-Sep-2011
The £188.8M Library of Birmingham has topped out in a ceremony featuring Shakespearean performances and local poetry.
Energy minister backs shale gas exploration

23-Sep-2011
Energy minister Charles Hendry has today backed shale gas exploration and insisted the industry is safe and well regulated.
Major shale gas find in Lancashire

22-Sep-2011
Developer Cuadrilla today announced there could be up 5.6 trillion m³ of shale gas in the Bowland Basin in Lancaster.
Scottish and Southern considers nuclear pull out

22-Sep-2011
Electricity supplier Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE) has confirmed that it is considering abandoning its plan to construct a new nuclear power station in Cumbria.
Scotland to spend £9bn on infrastructure over four years

22-Sep-2011
The Scottish government today announced in its spending review that it will spend £9bn on infrastructure programmes up to 2015, despite a 36.7% drop in funding due to last year’s UK spending review.
Atkins wins major nuclear contract

22-Sep-2011
Consultant Atkins has won a major contract to expand uranium enrichment supplier Urenco’s plant in Capenhurst near Chester.
MPs claim European supergrid would bring reliable energy and jobs

22-Sep-2011
A European energy “supergrid” would allow the National Grid to balance supply and demand more effectively and could create many thousands of jobs despite its high cost, according to a government report.
Costain and Jacobs in £67M decommissioning contract

22-Sep-2011
Costain, Jacobs, Amec and Babcock have today been awarded a nuclear decommissioning contract worth up to £67M over four years, under the Actus joint venture, by site operator Magnox.
MPs warn that 'haphazard' approach to offshore wind connections will lead to delays

22-Sep-2011
The government’s “hands-off approach on transmission” from offshore wind farms could be leading to investor uncertainty, wasteful delays and inefficient transmission infrastructure, a report published today has said.
Londoners asked to "name and shame" roadworks

22-Sep-2011
Mayor of London Boris Johnson has launched a scheme encouraging Londonders to “name and shame” roadworks sites which are “disruptive or neglected”.
Turner & Townsend expands in South America

22-Sep-2011
Cost consultant Turner & Townsend is following the trend to head across the Atlantic to South America by announcing it will open two new offices in Brazil and Peru.
BCIA Awards: world class projects

22 September 2011
This week our coverage of the British Construction Industry Awards shortlist focuses on international projects.
A sticky problem

22 September 2011
Tar in roads is a legacy from Britain’s industrial past which still, perhaps surprisingly, is demanding careful management today. NCE reports.
Chasing the tides

22 September 2011
Marine specialist Kaymac has helped devise plans to lay a new treated water sea outfall on the Welsh coast for Welsh Water. NCE reports.
Engineers to face battle to get consumers to use ‘grey’ water

22 September 2011
Public reluctant to recycle water amid perception that the UK is not really prone to shortages.
Graduates organise exchange programme

22 September 2011
An ICE graduate member working on the £14.8bn Crossrail project in London has organised a graduate exchange programme with a graduate mechanical engineer involved with the same project.
ICE Fellow wins top India accolade

22 September 2011
ICE Fellow Professor Sudhangsu Sekhar Chakraborty has been awarded the 2011 “Life-time Contributions Award in Engineering” by the Indian National Academy of Engineering.
Letters: where would you build another airport in the North?

22 September 2011
Where would you build another airport in the North?
Nuttall team collects autumn certificates

22 September 2011
Nearly 500 members and guests convened at One Great George Street for the autumn certificate presentation ceremony, including 14 employees from Bam Nuttall.
Stone age science

22 September 2011
Geotechnical engineers in Bahrain have studied the local limestone to better understand its behaviour when used as armourstone for coastal protection. NCE reports.
Redcar coastal defence and regeneration work begins

21-Sep-2011
Preliminary work on the focal point of Redcar’s seafront regeneration scheme, a 26m tall vertical pier, is set to get underway next week.
Forth Replacement Crossing works set to begin

21-Sep-2011
The Forth Replacement Crossing works are set to begin as traffic management measures are due to be installed from Friday.
Nuclear Decommissioning Authority boss quits

21-Sep-2011
The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) today announced its chairman Tony Fountain will be leaving the firm after just under two years in charge.
Lend Lease faces Olympic worker legal row

21-Sep-2011
Construction union the Union of Construction, Allied Trades and Technicians (Ucatt) will take legal action against contractors Lend Lease and Parry Bowen over Olympic Village workers who have not been paid for work.
Oxfordshire to get new 2km water main

21-Sep-2011
In two weeks’ time, Thames Water will begin replacing a 2km section of century-old water main in Oxfordshire that has burst three times in three years.
Squeezy does it

20-Sep-2011
Steel piles had to be squeezed into space behind retaining walls as part of a rail electrification programme. NCE reports
Basement box out

20-Sep-2011
Bachy Soletanche is using both traditional and innovative techniques to lay the foundations for an extension to the British Museum. NCE reports.
Top grade results

20-Sep-2011
Staffordshire County Council has brought a variety of innovative techniques together for a major A-road reconstruction project, as NCE reports.
Transport Scotland confident over Borders Railway

20-Sep-2011
Transport Scotland is still confident the Borders Railway project will open on budget by 2014, despite Scottish media reports suggesting it could be delayed.
Bilfinger Berger to sell more than half its PPP assets

20-Sep-2011
Bilfinger Berger has decided to sell 19 of its 30 public-private partnership (PPP) assets across the UK, continental Europe, Canada and Australia by setting up a publicly listed fund.
New course to tackle construction equipment towing

20-Sep-2011
A new course developed by the National Construction College (NCC) promises to improve the safety of workers when towing construction equipment.
Network Rail plans Exeter transport hub

20-Sep-2011
Network Rail has launched plans for a transport hub redevelopment at Exeter St Davids railway station, as it begins work on a £7M refurbishment of Exeter Central and Exeter St Davids stations.
Wigan flood alleviation scheme approaches finish

20-Sep-2011
A £12M flood alleviation scheme on the River Douglas close to Wigan town centre is nearing completion, following the installation of two giant Hydro-Brake Flow Control devices.
Boris Johnson overrides local planning authority decision

20-Sep-2011
London mayor Boris Johnson has approved controversial plans for a new development of office, residential and retail space after the project was previously rejected by the local planning authority.
Manslaughter trial begins for Italian earthquake scientists

20-Sep-2011
A manslaughter trial will begin today for seven Italian geologists, scientists and public officials charged over their lack of warnings regarding the 2009 earthquake in L’Aquila that killed 309 people.
King's Cross new roof section revealed

20-Sep-2011
Network Rail has unveiled the first completed section of a new 270m long cast iron and glass roof above platforms 1 to 8 at King’s Cross Station in London, under its ongoing redevelopment scheme.
Defence estate framework shortlist published

20-Sep-2011
The Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) has shortlisted 10 bidders for a framework covering its estate projects in the East Midlands & Eastern England.
Network Rail consults on second Redditch rail line

19-Sep-2011
Network Rail will begin public consultation this week on its proposal to build a second railway track on the Redditch branch line, south of Birmingham.
Galliford Try wins £35M sewage biogas contract

19-Sep-2011
Contractor Galliford Try has today won a £35M contract to build two anaerobic digestion plants for Anglian Water at sewage works in Basildon and Ipswich.
Thames Water lays new Wiltshire transfer pipe

19-Sep-2011
Work began last week to lay a new water transfer pipe between Ramsbury and Aldbourne in Wiltshire to enable better local management of water supplies taken from the River Kennet.
£7M upgrade work begins at Dartford Station

19-Sep-2011
Work on a multi-million pound project to revamp Dartford railway station by modernising station facilities and improving capacity began last week.
Construction material made from sewage sludge

19-Sep-2011
Sewage sludge is being turned into a carbon neutral construction material that could replace traditional clay and concrete bricks, in a new project by Yorkshire Water.
New East Coast Mainline service recommended for Scotland

19-Sep-2011
An independent study for Transport Scotland has recommended the creation of a new semi-fast rail service between Edinburgh and Newcastle.
Bam joint venture to build world's largest lock

19-Sep-2011
A Bam joint venture with Eiffage will build the world’s largest lock in Antwerp in a €272M (£236M) project that will take four and a half years to complete.
Mott MacDonald investigates school collapse

19-Sep-2011
Consultant Mott MacDonald is carrying out an independent investigation into the collapse of steelwork on a school in Shropshire this week.
Holyhead biomass plant wins approval

16-Sep-2011
Energy minister Charles Hendry has given the green light to a 299MW biomass power station at Penrhos Works, Holyhead, Anglesey.
Contractors resolve dispute on Edinburgh Tram

16-Sep-2011
The City of Edinburgh Council has reached a settlement with contractors Bilfinger Berger and systems firm Siemens to allow work on the tram to re-start.
GE Hitachi teams up with Fluor in Poland for new nuclear

16-Sep-2011
US engineering giant Fluor has signed a memorandum of understanding with nuclear reactor vendor GE Hitachi (GEH) Nuclear Energy to compete for nuclear power plants in Poland.
Heathrow pods open at Terminal 5

16-Sep-2011
Heathrow airport’s driverless pod service has opened for business, transferring passengers from Terminal 5’s business car park to the terminal building.
BAA to appeal order to sell Stansted and Scottish airports

16-Sep-2011
Airport owner BAA has confirmed that it will be seeking a judicial review of the Competition Commission’s decision requiring it to sell Stansted and either Edinburgh or Glasgow airport and will submit the application to the Competition Appeal Tribunal today.
Transport Scotland to oversee completion of Edinburgh Tram project

15-Sep-2011
Transport Scotland has today announced it will help oversee the final delivery of the Edinburgh trams project.
Spurs training ground reaches major milestone

15-Sep-2011
Tottenham Hotspur’s state-of-the-art £45M training ground reached a major milestone this week with contractor McLaren hosting a topping out ceremony.
Skanska to complete $515M New York No. 7 Line subway extension

15-Sep-2011
Skanska has signed a new contract to furnish and install finishes and systems at the No. 7 Line subway extension from Times Square to West 25th St. and 11th Ave. in Manhattan, New York.
Kier posts 24% increase in profits but warns of continuing tough times

15-Sep-2011
Contractor Kier unveiled its year-end preliminary results today with pretax profits rising to £68.9M in the year ending 30 June 2011, up from £55.5M in 2010.
National Grid launches 10-year savings bond to fund capital investment

14-Sep-2011
Power distribution giant National Grid has today launched a 10 year retail savings bond to help fund capital infrastructure projects today.
Costain nears the finish line on Manchester airport runway

14-Sep-2011
Contractor Costain will soon hand over a newly refurbished 3km-long main runway at Manchester Airport after eight months of night works.
Skanska wins £245M New York Subway contract

14-Sep-2011
Contractor Skanska today announced it has been awarded a $386M (£245M) to refurbish part of the No. 7 Line subway between Times Square and West 25th Street in New York.
Infrastructure and private sector boost Galliford Try profits

14-Sep-2011
Contractor Galliford Try has posted a pre-tax profit of £35.1M in its annual results, up 34% on last year’s results (£26.1M), although it said the UK public sector market had dipped.
RAIB to investigate cause of freight train derailment in Birmingham

13-Sep-2011
The Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) is to launch a full investigation into what caused the derailment of a freight train in Birmingham last month.
Explosion rocks French nuclear re-processing plant

13-Sep-2011
A nuclear reprocessing plant in Marcoule, southern France yesterday suffered a major explosion that killed one person and injured four others.
Aecom wins Russian highways PPP

13-Sep-2011
Aecom announced today that it has won a contract as technical expert for the public-private partnership (PPP) concession for the Moscow to St Petersburg M11 Highway project in Russia from the North-West Concession Company (NWCC).
Thames Water warns David Walliams against swimming into London

12-Sep-2011
Comedian David Walliams has been advised to cut short his charity swim down the River Thames due to the amount of sewage dumped into it in central London recently.
New funding bid attempts to resurrect Wear crossing

12-Sep-2011
Sunderland City Council submitted an £82.5M bid for the New Wear Crossing to the Department of Transport (DfT) on Friday.
Scotland prepares for winter woes by assessing procedures

12-Sep-2011
Scotland will hold its first winter preparedness week in October in the wake of two prior severe winters that crippled transport and services.
MPs debate water management legislation

12-Sep-2011
MPs last week debated the new flood and water management legislation in the Commons focusing on affordability and bad debt.
Australian mega-rail project geotechnical works begin

12-Sep-2011
Geotechnical drilling work on a $2.5bn (£1.6bn) rail project in New South Wales has begun, paving the way for construction to begin on the country’s longest rail tunnels.
Little Britain Challenge Cup sailing regatta raises £100,000 for charity

12-Sep-2011
The annual Little Britain Challenge Cup regatta in the Solent was blessed once again with great winds and sunshine to guarantee three days of competitive racing, networking and entertainment.
Too few engineering graduates have engineering jobs, says study

12-Sep-2011
Fewer than half of engineering graduates were working as engineers six months after leaving university, with around a quarter working in unskilled jobs such as waiting on tables, a study said last week.
WTC ten years on: World Trade Center Memorial opens today

12-Sep-2011
The World Trade Center Memorial featuring two giant reflecting pools built within the footprints of the original Twin Towers opens to the public today.
Skanska wins £86.5M Norwegian roads contract

12-Sep-2011
Swedish contractor Skanska has today won a £86.5M contract to widen a 10.2km section on the E18 highway in Norway.
Parsons Brinckerhoff wins New Orleans tram contract

12-Sep-2011
Consultant Parsons Brinckerhoff has won a contract to provide construction management services for New Orleans’s tram extension in Louisiana, southern USA.
BGA puts masters students in the spotlight with new award

12-Sep-2011
The British Geotechnical Association is aiming to raise the profile of the new generation of geotechnical engineers with the launch of a new award.
Bauer battles with elements to deliver tidal foundation

12-Sep-2011
Geotechnical firm Bauer Renewables has installed a monopile foundation for a new tidal energy turbine in Orkney, Scotland using a newly designed seabed drilling rig.
Free national record sharing service for underground utilities launched

12-Sep-2011
A free to use national record sharing database has been launched to give local authorities, utility firms and contractors faster and more efficient access to vital asset information, speeding up work and protecting against accidental damage.
Water experts shun grey infrastructure

9-Sep-2011
So-called “grey” infrastructure solutions for water engineering, such as large concrete storage tanks, are outdated and inappropriate for modern times, experts said last week at a seminar hosted by consultant Aecom.
TRL wins sustainable materials work in Qatar

9-Sep-2011
Research firm TRL is to look at the innovative use of recycled and secondary aggregate materials in construction in Qatar, the firm announced this week.
Shaw sells stake in Westinghouse

9-Sep-2011
US engineering firm Shaw has decided to sell its 20% stake in nuclear vendor firm Westinghouse this week.
Former US transport secretary joins Atkins board

9-Sep-2011
Atkins has announced the appointment of former US secretary of transportation Rodney Slater as a non-executive director joining the board today.
Christchurch report calls for seismic improvements

9-Sep-2011
A report on the performance of unreinforced masonry buildings in February’s Christchurch earthquake has recommended measures to reduce falling hazards, unify national policy and increase seismic research.
Last chance to enter NCE Graduate Awards

9-Sep-2011
Graduates who achieved civil engineering degrees last year have just a week left to enter one of construction’s most highly respected competitions, the NCE Graduate Awards.
Vinci wins £250M Chilean tunnel contract

9-Sep-2011
Vinci has won a $400M (£250M) contract to design and build two mining tunnels in Chile.
Waterman wins US Embassy work in London

9-Sep-2011
Consultant Waterman has been appointed to provide multi-disciplinary services on the new US Embassy in Wandsworth, London, relating to utility services and sustainability assessment scheme Breeam.
Confidence in nuclear power still strong

9-Sep-2011
A survey by Cardiff University released this week reveals public confidence in nuclear power is still strong despite the Fukushima disaster in Japan.
London's Tate Modern converted oil tanks get 2012 opening

9-Sep-2011
Former oil tanks converted into exhibition spaces and new concrete and steel galleries will open next summer in the first phase of the Tate Modern’s new development, the museum’s trustees announced yesterday.
Electric car charging network to grow for Olympics

8-Sep-2011
London mayor Boris Johnson today announced plans for a network of charge points to support the Olympic and Paralympic zero-emission electric vehicle fleet.
Engineers wary of boardroom gender quotas

8-Sep-2011
Boardroom diversity quotas are still an unpopular idea among both women and men in civil engineering, it emerged yesterday at a meeting of Arup’s Connect Women group, supported by NCE.
CBI appoints new construction chairman

8-Sep-2011
The CBI has announced the appointment of Steve Hindley as the new chairman of its construction council, replacing outgoing John McDonough.
NCE World Trade Center special report

8-Sep-2011
NCE’s multimedia special report on the World Trade Center collapses and reconstruction has gone live, with special coverage including expert opinions, archive articles, NCE analysis, image galleries, videos and webcams.
Morgan Sindall starts on £10M Birmingham Airport tower

8-Sep-2011
Morgan Sindall has started work on a new £10M Air Traffic Control Tower at Birmingham Airport.
Strabag wins Tuscan road upgrade

8-Sep-2011
The Italian Strabag subsidiary Adanti has signed an agreement to upgrade around 11km of a state road between Grosseto and Siena in Tuscany.
Sluggish economy puts pressure on tender prices

8-Sep-2011
UK tender prices will fall nationally by 1.1% from this year to the second quarter of 2012 and will not start rising until the beginning of 2013 due to the sluggish economic recovery, a report released today said.
Forth Replacement Crossing construction to begin

8-Sep-2011
Construction on the Forth Replacement Crossing in Scotland is due to begin this month, project director David Climie annouced at the Scottish Parliament.
Scottish Water to be expanded

8-Sep-2011
Scottish first minister Alex Salmond has outlined plans to “evolve” Scottish Water from a utility into an agency driving economic growth in his Programme for Government unveiled today.
Deep demolition

8-Sep-2011
Extensive marine works are currently underway at the Pier Head in Liverpool, in front of the iconic Royal Liver Building where a new berthing facility is being built. NCE reports.
Letters: ICE must reflect its members’ views on high speed rail

8 September 2011
ICE must reflect its members’ views on high speed rail
Small Wonders

8 September 2011
NCE’s countdown to the British Construction Industry Awards begins with the short list for the Small Buildings category. Book your place at the awards dinner in London on 12 October at www.nce.co.uk/awards
Scaffolder fined after temporary structure collapse at wedding

7-Sep-2011
Block Scaffolding has been fined £8,000 and ordered to pay costs of £7,300 after floor of a marquee collapsed just as 150 guests sat down to enjoy a wedding breakfast.
Mace enjoys 17% turnover rise for 2010

7-Sep-2011
Mace has reported that its annual results for 2010 were better than expected, with rises in both turnover and pre-tax profit.
M1 upgrade project uses remote aerial camera

7-Sep-2011
A Costain/Carillion joint venture has used pioneering aerial photography to speed up planning and progress reports on its Highways Agency improvement project on the M1, junctions 10 to 13.
Yorkshire Water to replace antique water pipe

7-Sep-2011
Yorkshire Water has begun a £45,000 project to reduce leakage in Scarborough and is beginning by replacing one of the oldest water pipes in the region, laid in 1900.
UK government will retain control of Welsh energy projects

7-Sep-2011
Decisions over major Welsh energy projects are to remain with the UK government, officials confirmed today.
Mott MacDonald wins World Bank climate change work

7-Sep-2011
Mott MacDonald will provide climate change consultancy services to the World Bank on the Southern Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden in Djibouti, Sudan and Yemen.
Haythornthwaite will not seek re-election

7-Sep-2011
Network Rail chairman Rick Haythornthwaite has announced he will not put forward his name for re-election at Network Rail’s annual general meeting.
Network Rail chairman says public is not on side

7-Sep-2011
The rail industry has not done enough to convince the public of the need for investment in infrastructure, Network Rail chairman Rick Haythornthwaite said yesterday.
European partnership to unlock the potential bioenergy in Wales

7-Sep-2011
Research into algae for biomass use in Wales received a major boost yesterday following a €14M (£12.3M) funding initiative to garner advice from experts from across north west Europe.
East Midlands signalling project to finish

7-Sep-2011
Network Rail will be completing new signalling on the Robin Hood Line north of Nottingham this weekend.
UK oil spill capping device unveiled

6-Sep-2011
Energy minister Charles Hendry today unveiled a temporary well capping device designed in the UK to minimise disasters such as the Gulf of Mexico oil spill.
Thameslink contract award to result in job losses

6-Sep-2011
UK supply chain companies are predicting huge job losses following the government’s decision to award the Thameslink rolling stock contract to Siemens over Bombardier.
Engineering scholarships needed to fight fee rises, IET says

6-Sep-2011
The Institution of Engineering & Technology (IET) today urged industry and government to provide more scholarships and awards for students, to ensure fee rises do not lead to a dearth of engineering graduates.
Administrative side of apprenticeships to be cut down

6-Sep-2011
Skills minister John Hayes today announced measures to encourage employers to take on large numbers of apprentices, by making the bureaucratic process easier and less time-consuming.
Mott MacDonald to help Pakistan reduce disaster risk

6-Sep-2011
Mott MacDonald will provide technical assistance to Pakistan’s Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) for a climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction project in Punjab province.
Network Rail recruits new national centre staff

6-Sep-2011
Network Rail yesterday began a year-long recruitment drive to fill hundreds of new positions at the company’s new national centre in Milton Keynes, which is due to open next summer.
Olympics upgrades to Green Park station almost complete

6-Sep-2011
Pre-Olympics upgrade work to Green Park Tube station is nearing completion, with three new lifts and a new ramped entrance now in operation to provide step-free access at the key Tube interchange.
Edwardian underground reservoir to be renovated

6-Sep-2011
Anglian Water is preparing to renovate an Edwardian underground reservoir later this month in Ipswich, to bring it up to modern standards under a £1.5M project.
American solar panel giant goes bust

5-Sep-2011
America’s biggest solar panel manufacturer Solyndra is due to file for bankruptcy this week, because it was unable to compete with bigger rivals.
Lend Lease wins Queensland road upgrade

5-Sep-2011
The Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads has awarded Lend Lease a contract for a major intersection in Brisbane, Australia.
Scottish road traffic continues to fall

5-Sep-2011
Traffic volumes decreased on Scotland’s roads by 1.7% from 2009 to 2010, continuing a downward trend since 2007, according to figures released by the Scottish government last week.
Rail station improvement bids invited for £100M fund

5-Sep-2011
Network Rail has invited bids for the second wave of funding for station improvements, as 15 first wave projects receive shares of the first £21M funding wave from the £100M pot.
Terry Morgan joins management consultancy board

5-Sep-2011
Crossrail chairman Terry Morgan has joined the board of management consultancy firm Boxwood.
Barclays £3.4M loan to fund wave energy

5-Sep-2011
Wave energy firm Aquamarine Power has agreed a £3.4M loan with banking giant Barclays to fund its 2.4MW Oyster Array project off the coast of Scotland.
Flood risk reduction target exceeded

5-Sep-2011
Flood risk to 182,000 households in England is lower today than it was in 2008, exceeding the government’s target by 37,000 homes, the Environment Agency reported today.
VolkerWessels net profit rises 31% year-on-year

5-Sep-2011
VolkerWessels’ results for the first half of 2011 show a rise in turnover, net profit and orders compared to the same period in 2010, thanks to the favourable Canadian market.
Precast concrete employee dies at work

5-Sep-2011
Police and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) are investigating circumstances that led an employee of Cumbrian precast concrete company ACP Concrete to die at work on Friday.
OFT probes Tarmac's merger with Lafarge

2-Sep-2011
The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has referred merger plans by Tarmac owner Anglo American and France’s Lafarge to the Competition Commission today.
Obama warns transport projects could be suddenly halted

2-Sep-2011
President Obama warned this week that thousands of construction workers involved with US transport projects will be out of work if “political gamesmanship” prevents Congress from extending two crucial bills this month.
New construction orders at lowest level since 1980

2-Sep-2011
Construction order figures fell 16.3% in the second quarter of 2011 against first quarter figures — meaning that the total volume of all new orders is now at its lowest total since the third quarter of 1980, according to the Office of National Statistics.
A1 bridges work to get underway

2-Sep-2011
Work to maintain bridge joints along the A1 at Gateshead in Tyneside will get underway later this month.
Bristol City stadium plans face court challenge

2-Sep-2011
Bristol City Football Club’s plans to move into a new 30,000 capacity stadium at Ashton Vale will be challenged in court.
Cumbrian residents may have to pay for flood defences

2-Sep-2011
A proposed flood risk management scheme in the Cumbrian town of Cockermouth may have to be partly paid for by locals, the Environment Agency has said.
Aecom/URS Scott Wilson joint venture wins Forth Replacement job

2-Sep-2011
An Aecom and URS Scott Wilson joint venture has been awarded the role of design checker for the Forth Replacement Crossing by the Forth Crossing Bridge Constructors (FCBC) consortium.
Halcrow to prepare Network Rail travel plans

2-Sep-2011
Network Rail has appointed Halcrow to deliver travel plans for all of its 18 managed stations, including 11 London termini.
Scottish rail improvements set to increase capacity

2-Sep-2011
Network Rail is upgrading track, signalling and power line improvements to increase capacity and flexibility on one of the country’s busiest routes in Scotland, the rail infrastructure owner and operator said.
Concrete contract for 'Walkie Talkie' awarded

2-Sep-2011
Southall based PC Harrington Contractors has been awarded the concrete contract for the substructure of 20 Fenchurch Street office development, known as the Walkie Talkie.
Aecom wins Canadian light rail contract

2-Sep-2011
Consultant Aecom has won a $35M (£21.6M) contract to provide preliminary engineering for the Edmonton light rail system expansion in Canada.
Arab Spring affects profits at Cyril Sweett

2-Sep-2011
Consultant Cyril Sweett is to issue a profit warning today in its annual general meeting following project cancellations because of the Arab Spring.
Work begins to double Cirencester reservoir

2-Sep-2011
Thames Water has begun a £1.2M project to almost double the capacity of its Rapsgate storage reservoir near Cirencester, taking the total capacity to 1.17M.l.
Mudslip affects Southern's train performance score

1-Sep-2011
The burst main and subsequent mudslip in Croydon that put five railway lines out of action in early August “severely affected” train operator Southern’s performance, Network Rail has said.
Green Investment Bank Advisory Group appointed

1-Sep-2011
Business secretary Vince Cable yesterday announced nine appointments to the Advisory Group which will advise ministers on setting up the Green Investment Bank.
Obama declares 'major disaster' in New York, New Jersey and North Carolina

1-Sep-2011
President Obama yesterday declared a major disaster in the states of New York, New Jersey and North Carolina following the destruction left behind by Hurricane Irene.
Portsmouth traffic woes to be alleviated

1-Sep-2011
Portsmouth City Council has released its 2011/2012 traffic plans to ease congestion on a major route into the city.
Neighbourhood planning trialled in 36 more areas

1-Sep-2011
New neighbourhood planning schemes under the Localism Bill are to be tried out in 36 more front-runner areas, bringing the total to 126 across the country.
Thames Water submits new conversion plans for reservoir

1-Sep-2011
Thames Water has submitted a new planning application for the residential development of its redundant Bath Road Reservoir site in Reading, after previous plans were rejected last year.
Arcadis wins Paris Metro geotechnical contract

1-Sep-2011
Consultant Arcadis has won a geotechnical and technical advisory services contract for work on the new Grand Paris Metro, a 155km automated metro to circle the outskirts of the city.
Transport infrastructure is most difficult for supply chain

1-Sep-2011
The UK supply chain faces more barriers to delivery in transport than in any other sector, with major constraints in innovation, policy risk and procurement, the department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) has said in a report published this week.
Rolls-Royce expands nuclear capabilities

1-Sep-2011
Power systems firm Rolls-Royce is expanding its nuclear capabilities with its acquisition of US leading civil nuclear reactor firm R Brooks Associates today.
Renewable energy skills get £6.5M boost

1-Sep-2011
Business secretary Vince Cable has announced a £6.5M investment in developing a new generation of engineering leaders in renewable energy.
Cumbria council brings Amey staff back in-house

31-Aug-2011
Cumbria County Council is to bring contractor Amey highways maintenance staff back in-house when its contract comes to an end in 2012 in an attempt to gain more direct control over its works.
Construction begins on Manila indoor arena

31-Aug-2011
Construction began last week on the 50,000-seater stadium at Ciudad de Victoria in Manila, which is claimed to be the world’s largest indoor arena.
First utility-scale solar PV for Down Under

31-Aug-2011
Work on Australia’s first utility-scale solar power project, a 10MW project in Western Australia, is underway with the aim of it contributing to offsetting the energy requirements of the Southern Seawater Desalination Plant.
Flood damaged footbridge to re-open in Cumbria

31-Aug-2011
A new footbridge is set to open today in Sockbridge, Cumbria as a replacement for the original “Ironbridge” that was severely damaged in the 2009 floods.
US nuclear regulator updates evacuation plans

31-Aug-2011
Nuclear power plants in the US must provide updated estimates on how long it would take to evacuate local communities in new rules approved by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) yesterday.
Vancouver undermined by its infrastructure

31-Aug-2011
Widespread transport infrastructure problems have caused Vancouver, in Canada to drop two places on the list of the world’s most liveable cities, after nine years in the top spot.
Vermont and North Carolina tackle Hurricane Irene damage

31-Aug-2011
The Vermont Agency of Transportation has re-opened five bridges and 20 sections of road that were closed following this week’s Hurricane Irene. Roads are also steadily re-opening in North Carolina.
Sewer and water main replacements begin

31-Aug-2011
Water infrastructure improvement works are beginning this week in Twyford, near Reading, and Spalding in Lincolnshire.
Smithsonian Castle survives Hurricane Irene

30-Aug-2011
The Smithsonian Castle Building in Washington DC, damaged in last week’s 5.8 magnitude US east coast earthquake, has reopened after surviving Hurricane Irene at the weekend.
Above-ground development to fund Tube station improvements

30-Aug-2011
London Underground (LU) has begun a six week public consultation on a development above South Kensington tube station, which would in turn fund improvements to the station itself.
Ferrovial buys Polish rail construction firm PNI

30-Aug-2011
Spanish infrastructure giant Ferrovial Agroman has bought Polish railway infrastructure firm Przedsiebiorstwo Napraw Infrastruktury (PNI) for €56M (£49.5M).
Hurricane Irene batters US infrastructure

30-Aug-2011
Widespread road, rail, bridge and power infrastructure damage caused by this weekend’s Hurricane Irene was being tallied up today by US state governments including Vermont, North Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Virginia and the District of Columbia.
Work restarts on school after collapse

30-Aug-2011
Contractor Kier will begin a “phased return” to work on the new primary school in Shropshire today following last Thursday’s collapse, which injured five workers.
Volker Rail wins level crossing contract

30-Aug-2011
Contractor Volker Rail has won a design and build contract for four level crossings in Yorkshire and Humberside.
Environment Agency reveals 10 most improved rivers

30-Aug-2011
The Environment Agency has revealed the 10 rivers in England and Wales that have shrugged off their industrial past and become the most improved in quality in recent years, including one that was officially declared a sewer in the 19602. But it said that there is still more to be done to meet EU water quality targets.
Crossrail postpones rolling stock tenders because of government review

30-Aug-2011
Crossrail has today confirmed that it will defer tendering for rolling stock because of a government review of public procurement.
Queensland government announces flood management improvements

26-Aug-2011
The Queensland government in Australia has detailed how it will fulfil infrastructure and flood management recommendations made earlier this month in the interim report of an inquiry into the floods that hit the area in January.
Network Rail rolls out remote overhead inspection cameras

26-Aug-2011
Network Rail has supplied 30 cameras to maintenance delivery units on electrified routes across the country that will allow instant remote inspections of overhead wires and components, speeding up maintenance.
US begins construction on first large-scale carbon capture and storage facility

26-Aug-2011
Construction began on Wednesday on the first industrial scale US carbon capture and storage (CCS) facility in Decatur, Illinois.
Capita Symonds acquires Managed Support Services business

26-Aug-2011
Capita Symonds has today acquired the health and safety and water management business of Managed Support Services (MSS).
Grontmij to work on Centre Point design

26-Aug-2011
Grontmij has been appointed to carry out detailed design work for the development of the 32-storey Centre Point tower in central London.
HSE inspects school steelwork collapse

26-Aug-2011
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is today examining a steelwork collapse on a Kier work site that injured five site workers yesterday in Shropshire.
Private finance vital for infrastructure delivery, says CBI

25-Aug-2011
The government should scrutinise PFI value for money but must also recognise that private finance is vital for infrastructure delivery, business lobby group the CBI said today.
New film reveals Birmingham New Street redevelopment

25-Aug-2011
Network Rail has released a new film detailing the redevelopment work it is carrying out at Birmingham's New Street station.
Shell searches for oil leak point

25-Aug-2011
Shell is expected to locate the source of the north sea oil spill by Monday, as the company continues to report that oil is no longer leaking from its damaged flowline.
Scottish motorway opens to public

25-Aug-2011
The new M80 Stepps to Haggs dual carriageway is now open to the public after just under three years of construction.
Renewable Energy Infrastructure Awards shortlist announced

25-Aug-2011
The shortlist for the 2011 Renewable Energy Infrastructure Awards was announced this week following an unprecedented number of entries.
Talking Point

25 August 2011
Rock falls can pose significant threats to the safety of people and the infrastructure, so selecting barriers that conform with EU guidelines is essential, says Dr Corinna Wendeler
Finding Fault

25 August 2011
A sharp ground discontinuity found at the University College hospital project in central London underlines that the London basin is more faulted than once thought. GE reports.
Letters: Mudslides: underinvestment leads to inevitable accidents

25 August 2011
Mudslides: underinvestment leads to inevitable accidents
Nakheel to issue bonds to repay debt

24-Aug-2011
Troubled Dubai-based property developer Nakheel is set to issue a AED4.8bn (£800M) sukuk to trade creditors by 25 August.
Carillion boss John McDonough to step down in 2012

24-Aug-2011
Contractor Carillion today announced that chief executive John McDonough will retire in 2012 to be replaced by Richard Howson.
Lake Champlain bridge set for final lift

24-Aug-2011
The final section of New York State’s new Lake Champlain bridge will be lifted into place at sunrise local time tomorrow, the state’s Department of Transportation said yesterday.
Africa's first privately funded city to break ground this year

24-Aug-2011
Africa’s first privately designed and funded comprehensive city, Tatu City in Kenya, has entered advanced stages it the regulatory approval process for phase one, making way for ground breaking by the end of the year.
Pre-tax profits down at Carillion but pipeline of work up 25%

24-Aug-2011
Contractor Carillion has reported half-year pre-tax profits down 35% on last year’s figures, which it attributes to the acquisition and integration of Carillion Energy Services, while it maintains that underlying pre-tax profit has jumped 10%.
Incoming ICE President’s apprentices announced

23-Aug-2011
Incoming ICE President, Richard Coackley, has chosen six young engineers to be his apprentices throughout his presidential term.
An ear to the ground

23-Aug-2011
Monitoring systems have played a vital part in the construction of a new building for the British Museum in central London. NCE reports.
US announces £450M for Northeast Corridor high speed rail

23-Aug-2011
US transportation secretary Ray LaHood yesterday announced nearly $745M (£451M) for construction along the Northeast Corridor (NEC) to upgrade some of the most heavily-used sections.
Armitt announces post-Olympic move

23-Aug-2011
Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) chairman John Armitt will become chairman of vocational education trainers City & Guilds.
Aecom wins Rio 2016 masterplan role

23-Aug-2011
Aecom has won the international competition to design the Rio Olympics masterplan for the 2016 Olympic Games, together with bid partners including Wilkinson Eyre Architects.
Contractors warned not to tender below cost

23-Aug-2011
The Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland (SCSI) has warned construction contractors not to tender below cost for projects because the construction industry itself will suffer in the long term as a result.
MoD seeks contractor for £130M barracks

23-Aug-2011
The Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) has launched the procurement process for the £130M redevelopment of its Beacon Barracks in Stafford.
Olympic Stadium corruption claims rejected

23-Aug-2011
West Ham FC will remain the preferred bidder for legacy use of the Olympic Stadium, after an independent investigation quashed suspicions of foul play within the selection process.
Mott Macdonald completes Yorkshire storm water project

23-Aug-2011
Mott MacDonald Bentley has completed the installation of a large storm water storage chamber that will reduce the risk of sewer flooding in Harrogate, for £700,000.
Full extent of Bournemouth road damage unknown

22-Aug-2011
Bournemouth Borough Council has yet to establish the full scale of road surface damage caused by flash floods last week and is still receiving reports of damaged areas, NCE has learned.
Consultant Thornton Tomasetti investigating Indiana stage collapse

22-Aug-2011
The Indiana State Fair Commission last week appointed consultant Thornton Tomasetti to investigate the Indiana State Fair stage collapse that killed six people and injured dozens more.
Turner & Townsend to manage Edinburgh Tram

22-Aug-2011
Turner & Townsend has been brought in to take over management of the beleaguered Edinburgh Tram line from Transport Initiatives Edinburgh (Tie).
DfT consults on road works disruption charges

22-Aug-2011
The Department for Transport (DfT) has today published a consultation on “lane rental” schemes to cut the number of rush hour road works by utility companies.
Shell says oil leak has stopped

22-Aug-2011
Shell has said the flow of oil from a leaking pipeline has stopped after divers closed a relief valve on Friday. The pipeline on its Gannet Alpha platform off the coast of Aberdeen had been leaking for over a week.
Spanish government allocates HSR funding

22-Aug-2011
The Spanish government has allocated €221M (£193M) for its Madrid to Galicia high speed rail line, despite the current debt crisis plaguing the Euro zone.
Costain acquires industrial maintenance Promanex firm for £16.4M

22-Aug-2011
Contractor Costain has bought industrial facilities firm Promanex for £16.4M, it was announced today.
Liverpool stadium indecision hinders regeneration

22-Aug-2011
Housing minister Grant Shapps has told Liverpool Football Club that its indecision over whether to expand its current stadium or build a new one is holding up local regeneration.
Morgan Sindall appointed to £3bn West Midlands framework

22-Aug-2011
Morgan Sindall Group’s construction and infrastructure division Morgan Sindall has been appointed by Birmingham City Council to the Constructing West Midlands framework.
Consortium chosen for landmark road project

22-Aug-2011
The New Zealand Transport Agency has chosen the Well-Connected consortium as preferred tenderer for the construction of New Zealand’s biggest and most complex road project, the Waterview Connection.
Transport workers union leader to step down

19-Aug-2011
Transport Salaried Staffs’ Association leader Gerry Doherty announced today that he is stepping down as the general secretary of Britain’s second largest rail union.
MPs slam PFIs as 'extremely inefficient'

19-Aug-2011
MPs today released a report condemning PFI arrangements for projects such as hospitals and schools as poor value for money.
Obituary: Neil Taylor, 1931-2011

19-Aug-2011
A memorial service was held for former Gifford partner Neil Taylor on Monday 15 August at Macclesfield Crematorium.
Bournemouth faces flood clean-up

19-Aug-2011
Clean-up and repair work is ongoing in Bournemouth today after surface water flooding overloaded highway drains, caused damage to road surfaces and washed sand and silt from cliff tops.
Parsons Brinckerhoff wins California light rail design contract

19-Aug-2011
The design contract for a light rail line connecting downtown Los Angeles and Culver City has been awarded to Parsons Brinckerhoff on behalf of a joint venture between a Skanska/Rados design-build team.
Construction is UK's second most pessimistic sector

19-Aug-2011
Construction is the second most pessimistic sector in the UK when it comes to growth prospects, with 52% of directors more concerned about just surviving, according to research from Santander.
Croydon trams leading riot regeneration

19-Aug-2011
Mayor of London Boris Johnson has said that improvements to Tramlink services will play a part in the recovery of riot-hit Croydon.
Shell admits pipe inspection failings

18-Aug-2011
Shell has admitted that its strategy for inspecting and maintaining oil pipelines has failed and must be improved, as it continues to battle an oil leak in the North Sea.
Shell's lack of transparency criticised

18-Aug-2011
Scottish environment secretary Richard Lochhead has added his voice to widespread criticism of Shell’s communication over the North Sea oil spill.
Engineering employers struggle with school leavers

18-Aug-2011
Nearly one in four engineering employers do not believe that school leavers have the skills needed in the workplace, the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) has found.
Interserve wins Runcorn incinerator work

18-Aug-2011
Support services and construction group Interserve has won a £10M contract to install major equipment items at one of the largest energy-from-waste plants under construction in Europe.
Construction data errors prompt inquiry

18-Aug-2011
The UK Statistics Authority (UKSA) has announced it will undertake an inquiry into construction statistics, after the Office for National Statistics (ONS) published incorrect data on construction output last week.
Durham plans new Ove Arup bust

18-Aug-2011
Durham University has made a planning application to replace a bust of Anglo-Danish engineer Ove Arup that has been missing for five years.
Government names 11 new Enterprise Zones

17-Aug-2011
The location of 11 new Enterprise Zones with simplified planning rules were announced today by the government, along with plans to make it easier for new companies to invest in plant and machinery.
Balfour Beatty profit down 9% on last year

17-Aug-2011
Balfour Beatty’s group revenue fell 2% and pre-tax profit fell 9% in the first half of 2011, compared with the first half of 2010, the group reported today.
Cheesegrater steel work awarded to Severfield-Rowen

17-Aug-2011
Laing O’Rourke has awarded the structural steelwork contract for The Leadenhall Building, more commonly known as the Cheesegrater, to contracting group Severfield-Rowen.
Tottenham and Croydon get post-riot infrastructure fund

17-Aug-2011
Transport infrastructure in Tottenham and Croydon will get a slice of a new £20M regeneration fund following last week’s riots, Mayor of London Boris Johnson announced today.
Keller wins two Crossrail tunnel contracts

17-Aug-2011
Ground engineering specialist Keller has been awarded two contracts for Crossrail’s main tunnels.
Thames Water fears 350% more sewer work

17-Aug-2011
Thames Water has said that it fears it will have to deal with almost five times as many pipe blockages after it takes responsibility for privately-owned sewers and lateral drains on 1 October.
Mace selected for Olympic legacy PM contract

16-Aug-2011
Mace has been awarded the project management contract for transformation work of the Olympic Park by the Olympic Park Legacy Company.
Jacobs to extend life of Nottingham coal power station

16-Aug-2011
Jacobs has won a framework contract from Eon to provide engineering services and construction management support as part of its ongoing plant life extension program at the 2,000MW coal fired Ratcliffe-on-Soar Power Station near Nottingham.
Cumbria replacement bridge span lifted

16-Aug-2011
The bowstring arch span for the new cycle and pedestrian bridge in Workington, Cumbria has been lifted into place over the River Derwent, replacing the previous flood-damaged structure.
Arup and Mott MacDonald win Hong Kong road and tunnel

16-Aug-2011
A joint venture of Arup and Mott MacDonald have been awarded design consultancy and construction supervision contract for the Central Kowloon Route (CKR) highway and tunnel in Hong Kong
Cardiff incinerator to go ahead

16-Aug-2011
Waste management company Viridor has confirmed that its planned £150M energy-from-waste project in Cardiff will go ahead.
North Sea oil spill response continuing

16-Aug-2011
Work to stem the flow of a “significant” oil leak from a Shell platform in the North Sea is underway.
River Thames locks get £2.9M refurbishment

16-Aug-2011
The Environment Agency will spend £2.9M over the next few months on refurbishing and repairing 12 locks on the River Thames.
Agricultural infrastructure poses winter threat

16-Aug-2011
Slurry, dirty water and effluent collection systems that are in a poor state of repair could pose environmental hazards this winter, the Environment Agency has said.
OFT warns of poor competition in aggregates

16-Aug-2011
The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has proposed to refer the aggregates, cement and ready-mix concrete sectors to the Competition Commission due to a number of features which could prevent, restrict or distort competition.
TfL to trap pollution on road surfaces

16-Aug-2011
Transport for London (TfL) has today announced plans to use its Clean Air Fund to increase the use of dust suppressant on roads and construction sites, and install vertical planters to trap pollution in the capital.
Halcrow releases archive project films

16-Aug-2011
Halcrow has released archive films chronicling its work on major projects including the Victoria Line, the Channel Tunnel, and three major ports in the Gulf states in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s.
Swiss construction costs highest in world, says report

16-Aug-2011
Construction costs in Switzerland are more than 25% higher than anywhere else in the world and 71% higher than the UK, according to built asset consultant EC Harris’s annual International Construction Cost Comparison Report published today.
BMT tackles Thames Tunnel drive and barges

16-Aug-2011
Design, engineering and risk management consultant BMT Isis will help Thames Water to develop the overall tunnel drive strategy and river transport arrangements for the Thames Tunnel mega-sewer.
Thames Tunnel senior team recruited

15-Aug-2011
Thames Water is recruiting four staff members for the senior team working on its £4bn Thames Tunnel super-sewer project.
3R Awards shortlist announced

15-Aug-2011
The shortlist for the 3R Awards — Refurb, Rethink, Retrofit — has been announced.
£3.5M Yorkshire pipe upgrades start today

15-Aug-2011
Contractor Morrisons Utilities will today begin work on a £3.5M project to replace or strengthen more than 25km of Yorkshire Water’s pipes.
Help sought in riot rebuilding

15-Aug-2011
A new initiative has been launched to help those devastated by the recent riots rebuild their homes, businesses and communities.
Croydon tram line re-opens after repairs

15-Aug-2011
The Croydon tram line has fully reopened after engineers replaced 60m of cabling and repaired “minor damage” to 10m of tracks.
Farrell unveils HS2 Old Oak Common plan

15-Aug-2011
A London council is hoping to use derelict and under-used industrial land in north-west London to transform the area into a major new development around a High Speed 2 (HS2) rail hub.
MoD contract procurement behind schedule

15-Aug-2011
Contracts for the Ministry of Defence’s £5bn construction programme for the defence estate will be awarded late, the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) has said.
Crossrail seeks bids for £70M shafts contract

15-Aug-2011
Crossrail has called for bids for the £70M C360 contract, for the construction of intermediate shafts at Eleanor Street and Mile End Park.
Power station ash helps road project

15-Aug-2011
A Staffordshire road scheme which recycled old aggregate and a power station’s pulverised ash was completed this weekend, three weeks ahead of schedule.
Delancey and Qatari Diar awarded Olympic legacy role

15-Aug-2011
The Olympic Delivery authority has signed contracts with developers Delancey and Qatari Diar for the purchase and long-term management of the Olympic Village. The joint venture will work alongside Triathlon Homes who will manage the affordable housing in the Village.
Infrastructure bosses top civil service earners

12-Aug-2011
Infrastructure and special projects chiefs working for the civil service have emerged as some of the top earning government officials.
Care steps up African aid effort

11-Aug-2011
Charity Care International has stepped up its efforts to provide clean water in East Africa due to severe droughts with a campaign to raise $48M (£29.6M).
Speedy invests £3.6M in generators

11-Aug-2011
Plant supplier Speedy has invested £3.6M in a new fleet of generators that will help it meet EU emissions standards.
Balfour Beatty remains top of UK contract wins

11-Aug-2011
Balfour Beatty has topped a list of 50 contractors that won contracts worth over £500,000 in the UK in the year to July 2011.
Iceberg towing project faces obstacles

11-Aug-2011
The future of French engineer Georges Mougin’s project to tow icebergs over the sea to water-stressed countries is uncertain due to financial and practical obstacles, NCE has learned.
Scottish flooding disrupts railways

11-Aug-2011
Rail services in Scotland have been disrupted after flooding due to heavy rainfall interfered with signalling operations.
Mayor pledges £50M to regenerate riot areas

11-Aug-2011
London mayor Boris Johnson has today announced a £50M regeneration fund to help make major long term improvements to London town centres and high streets damaged by this week’s riots.
Christchurch to be low-rise sustainable city

11-Aug-2011
Christchurch City Council unveiled its plans to rebuild as a low-rise sustainable city following February’s devastating earthquake.
Brisbane chooses new 'flood-resistant' ferry terminals design

11-Aug-2011
Brisbane is set to get new ferry terminals to replace the seven damaged in January’s floods following today’s announcement today that the city had chosen a winning architectural design for the structures.
Helmand reconstruction moving quickly

11-Aug-2011
Reconstruction work in Helmand province, Afghanistan, is moving “quickly” with a focus on roads, irrigation and energy infrastructure, the Ministry of Defence has said.
Props to remain under M1 until Christmas

11-Aug-2011
Propping equipment installed underneath the M1 in north London due to April’s fire is likely to remain in place until Christmas while engineers complete investigations into the damage.
Brisbane Riverwalk to be reconstructed

11-Aug-2011
Brisbane City Council is seeking public feedback on five proposed design concepts for the reconstruction of the Riverwalk which was damaged in January’s floods.
Aecom wins contract for 3.2km US sewer

11-Aug-2011
Aecom has won a $10M (£6.2M) design and construction management contract for the £40.9M Dugway West Interceptor Relief Sewer in the Cleveland area, Ohio.
Engineers inspect Croydon tram damage

11-Aug-2011
Engineers yesterday began a detailed inspection of fire damage to a Croydon tram line, following the demolition of the furniture store that was burned out in riots on Monday.
Iceberg could be moved with one tugboat

11-Aug-2011
Modelling by french software firm Dassault Systèmes is said to have shown that it would be possible to tow a 7M.t iceberg from the polar ice-caps to a country suffering water scarcity, using just one tug boat.
Statue of Liberty to close for year-long renovation

11-Aug-2011
New York’s Statue of Liberty will close for a year from the end of October while renovations are made to the 125 year-old pedestal and the 200 year-old fort base on which it sits.
Birmingham University plans £175M upgrades

11-Aug-2011
The University of Birmingham has announced a five year £175M investment in work to “transform” its famous Edgbaston campus.
Capita Symonds and Ineco team up for HS2 bid

11-Aug-2011
UK consultant Capita Symonds and Spanish consultant Ineco have formed a joint venture to bid for contracts on the government’s proposed High Speed 2 (HS2) project.
London’s Albert Bridge unlikely to open in 2011

11 August 2011
Renovation work on the Albert Bridge, spanning the Thames between Chelsea and Battersea in London, is set to continue until the end of the year, over one year after it was originally proposed to reopen.
Gallic curves: the Térénez Bridge, France

11 August 2011
The new Térénez bridge across the River Aulne in Brittany, north west France, links the French department Finistère with the Crozon peninsula.
Letters: Crossrail and High Speed 2 remain clouded in confusion

11 August 2011
Crossrail and High Speed 2 remain clouded in confusion
Estimated cost of riots goes beyond £100M

10-Aug-2011
The Association of British Insurers (ABI) has today estimated that the cost of insured losses and damage suffered by individual and business victims of this week’s riots to be well over £100M.
Government approves Drax biomass power stations

10-Aug-2011
Energy minister Charles Hendry today gave the go-ahead for two new Drax biomass stations in Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire.
Recruiters struggle to find skilled senior engineers

10-Aug-2011
New research from the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) shows that 48% of organisations are struggling to find suitably skilled engineers to fill senior vacancies.
Tram may outstrip roads in riot damage bill

10-Aug-2011
Fire damage to roads caused during this week’s riots should be relatively inexpensive, but fire damage to tram lines could cost thousands of pounds to repair, NCE has learned.
Sprinklers could have limited Croydon riot blaze

10-Aug-2011
Better building design could have limited the effects of the huge blaze at a furniture store in Croydon on Monday night, a fire expert said this morning.
Hackney and Enfield infrastructure unharmed by riots

10-Aug-2011
The London boroughs of Hackney and Enfield have reported transport and infrastructure has been mostly unaffected by recent riots.
Tidal Energy awarded £390,000 Carbon Trust grant

10-Aug-2011
Renewables developer Tidal Energy has been awarded £390,000 by the Carbon Trust to help fund environmental monitoring at its consented Ramsey Sound demonstration site off the Pembrokeshire coast.
Extra spaces for Northern Rail commuter routes

10-Aug-2011
Rail minister Theresa Villiers announced today there will up to 8,800 extra spaces on commuter services in Birmingham, Bristol, Leeds, Manchester, Liverpool, Sheffield and Newcastle.
Arcadis wins place on Environment Agency framework

10-Aug-2011
Environmental consultant Arcadis has secured a place on the multi-million pound National Cost Management Framework for the Environment Agency.
Qatar receives bids for Lusail Expressway

10-Aug-2011
Qatar’s Public Works Authority (Ashghal) has received bids from at least seven international contractors for the first package on the estimated £431M Lusail Expressway project
Interserve profits up 10%

10-Aug-2011
Contractor and support services firm Interserve has unveiled a 10% jump in its profits to £33M despite a small drop in revenue from £945M to £928M in its half year results released today.
GLA committee calls for HS2 rethink

9-Aug-2011
The Greater London Authority’s Transport Committee this week called on the government to rethink its High Speed 2 (HS2) plans and proposed its own changes to the route and its connections in London.
New M62 bridge completed

9-Aug-2011
The new Whitechapel Bridge across the M62 in West Yorkshire has been completed
Laing O'Rourke revenue down 6%

9-Aug-2011
Contractor Laing O’Rourke posted a 6% drop in revenue to £4bn however its profit margin increased to 10.2% in its full year results released today.
King's Cross new roof revealed

9-Aug-2011
Network Rail, John McAslan + Partners, Arup and Vinci have today unveiled the new Western Concourse roof at King’s Cross Station, London.
Croydon tram lines damaged in riots

9-Aug-2011
Croydon tram services are facing more than a week of potential disruption after tram infrastructure sustained fire damage in last night’s riots.
Half of UK engineers seek career change

9-Aug-2011
About half of all U.K. engineers (47%) said they expect to switch careers within the next five years, a survey has found.
Crash charity gets civil engineering patrons

9-Aug-2011
Civil engineering companies Network Rail, Burdens and Sto Ltd have become patron partners of homelessness construction charity Crash.
Surface flooding closes North East roads

8-Aug-2011
Northumberland and County Durham suffered road closures this weekend due to surface water flooding after heavy rainfall on Saturday.
New York increases tolls to meet budget deficits

8-Aug-2011
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey has proposed major increases in tunnel tolls and bus fares to fund infrastructure programmes due to budget shortfalls because of the recession.
Cambridgeshire busway finally opens

8-Aug-2011
Cambridgeshire County Council’s busway opened to the public on Sunday, following a two year delay and a protracted battle with contractor Bam Nuttall.
Morgan Sindall revenue up but profit down

8-Aug-2011
Contractor Morgan Sindall reported an increase in revenue from £982M to £1.09bn but profit dropped from £23.1M to £19.5M in the first half of 2011.
Queensland flood inquiry recommends dam changes

5-Aug-2011
An inquiry into Queensland’s floods in January has called for the government to ensure water levels at a major dam are reduced if weather forecasts indicate another heavy wet season.
Edinburgh derailment linked to 'worn' switch rail

5-Aug-2011
The Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) will examine the maintenance history of a “heavily worn” switch rail of points which is believed to have caused a derailment near Edinburgh Waverley last month.
RAIB to investigate Tube train door opening incident

5-Aug-2011
The Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) is investigating an incident last month on the Victoria Line that saw a new train departing Warren Street station with its platform-side doors open.
ICE and CIC call for health and safety to be simplified

5-Aug-2011
The Construction Industry Council (CIC) and the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) have today called for for simplification of health and safety regulation in their joint consultation response to Professor Löfstedt’s review of health and safety legislation.
Work starts to convert old A3 into cycle path

5-Aug-2011
Contractor Balfour Beatty has this week begun work converting the original A3 near Hindhead in Surrey into a cycle path following the opening of the Hindhead tunnel.
German road win for Vinci

5-Aug-2011
A consortium comprising Vinci Concessions, Bam PPP and construction company Reinhold Meister, has been awarded the A-Modell contract for a section of the A9 motorway linking Berlin and Munich by the German government.
Mott MacDonald appointed to £45M South Bristol Link

5-Aug-2011
Bristol City and North Somerset Councils have appointed Mott MacDonald as design engineer for the £45M South Bristol Link transport project aimed at regenerating South Bristol and helping to reduce congestion in South Bristol and the adjacent areas of North Somerset.
Wellcome Trust and PLP out of Olympic Park race

4-Aug-2011
Charity the Wellcome Trust and architect PLP Architecture’s £1bn bid to buy the freehold of the entire Olympic Park in east London has been rejected by the government.
Birse Civils awarded £2M Nottingham highways contract

4-Aug-2011
The Highways Agency has awarded contractor Birse Civils the £2M A52 Bramcote to Queen’s Medical Centre Capacity Improvements contract.
Dow to fund Olympic stadium wrap

4-Aug-2011
Chemical company Dow has announced that it will fund the 2012 Olympic Stadium “wrap” that was previously axed to save £7M in November’s Comprehensive Spending Review.
Qatar invites expressions of interest in Doha metro

4-Aug-2011
Qatar Rail Company is inviting consortiums to submit expressions of interest by 11 September for the design and construction of the infrastructure and civil works of Doha metro.
Balfour Beatty reaches financial close on £230M street lighting PPP contract

4-Aug-2011
Balfour Beatty yesterday reached financial close on a £230M street lighting PPP contract for Northamptonshire County Council.
International Tunnelling Awards deadline approaches

4-Aug-2011
Entries for the International Tunnelling Awards are now streaming in from all over the globe. Have you entered yet? The entry deadline (19 August) is only two weeks away.
Saudia Arabia selects teams for world's tallest tower

4-Aug-2011
Saudi Arabia looks set to soon have the world’s tallest building at more than 1km high after construction contracts were finalised yesterday.
Water companies fight mussel infestation

4-Aug-2011
Anglian Water and Thames Water are trialling fat-coated “BioBullet” pellets in the fight against zebra mussels that infest water pipes and treatment works, costing the water companies £1.5M a year.
Green light for new Essex power station

4-Aug-2011
Energy minister Charles Hendry will today give the go-ahead for US power firm InterGen’s proposals to construct a new 900MW gas power plant at the London Gateway Logistics Park in Coryton, Essex.
Sellafield to close Mox plant

3-Aug-2011
The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) has decided shut Sellafield’s Mox Plant in the aftermath of the Fukushima disaster, putting the plant’s 600 jobs at risk.
Laing O'Rourke lands cheesegrater job

3-Aug-2011
Joint venture developers British Land and Oxford Properties have appointed contractor Laing O’Rourke to build The Leadenhall Building, in the City of London, known as the cheesegrater.
UK market still challenging, says Atkins

3-Aug-2011
Consultant Atkins says the UK market challenging but doesn’t expect any further redundancies announced in its interim management statement today.
First step of Manchester-Liverpool rail electrification complete

2-Aug-2011
Network Rail has completed the first stage of work to electrify the railway between Manchester Victoria and Liverpool Lime Street, following a £3M investment to rebuild three bridges.
Homes and Communities Agency takes over coalfield assets

2-Aug-2011
Abolished Regional Development Agencies’ (RDA) interests in coalfield assets have been completely transferred to the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) as of yesterday.
New Zealand Rugby World Cup stadium complete

2-Aug-2011
Construction at New Zealand’s Forsyth Barr stadium in Dunedin has been completed on time and on budget, with a “unique” translucent plastic roof, ahead of the Rugby World Cup.
ACE reiterates support for HS2

2-Aug-2011
The Association for Consultancy and Engineering (ACE) has reaffirmed its support for High Speed 2, after the public consultation on the project ended on Friday.
Brynglas tunnel opens after fire

1-Aug-2011
The Brynglas tunnel on the M4, South Wales, reopened on Friday following a major fire that led to its closure for three days last week.
Morgan Sindall begins work on £9.1M sports facility contract

1-Aug-2011
Contractor Morgan Sindall has begun work on a £9.1M contract to redevelop Edgbaston Priory Club in Birmingham.
Halcrow and Foster+Partners reveal plans for Thames Hub

1-Aug-2011
Consultant Halcrow and architect Foster+Partners have been collaborating on a self-funded £100,000 study to produce a vision for a Thames Hub involving rail freight connections, a 150M passenger airport, a tidal energy barrage and a new flood protection barrier.
Defence Infrastructure Organisation launches new UK training estate contract

1-Aug-2011
Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) has announced that it will develop a national prime contract worth up to £950M to manage its 240,000ha UK training estate.
Porr Group wins major Stuttgart tunnelling contract

1-Aug-2011
German railway-firm Deutsch Bahn has awarded tunnel construction contracts for the Stuttgart 21 project to a consortium led by Austrian contractor Porr worth US$1bn (£608M).
Renewable energy demonstrates marginal increase

1-Aug-2011
Renewable energy production and use has marginally increased year on year, according to Department of Energy and Climate Change statistics released today.
ACE and CECA launch Infrastructure Conditions of Contract

1-Aug-2011
The Association for Consultancy and Engineering (ACE) and Civil Engineering Contractors Association (CECA) are launching of Infrastructure Conditions of Contract, a standard suite of forms of contract based on the ICE Conditions of Contract.
Keller cuts jobs in UK but worldwide revenues up

1-Aug-2011
Piling firm Keller unveiled its 2011 half-year results today with revenue rising up to £545.5M from £496.9M but the UK division making a loss of £2M and cutting more jobs.
New £132M Northampton PFI street lighting funding announced

29-Jul-2011
More than £132M of Government funding will be made available to improve street lighting in Northamptonshire, transport minister Norman Baker announced today.
TBM arrives in Beckton for Lee Tunnel

29-Jul-2011
A 120m long TBM named Busy Lizzie last night completed its journey from Germany to Beckton sewage works in east London to start work on the 6.4km Lee Tunnel sewer.
Network Rail reveals capacity improvement plans for London and the South East

29-Jul-2011
Network Rail yesterday unveiled its long-term strategy for London and the South East which includes new interventions that aim to avoid major capital expenditure by increasing capacity within the existing network.
EdF's Hinkley Point C plans move forward

29-Jul-2011
Energy giant EdF Energy has announced has been given the go ahead for preparatory work by West Somerset District Council for its proposed nuclear power plant Hinkley Point C.
HS2 consultation closes today

29-Jul-2011
Today is the final day for those wishing to express their views about the government’s plans for High Speed 2 to make a submission to the consultation.
London relies on "pure luck" for flood protection

28-Jul-2011
London’s vulnerability to surface water flooding must be reduced, because it is currently only protected against a serious flooding event by “pure luck”, a new report from the London Assembly has said.
The Apprentice winner tackles water quality

28-Jul-2011
The winner of the BBC’s The Apprentice, mechanical engineer Tom Pellereau, has been working with water treatment company B&V on a “revolutionary” product which will be unveiled this autumn.
US faces £517bn infrastructure funding gap

28-Jul-2011
While the US is struggling to fix its sovereign debt crisis, the economy will falter further without major investment in infrastructure by 2020, a new report has found.
Offshore wind grows by 4.5% in 2011

28-Jul-2011
The European Wind Energy Association (EWEA) today published offshore wind energy statistics for the first half year of 2011, showing a 4.5% increase in installations of offshore capacity compared to the first half of 2010.
Talking Point

28 July 2011
The geotechnical sector will be hard hit by education cuts which will bite into postgraduate specialist training as much as undergraduate provision, declares Dr Malcolm Whitworth
Letters: Transport for London will restrict Overground to local services

28 July 2011
Transport for London will restrict Overground to local services
Poole’s Twin Sails take shape

28 July 2011
Giant sections of the Twin Sails Bridge have been moved into place as Poole’s second harbour crossing starts to take shape.
Seamless façade for Amsterdam museum

28 July 2011
The first composite panels for the massive 3,000m² façade covering the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam are now in place.
Turner and Townsend profits down for 2011, staff numbers up

27-Jul-2011
Turner and Townsend today revealed that its year-on-year profits have fallen from £11.6M last year to £10.2M for 2011.
IUK appoints CEO

27-Jul-2011
Infrastructure UK has quelled suspicions about its future by quickly appointing a new chief executive.
Vinci revenues rise by 17% for first half of 2011

27-Jul-2011
Construction giant Vinci has revealed revenue is up 17% to €17.3bn (£15bn) the first six months of 2011 in latest update.
Hindhead Tunnel officially opens

27-Jul-2011
The £371M A3 Hindhead Tunnel was opened by transport secretary Philip Hammond today - which will reduce journey times between London and Portsmouth.
Aecom-led consortium wins contract for Sydney's North West Rail Link

27-Jul-2011
An Aecom-led consortium was awarded a contract by the New South Wales Government to plan and design the North West Rail Link in Sydney, Australia.
Engineers assessing Brynglas Tunnel

27-Jul-2011
Structural engineers are assessing the Brynglas Tunnel on the M4 South Wales following a major fire in the Westbound bore yesterday.
Aquatics Centre opens as London 2012 starts its one year countdown

27-Jul-2011
With exactly a year to go until the start of the London 2012 Games, the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) has announced that the Aquatics Centre is now complete, the last of the six main Olympic Park venues to finish construction.
Procurement process underway for remaining Crossrail tunnel portal

27-Jul-2011
Crossrail today announced it is seeking expressions of interest for the Victoria Dock tunnel worth about £50M.
Replacement DLR station approved at Pudding Mill Lane

26-Jul-2011
Newham’s Strategic Development Committee has approved plans for a replacement Docklands Light Railway (DLR) station at Pudding Mill Lane.
M4 shut after fire in the Brynglas Tunnel

26-Jul-2011
Firefighters are tackling a blaze on the Westbound bore of the Brynglas tunnel on the M4, south Wales, following a fire on a lorry this morning.
M5 shut after lorry strikes bridge causing major fire

26-Jul-2011
Structural engineers are checking an overbridge on the M5 after a lorry struck it at about 2am this morning causing a major fire.
Budget deadlock in the USA halts construction

26-Jul-2011
Contractor Skanska and consultant Jacobs are among the firms ordered to stop work on US Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) work as legislators fail a reach an agreement over the budget.
Hammond accused of HS2 manipulation

25-Jul-2011
Transport secretary Philip Hammond has been accused of manipulating the High Speed Two (HS2) public consultation after he contacted rail employees, asking them to support the project and respond to the consultation.
Underground sewage works project begins today

25-Jul-2011
Yorkshire Water will today begin construction on a £1.8M project at Ingbirchworth, near Barnsley, to create an underground sewage treatment works.
3.2km of pipes to be replaced without trenches

25-Jul-2011
Thames Water will tomorrow begin using “no-dig” technology to replace old, leaking water pipes in Catford, south London, avoiding the need to excavate large trenches.
Transport funding gap grows even wider

25-Jul-2011
New figures show transport spend in London is now close to triple the spend in the North of England and West Midlands.
WSP hurt by UK road spending cuts

25-Jul-2011
WSP Group reported today that it has suffered due to weakness in the UK public sector. Its pre-tax profit has dropped by 48% on 2010, and staff numbers have shrunk by 4%.
Hinkley Point council appoints technical advisors

23-Jul-2011
Sedgemoor District Council has signed up a host of consultants to provide technical advice during the planning process for EdF’s new nuclear power station at Hinkley Point.
NEC3 audit service launched

22-Jul-2011
NEC has extended its support network with the launch of the NEC3 HealthCheck service to audit and advise on how companies are using the contract.
Network Rail can't attract senior executives: Higgins

22-Jul-2011
Network Rail is struggling to fill top executive positions as the company is not seen as an “attractive organisation,” chief executive David Higgins said yesterday.
ICE warns against diversion of CIL funds

22-Jul-2011
The ICE today warned that infrastructure investment could suffer if a widening of Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) use goes ahead through the Localism Bill.
New York slashes £2.45bn from its transport programme

22-Jul-2011
New York State has announced it will cut $4bn (£2.45bn) from its five-year capital programme this week originally worth £16bn.
Coastal communities to receive multi-million pound boost

22-Jul-2011
Coastal communities across the UK will receive a multi-million pound boost each year from a new Coastal Communities Fund (CCF), the chancellor and chief secretary to the Treasury announced today.
Lee Tunnel TBM named by schoolboy

21-Jul-2011
A Newham schoolboy has won a competition for local children to name the £635M Lee Tunnel TBM with his suggestion of “Busy Lizzie”, after alternative names including “Rotacular Poo Polisher” were rejected.
Repeated sewer flooding in Reading to end

21-Jul-2011
Thames Water will this week begin a major project to protect vulnerable homes that have been flooded by sewage 13 times in six years.
Anglian Water creates 40 wastewater jobs

21-Jul-2011
Anglian Water is on the hunt for up to 40 new technicians to handle anticipated growth in its wastewater network.
Ireland prepares for £3.2M Galway wastewater upgrade

21-Jul-2011
Ireland’s minister for the environment Phil Hogan has given Galway City Council approval to prepare contract documents for the upgrade, operation and maintenance of a major wastewater treatment plant.
First panels in place on Amsterdam museum

21-Jul-2011
The first panels are now in place on the new façade of the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam, the largest composite building in the world.
WinDes gets legislation-savvy

21-Jul-2011
Flood software specialist Micro Drainage has released a new upgrade to its WinDes software, to comply with new flooding and surface water legislative requirements.
Welsh researchers pursue advanced PV technology

21-Jul-2011
Nano scale lenses, reclaimed silicon wafers and low cost inks are at the heart of a Welsh project to produce photovoltaic (PV) panels that are dramatically more efficient than standard PV cells.
Late payment still a major issue, says ACE

21-Jul-2011
The Association for Consultancy and Engineering (ACE) has welcomed government plans to tackle late payments, and warned that the problem could have serious consequences for small construction companies.
Parliament approves energy planning reforms

20-Jul-2011
Developers of major energy projects in England and Wales will now have greater certainty on how planning applications will be considered after the Energy National Policy Statements (NPS) were designated following approval in the House of Commons.
Bauer wins two Crossrail contracts

20-Jul-2011
Foundation specialists Bauer has been awarded two Crossrail contracts for Liverpool Street Advanced Station Works and Whitechapel Station Advanced Works.
Cabinet Office to name and shame poor payers

20-Jul-2011
Cabinet Office minister Francis Maude has unveiled plans to support SMEs by naming and shaming major contractors and clients who withold payments.
Mott MacDonald wins Indian high speed rail contract

20-Jul-2011
Consultant Mott MacDonald has been appointed by Indian Railways Construction Company (IRCON) International to conduct pre-feasibility studies for a proposed high speed rail service between Delhi, Agra, Lucknow, Varanasi and Patna.
£6.4M funding for Welsh tidal power device

19-Jul-2011
Wales’ first full scale tidal stream energy generator has been given the go-ahead following a £6.4M EU funding boost, Welsh first minister Carwyn Jones announced today.
Government announces PFI cost cutting plan alongside new £2bn schools programme

19-Jul-2011
The Treasury has announced a plan to deliver at least £1.5bn of savings across the 495 operational Private Finance Initiative (PFI) projects in England.
Water sector pushed to the limit by climate change

19-Jul-2011
The UK is coping now, but it is near its limits in some key sectors and could be pushed over the edge by climate change, the Adaptation Sub-Committee (ASC) has said.
Environment Agency urges drought action

19-Jul-2011
Action should be taken now to protect water supplies for business, agriculture, the environment and people, tominimise the risk of water restrictions in the future, the Environment Agency has said.
Scotland will have UK's first recycled plastic bridge

19-Jul-2011
The first Recycled Structural Composite (RSC) plastic bridge in the UK is to be built in Scotland, using sections prefabricated in the USA.
New gauge for materials' acoustic performance

19-Jul-2011
Tata Steel and the Steel Construction Institute (SCI) have jointly developed an online tool to provide structural engineers with a gauge for working out the likely level of acoustic performance for various forms of construction.
MWH wins National Grid programme management contract

18-Jul-2011
MWH has been appointed to support the UK’s largest energy infrastructure programme for National Grid by establishing a Programme Management Improvement Team.
Buro Happold's Museum of Liverpool to open

18-Jul-2011
Buro Happold is due to celebrate its second high profile cultural project in as many months with the opening of the Museum of Liverpool project tomorrow.
Balfour Beatty Eastern Region wins £2.5M contracts

18-Jul-2011
Balfour Beatty Regional Civil Engineering’s Eastern Region, based in Wakefield, has been awarded £2.5M worth of contracts for prestigious customers including Network Rail and National Grid.
Former Brisbane transit CEO gets Olympics transport role

18-Jul-2011
Brisbane transit authority Translink chief executive officer Peter Strachan has accepted a position with the UK government as Department for Transport director-general - responsible for major road and rail projects including the Olympics transportation arrangements.
Blue cone system prevents overhead collisions

18-Jul-2011
Lafarge Contracting has found success with a simple but innovative safety system that uses blue cones to prevent accidents caused by overhead obstructions.
Offshore wind development fund welcomed

18-Jul-2011
Government proposals to invest £30M to further develop offshore wind renewable energy have been welcomed by cement and concrete industry development organisation The Concrete Centre.
Amey wins five signalling contracts worth £37M

15-Jul-2011
Network Rail has awarded Amey five rail signalling contracts worth a total of £37M.
Villiers pledges new measures to improve capacity at Heathrow

15-Jul-2011
Aviation minister Theresa Villiers yesterday announced a series of trial measures which she said would reduce delays, stacking and unscheduled night flights at Heathrow airport.
Nuclear reactor designs reach key milestone

14-Jul-2011
Nuclear reactor designs reached a key milestone today with the publication of generic design assessment (GDA) issues by the Office for Nuclear Regulation and Environment Agency.
Aquamarine Power's next-generation Oyster 800 unveiled by First Minister

14-Jul-2011
Wave energy developer Aquamarine Power invited Scotland’s first minister Alex Salmond to unveil the Oyster 800, the company’s next-generation hydro-electric wave energy converter.
Dounreay cleans up seabed

14-Jul-2011
A nine-week operation has recovered more than 350 particles of irradiated nuclear fuel from the seabed near Dounreay.
Investigation launched into Dutch stadium collapse

14-Jul-2011
Indepedent body the Dutch Safety Board has started an investigation into the stadium roof collapse at FC Twente’s ground, the Grolsch Veste.
London council completes Exhibition Road tactile paving tests

14-Jul-2011
The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea has announced that tests on its “corduroy paving” to be used on Exhibition Road’s shared space have been successful.
Interserve wins waste treatment plant contract

14-Jul-2011
Support services and contractor Interserve has been awarded a contract to construct a mechanical biological treatment (MBT) plant at Westbury for operators Hills Waste Solutions.
ORR is ineffective regulator says PAC

14 July 2011
Ineffective regulation of Network Rail is the main cause of inefficiency in the operation of Britain’s railways, the influential House of Commons Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has warned.
Letters: Time for the balance on campus to reflect the realities of real life

14 July 2011
Time for the balance on campus to reflect the realities of real life
Areva and Veolia treat water at Fukushima

13-Jul-2011
Nuclear firm Areva and water company Veolia Water has treated 18,000t of of highly-radioactive water at the stricken Fukushima nuclear power plant in Japan.
Industry backs energy market reforms

13-Jul-2011
Trade body RenewableUK has welcomed the government’s energy market reforms stating it properly addressed most of the industry’s concerns.
Decc unveils energy market reforms

13-Jul-2011
The government today announced a series of sweeping measures to reform the electricity market to encourage low carbon generation.
Bam Nuttall and Morgan Sindall win £136M M62 Managed Motorway contract

13-Jul-2011
The Highway Agency has awarded a joint venture of Bam Nuttall and Morgan Sindall a £136M contract to upgrade the M62 motorway between junctions 25 and 30 using Managed Motorways.
Raynesway secures £12M of work

12-Jul-2011
Raynesway Construction, the Paisley-based civil engineering business of Balfour Beatty Regional Civil Engineering, has secured over £12M worth of work in the first half of 2011.
Ineffective regulation of Network Rail the main cause of inefficiency, says Commons committee

11-Jul-2011
Ineffective regulation of Network Rail is the main cause of inefficiency in the operation of Britain’s railways, the influential House of Commons Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has warned.
Dounreay reduces radioactivity levels

11-Jul-2011
“Significant progress” has been made to destroy one of the most hazardous legacies of Britain’s nuclear research programme from the 20th century, according to the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA).
Atkins/Cowi win Danish railway contract

11-Jul-2011
Atkins, in partnership with Cowi, has been appointed by Rail Net Denmark as detailed designer on a £160M scheme to double-track Denmark’s Northwest Railway.
Marine energy could be cost competitive with nuclear and onshore wind by 2025

11-Jul-2011
Key marine energy sites could be cost competitive with nuclear and onshore wind by 2025 with accelerated and targeted innovation, according to a report by the Carbon Trust.
Network Rail names route director for Western route

8-Jul-2011
Network Rail has appointed Patrick Hallgate to lead its devolved business unit on the Western route.
'Compelling' case to move breeder to Sellafield - NDA

8-Jul-2011
The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) today published a report setting out credible options for managing the breeder material from the Dounreay Fast Reactor.
Aid agencies launch appeal for East African drought

8-Jul-2011
Leading UK humanitarian agencies are launching a joint appeal to help more than 10M people in East Africa parts of which are suffering their worst drought in over half a century.
Amey and URS Scott Wilson win four year Wales ITS contract

8-Jul-2011
Amey and URS Scott Wilson have won a four-year contract to manage, maintain and improve the Intelligent Transport Systems throughout Wales. This includes all the associated telecommunications and tunnel systems for the entire motorway and trunk road network in Wales.
Baroness Ford takes over as May Gurney chairman

8-Jul-2011
Baroness Ford has taken over as chairman of contractor May Gurney following the retirement of David Sterry.
Prime minister's Better Public Building Award to continue

8-Jul-2011
Prime minister David Cameron has confirmed his commitment to the Prime Minister’s Better Pubic Building Award which is assessed as part of the British Construction Industry Awards.
Ealing rejects HS2 route

8-Jul-2011
Ealing Council has lodged a holding objection to the initial route plans for High Speed 2 (HS2) because of the disruption that could be caused at borough level.
WSP wins Danish super hospital

8-Jul-2011
Consultant WSP has been appointed to provide multidisciplinary engineering services for the new Odense University Hospital in southern Denmark.
Statistics show hard times linger for UK construction industry

7-Jul-2011
Confirming that the hard times are still lingering, insolvency statistics released yesterday have shown that construction has been one of the hardest hit sectors in the UK since 2009.
Cumbrian nuclear project appoints planning expertise

7-Jul-2011
NuGen — a UK based consortium consisting of GDF Suez, Iberdrola and Scottish and Southern Energy — has this week announced two appointments to its new nuclear power station project in West Cumbria.
Dutch officials investigate fatal stadium roof collapse

7-Jul-2011
Part of a roof has collapsed yesterday on FC Twente’s stadium De Grolsch Veste in Enschede, northern Holland.
Invensys wins London Bridge resignalling work

7-Jul-2011
Network Rail Infrastructure has selected Invensys Rail to undertake the design and delivery of one of Britain’s biggest ever resignalling schemes at London Bridge station and on the approaching railway.
Defra review of Ofwat finds no need for major change

7-Jul-2011
Water regulation has worked well since privatisation an no major change is needed, the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said yesterday.
£155M funding for local eco-transport schemes

6-Jul-2011
Transport schemes across England, designed to boost economic growth and reduce carbon emissions, were given the go ahead today thanks to £155M of government investment.
NCE’s hot topics: Conference round-up from London Rail, Qatar Infrastructure Projects, and Nuclear New Build

6-Jul-2011
This week, NCE’s reporters bring you a round-up of news from the best of the week’s civils conferences, to keep you up to date with developments in the absence of a paper issue this week.
Ray O'Rourke receives honorary knighthood

6-Jul-2011
Laing O’Rourke chief executive Ray O’Rourke has been given an honorary knighthood in recognition of his services to the construction industry.
Third Moray flood scheme opens in Rothes

6-Jul-2011
Residents of Rothes in Moray, Scotland, have celebrated the opening of the town’s “technically challenging” £25M flood alleviation scheme.
Construction starts on London's new cable car

6-Jul-2011
Construction works for the London’s new cable cargot underway today.
Government scrutinises Bombardier job cuts

6-Jul-2011
The government has established a task force to examine the impact of 1,400 potential job losses at train manufacturer Bombardier, in the face of pressure from MPs to review the award of a crucial Thameslink contract to a foreign manufacturer.
Capita Symonds wins highways study contract extension

6-Jul-2011
Capita Symonds’ Innovations team has secured £668,000 extension to its £7M Highways Agency Traffic Information System (HATRIS) contract which will take the project through to the end of March 2012.
Dubai Pearl first phase complete

6-Jul-2011
Construction of the groundwork, foundations, basements and lower grounds floors of the four towers, which form the central section of the Dubai Pearl Phase 1, is now complete.
£21M Fife sports centre kicks off

6-Jul-2011
Graham Construction is set to begin work on the £21M replacement Fife Institute for Physical & Recreational Education (FIPRE) in Glenrothes.
£3M Newquay solar farm takes shape

6-Jul-2011
Solar power company EOS Energy is putting the finishing touches to a £3M array of photovoltaic (PV) cells in Newquay, Cornwall.
Londonderry Peace Bridge opens

5-Jul-2011
The new £14.7M Peace Bridge at Ebrington Waterfront, Londonderry has been completed by main contractors Graham Construction, global designers Aecom and leading architects Wilkinson Eyre.
M62 bridge replacement is completed

5-Jul-2011
Whitechapel Road bridge in West Yorkshire will be re-opened to vehicles and pedestrians tomorrow after nearly a year of replacement works.
Barr Construction begins aquatics centre work

5-Jul-2011
Barr Construction is starting work on the £13.7M Tollcross Aquatics Centre in Glasgow which will be used as a swimming event venue at the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games.
Capita Symonds appointed to £3bn development

5-Jul-2011
Capita Symonds has been appointed as programme delivery partner for the $5bn (£3.1bn) Tatu City development in Kenya.
Thameslink blamed for 1,400 Bombardier redundancies

5-Jul-2011
Arguments broke out today over whether the loss of a major Thameslink rolling stock contract was to blame for the loss of 1,429 jobs at manufacturer Bombardier’s Derby plant.
Bids in for 10 Enterprise Zones

5-Jul-2011
Some 29 bids will compete for 10 Enterprise Zone spot, communities secretary Eric Pickles announced yesterday, following the deadline for second wave applications.
Costain JV wins contract with Magnox

5-Jul-2011
Costain has announced that it has been awarded a framework contract by Magnox Limited as part of a joint venture with AMEC and Jacobs Engineering Group.
Costain/Hochtief JV wins £80M Reading station contract

5-Jul-2011
Contractor Costain in joint venture with Hochtief has been awarded an £80M contract to redevelop Reading station.
Wind power planning "logjam" builds up

5-Jul-2011
Local authorities are “dragging their feet” over the mounting number of planning applications for small scale wind turbines, according to renewable energy company Eco Environments.
Bids invited for new nuclear power plant in Finland

4-Jul-2011
Finnish power firm Fennovoima has invited bids from nuclear reactor vendors Areva and Toshiba for the construction of a new nuclear power plant.
Viridor to build Devon energy from waste plant

4-Jul-2011
Devon County Council has appointed recycling firm Viridor to build an energy from waste plant in Exeter due to open by 2014.
Panel to look at London super sewer

4-Jul-2011
A panel of experts is to review Thames Water’s plans for a £3.6bn super sewer tunnel.
London authorities raise £600M bond for Crossrail

4-Jul-2011
The Greater London Authority has finalised a £600M bond towards its share of Crossrail’s £14.8bn construction costs.
Parliament confirms private sewers transfer

1-Jul-2011
Parliament today formalised legal regulations for the transfer to water and sewerage companies of sections of drains and sewers currently owned and maintained by householders.
More cut price bidding on Forth Replacement Crossing after £20M knocked off junction upgrade job

1-Jul-2011
Transport Scotland has awarded John Sisk and Roadbridge a £25.6M contract to upgrade Junction 1A of the M9.
California's transport authority awards first ever design and build contract

1-Jul-2011
Caltrans has awarded its first ever design and build contract to Granite Construction, for the $37M (£23M) reconstruction of State Highway 99.
Brighton pier goes up for sale

1-Jul-2011
Brighton’s landmark Grade II listed pier is for sale for the first time in over 25 years.
Progress on long-term nuclear waste plan

1-Jul-2011
The Department of Energy and Climate Change (Decc) outlined an ambition to see the Geological Disposal Facility (GDF) accept its first waste by 2029, around 10 years ahead of the current indicative timeline, this week.
Controversial Edinburgh Tram project to go on

1-Jul-2011
Councillors last night voted in favour of continuing with Edinburgh’s Tram project and rejected calls for a referendum on its future. However, the council will need to find an additional £200M to pay for it.
Cambridgeshire busway moves step closer to opening

1-Jul-2011
Guided buses will begin running on The Busway from Monday to prepare for the opening of the 26km track on Sunday 7 August, Cambridgeshire County Council said yesterday.
Hammer time

30-Jun-2011
After taking a fresh look at skid-resistance maintenance in Area 10, A-one+ is making carbon and cost savings. As NCE reports, it’s all being done with a recycling technique that has been around for years.
Balfour Beatty buys US contractor Howard S Wright

30-Jun-2011
Balfour Beatty’s US arm has reached agreement to acquire Howard S Wright for an estimated $93M (£58M).
Hong Kong Gears Up For High Speed

30 June 2011
Work on Hong Kong’s high speed link to mainland China is gathering pace with construction activity focused at the terminus in Kowloon. Andrew Bolton reports.
Serpentine Pavilion design unveiled

30 June 2011
A “simple” engineered structure has been unveiled as this year’s eleventh Serpentine Gallery Pavilion.
Talking Point

30 June 2011
There are many challenges to be overcome if you are planning to do business in Russia, but the rewards can be high, says David Cashman
Catholic conversion: Basilica leans on containers

30 June 2011
Containers have been installed as a temporary buttress for the earthquake damaged Catholic Basilica in Christchurch, New Zealand to stop the building collapsing.
Letters: What does Lord Sugar know about engineers’ business skills?

30 June 2011
What does Lord Sugar know about engineers’ business skills?
Construction deaths rise from 41 to 50 in a year

29-Jun-2011
Construction deaths rose from 41 the previous year to 50 in 2010/2011, according to Health and Safety Executive (HSE) statistics released today.
US announces nearly £1bn investment in public transport schemes

29-Jun-2011
US transportation secretary Ray LaHood this week announced $1.58bn (£989M) for 27 transit projects nationwide that will improve public transportation access for millions of Americans while reducing our dependence on foreign oil and curbing air pollution.
Arcadis appoints new UK chief executive

29-Jun-2011
Consultant Arcadis yesterday announced the appointment of Mike Carroll as chief executive of its UK business. Carroll will be responsible for giving direction to the business, and for overseeing all the firm’s operations in the UK.
Waldeck double win at Loughborough College

29-Jun-2011
Consultant Waldeck has been appointed to work on a £3M project to create an Elite Athletes’ Performance Centre and a four-storey student accommodation block at Loughborough College.
Davis Langdon to model economic case for High Speed 2

29-Jun-2011
High Speed 2 (HS2) has appointed consultant Davis Langdon to produce the cost and risk model to support the economic case for the proposed high speed rail network connecting London to the North of England.
A hidden harvest

28-Jun-2011
Before a former landfill site could be used to grow crops for biomass fuel, a careful inspection was needed. To do this, the Waste Recycling group took advantage of the Mira ground penetrating radar system. NCE reports.
Coast to coast

28-Jun-2011
A new mapping system enables engineers to plot sea depth around the entire UK coastline. This helps with habitat mapping, risk management and decision making. NCE reports.
Historic London water infrastructure opened to public

28-Jun-2011
This summer Thames Water will open up a dozen of its key operational sites to the public, including Sir Joseph Bazalgette’s original pumping station at Abbey Mills in Stratford.
NEC3 contracts selected for new YORbuild procurement frameworks

28-Jun-2011
Two new procurement frameworks which employ NEC3 contracts have been launched in the Yorkshire region.
Bouygues issues denial over accident under-reporting at Flamanville

27-Jun-2011
Bouygues Construction has issued a statement challenging the findings of the report by the French Nuclear Safety Authority (ASN) on under-reporting of occupational accidents at the European Pressurised Reactor (EPR) site in Flamanville.
Major projects need new sustainability quango, IGT report says

23-Jun-2011
A new quango that would monitor sustainability in the construction of major infrastructure projects in the UK should be considered, business minister Mark Prisk’s Innovation and Growth Team (IGT) recommended yesterday.
Government confirms nuclear sites

23-Jun-2011
Energy secretary Chris Huhne will confirm the UK’s eight new nuclear power station sites as expected under the finalised Energy National Policy Statements (NPS) today.
Former Network Rail boss got £1M severance pay

23-Jun-2011
Network Rail has revealed that former chief executive Iain Coucher left with a £1M severance package as it unveiled a 10% rise in profit in its annual results.
High construction costs rule out Mersey tidal scheme

23-Jun-2011
A £3.5bn tidal power scheme in the Mersey Estuary is unlikely to ahead due to its high construction costs and current energy markets, according to its developer Peel Energy.
Industry urged to apply for £10M growth fund

23-Jun-2011
Training body CITB-ConstructionSkills is calling on the Construction and Built Environment industry to apply for a share of its £10M Growth Fund, designed to help businesses boost profits and prepare for the upturn.
Last call for World Architecture Festival entries

23-Jun-2011
There is just one week left to enter the World Architecture Festival awards, with judges keen to see entrants for the structural design category.
All the world’s a stage for construction’s star players

23 June 2011
Almost 50 British and international projects from over 120 entries have been shortlisted for the 2011 British Construction Industry Awards.
Letters: Low profile, high value water grid is as vital as high speed rail

23 June 2011
Low profile, high value water grid is as vital as high speed rail
Action plan for microgeneration published

22-Jun-2011
Action plan to help consumers, communities and businesses become renewable energy generators published today by the Department of Energy and Climate Change (Decc)
Solar panel costs to fall further

22-Jun-2011
Solar electricity schemes could be economically viable without government subsidies within the next decade, a report has said.
Amec wins two year nuclear contract

22-Jun-2011
Consultant Amec has been awarded a framework contract by Magnox Ltd to provide nuclear consultancy services at their sites across the UK.
Enterprise win Kent highways contract

22-Jun-2011
Infrastructure support services firm Enterprise today announced it has been awarded the contract to provide £45M per annum worth of highways maintenance services to Kent County Council.
Eleven contractors win place on Network Rail framework deal

22-Jun-2011
Network Rail has announced the 11 successful contractors who will compete for a range of civil engineering and building works across Britain as part of a new delivery partnership contract.
MOD seeks SMEs for energy contracts

21-Jun-2011
The Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) is looking to small and medium-sized enterprises to help reduceenergy consumption and carbon emissions across the Ministry of Defence (MOD) estate.
Undergraduates work as sub-contractors on Scottish project

21-Jun-2011
Undergraduates from the University of Strathclyde are working on site for Graham Construction as part of the company’s £37M refurbishment of the Royal Commonwealth Pool (RCP) in Edinburgh.
MWH wins Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water AMP5 framework

21-Jun-2011
Dwr Cymru Welsh Water has announced the appointment of MWH to continue the development of its Surface Water Management Strategy.
Graham Construction lands £12.9M Forth Replacement Crossing contract

21-Jun-2011
Graham Construction has won the £12.9M contract to provide the state-of-the-art Intelligent Transport System in Fife for the iconic new Forth Replacement Crossing.
CPRE questions cost of underground power cables

20-Jun-2011
Environmental lobby group Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) is calling on the National Grid to “come clean” on the cost of underground power cables.
Fugro expands its Turkish and Canadian operations

20-Jun-2011
Site investigation firm Fugro has finalised its acquisition of Turkish firm Sial Geosciences Consulting and Engineering and Canadian firm Kelman Technologies this week.
Vinci signs £6.9bn French high speed rail contract

20-Jun-2011
Construction firm Vinci has signed a 50-year concession contract with French railway operator Réseau Ferré de France worth €7.8 billion (£6.9bn) to build and run a high speed line between Tours and Bordeaux.
Laing O'Rourke lands Crossrail Farringdon station piling and foundations contract

17-Jun-2011
A Laing O’Rourke / Strabag joint venture has won Crossrail’s Farringdon station advance works contract.
Balfour Beatty buys US water contractor

17-Jun-2011
Contractor Balfour Beatty announced today that its US Construction Services division has acquired leading water and wastewater infrastructure contractor Fru-Con Construction for $20M (£12M).
Businesses urged to back A453 bid

16-Jun-2011
Nottinghamshire County Council is urging local businesses to back its bid to bring forward the widening of the A453.
India's mega-tower on hold

16 June 2011
Construction work on Mumbai’s India Towers project was put on hold this week because of financing problems.
Composite solution strengthens Tube

16 June 2011
Specialist contractor Concrete Repairs has carried out the UK’s largest ever application of ultra high modulus composite reinforcement as part of the strengthening programme for the cut and cover tunnels on London Underground’s District Line.
Our iPad edition is engineered for you

16 June 2011
NCE’s iPad App goes from strength to strength, bringing you all the content from your weekly NCE with enhanced features and video content. NCE has now teamed up with leading plant firm Allu to bring you more interactive content and special supplements.
Belfast beats off competition

16 June 2011
A team of young engineers from Arup Belfast have won this year’s ICE Communications Competition with their proposal to develop an eco- village as a sustainable way to address a housing shortage.
Cleaning up concrete waste

16 June 2011
4Nuttall Plant has taken delivery of its first liveried roadside concrete washwater (RCW) treatment unit from Siltbuster. The RCW captures and treats high pH water generated by washing down concrete truck chutes, and neutralises the high alkaline content prior to discharge.
Letters: Civil engineers must reassert and redefine their place in society

16 June 2011
Civil engineers must reassert and redefine their place in society
£25M university piling work nears finish

15-Jun-2011
Bachy Soletanche will shortly have completed all three phases of a piling contract at the University of Sheffield for Bam Construction.
Engineering finance expert joins Thames Water

15-Jun-2011
Former Amec and Balfour Beatty finance director Stuart Siddall is to join Thames Water as chief finance officer (CFO), it has been confirmed.
Piccadilly Line upgrade future uncertain until next parliament

15-Jun-2011
London Underground managing director Mike Brown yesterday confirmed that funding and the future of the Piccadilly Line would not be known until the end of this Parliament.
Atkins calls for systems approach to resilience

15-Jun-2011
Industry needs to adopt a more strategic systems thinking approach to asset planning for climate change, Atkins managing director of environmental and water management Mike Woolgar has said.
Vinci develops project cost qualification

15-Jun-2011
A new course developed by the University of Derby Corporate and Vinci Construction UK could boost project efficiency within the construction industry.
Gold standard safeguards Olympics Park

14-Jun-2011
Vision Survey has been playing a crucial role at the Olympic Park, marking and issuing permits to dig for invasive works covering all the contractors on the huge east London site.
Compelling plot

14-Jun-2011
The Survey Association’s Essential Guide to Utility Surveys is a vital source of information for all those involved with UK construction.
What lies beneath

14-Jun-2011
When it comes to utility mapping picking the right company with the correct tools for the job is crucial. On site investigation company Zetica offers some guidance.
Building on success

14-Jun-2011
The latest construction equipment from Caterpillar arrives in the UK later this year. NCE previews what’s on offer from the North American giant.
Rail regulator criticises Network Rail's safety culture

14-Jun-2011
The Office of Rail Regulation has today hit out at weaknesses in Network Rail’s safety culture, criticising the “slow pace” of necessary safety improvements.
Balfour Beatty scoops seven year deal to supply on-track plant to Network Rail

14-Jun-2011
Balfour Beatty has been awarded a £120M seven-year framework agreement with Network Rail for the supply of on-track machines.
Northern Line upgrade to start this year, says Transport for London

13-Jun-2011
Transport for London (TfL) today announced that its Northern Line upgrade will begin later this year and finally confirmed a completion date of July for the Jubilee Line upgrade.
Costain wins major Welsh road-building contract

13-Jun-2011
Contractor Costain has been awarded a contract worth £150M by the Welsh Government to construct the A465 Heads of the Valleys road in South Wales.
Second Forth Bridge traffic management contract awarded

13-Jun-2011
Scottish Transport minister Keith Brown awarded the £12.9M job of creating an “intelligent transport system”, designed to regulate traffic flow, to Northern Ireland-based firm John Graham (Dromore).
Costain-Hochteif preferred contractor for Reading station rebuild

13-Jun-2011
A Costain/Hochteif joint venture has been named preferred contractor for Network Rail’s rebuild of Reading station worth £80M.
Arup predicts renewables providing 35% of energy capactiy

13-Jun-2011
Consultant Arup has completed a report for the UK Department of Energy and Climate Change (Decc) showing that renewable sources could provide at least 35% of the UK’s energy capacity by 2020.
Decc clears red tape for small energy suppliers

13-Jun-2011
Smaller gas and electricity suppliers will benefit from a cut in red tape in time for next year, Energy minister Charles Hendry announced today.
Beleaguered busway to open in August

10-Jun-2011
The dispute-ridden Cambridgeshire Guided Busway will open on 7 August following remedial works, it has been announced.
London boroughs team up for £128M highways work

10-Jun-2011
London boroughs of Harrow and Brent have begun the tendering process for up to £128M of highways work this week.
US experts to look into shale gas drilling

10-Jun-2011
US energy secretary Steven Chu today announced a group of experts are to look into ways of improving the safety and environmental performance of shale gas extraction.
Drought declared in the Anglian region

10-Jun-2011
Parts of the Anglian region are now officially in a state of drought the Environment Agency and the Department of the Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) announced today.
Lee Tunnel TBM name competition launched

9-Jun-2011
Newham primary school children have been challenged to name the TBM that will bore the 6.4km Lee Tunnel beneath the borough.
Contractors get action plan for reducing water use on site

9-Jun-2011
The Strategic Forum for Construction’s water subgroup has published its action plan advising contractors how to reduce water usage on construction sites.
Big dig at Canary Wharf comes to a close

09 June 2011
Excavation works on the Crossrail Canary Wharf Station, one of the largest on the route, nears completion this week.
Graduates: Your chance to work with the ICE President

09 June 2011
Applications are now open for the next ICE President’s Apprentice Scheme, which will give six graduate members a unique chance to observe how a senior, influential figure in the industry.
Letters: Will civil engineering survive as a respected profession in the UK?

09 June 2011
Will civil engineering survive as a respected profession in the UK?
Sellafield awards decommission framework contracts

8-Jun-2011
Nuclear decommissioning firm Sellafield has awarded four-year decommissioning framework contracts worth up £35M per year.
Profits up but turnover and staff numbers down at Hyder

8-Jun-2011
Consultant Hyder said this morning it was pleased with its performance after reporting an increase in profits for the year ending 31 March.
Increasing inflation continues to damage construction industry, contractors warn

7-Jun-2011
Hopes of a recovery in the construction industry are increasingly at risk because of an increasing inflation burden, according to the Civil Engineering Contractors Association (CECA).
Speedy tells suppliers they must improve

7-Jun-2011
Equipment rental and support services firm Speedy has told its suppliers to improve on sustainability if they want to maintain their business relationship.
UK's biggest 'pig' cleaning project underway

7-Jun-2011
United Utilities has begun the biggest cleaning job ever performed by a UK water firm using pigs, in Lancashire.
UK risks overseas 'brain drain' of engineering talent

7-Jun-2011
The UK is in danger of losing its competitive edge in the engineering sector according to a new report by GE in the UK.
Contractors gloomy after shocking construction figures released

6-Jun-2011
Shocking figures on construction figures for the first quarter of 2011, released today by the Office of National Statistics (ONS), add weight to contractors’ concerns for the future health of the industry, says the Civil Engineering Contractors Association (CECA).
Interserve survey of local authorities reveals outsourcing fears

6-Jun-2011
An Interserve survery of local authorities has revealed that 40% do not yet have strategies in place to achieve the spending cuts required.
Contractors offered chance to bid alternative solutions to M5 bridge rebuild

6-Jun-2011
The Highway Agency has invited contractors to offer alternative solutions when bidding a £10M job to demolish and rebuild an overbridge of the the M5 motorway.
Mouchel-Thales joint venture wins major Highways Agency contract

6-Jun-2011
The Highways Agency (HA) a 50/50 joint venture between consulting and business services group Mouchel and Thales UK, to run National Traffic Information Service (NTIS).
Atkins strengthens its oil and gas business

6-Jun-2011
Consultant Atkins has bought Finnish firm Pöyry’s oil and gas business for €17.25M (£15.3M) and announced plans to plug its pension black hole
Second Severn Crossing resurfacing work postponed

6-Jun-2011
Resurfacing and waterproofing work due to take place between June 9 and July 14 on the M4 Second Severn Crossing have been postponed until September.
Impregilo preferred for Milan metro line

6-Jun-2011
Italian contractors Impregilo has been provisionally awarded by Milan City Council to select a public private partnership to construct Line 4 on the metro system costing €2.7bn (£2.4bn).
Hong Kong airport begins third runway discussions

3-Jun-2011
Airport Authority Hong Kong (AAHK) today released its 20-year development blueprint for Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) which includes an option to build a third runway costing £6.75bn.
Illinois launches high speed rail study

3-Jun-2011
Illinois state governor Pat Quinn has launched a feasibility study into a 350km/h high speed rail line between Chicago, Urbana-Champaign and further afield.
Consultant Colin Buchanan merges with SKM

3-Jun-2011
Colin Buchanan & Partners Ltd, a leading transport planning, planning, urban design and economics consultancy, will merge with projects firm Sinclair Knight Merz (SKM).
Huge Amazon dam project approved

2-Jun-2011
The massive Belo Monte hydroelectric dam in the heart of the Amazon rain forest has won approval from Brazil’s environmental protection agency.
Breakthrough in major Belgian tunnel

02 June 2011
Belgium’s biggest civils project passed a major milestone this week as boring on the first of two tunnel shafts for the Liefkenshoek rail link was completed.
Infrastructure Show attracts BAA and Crossrail support

02 June 2011
Major clients Crossrail and BAA have confirmed their support for this year’s Infrastructure Show, the dedicated event for the UK civils sector.
Letters: We should be leading the low carbon debate, not others

02 June 2011
We should be leading the low carbon debate, not others
Trains could be cheaper, says Network Rail

1-Jun-2011
Huge cost savings could be made when Britain buys its next generations of trains if the rail industry works together even more closely to design and procure them, a Network Rail report reveals.
Galliford Try begins work on Blackpool promenade

1-Jun-2011
Construction firm Galliford Try started a carrying out an £8.2M upgrade to Blackpool promenade this week.
Ramboll expands into North America

1-Jun-2011
Consultant Ramboll has opened its first office in North America to focus on waste-to-energy, offshore wind and district energy projects.
May Gurney profits up 13%

1-Jun-2011
Construction firm May Gurney today reported an 13% increase in pre-tax profits to £24.3M in full year results ending 31 March 2011 with the firm confident of winning new work as local authorities continue to outsource work.
Thames Water confirmed as 2012 sponsor

31-May-2011
The London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) today announced that Thames Water has been appointed as official water utility services provider of the games.
Green space tackles climate change heat threat

31-May-2011
The impact of urban climate change could be reduced by as much as 2.5°C by increasing green space in town and cities, according to a Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) information paper published today.
Scotland supports German nuclear decision

31-May-2011
The Scottish government has today given its support to Germany’s plans to phase out nuclear power infrastructure.
Passenger numbers on West Midlands rail routes set to increase

27-May-2011
Rail travel on the West Midlands and Chilterns route continues to grow with passenger numbers set to increase by over 30% over the next decade, a Network Rail report has found.
Aecom boosts European economic and social consultancy expertise

27-May-2011
Aecom is strengthening its UK & Europe Transportation team with new key hires with economic and social consultancy expertise.
Nature reserve status could lead to reservoir improvements

27-May-2011
A reservoir in the Pentland Hills Regional Park could become a legally sanctioned Local Nature Reserve (LNR) under plans being put before the City of Edinburgh Council.
First step towards Thames tidal turbine farm

27-May-2011
A tidal turbine is to be installed alongside HQS Wellington at Temple Stairs, in the heart of London, as a trial for a future tidal energy farm in the River Thames.
Construction Industry Council offers careers resources

26-May-2011
The Construction Industry Council (CIC) is the representative forum for the professional bodies, research organisations and specialist business associations in the construction industry.
ICE Publishing launches largest civils ebook collection

26-May-2011
ICE Publishing has launched the world’s largest civil engineering ebook collection, including 1,500 ebooks and previously inaccessible material from the ICE Conference Proceedings Collection.
Atkins involved in major Liverpool sewerage upgrade

26-May-2011
The GCA joint venture comprising Galliford Try, Costain and Atkins has been allocated a £200M project to upgrade United Utilities’ Liverpool wastewater treatment works.
A Fast Ion Technique

26 May 2011
A promising line of research in Denmark suggests heavy metal ion removal from soils could be drastically speeded up with a new processing technique, reports Paul Grad
Cleaning Up After The Victorians

26 May 2011
A former gasworks in Aldershot, surrounded by residential property and businesses, presented a tricky clean up challenge for Celtic Technologies. GE reports.
Strengthened Soil Solution For Sheffield Supermarket

26 May 2011
A reinforced soil wall on strip stone trench foundations has proved an unusual solution for part of a new Tesco store in Sheffield. GE reports.
Talking Point

26 May 2011
Matt Love says ground source heat pumps are ideal for businesses to take advantage of the government’s Renewable Heat Incentive
Food Store Foundation

26 May 2011
Vibro stone columns and ground mixing are helping keep a tight schedule for a new food superstore in Cheltenham.
Letters: Tell us the real environmental cost of HS2

26 May 2011
Tell us the real environmental cost of HS2
Elections to ICE Council are once again underway,

26 May 2011
Candidates for 2011 are as follows
Shore Thing

25-May-2011
Contractors are strengthening a hillside cutting and working around a Victorian retaining wall to build a Tesco superstore in Sheffield. NCE reports.
Broad scale

25-May-2011
Innovative thinking and long term cost efficiency have been driving factors in creating sustainable flood defence solutions on the Norfolk Broads under a 20 year PPP.
Hepworth gallery opens in Yorkshire

25-May-2011
Consultant Ramboll provides full range of services for the £35M gallery in Wakefield designed by David Chipperfield Architects which opened this week.
RedR launches new training programme in South Sudan

25-May-2011
As South Sudan counts down to independence following January’s referendum, RedR launches a new training programme that will provide life-saving skills to local relief workers in the volatile region.
EC Harris to buy Chinese project management firm

25-May-2011
Built asset consultancy EC Harris will buy one of China’s top project management consultants MB Project Management (MBPM).
CSC launches new Eurocode programme

25-May-2011
Engineering software developer CSC has launched new Eurocode capability across all its structural design software to aid its customers in the transition from British Standard (BS) design codes.
Costain wins £100M water contracts

25-May-2011
Contractor Costain has announced it has won a contract to upgrade and extend Sandon Dock sewage treatment works in Liverpool and an extension to its framework contract with Severn Trent Water.
Arcadis marks first year of UN shelter programme

25-May-2011
Consultant Arcadis has announced today it has completed its 13th mission as part of the United Nations (UN) Habitat shelter programme.
First Crossrail over-site development approved

25-May-2011
Plans submitted by Crossrail and developer partner Great Portland Estates for the first over-site development above a Crossrail station have been approved by Westminster City Council, it was announced yesterday.
Cable sets out Green Investment Bank vision

24-May-2011
Business secretary Vince Cable set out today his vision for the Green Investment Bank (GIB) as a new and enduring institution to complement existing green policies.
MPs give green light to shale gas drilling

24-May-2011
Shale gas drilling in the UK has been given the go-ahead by MPs in a new report looking at the impact it could have on water supplies, energy security and greenhouse gas emissions.
Network Rail paid off discrimination claimant with public funds

24-May-2011
An independent inquiry has found that Network Rail misused public funds to buy off sex and race discrimination claims by senior employee Victoria Lydford.
Construction site inspires acrylic paintings

24-May-2011
A resident living near the £140M Mogden Sewage Works upgrade work site has created a collection of paintings based around the project.
Keighley reservoir improvements enter next phase

24-May-2011
Essential improvement work at Yorkshire Water’s Lower Laithes reservoir, near Keighley is about to enter its next stage.
Siemens prepares Hull site for turbine factory

24-May-2011
A Hull dock is being prepared as the site of a proposed Siemens wind turbine manufacturing plant.
Capita achieves partnering excellence certification

24-May-2011
The specialist managed services division of Capita Resourcing has achieved BS 11000 certification, a British standard for collaborative business relationships.
Pylon design competition launched

23-May-2011
Architects, designers, engineers and students of these disciplines are being challenged to rethink one of the most crucial but controversial features of modern Britain: the electricity pylon.
Drop in demand forces Tata to shed 1,500 jobs

23-May-2011
Steel manufacturer Tata Steel is to shed up 1,500 jobs following a drop in demand but will invest £400M in its Long Products devisions.
British Land sees profits rise to £256M

23-May-2011
Developer British Land posted a 9.9% increase in pre-tax profits to £256M in its full year results to 31 March 2011.
Web Structures win Indian sky bridge contract

23-May-2011
Engineering consultancy Web Structures wins contact to build cloud-like sky bridge in the Indian city of Kolkata.
Mott MacDonald Grontmij wins place on Highways Agency framework

23-May-2011
A joint venture between consultants Mott MacDonald and Grontmij has been appointed to two Highways Agency contracts worth up £145M this week.
Lobby group launched to push for concrete gravity bases for UK offshore wind programme

20-May-2011
The Concrete Centre has launched a working group to communicate the benefits of concrete gravity bases to enable the delivery of concrete solutions for the wind energy market.
Former environment minister Elliot Morley gets 16 month jail term for expenses fiddle

20-May-2011
Former environment minister Elliot Morley was today sentenced to 16 months in prison, after having pleaded guilty in April to dishonestly claiming more than £30,000 in parliamentary expenses.
River rigs test Thames Tunnel ground conditions

20-May-2011
Work to test ground conditions from previously unexplored depths beneath the River Thames will continue until the end of June, to inform the Thames Tunnel’s tunnelling route and strategy.
DECC approves tidal energy funding bid

20-May-2011
The Department of Energy & Climate Change (DECC) has approved an application from tidal energy developer Marine Current Turbines to secure money from the European Union’s New Entrant Reserve (NER) scheme.
Kier, Laing O’Rourke and Kaden win Hong Kong rail contract

20-May-2011
Public transport operator MTR Corporation has awarded a HK$2.4bn (£0.19bn) contract forming part of the South Island Line (East) Project in Hong Kong to a joint venture between Laing O’Rourke, Kier and Kaden.
Terminal 2 construction will create 35,000 jobs

20-May-2011
BAA has announced that the construction of Heathrow’s new Terminal 2 would create 35,000 jobs over the life of the project.
Rail industry sets up post-McNulty steering group

19-May-2011
Rail industry leaders today set-up a new group to in response to the McNulty rail review released today that aims to focus on delivering a higher performing, more cost effective and sustainable railway network for Britain’s rail users and taxpayers.
New £9M clean-up lab planned for Dounreay

19-May-2011
A new laboratory is to be built at Dounreay to provide essential support to the remainder of the site clean-up.
Bam Nuttall parent warns of pressure on margins in UK market

19-May-2011
Dutch construction giant Royal Bam has revealed that operating margins at its UK civils contractor Bam Nuttall are under pressure.
Minister briefs industry heads on Localism Bill

19 May 2011
Senior industry figures gathered at the ICE’s headquarters recently to discuss the government’s localism agenda.Representatives from Arup, EdF and the Federation of Small Businesses met with Department for Communities and Local Government minister Greg Clark MP, who briefed them on the policy’s implications for infrastructure planning and delivery.
Amec buys US environmental firm

18-May-2011
Consultant Amec announces today that it has agreed to buy leading US engineering and environmental services company Mactec for $280M (£170M)
Japan report says UK nuclear should not be curtailed

18-May-2011
The UK should not curtail its nuclear operations following the Japanese crisis, according to chief nuclear inspector Mike Weightman’s interim report on the events at Fukushima Dai-ichi.
EMEC expands its facilities

18-May-2011
The first company to establish a permanent shore-based facility at Orkney’s new marine renewables base has secured its first client - the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC).
Kier benefits from strong order book

18-May-2011
Construction firm Kier benefits from major Crossrail wins and heathly 2% operating margin, according to its latest interim management statement.
Government confirms fourth carbon budget

18-May-2011
Energy and Climate Change Secretary Chris Huhne has put a limit on the total amount of greenhouse gases emitted by the UK between 2023 to 2027 to be 50% of the 1990 levels.
The human factor

17-May-2011
Technology used for computer simulations of human movement is being employed by Geotechnical Observations to measure slopes on London Underground’s Central Line.
CMCS taps into Broadcasting House

17-May-2011
Equipment specialist CMCS has recently been involved in monitoring diaphragm wall movement on phase 2 of the BBC’s Broadcasting House development in central London. Monitoring covers basement excavations of up to 16m.
Hide and seek

17-May-2011
AVT has been keeping a close eye on an important road viaduct in the centre of Burnley.
Welcome to Hellrigg

17-May-2011
Bachy Soletanche is employing some hefty kit to prepare the bases for the four 120m tall wind turbines being built close to the Solway Firth in Cumbria. NCE reports.
Aecom to design Network Rail Crossrail station upgrades

17-May-2011
Consultant Aecom will design improvements to 13 stations west of Paddington that are set to become part of the Crossrail route, Network Rail announced today.
NEC expands users’ group to Australasia

17-May-2011
NEC has extended its support network with the launch of a new Users’ Group in Australasia. It is the first in a series of regional groups planned around the world to reflect the growing usage of the NEC3 contract suite.
Black & Veatch helps Engineers Without Borders UK growth

17-May-2011
Black & Veatch has teamed up with Engineers Without Borders (EWB) UK to help lay the groundwork for opening up involvement to companies across the UK.
Bachy Soletanche launches carbon calculator for plant & piling

17-May-2011
Bachy Soletanche has launched a Carbon Calculator to provide a comparison between schemes offered to clients, promoting environmental benefits of the designs as well as cost savings.
Parsons Brinckerhoff joint venture wins LA metro extension

17-May-2011
ConnectLAX, a joint venture of Parsons Brinckerhoff and consultant STV, has been awarded a contract to provide environmental and preliminary design services for an extension of the Metro Green Line light rail to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).
Crossrail selects tunnel machine manufacturer

16-May-2011
Crossrail today announced that six of the tunnel boring machines (TBMs) required to deliver the new rail tunnels will be manufactured by Germany firm Herrenknecht.
Grontmij revenue up by 47%

16-May-2011
Dutch consultant Grontmij has witnessed a recovery in key markets according to its 2011 first quarter trading update.
Network Rail fined £3M over Potters Bar crash

13-May-2011
Rail infrastructure company Network Rail (NR) was fined £3M today for safety failings over the 2002 Potters Bar train crash which claimed seven lives.
Campaigners criticise HS2 consultation figures

13-May-2011
Campaign group Stop HS2 has said that official High Speed 2 (HS2) consultation documents do not reflect the cost of linking HS2 to Heathrow airport - said to be at least £7.3bn.
Mediation restores Edinburgh tram momentum

12-May-2011
Edinburgh City Council has said the way forward for the Edinburgh tram project is clearer today with one of the proposals agreed through the mediation process being made public.
Scotland needs infrastructure boost to secure future growth

12 May 2011
Scotland’s civil engineers have singled out investment in road maintenance and flood risk management as key areas to secure the country’s economic growth.
Engineers’ views on high speed policy sought

12 May 2011
The ICE is urging its members to feed their views into its response to the to the government’s High Speed Rail policy consultation.
London's best buildings go on show

12 May 2011
ICE London’s Civil Engineering Awards 2011 are being marked with an exhibition at The Building Centre.
Letters: Is there a strategic case for investing in increased fire protection for bridges?

12 May 2011
Is there a strategic case for investing in increased fire protection for bridges?
New Borough viaduct launched into place

12 May 2011
A striking new railway bridge was successfully launched into place over Borough High Street during the Bank Holiday weekend as part of the £6bn Thameslink Programme.
Capita reveals solid performance

11-May-2011
Consultant and outsourcing firm Capita announced a solid performance in its interim management statement.
Giant tunnelling machine ready for Lee Tunnel

11-May-2011
A 100m long tunnel boring machine, which will be used to dig a four-mile sewer tunnel under east London, has been switched on for the first time during a handing-over ceremony in Germany.
Black & Veatch to upgrade two Thames Water treatment works

10-May-2011
Black & Veatch has been appointed principal contractor for a programme of works that will enhance and expand sludge treatment operations at Thames Water’s Basingstoke and Bracknell Sewage Treatment Works.
Balfour Beatty reports higher UK orders than expected

10-May-2011
Balfour Beatty has announced higher than expected UK construction order intake in the first quarter of 2011, in its Interim Management Statement.
Balfour Beatty wins £200M in local authority contracts

10-May-2011
Balfour Beatty, the international infrastructure group, has recently been awarded two support services contracts, totalling around £200M.
Northern Line Battersea extension consultation starts

9-May-2011
Transport for London (TfL) and developer Treasury Holdings have today launched a public consultation to hear local residents’ views on the proposed private-sector funded 3km extension of the Northern Line from Kennington to Battersea Power Station.
Need for infrastructure climate adaptation is "urgent"

9-May-2011
“Urgent action” is required to protect critical infrastructure from the effects of climate change, environment secretary Caroline Spelman warned today.
GoldLinQ wins £657M Australian rail project

9-May-2011
The Queensland Government awarded the GoldLinQ consortium, including Keolis, Downer EDI, McConnell Dowell, Bombardier and Plenary, to build and operate the Gold Coast Rapid Transit project.
Manufacturing industry calls for debate on renewable energy targets

9-May-2011
Manufacturers industry body, EEF, has urged the government to open the debate on the 2020 Renewables Target or risk unnecessarily undermining the competitiveness of industry and unnecessarily increasing the costs of energy on consumers.
Bachy due to complete wind turbine piling

9-May-2011
Specialist geotechnical contractor Bachy Soletanche is due to complete piling on the 10MW Hellrigg Wind Farm off the coast of Cumbria.
Entries sought for International Tunnelling Awards 2011

9-May-2011
Following the successful launch of the International Tunnelling Awards in 2010, New Civil Engineer is now calling for entries for the 2011 awards which will this year take the exciting global programme to Hong Kong.
Inquiry launched into construction procurement best value

6-May-2011
The All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Excellence in the Built Environment this week announced the launch of an inquiry into achieving best value in the procurement of construction work.
Skanska cable installer fined for scissor lift fall

6-May-2011
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) today fined Skanska Rashleigh Weatherfoil £120,000 after a man was left paralysed when he was knocked from a scissor lift.
Balfour Beatty reaches financial close on £203M Cambridgeshire street lighting PFI

6-May-2011
Balfour Beatty, the international infrastructure group, announces today that it has reached financial close on the £203M PPP street lighting contract for Cambridgeshire County Council.
Aecom's profit down but revenue up in 2011

5-May-2011
Fallout from Libya operations reduces consultant Aecom’s net income by 2% to $59M (£36M), but over operating outcome is up 5% from 2010 levels according to it’s second quarter results for 2011.
Morgan Sindall 'well positioned' for 2011 challenges

5-May-2011
Morgan Sindall today said that it has made a positive start to 2011 and made strategic progress last year to leave it well positioned to make the most of growing sectors and to face challenges that lie ahead.
Iconic St Pancras hotel reopens following £150M revamp

5-May-2011
Consultant Arup worked in partnership with the Manhattan Loft Corporation to restore the 138 year-old grade-I listed building, the St Pancras Renaissance Hotel, which opened today.
Costain confident of success in 2011

5-May-2011
Contractor Costain has said it remains confident of gaining positive results in 2011, according to its interim management statement issued today.
Galliford Try construction orders up 3%

5-May-2011
Galliford Try reported a 3% increase in its construction order book during the period 1 January to 4 May 2011 to £1.8bn, up from £1.75bn on 31 December 2010.
Free professional review for water engineers

5-May-2011
Career prospects for engineers in the water industry are being boosted by an offer of free professional review to gain Chartered Engineer (CEng), Incorporated Engineer (IEng) or Engineering Technician (EngTech) status.
Scottish Water to build eight 'green ponds'

5-May-2011
Scottish Water has started a £5.8M project to install an innovative green pond technology in Cumbernauld.
EIB provides £433M to Venice barrier scheme

4-May-2011
The European Investment Bank (EIB) has today provided €480M (£433M) to help finance the massive Venice flood defence scheme.
Entries sought for expanded Retrofit Awards

3-May-2011
Following the success of the inaugural Retrofit Awards, we are expanding the programme this year to include all areas of the retrofit and refurbishment markets.
Entries now closed for British Construction Industry Awards

3-May-2011
Entries are now closed for the British Construction Industry Awards - the UK’s top accolades for overall excellence in building and civil engineering projects.
Four bidders shortlisted for offshore wind farm grid

3-May-2011
Ofgem E-Serve has shortlisted four bidders this week to own and operate over £1bn of high-voltage transmission links for three offshore wind farms.
UK could capture quarter of global marine energy market, says report

3-May-2011
The UK could capture just under a quarter of the global marine energy market, according to analysis released today by the Carbon Trust.
Capita wins Coronation Street studio job

3-May-2011
Capita Symonds has been appointed to provide multidisciplinary services on the relocation of ITV’s Coronation Street production facility to MediaCityUK in Salford.
Kier to build £19M archive facility

28-Apr-2011
Kier is in line to build a new £19M design & build historical resource centre, near Falmer in Brighton, for East Sussex County Council.
Jones Bros wins £1.9M wind farm contract

28-Apr-2011
Civil engineering firm Jones Bros has won a £1.9M contract to build the infrastructure for a 18MW wind farm in Scotland.
Engineers warn UK growth threatened by poor construction performance

27-Apr-2011
Engineers warned that a fall of 4.7% in construction output last quarter threatens to undermine the small growth in the UK economy of 0.5% that was revealed today.
UK failing to attract green investment, CBI warns

27-Apr-2011
The CBI yesterday warned that that the UK is failing to attract the level of investment needed to build low carbon infrastructure.
Troubled Cambridge busway handed over to council

26-Apr-2011
Contractor Bam Nuttall completed the Cambridgeshire Guided Busway project last Thursday and handed over the route to Cambridgeshire County Council.
Water companies unlikely to impose summer restrictions

26-Apr-2011
Despite the very dry early spring, water companies do not envisage that they will have to impose water restrictions this summer, according to Water UK.
All three M1 lanes re-opened

21-Apr-2011
The Highways Agency has announced that there are now three lanes open in both directions between junctions 1 and 4 of the M1 north of London, following an intense fire on Friday that necessitated road closures.
UK construction M&A deals leapt in first quarter of 2011

21-Apr-2011
The number of M&A deals in the UK construction sector has risen dramatically during the first quarter of 2011, almost doubling the number of deals seen in the previous quarter.
New Carbon Trust website aims to cut aggregates carbon

21-Apr-2011
The Mineral Products Association (MPA) and the Carbon Trust have launched a new Aggregates Carbon Reduction Portal to reduce sector energy use and carbon emissions.
A Catch-All Solution

21 April 2011
High-strength rock-fall catch fences have been installed along the main Huddersfield to Sheffield rail line as part of a four-year maintenance review programme for Network Rail. GE takes a look
Hong Kong At Full Blast

21 April 2011
Narrow, densely populated streets made Hong Kong’s West Island Line project extremely challenging. Andrew Bolton reports.
Talking Point

21 April 2011
Tony Gould says that the arrival of Eurocodes means engineers will now have to think harder when assessing safe working loads (SWL)
Television Play

21 April 2011
Gabion baskets are being used in a wall to form a perimeter wall around BBC film sets in Cardiff. GE reports
ODA reveals workforce figures

20-Apr-2011
A quarter of workers on the Olympic Park and Village are from the local area according to latest figures from the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA).
NCE's hot topics: Crossrail consultants fees exclusively revealed; company risk assessments under scrutiny; bleak future for high speed rail

20-Apr-2011
NCE exclusively reveals who Crossrail has paid out £160M to for key design contracts over the past few years.
Forth Replacement Crossing contracts signed

20-Apr-2011
The £790M Forth Replacement Crossing has been formally awarded following a mandatory standstill period by Scottish Ministers.
Skanska-Laing seal Croydon PFI street lighting deal

20-Apr-2011
Skanska-Laing consortium has reached Financial Close for Croydon & Lewisham Street Lighting private finance initiative (PFI) project worth £74M.
Green light for £340M London Broadgate scheme

20-Apr-2011
British Land and Blackstone has been granted planning permission for a £340M office block at 5 Broadgate in the City of London
International community pledges £486m for Chernobyl clean up

20-Apr-2011
International community pledges extra funds for New Safe Confinement and Spent Fuel Storage Facility but the total cost will be €1.54bn (£1.35bn).
Waldeck opens new office in Sheffield

20-Apr-2011
Consultant Waldeck has opened a new office in Sheffield as part of recent recruitment drive.
Two southbound lanes reopened on the M1

19-Apr-2011
Extensive investigation, assessment, and structural reinforcement since Friday mean the M1 is now able to carry traffic in both directions between junctions 1 and 4 as of just after 4pm yesterday.
Record breaking depths achieved in deep sea welding

19-Apr-2011
Cranfield University research has led to new world record depths in deep sea subsea welding.
Opus International appointed as Bridge Trust's engineer

19-Apr-2011
The Rochester Bridge Trust has appointed consultant Opus International to replace Mott Macdonald as its bridge engineer.
Crossrail unveils shortlist London stations worth £1.5bn

18-Apr-2011
Main construction contract shortlists are confirmed for the remaining central London Crossrail stations of Bond Street, Tottenham Court Road, Liverpool Street and Whitechapel.
Lagan starts work on Leith protection scheme

18-Apr-2011
City of Edinburgh Council has appointed Lagan Construction to build £11.5M of flood defences along a 2.5km stretch of the Water of Leith.
Weldeck wins Nottingham medical project

15-Apr-2011
Consultant Weldeck has teamed up with architect Benoy to construct £7M building for Institute of Mental Health (IMH) in Nottingham.
Crossrail issues £75M contract notice for central section signalling

14-Apr-2011
Crossrail today announced that a contract notice has been placed in the Official Journal of the European Union seeking expressions of interest for the central section signalling system. The value of the contract is in the region of £75M.
Letters: Multi-disciplinary engineering approach to energy is needed

14 April 2011
Multi-disciplinary engineering approach to energy is needed
BCI Awards entry deadline extended

13-Apr-2011
Due to popular demand, the British Construction Industry Awards entry deadline has now been extended to Friday, 22 April. Get recognition for your outstanding building and civil engineering projects, enter online now.
Highways Agency outlines 14 roadwork schemes

13-Apr-2011
Highways Agency has published construction timescales on 14 roadwork schemes today.
Lagan wins £8.7M US airport rehabilitation contract

12-Apr-2011
Belfast-based contractor Lagan Construction has won a $13.9 (£8.7M) contract for runway and safety improvements at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Washington DC after beating off international competition.
Bombardier Transportation preferred bidder for Tube signalling

12-Apr-2011
London Underground (LU) today selected Bombardier Transportation as the preferred bidder for a major signalling contract for the Circle, District, Hammersmith & City and Metropolitan lines (Sub Surface lines).
Speedy Hire increases revenues by 4.8% in fourth quarter

11-Apr-2011
Construction tools and equipment hire firm Speed Hire increased its revenues in the first three months of 2011 by 4.8 per cent however its expectations for the financial year remain the same.
Atlas Copco buys UK gas company

11-Apr-2011
Construction and mining equipment firm Atlas Copco is to buy Oxfordshire-based Penlon Medical Gas Solutions for an undisclosed sum.
Durham wind farm given green light

11-Apr-2011
Renewable Energy Generation (REG) has been granted planning permission for its 6MW wind farm at South Sharpley in County Durham.
Water White Paper to make "bold" reforms

8-Apr-2011
The Water White Paper will make “bold” reforms in the water sector, environment minister Richard Benyon said yesterday.
Sochi Olympics TBM breaks through

8-Apr-2011
A 6.2 m diameter Robbins Double Shield TBM has crossed the finish line in Sochi, Russia, completing a 4.5 km long section of tunnel that will ultimately become part of the transportation infrastructure for the 2014 Winter Olympic Games.
Roofing company fined £7,000 over safety

8-Apr-2011
A roofing contractor has been ordered to pay more than £7,000 after breaching guidelines put in place to prevent injuries while working at height.
Collapsed sewer section to be replaced

8-Apr-2011
Yorkshire Water is this week beginning work to repair a stretch of sewer in Normanton, Wakefield as part of the company’s £120M investment to upgrade its sewer network in the region to help reduce the risk of sewer flooding.
New manholes for iconic London sites

8-Apr-2011
London’s Tower Bridge and Trafalgar Square have been fitted with new chameleon-like manhole covers which can be operated by a single worker.
Southern Railway appoints Aecom for station improvements

8-Apr-2011
Southern Railway has commissioned Aecom to project manage the construction phase of the National Station Improvement Programme (NSIP) schemes at Balham, East Grinstead and Norbury Stations, in London and the South East.
Crossrail awards remaining tunnelling contracts

7-Apr-2011
Crossrail has today announced its intention to award the remaining tunnel contracts for Europe’s largest construction project, as revealed in NCElast month.
Call for strategic vision for road network

7-Apr-2011
The Government lacks a strategic vision for the UK road network, despite the progress it has made on a National Infrastructure Plan and broader transport policy, the CBI has said.
Morgan Sindall wins place on £500M frameworks contract

6-Apr-2011
Contractor Morgan Sindall has won a place on the Smarte East Alliance frameworks contract in the South East of England.
Carillion wins £204M facilities management contract

6-Apr-2011
Contractor Carillion has won facilities management contracts for the Nationwide Building Society and for Virgin Media that together are worth up to £204M this week.
Veolia begins decommissioning North Sea gas platforms

6-Apr-2011
Environmental firm Veolia, teaming up with energy contractor Peterson SBS, is starting the decommissioning of a North Sea gas steel platform at Swan Hunter shipyard on the River Tyne this week.
Health and Safety Test ten years old

5-Apr-2011
Training body CITB-ConstructionSkills celebrated the tenth anniversary of its Health and Safety Test with over 4M booked since its launch.
Costain officially withdraws from Mouchel takeover quest

5-Apr-2011
Costain has finally admitted defeat in its attempts to buy consultant Mouchel.
Vinci pre-tax profit rises

5-Apr-2011
Vinci has announced an increase in pre-tax profits of more than double in the company’s 2010 annual results, despite a fall in turnover.
Network Rail completes rail freight upgrade

5-Apr-2011
Bigger freight trains have started full operations between Southampton and Nuneaton in the West Midlands following the completion of a £60M rail upgrade.
Atkins wins Danish bridge job

5-Apr-2011
Atkins has been appointed to provide the preliminary studies and design work for several new and existing bridge structures, as part of a widening programme on the Køge Bay motorway in Denmark.
Birse awarded £13M Wrexham road contract

5-Apr-2011
Birse Civils has been awarded the Wrexham Industrial Estate Access Road contract by Wrexham County Borough Council.
Funding to tackle transport emissions in London

5-Apr-2011
Trials of a dust suppressant spray to improve air quality in London are to be extended following additional funding from Government.
First communities get new development powers

5-Apr-2011
The first communities to test new rights to give local people much greater ability to shape development in their area have been announced today by the Government.
First contract for Network Rail contractor strategy gets go-ahead

4-Apr-2011
Network Rail has received approval for its plans to construct a new flyover which will relieve a capacity bottleneck on the East Coast mainline – the first project to be taken forward in its new contracting structure.
Interserve wins £108M defence contract extension

4-Apr-2011
Interserve wins £108M two-year extension for the Defence Infrastructure Organisation to look after prime estates in London.
WRG and Cemex preferred bidder for North Lincolnshire waste contract

4-Apr-2011
Waste Recycling Group (WRG) in partnership with building materials supplier Cemex has been awarded preferred bidder status for North Lincolnshire Council’s 27-year waste contract.
Nuclear Decommissioning Authority outlines £2.9bn business plan

4-Apr-2011
Sellafield receives £1.55bn as part of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority’s 2011/12 business plan to clean-up the UK’s nuclear waste legacy.
Government launches aviation consultation

1-Apr-2011
The Government has insisted that it is anti-carbon not anti-aviation as it launched a consultation on a new aviation policy which rules out new runways in London.
John Sisk & Son reports turnover growth and strong order book

1-Apr-2011
John Sisk & Son has today reported strong year on year turnover growth in its annual results for the year ending December 2010.
Royal Wedding deadline for Westminster mains replacement

1-Apr-2011
Ongoing water mains replacement work around Westminster Abbey must leave the area “fit for a princess” in time for the Royal Wedding, Thames Water has said.
New Network Rail bonus scheme approved

1-Apr-2011
Network Rail directors could share a bonus pot worth up to £600M by exceeding cost cutting targets for the company, under a new executive incentive scheme has been approved by the company’s members.
New tidal energy device to make waves in Welsh waters

1-Apr-2011
An innovative new project to generate tidal energy in Ramsey Sound off Pembrokeshire has been given the go ahead by Energy and Climate Change Secretary Chris Huhne.
Government meets oil and gas industry after tax hike

1-Apr-2011
The Government has met with the oil and gas industry to hear their concerns following the announcement of a windfall tax on their profits in the budget.
Edinburgh's Green Investment Bank bid made to Government

1-Apr-2011
A delegation from a group calling for the UK Green Investment Bank to be located in Edinburgh has made the case to government ministers.
May Gurney wins £43M water contracts

31-Mar-2011
May Gurney has won new framework contracts with a combined value of up to £43M with its long-term clients Anglian Water and South West Water, for the 2010-2015 period.
Floating raft for sewage tanks improves engineering safety

31-Mar-2011
A raft designed to float on raw sewage is reducing the occupational hazards attached to maintenance work on large sewage tanks, water company Thames Water has said.
Wales moves one step closer to capturing tidal energy potential

31-Mar-2011
A project to test tidal electricity generation off the West Wales coast has received the necessary consents from the Department of Energy and Climate Change and the Welsh Assembly Government.
IUK publishes £3bn savings reform plans

31-Mar-2011
An industry-government charter, a Joint Programme Management Board, and a published forward investment programme will contribute to reducing infrastructure construction costs by up to £3bn, the government said today.
Highways Agency outlines project saving plans

31-Mar-2011
The Highways Agency has announced that it plans to make 20% efficiency savings on the 14 major projects that it will deliver through to 2014-15 following the Comprehensive Spending Review.
WYG grows international order book

31-Mar-2011
Consultancy WYG Group has today announced its operations made a small profit and it increased its international order book to £89M during the six months to 31 December 2010.
Talking Point

31 March 2011
Former British Gas research engineer Ray Owen suggests recent cold weather raises issues of ground ice effects on pipes
Be On Your Guard

31 March 2011
Safety enforcement campaigns are now focusing more on the provision of piling rig guards. Designers need to pay attention as well as well as contractors and site operators, explains Arup geotechnical engineer Alice Berry.
Ex-ICE vice president wins top businesswoman prize

31 March 2011
ICE Fellow Michelle McDowell has been named Veuve Clicquot Businesswoman of the year.
Bristol Fashion

31 March 2011
Building huge new port infrastructure in the notoriously fast moving waters of the Bristol Channel is a major engineering challenge for the Bristol Port Company.
Displacement Theory

31 March 2011
Soil displacement piling has many potential advantages, though engineers have been cautious. But recent load tests on the technique at a big site in the south-east have thrown up excellent results, surprising even leading advocate Cementation Skanska. Paul Wheeler reports.
Letters: We cannot afford to ignore the UK’s water issues

31 March 2011
We cannot afford to ignore the UK’s water issues
Costain in pole position for Highways Agency work after top scoring in new CAT process

30-Mar-2011
Costain and its recent acquistion target Mouchel have top scored in the Highways Agency’s new START supplier selection process.
New ORR chief executive announced

30-Mar-2011
The Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) today announced that Richard Price is to be its next chief executive, succeeding Bill Emery who steps down in June.
Danish firm Ramboll acquires consultant Gifford

30-Mar-2011
Danish consultant Ramboll has acquired consultant Gifford for an undisclosed sum, it has emerged today.
Crossrail confirms shortlist for rolling stock and depot facilities

30-Mar-2011
Crossrail has announced the shortlist of five companies who will be invited to tender to build new rolling stock and depot facilities.
Chief nuclear inspector outlines plans for Fukushima report

30-Mar-2011
Chief nuclear inspector Mike Weightman will not be addressing nuclear or energy policy issues in his report into the tsunami hit Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant in Japan.
Spent nuclear fuel could raise £10bn

30-Mar-2011
Sir David King’s report into spent nuclear fuel management suggests the UK could raise up to £10bn by building facilities to reprocess waste generated by reactors and re-use in the new nuclear sector.
Transport for London pledges to up efficiency savings by £2.6bn

29-Mar-2011
London mayor Boris Johnson has pledged the greatest investment in the capital’s transport network in 80 years after identifying “staggering” savings and efficiencies of £7.6bn.
Network Rail electrification plans take step forward

29-Mar-2011
Plans to electrify major rail routes including the Great Western mainline to Cardiff are gathering pace as Network Rail has issued a tender for the machinery and plant to install overhead power lines.
Mouchel to axe 450 more staff after 73% fall in profits

29-Mar-2011
Mouchel has revealed it is closing 14 offices and making 450 more staff redundant after announcing a collapse in profits caused by a dramatic drop in public sector workload.
Nottingham Tram extension names Vinci consortium preferred bidder

29-Mar-2011
Nottingham City Council has selected a consortium including Vinci Construction as its preferred bidder to build two new tram lines in the city and to operate the extended network.
Barker backs British business on US green trade mission

29-Mar-2011
Wind turbine installers and loft laggers are among the companies who have joined climate change minister Greg Barker on the Department of Energy and Climate Change’s first ever green trade mission.
Mayor announces Outer London Fund for town centre renewal

29-Mar-2011
The mayor of London Boris Johnson has launched a £50M fund to boost regeneration and rejuvenate town centres in the capital.
Cambridge station improvements gets cash boost

29-Mar-2011
The first slice of a multi-million pound cash injection to improve Cambridge railway station has been handed to Network Rail after a deal to build student accommodation as part of a planned development was finalised.
New vaults signal start of Dounreay waste clearance

29-Mar-2011
The clearance of tens of thousands of tonnes of radioactive waste from the redundant nuclear site at Dounreay has moved a step closer after the contract to develop a disposal site for low-level waste was awarded.
Mouchel rejects Interserve and Costain approaches

29-Mar-2011
Consultant Mouchel has revealed it has rejected the latest takeover proposals from Interserve and Costain and ended all talks with suitors as it posted a 73% plunge in half-year profits.
Kier wins £20M Ellesmere Port job

28-Mar-2011
Kier has been announced preferred bidder for the new £20M University Church of England Academy complex in Ellesmere Port.
Arup wins major Hong Kong treatment works project

28-Mar-2011
Arup has been appointed as principal designer to the Veolia-Leighton-John Holland joint venture (JV) to construct the world’s largest sludge treatment works in Hong Kong, due to open in 2013.
BAA proposes £50M investment plan in response to Heathrow winter resilience enquiry

25-Mar-2011
BAA has announced that it is developing a £50M Heathrow resilience investment plan following an inquiry into the airport’s winter resilience.
Local transport improvement projects given the green light

25-Mar-2011
The Department for Transport has given the go-ahead to four projects, including plans to extend the Nottingham tram, after savings were made in the proposed private finance initiative (PFI) schemes.
Pothole funding breakdown announced

25-Mar-2011
Councils have been told how they will benefit from the doubling of funding available for repairing potholes announced in Budget.
Four Enterprise Zone sites revealed in Manchester, Liverpool, Nottingham and London

24-Mar-2011
The first four Enterprise Zone sites have been revealed today at Boots campus in Nottingham, Liverpool Waters, Manchester airport and, chosen by London mayor Boris Johnson, the Royal Docks in the capital.
Edinburgh trams could be used in Croydon

24-Mar-2011
The tram vehicles that have been constructed for the beleaguered Edinburgh tram line could be put to use in London after the city council submitted a bid to supply new trams for Croydon.
United Utilities plans for increased capital expenditure

24-Mar-2011
Water company United Utilities said it expects its capital spending to rise and operating profit to fall in the second half of the financial year.
Middle East and North Africa face extreme water risk

24-Mar-2011
A new study by UK risk consultants Maplecroft has rated the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region as having the least secure water supplies in the world.
£7.6M coastal defence scheme opened at Tywyn

24-Mar-2011
Environment Minister Jane Davidson will today officially open Tywyn’s new Atkins-designed Tywyn Coastal Defence Scheme.
Rising costs drive down contractors' profit margins

24-Mar-2011
One in four UK civil engineering contractors are making a loss, according to new research from market analysts Plimsoll.
Ex-CBI boss criticises Chiltern high speed route plans

24 March 2011
Former director general of business lobby group the CBI Lord Jones has hit out against the government’s route for a high speed railway between London and Birmingham.
Olympic Park wins top Ceequal awards

23-Mar-2011
The Olympic Park velodrome was among the projects highlighted at the first ever CEEQUAL Outstanding Achievement Awards for sustainable environmental performance last week.
Network Rail awards major Crossrail design contract

23-Mar-2011
Network Rail has awarded a major contract to Atkins to design the bulk of works planned on the north-east section of the Crossrail route, between Stratford in east London and Shenfield in Essex.
Public to be involved in naming of new Forth bridge

23-Mar-2011
The Scottish public is to be involved in the choosing of the new permanent name for the Forth Replacement Crossing.
European finance boost for Borders Railway

23-Mar-2011
European funding has been secured for the Borders Railway project, Scottish Transport Minister Keith Brown has announced.
Major Stockholm junction master plan awarded

23-Mar-2011
Architect Big, consultant Grontmij and strategic firm Spacescape have been selected to design a new entrance portal for a planned super-junction outside of Stockholm, Sweden.
Land Securities gives green light to £70M Glasgow scheme

23-Mar-2011
Land Securities has given approval for a £70M retail and residential scheme in Glasgow city centre, which will begin this month.
Severfield profits down and warns of tough year ahead

23-Mar-2011
Severfield-Rowan unveiled its 2010 yearly results today with profit cut from £45.1M to £12.0M and revenue down from £349M to £267M.
Government approves NDA strategy for clean-up

23-Mar-2011
The UK Government and the Scottish Ministers have approved the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority’s (NDA) delivery programme.
Minister puts railway extension on track

22-Mar-2011
Deputy minister for housing and regeneration Jocelyn Davies has laid the first sleeper to mark the start of a major project to extend the Llangollen Railway in Wales west from Glandyfrdwy to Corwen.
ICE calls for energy market reforms to consider practicalities of infrastructure delivery

22-Mar-2011
The Government must consider how to practically deliver a new generation of low carbon energy infrastructure alongside measures to enable future investment, the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) has said.
North West urged to back high speed rail

22-Mar-2011
A new high speed rail network would help create jobs and spread prosperity in Manchester and the North West, Transport Minister Theresa Villiers has told business and civic leaders in Manchester.
Shams 1 solar power project reaches milestone

22-Mar-2011
One of the largest concentrated solar power projects in the world, has reached a key milestone with the announcement that it has achieved financial close.
Preferred bidder announced for Forth Replacement Crossing

21-Mar-2011
Forth Crossing Bridge Constructors (FCBC) consortium has been chosen as the preferred bidder to build the bridge and connecting roads elements of the Forth Replacement Crossing, after bidding to build the biggest Scottish infrastructure project for a generation significantly under budget.
Ofgem proposes radical overhaul in energy market

21-Mar-2011
Energy regulator Ofgem has unveiled proposals today for a major overhaul of the UK market including the “Big Six” auctioning up to 20 percent of their electricity generation output.
Reductions to solar feed-in tariffs slammed by industry

21-Mar-2011
The Renewable Energy Association (REA) has criticised the government for reducing solar tariff rates by up to 49%on large scale schemes.
Nuclear National Policy Statement to be re-examined following Japanese crisis

18-Mar-2011
Energy and climate change secretary Chris Huhne has said that the Government will consider the Nuclear National Policy Statement in light of the emerging nuclear crisis in Japan before proceeding with the ratification process.
Planning permission granted for London's first cable car

18-Mar-2011
Final permission for a cable car that will span the Thames and help to cut journey times in east London has been granted.
Balfour Beatty wins Durham highway contract

18-Mar-2011
Balfour Beatty Regional Civil Engineering has been awarded a £4.1M contract for highway infrastructure works on the DurhamGate Project.
Heathrow car park contract awarded

18-Mar-2011
A £77M contract to construct the multi-storey car park and covered court for Heathrow Airport’s new Terminal 2 has been awarded to Laing O’Rourke with work planned to start in May 2011.
Baker urges Scotland to back high speed rail

18-Mar-2011
Scottish politicians and business leaders have been urged to support the Westminster government’s proposals for a new high speed rail network or risk missing out on influencing the plans for the route.
World's largest tidal power project approved

17-Mar-2011
The world’s largest tidal stream energy array will be built in the Sound of Islay following approval by the Scottish Government.
Nuclear safety report due in six months

17-Mar-2011
Energy secretary Chris Huhne set out further details on the UK Chief Nuclear Inspector’s report into the implications of events at Japanese nuclear reactors on existing and new plants in the UK
Atkins leaves Bahrain as government plans airlift

17-Mar-2011
Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has urged British Nationals to leave Bahrain as Atkins withdraws its staff from the country.
Scotland unveils national marine plan

17-Mar-2011
Scotland’s plan will shape the national objectives and policies surrounding Scotland’s coastal and marine management and is now out for consultation.
Letters: Homes at risk from flooding must be allowed to take out insurance

17 March 2011
Homes at risk from flooding must be allowed to take out insurance
Wind turbine flicker shadow study released

16-Mar-2011
The Department of Energy and Climate Change’s independent study shows that flicker shadow caused by wind turbines should not cause a significant risk to health.
NCE's hot topics: Japan throws UK and European nuclear into disarray; heatwave risks fall off the radar; civils misery over prices continues

16-Mar-2011
Lead story
£250M Vauxhall redevelopment proposed

16-Mar-2011
Property investment company CLS Holdings has revealed plans to redevelop the Vauxhall Cross area, and to build an elevated pedestrian walkway over the Vauxhall gyratory road system.
Stockport Council undertakes footbridge repairs

16-Mar-2011
Stockport Council is undertaking essential maintenance works to Forge Footbridge in Marple Bridge.
New cruise terminal planned at Greenwich for 2012

16-Mar-2011
Transport planner JMP has provided transport advice in support of an application for a new cruise ship terminal on the Thames at Greenwich.
First traffic runs through new Tyne Crossing

16-Mar-2011
The new 1.5km long tunnel of the New Tyne Crossing project has accepted traffic for the first time.
Network Rail creates new Welsh route

15-Mar-2011
Network Rail has announced that it will create a new devolved business unit for Wales as part of the company’s plans to devolve responsibility to routes on the railway.
Snow disruption could not have been prevented

15-Mar-2011
Transport secretary Philip Hammond has told the Transport Committee that the weather conditions of winter 2011 were so severe that mass disruption to transport could not have been prevented.
Pothole damage costs motorists £1bn a year

15-Mar-2011
New research has found that drivers are paying £1bn a year to repair damage caused to their cars by potholes.
UK "facing up to housing shortfall"

15-Mar-2011
Britain is facing a shortfall of 750,000 homes within the next 15 years, a leading think-tank has predicted.
Expert appointed to lead independent Fuel Poverty Review

15-Mar-2011
The Government has appointed an expert who will lead an independent review of the government’s fuel poverty targets.
Welsh Secretary welcomes Irish Ferries commitment to Pembroke Port

15-Mar-2011
The secretary of state for Wales Cheryl Gillan has welcomed news today that ferry services between Pembroke Port and Rosslare in Ireland are set to continue for at least another 10 years, ensuring continuation of vital economic activity in Pembrokeshire.
Call for renewable energy to be central to UK carbon plan

15-Mar-2011
A leading solar power developer has called on energy and climate change secretary Chris Huhne to include a central role for renewables in the government’s forthcoming Carbon Plan.
Nuclear safety assessed after quake

15-Mar-2011
The Government has been urged to look again at plans for new nuclear power stations in light of safety fears at Japanese reactors following the country’s massive earthquake.
Term contracts version of CEEQUAL assessment and awards scheme launched

15-Mar-2011
CEEQUAL, the assessment and awards scheme for improving sustainability in civil engineering and the public realm, has launched a new version for term contracts
Eighth runway given go-ahead at Chicago O’Hare airport

14-Mar-2011
Plans for a further $1.2bn (£800M) extension of Chicago’s O’Hare airport have been agreed by US politicians and airlines.
Thames Water appoints Black & Veatch to assess flooding resilience

14-Mar-2011
Thames Water has appointed Black & Veatch to appraise flooding resilience at a number of its key water treatment assets within London and the Thames Valley.
Prime minister authorises black outs to conserve energy

14-Mar-2011
Japanese prime minister Naoto Kan has authorised rolling blackouts to conserve energy suppliers following the temporary shutdown of eleven nuclear reactors after Friday’s earthquake and tsunami.
Areva and Rolls Royce team up for new nuclear

14-Mar-2011
Areva signed an industrial cooperation agreement with Rolls-Royce to help deliver its fleet of European pressurised reactors (EPR) for new nuclear build in the UK and beyond.
Fears rise over nuclear safety as plant suffers huge blast

12-Mar-2011
Following the disatrous earthquake and tsunami in Japan attention has turned to the risk to two nuclear power plants, one which has suffered a explosion that sent a cloud of dust and debris into the air.
Infrastructure damage is widespread, says Foreign and Commonwealth Office

12-Mar-2011
Infrastructure damage in earthquake and tsunami-hit Japan is widespread with the north east of the of the country hardest hit, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office has said.
Cover pricing firms fines slashed

11-Mar-2011
The first contractors to appeal against the size of their fines for cover pricing have seen their penalties heavily reduced.
Swinney visits M74 completion scheme

11-Mar-2011
Scottish finance secretary John Swinney has become the first non construction worker to travel the length of the new M74 between Fullarton and the Kingston Bridge as the project nears completion.
Government announces new planning structure

11-Mar-2011
New arrangements to ensure a smooth and stable transition to a new planning system for major infrastructure decisions have been announced by decentralisation minister Greg Clark.
Skanska and GE team up for green projects

10-Mar-2011
Skanska and GE have have announced a strategic partnership to target the commercial property market worth up to £10bn.
Renewable heat incentive scheme launched

10-Mar-2011
Energy secretary Chris Huhne has launched an £860M scheme to spur investment in renewable heat for industrial, commercial and domestic buildings.
Construction waste to landfill down

10-Mar-2011
Waste & Resources Action Programme (WRAP) has insisted that its Halving Waste to Landfill initiative can deliver on the target of a 50% reduction in waste to landfill by 2012.
Stockport tackles potholes with moles

10-Mar-2011
Stockport Council has re-launched its Pothole Moles initiative to blitz even more potholes around the borough.
Iraq's field of dreams: Basra Sports City Stadium

10 March 2011
The hopes of Iraqi football fans rest in hands of engineers from RMD Kwikform, as they race to complete the new 65,000 capacity Basra Sports City Stadium in time for the 2013 Gulf Cup. NCE reports.
Hong Kong: Green Gateway

10 March 2011
This year will see the completion of the Tamar Development Project in Hong Kong.
Makeover for London Eye

10 March 2011
A £12.5M project to upgrade the London Eye in time for the 2012 Olympics has hit the halfway mark, with 16 of the 32 capsules now successfully refurbished.
Wonderwall: Folkestone Fish Restaurant

10 March 2011
At the new £2M fish restaurant in Folkestone will be a state of the art building offering 5-star dining with spectacular views across Folkestone Harbour, where diners will be able to see the catch being brought ashore using the adjacent slipway.
Lee Tunnel shaft wall completed

10 March 2011
The MVB consortium of Vinci Construction Grands Projets, Morgan Sindall and Bachy Soletanche has completed the 98m deep diaphragm wall for the Beckton overflow shaft - the first of the four shafts being constructed on Thames Water’s £635M Lee Tunnel project.
Letters: Let schools of engineering grow organically to become what we need

10 March 2011
Let schools of engineering grow organically to become what we need
Scottish firm bids for carbon capture and storage funds

9-Mar-2011
Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE) has submitted proposals to develop carbon capture and storage at a gas-fired power station in Peterhead, Aberdeenshire.
NCE's hot topics: Higgins on challenge ahead at Network Rail; Middle East unrest causes workload fears; predicting earthquakes

9-Mar-2011
New Network Rail chief executive David Higgins has spoken to NCE for the first time since joining the rail operator. He sets out the challenge ahead as his organisation prepares to double in size to cope with a booming workload.
Grontmij wins Mont-Blanc motorway job

9-Mar-2011
French firm Autoroutes et Tunnel du Mont-Blanc (ATBM) has appointed Grontmij firm Ginger CEBTP to renovate the Auto route Blanche (A40) and Route Blanche (RN205) in Southern France.
First foundation installed at London Array

9-Mar-2011
Project partners Dong Energy, E.on and Masdar announced today that the first of 177 foundations has been installed at the London Array Offshore Wind Farm, in the Thames Estuary.
Skanska and Arup partner on sustainable retrofitting

9-Mar-2011
Skanska and Arup have announced a strategic partnership to target the commercial property market worth up to £10bn.
Edinburgh tram mediation talks 'constructive'

8-Mar-2011
The contractor and client in the troubled Edinburgh tram project have said the mediation talks designed to re-start the £545M scheme have been “very constructive”.
Companies invited to bid for Olympic developments

8-Mar-2011
The Olympic Park Legacy Company (OPLC) has launched the first major opportunity for developers to get involved in the plans for the site after the Games.
More funds for Scottish pothole repairs

8-Mar-2011
The companies that maintain Scotland’s trunk roads are to carry out a extra repairs potholes following the allocation of an extra £2M to tackle the problem from the Scottish Government.
1,000 Green Deal apprentices to be created

8-Mar-2011
At least 1,000 Green Deal apprentices will receive Government funding towards their training, as part of plans to insulate the UK’s homes and businesses against rising energy prices and reduce carbon emissions.
Green investment bank to launch by September 2012

8-Mar-2011
The government has set out plans to get its £1bn Green Investment Bank operational by September 2012, with the first annual data on the funds in and size of investments made by the bank to be released by May 2013.
Lincolnshire energy from waste plant construction starts next month

8-Mar-2011
Lincolnshire County Council has confirmed a contract with Waste Recycling Group (WRG) to construct a new energy from waste facility.
Arcadis post revenues above €2bn

7-Mar-2011
Dutch consultant Arcadis has reported a 12% rise in gross revenues to € 2,003 million (£1.7bn) despite the severe downturn, in results released today.
ODA seeks contractors to convert Olympic Park

7-Mar-2011
Olympic Delivery Authority is seeking contractors to transform the parklands, infrastructure and those venues not covered by existing contracts for their long term use after the Games.
Industry launches temporary works forum

7-Mar-2011
ICE and Health and Safety Executive has teamed up to help launch the temporary works forum (TWf) to combat concerns over poor management in this area.
Tough times still ahead warns CECA

7-Mar-2011
Civil Engineering Contractors Association says that last week’s results from the Office National Statistics warns that while construction as a whole was slightly improved on 2009, infrastructure orders remained well down.
Mott MacDonald wins Indian rail contract

7-Mar-2011
Mott MacDonald has been appointed by the Jaipur Metro Rail Corporation as technical and general consultant for the forthcoming £1.3bn Jaipur metro project in India.
New power station approved

7-Mar-2011
Energy minister Charles Hendry today gave the go-ahead for RWE npower proposals to construct a new gas power plant at Willington, South Derbyshire.
Blackwall tunnel upgrade to be complete one year early

4-Mar-2011
Work to improve the safety provisions in the Blackwall tunnel will be completed this December – one year ahead of schedule.
Mott MacDonald wins design engineer role for Felixstowe coastal protection

4-Mar-2011
Mott MacDonald’s role as design engineer on a project to help manage and protect the coast of Felixstowe from coastal erosion for Suffolk Coastal District Council is under way.
£86M flood alleviation scheme deal for Morrison

4-Mar-2011
Morrison Construction has been awarded a £86M contract to undertake work in a flood prevention scheme in the Scottish town of Elgin.
Funding announced for Dounreay closure assistance

4-Mar-2011
Workers and businesses who depend on Dounreay are set to benefit from a £2.2M programme to help them adjust to the closure of the site.
Black & Veatch selected for Singapore water reclamation

3-Mar-2011
PUB, the national water agency of Singapore, has selected Black & Veatch to provide consultancy services valued at SGD$2.2M (£1M) for the expansion of the Changi Water Reclamation Plant.
New Unexploded Bomb Risk maps launched

3-Mar-2011
Engineering and environmental geophysics company Zetica has released an updated set of its Unexploded Bomb (UXB) risk maps for the Greater London Area.
Underwater kites to generate 530GWh by 2020

3-Mar-2011
Tidal energy device developer Minesto UK will receive a grant of up to £350,000 from the Carbon Trust funded by Invest Northern Ireland to deploy the first seagoing prototype of its innovative “seakite” technology, Deep Green.
Cardigan ground works project gathers pace

3-Mar-2011
A major ground works operation paving the way for a £50M redevelopment of the Bath House area of Cardigan, Wales, is progressing well, says leading multi-disciplined contractor the Cuddy Group.
Lafarge launches lowest embodied carbon cement

3-Mar-2011
Lafarge Cement has launched the UK’s lowest embodied carbon cement, Cemergi, in the latest in a series of investments to deliver sustainable building solutions.
Scottish government awards £220M water contract

3-Mar-2011
The Scottish government has awarded a £220M contract for water and waste water services to Business Stream, to maximise value for money in the public sector.
Balfour Beatty profits up 21%

3-Mar-2011
Balfour Beatty has reported a rise of 21% in pretax profit before exceptional items and amortisation in its full-year results for the year ended 31 December 2010.
Letters: Don’t let the rail lobby get the upper hand with HS2

03 March 2011
Don’t let the rail lobby get the upper hand with HS2
Government must open up procurement to social enterprise, say industry experts

2-Mar-2011
Construction firm Wates along with social enterprise (SE) representatives today called on the government to relax procurement procedures.
Network Rail bonus row predicted

2-Mar-2011
Network Rail bonuses are set to cause “a big row” next month if the company goes ahead with awarding unreformed bonuses, a member of the company has said.
Network Rail takes over Chiltern project

2-Mar-2011
Network Rail has taken over the management of the Evergreen 3 rail upgrade project from Chiltern Railways after a report confirmed that the project will be completed late.
Commons committee outlines 'urgent' need for transport investment in the North

2-Mar-2011
There is an “urgent” need for investment in transport schemes in the north of England, the cross-party Commons transport select committee has claimed.
Landmark trials may open new markets for anaerobic digestate

2-Mar-2011
Work is underway in England and Scotland on a series of landmark trials examining the potential for using anaerobic digestion as an alternative to commercial fertilisers in landscaping and regeneration projects.
Government to offer funding for rail electrification

2-Mar-2011
Business secretary Vince Cable announced that the government is prepared to offer conditional funding to winning consortium Agility Trains to build a UK manufacturing and assembly centre.
Aecom withdraws staff from Libya

2-Mar-2011
Aecom announced today it has completed the safe withdrawal of its expatriate employees and their families from Libya.
Alstom Grid to supply boosters for wind energy projects

2-Mar-2011
National Grid has awarded Alstom Grid an £18M contract for the design, supply and commissioning of two 400kV boosters to be used with wind energy projects.
Black & Veatch wins Singapore water reclamation contract

2-Mar-2011
Black & Veatch has been selected by the Singapore’s national water agency, PUB, to provide consultancy services valued at S$2.2M (£1M) for the expansion of the Changi Water Reclamation Plant.
Gifford designs Brighton’s Palace Pier revamp

2-Mar-2011
A team of specialist marine engineers at independent engineering and environmental consultant Gifford is designing a replacement programme to part of the Grade II* listed Brighton Palace Pier, announced last week.
Great Western electrification gets go-ahead to Wales

1-Mar-2011
The Government has announced that the plans for electrification of the Great Western mainline will go ahead – but only to Bristol and Cardiff, not Swansea as was planned by the last government.
Railway reform to avoid “conflict”

1-Mar-2011
The current structures of the railway industry are “set up for conflict” between train operators and Network Rail, the company’s new chief executive has said.
Converted salt caverns to boost UK gas storage

1-Mar-2011
EDF Energy is to bring ten large salt caverns into use as fast retrieval gas storage facilities, boosting land-based facilities in the UK.
New London Overground rail link opens three months early

1-Mar-2011
A new rail link that improves connections between north London, the City, Docklands and the south of the capital was opened three months ahead of schedule by the mayor of London Boris Johnson.
North west rail services back to normal

1-Mar-2011
Rail services between Chester and Rock Ferry in the north west of England have returned to normal following a week of intensive work to strengthen a viaduct on the rail route.
Underwater kites to power a city the size of Newcastle by 2020

1-Mar-2011
Tidal energy device developer Minesto UK to receive a grant of up to £350,000 from the Carbon Trust to deploy the first seagoing prototype of its innovative tidal energy seakite technology in the first stage of a plan to generate more than 500GWh of electricity a year.
New Tyne Tunnel opens to motorists

28-Feb-2011
After less than three years of construction, the new Tyne Tunnel was commissioned for public use at midnight on Friday.
Keller profits drop by over 40%

28-Feb-2011
Depressed market conditions in the US and much of Western Europe have hit Keller’s profits however record revenue in Australia, Poland and Asia has helped the company keep in profit.
Christchurch earthquake part of aftershock sequence

28-Feb-2011
Last week’s devastating magnitude 6.3 earthquake centred southeast of Christchurch was part of the aftershock sequence that has been occurring since the September magnitude 7.1 quake near Darfield, 40km west of the city, an earthquake geologist said today.
E.on to explore wind energy projects in Scottish forests

28-Feb-2011
E.on has won exclusive rights to explore potential for new wind energy projects on two lots of land owned by Forestry Commission Scotland (FCS).
Lighting complete on Abu Dhabi's Sheikh Zayed bridge

28-Feb-2011
Arup has completed the dynamic lighting scheme on the 842m long bridge following almost eight years of construction.
Interserve announces possible Mouchel offer

25-Feb-2011
Interserve has confirmed that it has approached the Board of Mouchel with an indicative proposal to acquire the company.
Yorkshire Water seeks flood defence role

25-Feb-2011
Yorkshire Water has announced that it is interested in playing a bigger role in flood defence, after Environment secretary Caroline Spelman said water companies could take on greater responsibility for flood risk management.
Thames Water keeping Thames Tunnel options open

25-Feb-2011
Thames Water, in conjunction with St James Group Ltd (part of the Berkeley Group), has bought land at Chambers Wharf in Bermondsey, to ensure it can be considered as a key construction site for the Thames Tunnel.
Rescuers optimistic in New Zealand quake

25-Feb-2011
Rescuers in New Zealand are “optimistic” that more people will be pulled alive from the rubble following the devastating earthquake which hit Christchurch, the leader of a British disaster relief team have said.
New non-executive director for Network Rail

25-Feb-2011
Network Rail has appointed Keith Ludeman as a non-executive director.
Scottish Government changes energy planning

25-Feb-2011
Owners of public buildings and businesses in Scotland will soon be able to generate energy using technologies such as solar panels without requiring planning permission.
Road repair fund ‘not enough’

25-Feb-2011
Road repair firms have welcomed the announcement by transport secretary Philip Hammond of a £100M fund to repair potholes up and down the country but warn the sum is nowhere near enough.
New Master Craftsman qualification to be presented

25-Feb-2011
An award developed by City of London livery companies to recognise skills in the construction industry has been awarded to apprentices for the first time.
Southampton port to undergo £80M berth development

25-Feb-2011
Associated British Ports (ABP) has received consent from the Marine Management Organisation for the construction of a new quay wall at Berths 201 and 202 in the Port of Southampton.
Interserve ousts Costain in Mouchel takeover battle

24-Feb-2011
It has emerged that Interserve is the company in advanced talks with Mouchel over a tie-up, after Costain stated yesterday that it was no longer involved.
EIB delivers record lending for climate projects

24-Feb-2011
In 2010, the European Investment Bank (EIB) increased financing for climate action projects to €19bn (£16bn), representing an impressive 30% of its lending in the European Union.
Costain takeover of Mouchel nears completion

24-Feb-2011
Mouchel has this morning confirmed that it is in”advanced discussions” with a potential buyer, believed to be contractor Costain.
Energy Minister approves new power plant for Wales

24-Feb-2011
Wales is set to gain a new power plant with the potential to provide electricity to 1.4M homes, as energy minister Charles Hendry today gave the go-ahead for SSE to build an 870MW gas-fired power station near Port Talbot.
Flood defence plans could damage economy, say property experts

24-Feb-2011
Government plans that will allow residents and businesses to fund flood defences from April next year could damage the economy, the British Property Federation (BPF) warned this week.
Water efficiency and urbanisation to cause climate change strife

24-Feb-2011
Water metering and poorly constructed homes in “urban heat islands” will exacerbate the consequences of climate change for low-income and urban households, a new report has said.
Galliford Try Secures £33 Million Water Work

24-Feb-2011
Galliford Try has announced that it has been awarded a £33M contract by Northumbrian Water to design and build an advanced anaerobic digestion plant.
Chiltern's Fast-Track Soil Nailing

24 February 2011
Embankment stabilisation is a key part of work to upgrade the Chilterns line between London and Birmingham. GE reports.
The Big Squeeze

24 February 2011
A sensitive railway embankment and a tightly hemmed in site in Battersea, south London, presented Rock & Alluvium with a tough challenge. GE reports.
New Zealand quake triggers collapses

24 February 2011
Experts in New Zealand were this week assessing damage to buildings and infrastructure following a serious earthquake close to Christchurch, the country’s second largest city.
Letters: Crossrail 2 can unlock High Speed Two's potential

24 February 2011
Crossrail 2 can unlock High Speed Two’s potential
NEC contract users helped by new tools

24 February 2011
NEC has licensed two content partners to enable users to make the most of its NEC3 suite of contracts through bespoke contract management software.
Network Rail pushes power to regions

24 February 2011
Network Rail this week announced sweeping plans to split itself into devolved business units run by regionally-based managing directors.
Galliford Try set to recruit for water business

23-Feb-2011
Construction company Galliford Try is set for a recruitment drive in the next year as the firm’s work in the water industry increases.
TfL appoints new managing director for surface transport

23-Feb-2011
London’s transport commissioner Peter Hendy today announced that Leon Daniels will be the new Surface Transport managing director at Transport for London (TfL).
New gas-fired power plant gets go-ahead in Wales

23-Feb-2011
Energy minister Charles Hendry today gave the go-ahead for Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE) to build a 870MW gas-fired power station near Port Talbot.
Royal couple open JCB Academy

23-Feb-2011
The £22M JCB Academy was today officially opened by The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall.
Councils given £100M to repair winter potholes

23-Feb-2011
Transport secretary Philip Hammond has announced today councils in England will be given more than £100M of extra funding to spend on repairing potholes.
Construction begins on Panama metro

23-Feb-2011
Panama’s minister of public works Federico Suárez announced work has begun on the 14km long line which includes 11 stations and expected to open in 2013.
WYG wins £1.25M joint South African and European Union project

23-Feb-2011
Consultant White Young Green (WYG) has won a €1.5m (£1.25M) contract in South Africa to facilitate an SA-EU policy dialogue programme funded by the European Union.
Clean energy project launches in Welsh valleys

23-Feb-2011
Welsh Government has launched an £8.3M energy project called “How green is my valley” this week in a bid to help local companies create green jobs.
Mott MacDonald wins two projects along North East coastline

23-Feb-2011
Hartlepool Borough Council has appointed Mott MacDonald as project manager and coastal engineer by on two projects along the Hartlepool coastline in the north east of England.
Morgan Sindall warns of tough three years after fall in turnover and profits

22-Feb-2011
Contractor Morgan Sindall has warned of a tough three years ahead after revealing a drop in turnover pretax profits for the year ending 31 December 2010.
Cumbria's Barker Crossing dismantled

22-Feb-2011
Army Engineers have returned to Cumbria to dismantle the temporary military bridge that was erected over the River Derwent during the severe flooding of the area in 2009.
No government cash for Woolwich Crossrail station fit out

22-Feb-2011
Transport secretary Philip Hammond has confirmed that no government funds will be made available to pay for the fit out of the Crossrail Woolwich station box.
Bournemouth regeneration gets go ahead

22-Feb-2011
A new public-private partnership has been created to kick start a £350M regeneration project of Bournemouth’s town centre.
New Ryanair hangar opens at Glasgow Prestwick

22-Feb-2011
Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond has opened a new £8M Ryanair maintenance hanger at Glasgow Prestwick Airport.
John Lewis set for New Street station

22-Feb-2011
The redevelopment of Birmingham New Street station will include a John Lewis store, after the retailer confirmed that the station will be the location for their new city centre store.
Edinburgh Tram land orders to be extended due to delays

22-Feb-2011
The Scottish Government has laid before Parliament two orders to extend the time limits for the City of Edinburgh Council to compulsorily acquire the land needed to complete its trams project.
UN unveils roadmap for the green economy

21-Feb-2011
United Nations hopes that by investing $1.3tn (£800bn) a year into ten key sectors can help kick-start a transition towards a green economy, detailed in its new report launched today.
Management flaws lay behind Buncefield disaster

21-Feb-2011
Fundamental safety management failings were the root cause of Britain’s most costly industrial disaster, according to a new Health and Safety Executive and Environment Agency report.
Network Rail admits Potters Bar charges

21-Feb-2011
Network Rail this week admitted breaches of health and safety law that caused the 2002 Potters Bar rail crash, in which seven people died.
UK renewable and CCS firms bid for £7.6bn EU funding

21-Feb-2011
A total of 14 UK projects using carbon capture and storage (CCS) and innovative renewable projects have applied to a European Union fund worth up to €9bn (£8bn).
Network Rail to split into regional companies

21-Feb-2011
Network Rail is unveiling sweeping measures to split the company up by creating new powerful devolved business units run by managing directors which will be regionally-based, the firm announced today.
Eneco plans new 1.2MW offshore wind farm

21-Feb-2011
Netherlands based wind farm developers has announced the location for a proposed wind off the coast of Dorset and Hampshire coasts.
Crossrail confirms shortlisted four for Farringdon station

18-Feb-2011
Crossrail has announced the four shortlisted bidders who will bid to construct Farringdon station in a contract worth £375M.
Mott MacDonald and Arup pick up Hong Kong contract

18-Feb-2011
A Mott MacDonald and Arup joint venture has been appointed by the Airport Authority Hong Kong to provide full design consultancy services and construction support services for the phase 1 development of Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) midfield.
Condition of English roads deteriorates

18-Feb-2011
New figures released by the Department for Transport has revealed that there has been a decline in the condition of roads in England in the last year.
Property expert says skyscrapers will not damage London's heritage

17-Feb-2011
Property expert Bradley Baker told a construction industry forum this week that London will benefit from the influx of tall buildings such as the Shard.
Treasury launches pilot to achieve savings in PFI projects

17-Feb-2011
Commercial secretary to the Treasury Lord Sassoon has launched a pilot project to identify the scope for achieving savings in operational Private Finance Initiative (PFI) contracts.
New Ministry of Defence infrastructure organisation created

17-Feb-2011
Defence secretary Liam Fox has announced the creation of a new organisation to manage Ministry of Defence property.
Polypipe WMS Launches Polystorm-R Modular Cell

17-Feb-2011
Polypipe WMS, the UK’s dedicated sustainable drainage and water management expert, has launched Polystorm-R, a modular cell solution manufactured from recycled material.
Olympics, the Shard and Crossrail put in the frame for new exhibition

17 February 2011
The ICE has funded a number of paintings by artist Jonathan Meuli to capture the huge scale and ambition of the construction under way in the run-up to the London 2012 Olympic Games.
JCB wins order for 500 small excavators

17 February 2011
JCB has landed an order for 505 compact excavators from builders’ merchant Travis Perkins. The order is for 371 JCB 8014 mini excavators and 134 micro excavators.
We need to create a new generation of built environment experts, says architect Rogers

17 February 2011
With over half the world’s population now living in cities, architect Richard Rogers has called for a new generation of built-environment professionals - with skills in architecture, planning and civil engineering - to ensure future urban developments are properly designed.
Hungarian young engineer’s thesis paves the way for future success

17 February 2011
A project looking into the design of a timber footbridge in Prague has scooped ICE Hungary’s first Young Civil Engineer Final Thesis Award.
Midlands plant hire firm powers up on biodiesel

17 February 2011
Plant hire firm believes making its own bio diesel will save it £2,500 a month.
Liebherr crane makes UK debut

17 February 2011
Edinburgh-based crane hire firm Bernard Hunter has taken delivery of the UK’s first 100t-capacity LTM 1100-4.2 mobile crane from Liebherr.
Richard Hall snaps up new Volvo crawler

17 February 2011
Groundworks and site clearance contractor Richard Hall has added a new 14t Volvo EC140C crawler excavator to its fleet.
A86 Duplex showcased as NCE iPad app goes live

17 February 2011
NCE’s cutting edge iPad app is now live, bringing you more news, more images and more technical detail, when and where you want it. With support from our launch partner Vinci Construction UK and Vinci Construction Grands Projets, NCE’s iPad app is your weekly NCE but paperless and with more interaction.
Letters: Are energy from waste plants sustainable?

17 February 2011
Are energy from waste plants sustainable?
Strong competition for this year’s GE Awards

17 February 2011
Fifty entries were this week shortlisted for the GE Awards 2011, organised by NCE’s sister title Ground Engineering.
Successful lift for Eurocodes bridge

17 February 2011
Contractors have successfully lifted the main span for the new £3.75M pedestrian and cycle bridge over the M5 at Redhayes, despite delays caused by high winds on Saturday evening.
Treasury launches pilot to achieve savings in PFI projects

16-Feb-2011
The Treasury has launched a pilot project that aims to achieve savings in operational Private Finance Initiative (PFI) contracts.
New report argues southern England will benefit from HS2

16-Feb-2011
A new report published by Greengauge 21 has found that the High Speed 2 line, which is proposed run from London to Birmingham in a first stage by 2025, will mean that more local services and freight can run on the West Coast mainline.
Funding agreed for Woolwich Crossrail station box

16-Feb-2011
Agreement has been reached to build a new “station box” on the Crossrail line through Woolwich, Transport Secretary Philip Hammond has announced today.
Atkins to cut 300 more jobs due to slowdown in highways work

16-Feb-2011
Britain’s biggest consultant Atkins has said it will cut another 300 jobs between now and the end of the financial year despite a “strong workload of long term contracts”.
Folkestone Harbour project takes shape

16-Feb-2011
Folkestone Harbour’s £2M fish restaurant came closer to opening following completion of the steel structure.
Bam secures planning permission for Leeds office project

16-Feb-2011
Bam has secured planning permission for an seven storey commercial building in the West End of Leeds which will be known as Latitude Blue.
Midland Metro tenders for extension work

16-Feb-2011
Tenders have been called for parts of the work to extend the Metro tram system through the streets of Birmingham city centre this week.
Gillingham station upgrade work starts

15-Feb-2011
Work on a £2.6M upgrade of Gillingham station, which will create a new entrance and ticket office, has begun.
London begins work on electic vehicle charging points

15-Feb-2011
Transport for London (TfL) has begun work to install 1,300 new electric vehicles charging points in the capital.
£2M to support improvements to planning in Wales

15-Feb-2011
The Welsh Assembly Government has announced it will spend £2M to support improvements to the planning service.
Safety tests in new Tyne Tunnel

14-Feb-2011
Emergency services test the tunnel’s safety system with a full scale accident mock-up prior to opening later this month.
BMT buys coastal engineering firm JFA

14-Feb-2011
BMT Group, a maritime engineering and risk management firm, has bought Australian based JFA Consultants to broaden its work in the Asia-Pacific region.
Buckingham Group win Wolves stadium contract

14-Feb-2011
Wolves has appointed Buckingham Group for phase one of its £16M plan to redevelop Molineux.
Plans revealed for Greenland's new National Gallery

11-Feb-2011
Architecture firm Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) is in the winning team to design the new National Gallery of Greenland in the country’s capital Nuuk, among invited proposals totaling six Nordic architects.
Research strategy launched to tackle food security

11-Feb-2011
The Department for International Development has published its co-ordinated plan for research to help the world avoid a potential food security crisis.
York and North Yorkshire and Enterprise M3 join LEP network

11-Feb-2011
The new local enterprise partnerships (LEP) for York and North Yorkshire and Enterprise M3 were approved today by Minister for business Mark Prisk and decentralisation minister Greg Clark.
Pick Everard Team are Great Communicators

11-Feb-2011
A team of young civil engineers from Pick Everard’s Bury St Edmunds office has won the ICE East of England Communications Competition.
Mayor kicks off work on UK's biggest low carbon waste plant

11-Feb-2011
Mayor of London Boris Johnson has this week officially kicked off work on the future £80M plant that will transform household rubbish into clean energy to power up to 15,000 local homes.
Aecom uses Rapid Model Prototyping for Lee Tunnel enabling works

11-Feb-2011
Aecom has delivered a physical model of historic structures at Beckton Sewage Treatment Works as part of enabling works for the Lee Tunnel.
18 town and cities bid to become production sites for Fehmarnbelt link

10-Feb-2011
A total of 18 towns, cities and ports in Germany, Denmark and Poland are bidding to become production sites for £4.4bn immersed tunnel crossing.
The Rolls Royce of caissons in Venice

10-Feb-2011
Not many worksites can claim Rolls-Royce standards but it is literally true for the Venice flood barrier where construction is well underway for the giant seabed caissons which will house the scheme’s steel floating gates.
Dead man should not have been in pit, court hears

10-Feb-2011
An expert witness in the Cotswold Geotechnical corporate manslaughter case has said that the man who died should not have been in the unsupported pit when it collapsed on him.
Bachy Soletanche in Epsom Station redevelopment

10-Feb-2011
Specialist geotechnical contractors, Bachy Soletanche, has completed phase 2 of its CFA piling work at Epsom Station in Surrey as part of a £400,000 redevelopment project for main contractor Kier London, and its client Solum Regeneration.
TfL publishes costs in transparency drive

10-Feb-2011
Transport for London (TfL) has published details of all expenditure over £500 for the first time, after mayor of London Boris Johnson endorsed the transparency initiative launched by Prime Minister David Cameron.
Flood defence schemes approved

10-Feb-2011
The government has unveiled plans to reduce the risk of flooding and coastal erosion in England, including the launch of 39 new flood and coastal defence projects.
Volcanic St Helena gets rockfall barriers

10 February 2011
Contractors on the South Atlantic island St Helena are installing nearly 4km of Geoburgg GBE rock fall barriers using helicopters.
CECA founder Peter Andrews dies at 66

10 February 2011
Peter Andrews, founder chairman of the Civil Engineering Contractors Association (CECA), died last week aged 66.
Check out NCE’s new iPad app

10 February 2011
NCE’s cutting edge iPad app launches this week, bringing you more news, more images and more technical detail, when and where you want it.
Letters: We need an open debate about wind power costs

10 February 2011
We need an open debate about wind power costs
Government pledges funding for 39 new flood defence schemes

9-Feb-2011
The Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has today announced 39 new flood and coastal defence projects as part of Government plans to reduce the risk of flooding and coastal erosion in England.
J Murphy power division awarded Tube Sub-Surface lines contract

9-Feb-2011
J Murphy & Sons Power Division has been awarded a multi-million project by London Underground Limited (LU) to upgrade the power infrastructure of the Sub-Surface Railway (SSR) lines, comprising the Metropolitan, Circle, District and Hammersmith and City Lines.
E.on's Humber Gateway offshore wind farm given go-ahead

9-Feb-2011
Government gave their approval for energy giant E.on to construct a 230MW wind farm off the coast of Humberside today.
Mayor seeks £500M Crossrail style funding for Northern Line extension

9-Feb-2011
London mayor Boris Johnson yesterday published a consultation document that sets out plans to garner £500M of funding from developers for the Northern Line extension
Deloitte cautions a careful look at water reform

9-Feb-2011
Accounting giant Deloitte has today launched a report questioning the economic benefits of retail competition in the water sector.
LOCOG reinstates Olympic Stadium "wrap" plans

8-Feb-2011
The London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) today invited private sector funding for the Olympic Stadium “wrap”, which was cut in the Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR) in November.
Keller strengthens ground for Barking Riverside project

8-Feb-2011
Specialist geotechnical company Keller UK is installing 1,200, 600mm diameter vibro concrete columns as part of ground stabilisation requirements for highway construction at the £3.5bn Barking Riverside project.
Welsh Assembly £2.7M coastal protection grant approved

8-Feb-2011
Environment minister Jane Davidson has approved a Welsh Assembly Government grant of over £2.7M towards the first phase of coastal protection works Colwyn Bay. Work is expected to start on the project later this month.
Bribery action needed, says CIOB

8-Feb-2011
The Chartered Institute of Building has urged the UK Government has been urged not to dilute the Bribery Act, ahead of a consultation on the implementation legislation.
Geothermal Engineering bids for Regional Growth Fund cash

8-Feb-2011
A British company which is developing the UK’s first commercial-scale deep geothermal power plant has bid for a share of the Government’s £1.4bn Regional Growth Fund.
BIG selected to design Manhattan residential building

8-Feb-2011
A new building for the Manhattan skyline will be designed by Danish architects BIG-Bjarke Ingels Group in their first north American project.
Costain wins Manchester and Heathrow airport contracts

8-Feb-2011
Costainhas been awarded two airport contracts at Manchester and Heathrow.
REA raises concerns over Government review into feed-in tariffs

7-Feb-2011
Renewable Energy Association (REA) said the Government’s review into feed-in tariffs (FITs), which will scrutinise large scale solar projects, will create uncertainty for investors.
Economic woes blamed for construction firms paying bills late

7-Feb-2011
Research for credit firm Experian shows construction and building firms paying bills 21 days late as they struggled to cope with tough economic conditions.
TfL to refund passengers following Canary Wharf disruption

7-Feb-2011
Following a two-hour suspension on the Jubilee line between London Bridge and Stratford, Transport for London (TfL) has decided refund passengers fares affecting by the disruption.
DfT approves funding for nine local transport schemes

7-Feb-2011
Schemes in Leeds, Ipswich and Taunton were amongst projects given the go-ahead following £45.5M (14%) of savings identified by their promoters, transport secretary Philip Hammond.
Oldham have stadium move rejected

4-Feb-2011
Oldham Athletic football club has had a ground move halted by the Charity Commission.
Mersey Gateway market consultation exercise launched

4-Feb-2011
The proposed Mersey Gateway bridge is taking the next step in the process of appointing a contractor for the project by launching a market consultation exercise.
Saudi Arabian rail framework approved

4-Feb-2011
The international design, engineering and management services consultancy Arcadis has announced the regulatory framework it designed for the Saudi Arabia government has been approved.
Scotland braced for gales

4-Feb-2011
The Scottish Government’s response team that deals with severe weather on the country’s transport system has been put on alert after forecasts for snow and strong gales in parts of the country this morning.
Steve Rowsell takes over as NEC Users' Group chairman

3-Feb-2011
Former Highways Agency and Crossrail procurement boss Steve Rowsell has agreed to take over the role of NEC Users’ Group chairman from 2011.
WRc to launch new water industry specification

3-Feb-2011
At the beginning of March, WRc is publishing the new 7th edition of its Civil Engineering Specification for the Water Industry (CESWI 7), for use in all civil engineering contracts let by water undertakers in the UK.
Green Infrastructure Bank faces nuclear question

3-Feb-2011
The Green Infrastructure Bank will seek to lend to energy projects when it is first set up, but it remains undecided whether nuclear projects will fall under the bank’s remit, business secretary Vince Cable said yesterday.
Call for Green Deal retrofit finance boost

3-Feb-2011
The UK Green Building Council has called for the government to use its Green Investment Bank to provide finance for retrofit work.
Mersey Gateway market consultation exercise launched

3-Feb-2011
The Mersey Gateway Project is taking the next step in the process of appointing a Design Build Finance and Operate (DBFO) contractor by launching a market consultation exercise.
WYG begins move into China

3-Feb-2011
Consultancy WYG is expanding its international footprint as it prepares to open a new office in Shanghai in May.
University appoints Halcrow director to landmark position

3-Feb-2011
Halcrow director Roger Moore has been chosen to be the UK’s first chair in Applied Geomorphology.
Westminster takes responsibility for rail electrification to Swansea

3-Feb-2011
The secretary of state for Wales Cheryl Gillan has confirmed that electrification of the Great Western Main Line to Swansea is the sole responsibility of the Westminster government.
Edinburgh trams need clear way ahead and review of key players

3-Feb-2011
A new report has said a clear way ahead for the Edinburgh trams project needs to be established, and the Scottish government should consider whether its agency Transport Scotland should become more actively involved.
Cornwall water treatment works wind turbine to go ahead

3-Feb-2011
Planning permission has been granted for a single wind turbine at Crowdy water treatment site, North Cornwall.
UK construction sector returned to "modest" growth in January

3-Feb-2011
Better weather and a rise in new orders supported “modest” growth last month, experts have said, with optimism among UK construction companies at its strongest in eight months.
Mouchel secures bank finance as it battles to fend off hostile takeovers

03 February 2011
Consultant Mouchel this week announced it had agreed a £170M deal with its banks to take it through to 31 March 2014.
Mayor begins work on £80M gasification plant

03 February 2011
Work on the UK’s first large scale gasification plant began officially began today by London mayor Brois Johnson.
Rail travel rises to peacetime peak

03 February 2011
The number of people travelling by train rose to record new levels in 2010, with more passengers choosing rail in a peacetime year than at any time since the 1920s, according to figures published today.
Letters: Demanding more for less is bleeding our industry dry

03 February 2011
Demanding more for less is bleeding our industry dry
Mayor announces major progress with Jubilee line upgrade

2-Feb-2011
The mayor of London, Boris Johnson, has announced that signalling upgrades on the Jubilee line will be completed this spring.
Call for Transport Scotland to get involved in Edinburgh Trams

2-Feb-2011
Scottish Government agency Transport Scotland should become more involved in the management of the Edinburgh Tram project, a report into the beleaguered scheme project has stated today.
Danish MPs confirm backing for tunnel link to Germany

2-Feb-2011
Danish politicians are supporting Femern, the state-owned company in charge of planning the link, proposals to build a EUR 5.1bn (£4.4bn) immersed tunnel under the Fehmarnbelt
Amec buys American water and mining consulting firm

2-Feb-2011
Amec announces today that it has acquired BCI Engineers and Scientists, a Florida-based consulting firm focused on the water and mining sectors.
Five firms team up for UK to Norway power link

2-Feb-2011
Five northern European energy firms have signed a cooperation agreement to build an electrical interconnector between UK and Norway by 2020.
Environmentalists attack Sochi 2014 construction projects

1-Feb-2011
Tensions are growing in Russia as environmental groups grow increasingly dissatisfied with projects attached to the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics.
New ODA chief executive launches health and safety campaign

1-Feb-2011
On his first official day as chief executive of the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) on 1 February, Dennis Hone today met with members of the Olympic Park workforce to launch a new safety campaign for the site.
New fund for regeneration projects

1-Feb-2011
The Government has announced that local communities are to be given new powers to plan regeneration projects.
Full steam ahead for Llangollen railway expansion

1-Feb-2011
The Welsh Assembly Government has announced funding to assist in the extension of Llangollen Railway from Carrog through to the town of Corwen.
Higgins starts at Network Rail

1-Feb-2011
David Higgins has started work as Network Rail chief executive today, and immediately stated his aim to deliver a “better value railway”.
JMP to work on Prince of Wales regeneration project

1-Feb-2011
Transport planners and engineers JMP is carrying out detailed design of road and drainage infrastructure for a “walkable neighbourhood” development in Ayrshire being undertaken by The Prince of Wales.
Mott MacDonald appointed on Adelaide Oval upgrade

1-Feb-2011
Mott MacDonald has been appointed by the Government of South Australia to carry out design and project management services for the AU$450M (£281M) upgrade of Adelaide Oval sports stadium in Australia.
Highways contractors begin month of scrutiny as new generation CAT assessments begin

31-Jan-2011
Highways Agency auditors have this week begun the assessment process of contractors for its new generation on capability assessments for major projects and maintenance contracts.
Amey buys transport planner Transportation Planning International

31-Jan-2011
Amey has bought transportation planning and traffic engineering consultancy Transportation Planning International (TPI).
Highways Agency looks for gantry builders

31-Jan-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.
EIB provides loan for Dutch grid project to support offshore wind

31-Jan-2011
The line will close the “Randsted 380” extra high voltage electricity transmission ring and will help connect offshore wind farms.
Waste needed for Tyneside Dock

31-Jan-2011
Contractor Siruis Engineering Group needs 250,000T of waste material to complete the infilling of one the Tyne’s historic shipping docks.
Research shows increase in project finance

28-Jan-2011
NCE sister title Infrastructure Journal’s 2010 league tables has revealed the extent of the bounce-back in project finance in 2010 – with banklending up 37.5 per cent on 2009 across all sectors.
Defra sets out climate change risks for infrastructure

28-Jan-2011
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) today published the first reports from its series that identify risks to the UK’s infrastructure from the effects of climate change.
Mouchel agrees £170M refinancing deal

27-Jan-2011
Consultant Mouchel today announced it had agreed a £170M deal with its banks that will take it through to 31 March 2014.
Talking Point

27 January 2011
Geocentrix owner Dr Andrew Bond provides an update about the structural Eurocodes from the Decoding the Eurocodes blog.
Cameron backs European supergrid to kick start expansion

27 January 2011
Plans to link-up green energy projects in the Irish, North and Baltic Seas were backed by prime minster David Cameron this week.
Councils beg ministers for extra road repair cash

27 January 2011
Councils in England last week urged the Department for Transport (DfT) to give them extra road repair cash for routes damaged by the severe winter weather.
Final Forth crossing bids due tomorrow

27 January 2011
Final offers from the two consortiums bidding to build the new crossing of the Forth are to be submitted tomorrow.
Award winning rail service to stop

26-Jan-2011
Train operating company Wrexham & Shropshire has today announced that it is to cease operations – on the day that it was crowned by passengers as the country’s best rail operator.
Babcock pulls out of Wakefield waste PFI

26-Jan-2011
Wakefield’s waste management PFI scheme is on the brink of collapse after the sponsor announced its intention to withdraw from the scheme.
Ofgem announces eight bidders for wind transmission projects

26-Jan-2011
Ofgem has announced the eight bidders for three more high-voltage transmission links with offshore wind farms as part of Ofgem E-Serve’s latest competitive tender process.
First round of bidding for regional growth fund comes to a close

26-Jan-2011
The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) has received nearly 450 bids in the first round of the Regional Growth Fund.
Quarterly fall in construction output masks year on year rise

25-Jan-2011
Official statistics show construction output fell 3.3% in the final quarter of 2010 compared with the previous quarter, but rose 6.9% compared with the same quarter in 2009.
Government approves gas power station for Kent

25-Jan-2011
Energy minister Charles Hendry has given the go-ahead for Scottish Power to build a new 1,000MW gas-fired power station near Hoo St Werburgh in Kent
Systra signs Panama metro deal

25-Jan-2011
International consulting engineers Systra signed a contract to undertake design studies as part of the project to build a metro in Panama City.
Unsafe working practices blamed for train collision

25-Jan-2011
Unsafe working practices in Network Rail’s track renewal work were among the factors that led to a passenger train being struck by a rail last year, a report into the incident has said.
Scottish Government to review airport resilience

25-Jan-2011
The Scottish Government is to review the winter resilience of Scottish airports in a forum with airport operators.
Honours update

20-Jan-2011
Civil engineer Ian Walsh was also honoured in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours list.
Buried Secrets: Dartford Tunnel

20 January 2011
In early January, with one more possession of the tunnel still to go, drivers of vehicles using Kent’s Dartford crossing have been blissfully unaware that a major project has been underway which could have impacted mightily on their travel plans.
ICE’s satisfaction survey opens

20 January 2011
The ICE’s 2011 Member Satisfaction Survey will be launched on 27 January and will be hosted online for the second year.
Jowitt appointed NGO chair

20 January 2011
Immediate past president Paul Jowitt has been appointed as the new chairman of Engineers Against Poverty (EAP), the NGO that aims to maximise the sustainability and poverty reducing impact of investments in infrastructure in the developing world.
Letters: Political dithering over energy production threatens the UK

20 January 2011
Political dithering over energy production threatens the UK
Spotlight: Revamped Blackfriars station gathers pace

20 January 2011
Strainstall has provided and is operating an extensive monitoring system for the Blackfriars Station redevelopment project in London, part of Network Rail’s Thameslink project.
Contractors concerned over inflation rise

19-Jan-2011
The Civil Engineering Contractors Association (CECA) has warned that rising inflation, particularly affecting fuel prices, will hinder contractors in 2011.
Crossrail funding levy could inhibit development

19-Jan-2011
Business group London First chief executive Baroness Jo Valentine has warned proposals to gather Crossrail funding via a Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) could stymy development.
Nuclear Power Delivery UK signs agreements with supply chain

19-Jan-2011
A company established to deliver Westinghouse nuclear power plants in the UK has announced that it has signed a memoranda of understanding (MOUs) with three of the biggest names in the nuclear industry supply chain – BAE Systems, Doosan Power Systems and Rolls-Royce.
Mouchel appoints new Operating Group Director for Regulated Industries’ business

19-Jan-2011
Consulting and business services Group Mouchel has appointed Jamie Woods as Operating Group Director for Regulated Industries.
Atkins wins Danish high speed rail contract

18-Jan-2011
Atkins has been chosen as part of a consortium to design the first stretch of high speed enabled rail line in Denmark.
Walkie Talkie construction begins

18-Jan-2011
Canary Wharf contractors began construction of 20 Fenchurch Street, dubbed the “Walkie Talkie”, in the City of London today.
Ramboll unveils carbon neutral house design

18-Jan-2011
Ramboll has delivered what it calls a pioneering sustainable energy solution for a new housing development at Brookwood Farm in Woking, Surrey.
Scotland's Hydrogen Office opens

18-Jan-2011
A state-of-the-art demonstration and research facility powered by hydrogen fuel cell technology was officially opened today by First Minister Alex Salmond as he visited the £4.7M facility in Methil, Fife.
Hydropower on the increase

18-Jan-2011
There has been a six-fold increase in the number of hydropower schemes planned in England and Wales since 2008, the Environment Agency announced today.
Crossrail funding moves a step closer

18-Jan-2011
Mayor of London Boris Johnson today published proposals for consultation that would, through the planning system, seek contributions from most new developments in the capital towards the costs of delivering Crossrail.
Three bidders shortlisted for £3bn Essex highways deal

17-Jan-2011
Essex County Council has shortlisted three bidders to create what will be the largest integrated highways partnership in the UK worth up to £3bn over 10 years.
Environment Agency steps up engineering effort against floods

17-Jan-2011
The Environment Agency completed emergency engineering work over the weekend amid fears heavy rain would cause flooding in the North West of England and Wales.
New Thames bridge work to begin this month

17-Jan-2011
Advanced work on the first major new road crossing of the River Thames in almost 20 years is to begin this month, designer Atkins has confirmed.
Crossrail tenders £1bn of station contracts

17-Jan-2011
Crossrail has begun the hunt for contractors to build four central London stations worth a combined £950M on the £14.4bn rail project.
Who will be the next boss of Crossrail?

14-Jan-2011
Following the dramatic news that Crossrail chief executive Rob Holden has quit after less than two years in the job, NCE wants to hear your views on who will be his replacement.
Contractors named for Olympic Water Polo venue

14-Jan-2011
Work has started on one of the last venues to be built on the Olympic Park as contractors were named for the 5,000-seat Water Polo Arena.
Laing O’Rourke JV wins rail infrastructure contract in Hong Kong

14-Jan-2011
Contractor Laing O’Rourke has this week announced that in a three-way joint venture with leading Chinese contractors Hsin Chong and Paul Y, it has secured a £260M rail infrastructure contract as part of the construction of the Express Rail Link for MTR in Hong Kong.
Scotland receives salt deliveries

14-Jan-2011
Salt supplies in Scotland have been boosted with the delivery of 4,000t of salt for use on roads in the north east.
Government approves north east LEP

13-Jan-2011
A new local enterprise partnership for the North East of England was approved today by Business Minister Mark Prisk and Decentralisation Minister Greg Clark.
Letters: Frost induced water mains failures come as no surprise

13-Jan-2011
Frost induced water mains failures come as no surprise
New life for old coal

13-Jan-2011
Researchers at the University of Leeds are exploring a greener, safer and cheaper way of using coal from deep underground seams as an energy source.
CBEs for engineering heads

13 January 2011
Atkins chief executive Keith Clarke and Arup director Peter Head were among the civil engineering figures recognised in this year’s New Year’s honours list.
Come to NCE’s new site security event

13 January 2011
NCE this week launched the new Construction Site Security Conference and Exhibition designed to prompt a vital step change in the planning, management and operation of UK construction sites.
Deadline looms for Consultants File 2011 entries

13 January 2011
All the firms who wish to appear in this year’s NCE Consultants File should now have received information on how to access the online forms. Deadline for completion is 8 February.
ICE to review governance

13 January 2011
As part of a regular process of reviewing ICE procedures, a working group led by vice president Bill Hewlett is to review aspects of ICE governance.
Thames Tunnel spoil removal plan correction

13 January 2011
A production error in the last issue of NCE (NCE 16/23 December) meant that Thames Water’s approach to spoil removal for the proposed Thames Tunnel was misreported.
Young ones: new youth project for ICE

13 January 2011
The ICE is challenging young people across the UK to plan, design and construct a model for a new sports venue in their local community - and it needs civil engineers to help inspire the would-be future engineers.
Graham Construction named referred bidder for Dounreay waste facility

12-Jan-2011
The company charged with the decommissioning of the Dounreay nuclear site has appointed a preferred bidder in its plans to build of a radioactive waste disposal facility on the site.
Snow chaos costs BAA £24M

12-Jan-2011
This winter’s heavy snow affected all of BAA’s airports and cost the firm £24M, it revealed today.
Highways Agency brings in first non-executive chairman

12-Jan-2011
lan Cook has been appointed as the first ever non-executive chairman of the Highways Agency board.
Scotland and China sign renewable energy deal

11-Jan-2011
Scotland and has signed a $10M (£6.4M) deal with China to share knowledge on processing domestic waste into energy.
Interserve helped by £500M contract wins

11-Jan-2011
Interserve today revealed UK and Middle East contracts wins worth £500M in a strong trading update to the market.
Black & Veatch wins £31M Scottish Water quality improvements

7-Jan-2011
Scottish Water awards £31M storm water management project to Black & Veatch in joint venture with Morrison Construction
Mouchel rejects Costain's second takeover bid

6-Jan-2011
Consultaint Mouchel has rejected this morning’s offer by contractor Costain, its second bid that had priced the firm at about £150M, saying it “significantly undervalues the business.”
UK's largest solar power park gets green light

6-Jan-2011
Cornwall Council grants planning permission to energy supplier Cornwall Power to build a £12M solar power project.
National Grid faces £8M fine for misreporting

6-Jan-2011
Ofgem said fine would have been higher but for the full co-operation of National Grid Gas and warns misreporting will not be tolerated.
Dean & Dyball wins civils contracts worth £6.2M

6-Jan-2011
Dean & Dyball Civil Engineering, a division of Balfour Beatty Regional Civil Engineering, has secured contracts with a combined value of £6.2M in its Ringwood-based Southern Region over the last two months.
Costain makes revised offer for Mouchel

6-Jan-2011
Contractor Costain today demonstrated its determination to pursue consultant Mouchel, with the announcement that it had upped its offer by 27.6%.
Rosemary Beales to step down from CECA

5-Jan-2011
The Civil Engineering Contractors Association (CECA) has announced that its national director Rosemary Beales is to step down in March.
Skanska picks up £92M tunnel deal from Costain

5-Jan-2011
Skanska is to build the 33km long high-voltage electricity cable tunnels between Hackney and Willesden and between Kensal Green and Wimbledon in southwest London on behalf of main contractor Costain.
Richard Williams takes over as Mott MacDonald MD

4-Jan-2011
Richard Williams has succeeded Keith Howells as managing director of consultant Mott MacDonald.
Humber Bridge work finishes 12 months early

4-Jan-2011
Engineering firm Spencer has installed a de-humidification system a year ahead of schedule on the major landmark.
Network Rail completes Reading bridge lift

4-Jan-2011
Network Rail has successfully completed the first stage of a six year project to upgrade Reading station over the festive period.
Councils allowed to build more car charging points and parking spaces

4-Jan-2011
The government yesterday outlined planning changes to allow local councils to build electric vehicle charging points and parking spaces more freely.
University launches postgraduate nuclear courses

24-Dec-2010
The University of Central Lancashire has launched a series of nuclear postgraduate courses to aid filling the UK’s skills gap in the sector.
Geothermal borehole wins financial backing from government

24-Dec-2010
A proposal to drill 2km below the heart of Newcastle in search of renewable energy this week won financial backing from the government.
BAA launches inquiry into Heathrow snow chaos

24-Dec-2010
BAA chief executive Colin Matthews yesteray revealed plans to appoint an external international panel of experts to lead an inquiry into the planning, execution and recovery from the snow chaos that caused major disruption to flights at Heathrow this week.
More rail services running through Christmas upgrade works

23-Dec-2010
Network Rail has said it is planning to run more trains during the Christmas period than last year, with 10,000 more services operating.
RMT rejects Network Rail pay offer

23-Dec-2010
The RMT trade union this week rejected an offer from Network Rail of a 5.2% pay rise for the company’s operations and customer services staff next year.
Network Rail and union agree terms of inquiry into funds misuse allegations

23-Dec-2010
Network Rail and the Transport Salaried Staffs’ Association (TSSA) today announced they had agreed the terms of the inquiry into allegations that the former had misused public funds.
DECC awards £1.1M in geothermal competition

22-Dec-2010
Three geothermal projects run by Keele University, Newcastle and Durham University and Cofily District Energy in Southampton have won a total of £1.1M in funding from the Government’s Deep Geothermal Challenge Fund’s second round.
Win a £300 camera by designing infrastructure with NCE Insite

22-Dec-2010
NCE Insite is running a competition to get 14-18 year olds thinking about the planning and design of the energy, utilities, waste and transport infrastructure that we rely on every day.
Bond Street Crossrail station plans submitted

22-Dec-2010
Crossrail yesterday submitted its plans containing detailed designs for Bond Street station to Westminster City Council. The new Crossrail station will be integrated with the existing Tube station to form a combined station that will stretch from Hanover Square to Oxford Street.
BBC takes delivery of new Broadcasting House

22-Dec-2010
Construction work on Broadcasting House, the BBC’s redeveloped central London headquarters is now complete.
Hughes to leave Grontmij

22-Dec-2010
Grontmij group director (water and energy) Lawrence Hughes will leave his position at the end of the year, the firm revealed this week.
Government starts its microgeneration strategy

22-Dec-2010
Climate Change Minister Greg Barker today launched a formal consultation for the Government’s Microgeneration Strategy
Kirklees College to build engineering facility

22-Dec-2010
Kirklees College today revealed plans for a new £7.5M engineering centre in Huddersfield to provide current students with the opportunity to engage in the design and build process of a live construction project.
Quarmby confirms salt stock challenge

22-Dec-2010
Highways authorities “may find it challenging” to meet a large demand for road salt for the rest of the winter, a report into the England’s early winter resilience has found.
Aggreko wins Olympic power contract

22-Dec-2010
Aggreko has won the contract to supply all temporary energy services for London 2012 Olympic Games
Costain confirms Mouchel takeover attempt

22-Dec-2010
Contractor Costain has confirmed that it has launched a £119M hostile takeover bid for consultant Mouchel
Mersey Gateway Project given planning approval

21-Dec-2010
Mersey Gateway backers have hailed the Government’s announcement that the project has been given planning approval as “fantastic news”.
London Assembly calls for tougher rules on timber framed buildings

20-Dec-2010
A new London Assembly report calls on government to address “crisis of confidence” on timber-framed sites and improve fire safety for people living in tall buildings in London
More Londoners swap cars for public transport

20-Dec-2010
More than 1M car journeys in London were shifted to public transport in the last decade, according to a new report by Transport for London.
Nine bidders shortlisted for Olympic Village

20-Dec-2010
The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) announced a shortlist of nine private-sector companies to buy and manage the Olympic Village this week.
Arup appointed designer on Gehry's first Australian project

20-Dec-2010
The University of Technology, Sydney (UTS) has appointed Arup as structural, civil and façade engineer for the Dr Chau Chak Wing Building - the first design project undertaken in Australia by architect Gehry Partners.
Arcadis wins Coronation Street rebuild

17-Dec-2010
Arcadis is to begin cost management and quantity surveying services for a television production facility that involves rebuilding the set for television soap Coronation Street.
London may need more new railway lines, says Network Rail

17-Dec-2010
The creation of “entirely new rail lines” including Crossrail 2 may be necessary to cope with train overcrowding on some London routes over the next 20 years, Network Rail said today.
Reservoir flood maps published online

16-Dec-2010
Maps showing areas that could flood have now been published online by the Environment Agency to help authorities and emergency services plan for the risk of flooding in the unlikely event that a reservoir failed.
Ayrshire Power announces team for CCS job

16-Dec-2010
Ayrshire Power has formed a consortium to develop its Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) plans for a new power station in Scotland.
Government launches reform of electricity market

16-Dec-2010
The government has today launched a consultation process for sweeping Electricity Market Reform (EMR) – featuring a new feed-in tariff regime for all low-carbon generation, including new nuclear.
£23M wastewater treatment works opens at Antrim

16-Dec-2010
Northern Irish regional development minister Conor Murphy has officially opened a new state-of-the-art £23M wastewater treatment works at Antrim.
500 construction companies join waste reduction initiative

16-Dec-2010
Construction Commitments: Halving Waste to Landfill recently smashed through the 500th signatory mark, bringing the potential UK construction contracts to benefit from this waste reduction initiative to well over £30bn.
Scottish Water should look to green energy

16-Dec-2010
Scottish Water should have increased flexibility to generate green energy, develop commercial opportunities and could take on additional functions, under proposals set out today.
The Gift Of The Gabion

16 December 2010
Trains are set to start running this month on the longest domestic passenger railway to be built in the UK for a century. GE finds out how retaining wall technology has been used on the Airdrie to Bathgate line.
The Beachcombers

16 December 2010
Huge rocks and wooden piles will combine to protect the small Welsh town of Tywyn from the worst the Atlantic can throw at it. GE reports
Market Forces

16 December 2010
Significant space and access restrictions at London’s Borough Market are among many challenges faced by Cementation Skanska on its work for the Thameslink rail upgrade programme, as Paul Wheeler reports
Talking Point

16 December 2010
A message to graduates: overstating your abilities will garner you no favours in today’s hard-nosed geotechnical market, says Nick Landon
McNulty’s rail report points the way to £1bn operational savings

16 December 2010
Transport secretary Philip Hammond last week pledged to instigate a “radical shake-up” of the railways to reduce running costs.
Balfour Beatty baker’s dozen proves a tight fit

16 December 2010
Balfour Beatty has managed to squeeze 13 excavators into a space of less than 1.6km between two junctions on the M621 near Leeds.
International Tunnelling Awards 2010: winners announced

16 December 2010
Last week NCE held its inaugural International Tunnelling Awards in central London, to celebrate the outstanding work and innovation in the global tunnelling sector.
JCB called up to kit out army

16 December 2010
JCB has won an order to supply 236 machines to the British Army.
JD Pope’s wheel of fortune

16 December 2010
Contracting, plant hire and demolition contractor J D Pope has added a new Volvo EW160C wheeled excavator to its fleet.
Lee Tunnel starts putting up walls

16 December 2010
Diaphragm walling is well underway at the Lee Tunnel site in Beckton, east London, by the Morgan Est/Vinci/Bachy Soletanche (MVB) partnership.
Letters: Engineers are giving up initiative on project funding

16 December 2010
Engineers are giving up initiative on project funding
Liebherr doubles up for historic installation

16 December 2010
Two giant mobile cranes have been used to install a new air-supported cover over a parabolic antenna in Raisting, Bavaria.
Tarmac trials hydrogen for vehicle fleet

16 December 2010
Tarmac has become the first company within the construction sector to join a programme to trial hydrogen powered vehicles.
Network Rail appoints designers for London Bridge Thameslink works

15-Dec-2010
Network Rail has appointed WSP and Jacobs Engineering as designers for the redevelopment of London Bridge as part of the £5.5bn Thameslink project.
Villiers: more savings on Crossrail to come

15-Dec-2010
Transport minister Theresa Villiers has said she expects more savings to made on London’s Crossrail project above and beyond the £1.5bn trimmed from the scheme in October.
Contractor May Gurney is to close its piling division with the loss of 28 jobs

14-Dec-2010
In a terse announcement last week the firm said it would be winding up the business as soon as it could complete outstanding contracts.
Poor procurement and project overruns are widespread, says report

13-Dec-2010
More than 90% of construction professionals have worked on a project that overran in terms of time or cost, a Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) study suggested this week.
Scottish transport minister goes after snow chaos

13-Dec-2010
The Scottish transport minister has resigned following the severe winter weather that closed the main motorway between Edinburgh and Glasgow.
Pickles names the day for localism bill

10-Dec-2010
The long-delayed localism bill will be published on Monday, according to communities secretary Eric Pickles.
Aecom helps secure planning permission for new Manchester football stadium

10-Dec-2010
Aecom has assisted Football Club United of Manchester (also known as FC United) in securing full planning permission from Manchester City Council for a new 5,000 capacity stadium for the team.
Aecom selects Steve Morriss to lead its Europe operations

10-Dec-2010
Aecom has announced that Steve Morriss will join the company as chief executive for Aecom in Europe on January 4, 2011.
First brand new London 2012 venue completed

10-Dec-2010
The Lee Valley White Water Centre, which will host Canoe Slalom during the London 2012 Games, has been completed 18 months before the Games begin.
Balfour Beatty Rail wins five-year London Underground rail renewal contract

10-Dec-2010
Balfour Beatty Rail has won a five-year contract to carry out track renewal work in partnership with London Underground.
Highways Agency announces reform of maintenance contracts

9-Dec-2010
The Highways Agency has outlined a new form of contract for maintenance and improvements to motorways and trunk roads in England.
HS2 essential to west coast, influential rail strategy finds

8-Dec-2010
A new high speed line between London, Birmingham and Manchester will be essential in preventing overcrowding on the busy west coast main line, a Network Rail report has found.
Arup engineer Stuart Ross is NCE Graduate of the Year

8-Dec-2010
Overall winner of this year’s NCE Graduate Awards is Arup engineer Stuart Ross. Described by the judges as “focused, driven and accomplished,” Ross beat off 120 contenders to win the coveted award and a cheque for £1,500.
Landscaping underway on Tyne crossing

8-Dec-2010
As construction of the second Tyne vehicle Tunnel nears completion, work is now underway to transform the landscape above it.
Council claims HS2 will take investment away from local transport

8-Dec-2010
Coventry City Council has voted unanimously to oppose HS2, becoming the first council in the country not directly affected by the location of the line to take a position against the plans.
Tarmac calls on rest of the UK to follow Wales' pothole lead

8-Dec-2010
As the severe winter weather continues to bite, Tarmac has called on the rest of the UK to follow the example of Wales and allocate more funds for road salt and mending potholes.
Government gives strongest indication yet of Network Rail shake-up

7-Dec-2010
Transport secretary Philip Hammond today pledged to instigate a “radical shake-up” of the railways to reduce running costs by up to £1bn per year.
Council confirms plan to correct busway “defects”

7-Dec-2010
Cambridgeshire County Council yesterday published a report that confirmed it intends to appoint a new contractor to correct what it says are “defective works” by its guided busway contractor Bam Nuttall, if both parties continue to fail to come to an agreement.
Government unveils plans to place financial risk of nuclear decommissioning on developers

7-Dec-2010
The government today revealed plans to place responsibility for decommissioning on operators of new nuclear power stations, which are in line with the government’s policy that there should be no subsidy for new nuclear, it said.
Localism Bill published this week

6-Dec-2010
The Localism Bill is set to be published on 9 December, the government has confirmed.
Mouchel fights new hostile takeover bids

6-Dec-2010
Consultant Mouchel has admitted that it is fighting one or more takeover bids, driven by the recent collapse in its share price.
Mouchel's banks bring in Deloitte to conduct review

3-Dec-2010
Mouchel yesterday confirmed its lending banks had ordered Deloitte to conduct a review of the business amid expectations the firm will be refinancing its debts.
Major infrastructure projects to go ahead as Russia and Qatar win World Cup bids

2-Dec-2010
International infrastructure projects were the big winners today as Russia and Qatar won their World Cup bids.
Network Rail could miss performance targets, says regulator

2-Dec-2010
Network Rail is in danger of missing its regulatory targets on train reliability, opening up the possibility that it will be fined for its performance, the rail regulator said yesterday,
Thames Water extends mega-sewer consultation period

2-Dec-2010
Thames Water has extended its 14-week public consultation on the Thames Tunnel by almost a month to give people more opportunity to have their say.
Harvest time for Qatar’s World Cup bid

02 December 2010
Qatar is celebrating after claiming success with its eye-catching plan to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup in the searing 45°C Middle East summer heat.
Letters: Females in engineering: Are we hearing it for the girls?

02 December 2010
Females in engineering: Are we hearing it for the girls?
Read this week's NCE here

02 December 2010
Due to the extreme weather your issue of NCE may be delayed. Subsribers can read a digital version here
Femern finally opts for tunnel crossing

1-Dec-2010
Fehmarnbelt Crossing promoter Femern yesterday confirmed it would recommend the tunnelled option over the bridge proposal, despite recently lauding the benefits of the latter.
Boris bikes open to casual users from Friday

30-Nov-2010
Transport for London (TfL) today announced that the mayor’s flagship cycle hire scheme will go live to casual users on Friday 3 December, allowing everyone instant access to thousands of Barclays Cycle Hire bikes throughout central London.
Babcock to sell rail maintenance and waste businesses

30-Nov-2010
Engineering group Babcock has confirmed that its rail maintenance business is not core to its future plans after reports that it is to be sold.
Birmingham to get low carbon LED street lights

30-Nov-2010
A groundbreaking programme to replace more than 95,000 street lights in Birmingham with state-of-the-art Light Emitting Diode (LED) technology which will cutcarbon emissions and improve safety is to be launched this week.
Network Rail reveals turnaround in profits

25-Nov-2010
Network Rail today announced pre-tax profit of £299M for the six months to 30 September, doubling its figures for the same period last year.
Steve Reffitt named as Parsons Brinckerhoff UK boss

25-Nov-2010
Parsons Brinckerhoff has named ex-WSP man Steve Reffitt its UK operations director.
Thales appoints new UK chief executive

25-Nov-2010
Thales has appointed Victor Chavez to the position of UK CEO, with effect from 1 January 2011. Chavez has been deputy CEO of Thales UK since October 2008.
United Utilities profits down after restructuring

25-Nov-2010
United Utilities has experienced a dip in revenue and profit after recently disposing of its non-regulated assets, its interim results for the six months ended September 30 showed yesterday.
Thameslink delayed by two years

25-Nov-2010
Transport secretary Philip Hammond has today confirmed that the £5.5bn Thameslink scheme will go ahead but its opening will now be delayed by two years because of problems with the programme for rebuilding London Bridge station.
Velodrome weeks away from finish line

25 November 2010
The spectacular London 2012 Olympic Velodrome is now just weeks away from being handed over to the client to be made ready for its first trial events, nearly four months ahead of schedule.
Dublin airport opens new £500M terminal

25 November 2010
A new terminal has been opened at Dublin Airport, allowing it to handle 15M more passengers a year. The airport’s £513M, 75,000m² Terminal 2 was opened by Taoiseach Brian Cowen last week.
Welsh government sets aside £12M for civils projects

24-Nov-2010
The Wales Assembly Government is to spend £12M on roads, rail, flood defence and energy projects between now and March, business and budget minister Jane Hutt has announced.
Mosen teams up with Systemair to develop tunnel jet ventilation system

23-Nov-2010
Fire engineering firm Mosen signed an agreement with German manufacturer Systemair last week to produce its new tunnel jet ventilation system called Mojet which reduces the number of fans required in a tunnel.
MWH buys Biwater Services

19-Nov-2010
MWH Global has bought Biwater Services, the UK water construction and engineering firm that acts as the holding company for Biwater Treatment, Farrer Consulting and BiProduct Recovery.
How will civil engineering do in 2011? Take part in our survey

18 November 2010
How is the civil engineering industry feeling about 2011? Help NCE find out by completing our new Market Snapshot survey.
Investigation underway after train overshoots station by 4km

17-Nov-2010
The Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) has launched an investigation after a passenger train overshot a station in East Sussex by 4km last week.
Carbon Trust seeks safe way of getting engineers onto wind turbines

16-Nov-2010
More than 600 companies worldwide have entered for a Carbon Trust competition to find solutions to the problem of transferring engineers and equipment safely from boats to offshore wind turbines.
West Ham and Spurs to battle it out for Olympic Stadium

12-Nov-2010
The Olympic Park Legacy Company (OPLC) has today announced it is to enter into final negotiations with two major bidders – a consortium led by Tottenham Hotspur Football Club with AEG and a consortium of West Ham United Football Club and the London Borough of Newham.
Wandsworth Council Approves Battersea Power Station planning application

12-Nov-2010
Plans to redevelop the Battersea Power Station under the £1bn Nine Elms scheme in south London were given the green light by Wandsworth Council last night.
West Midlands needs more trains, says Network Rail

12-Nov-2010
More passengers than ever are using rail in the West Midlands and Chiltern route and that number could increase by up to 32% over the next decade, a new report published by Network Rail has found.
Bridging the gap between town and country

11 November 2010
The concept design for a new twin cable-stayed pedestrian footbridge across the river Trent at Gainsborough in Lincolnshire was revealed this week.
High Speed 1 sold for £2.1bn to Canadian pension funds

11 November 2010
The UK’s first high speed rail line has been sold for £2.1bn to a consortium made up of two Canadian pension funds.
Halcrow to study £1bn new Venice port

11 November 2010
Consultant Halcrow has been appointed by Venice Port Authority to carry out a feasibility study for a new £1.1bn offshore deep water terminal outside Venice Lagoon.
Construction rocks out for charity

10-Nov-2010
A bevy of rock bands fought it out last week in front of a 400-strong audience in London to win the coveted 2010 Construction Rocks best performance title.
Network Rail and Jarvis to face prosecution over Potters Bar crash

10-Nov-2010
The Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) has today started criminal proceedings against Network Rail and Jarvis Rail Limited for breaches of health and safety law which caused the Potters Bar derailment.
Government fixes dates for key infrastructure decisions

9-Nov-2010
Consultation on plans to reform of the electricity market by introducing a carbon price to encourage low carbon generation is to begin next month, the government confirmed this week.
Busy Christmas looms for Farringdon station team

9-Nov-2010
Contractors are approaching a critical Christmas milestone in helping to upgrade one of London’s major railway interchanges.
ICE includes carbon costs in 2011 price book

8-Nov-2010
The ICE has for the first time included the carbon cost of every material and unit of work in its annual price book.
Huhne "surprised" at potential battle over offshore development zones

5-Nov-2010
UK energy and climate change secretary Chris Huhne this week expressed his surprise at reports of a potential legal conflict over offshore development zonesbetween the wind industry and oil & gas firms.
London 2012 stadium hit by cuts

5-Nov-2010
Plans for a huge fabric wrap on the London 2012 Olympic Stadium have been scrapped following government budget cuts
Construction begins on Olympic Park 'Orbit'

5-Nov-2010
Building work on the twisting ArcelorMittal Orbit began today.
Crossrail invites bids for £350M Farringdon station

5-Nov-2010
Crossrail has started the search for a contractor to build one of the most complex stations on the £14.5bn project.
Letters: Nuclear is welcomed by some but not all of us in the engineering community

04 November 2010
Nuclear is welcomed by some but not all of us in the engineering community
Sun and sand at Horse Guards Parade

04 November 2010
Consultant Atkins and architect Populous have revealed plans to transform the iconic Horse Guards Parade into a temporary Olympic venue for the Beach Volleyball competition.
Tsunami aid effort stalled

04 November 2010
Relief workers in Indonesia were this week battling heavy rains and limited transport links to reach victims of last month’s earthquake and tsunami.
Design for life

04 November 2010
NCE continues its countdown to the inaugural International Tunnelling Awards in December with the shortlist for Designer of the Year.
Six shortlisted in NCE Graduate Awards final

04 November 2010
Six graduate civil engineers face interrogation from a 15-strong panel of industry leaders next week as they compete for the coveted NCE Graduate Awards 2010 prize.
UN advisor to open NCE infrastructure summit

04 November 2010
Jeffrey Sachs, professor of economics and director at Columbia University and special advisor to United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, will deliver the opening address at the inaugural World Infrastructure Summit (WIS) in Barcelona this month.
Crossrail awards Paddington contract to Carillion

29-Oct-2010
Crossrail has awarded the Paddington Integrated Project (PIP) preparatory works contract to Carillion Construction worth between £5M and £25M. Crossrail and Carillion have yet to confirm the exact value.
Mouchel makes £14.7M loss and faces "uncertain" immediate future

28-Oct-2010
Consultant Mouchel made a loss of £14.7M after tax and saw a 15% drop in revenue, according to its preliminary results published today.
Lack of expertise caused tsunami warning system failure

28-Oct-2010
Villages were destroyed and homes, roads and power infrastructure were damaged in Indonesia after a warning system failed to portend a 3m high tsunami on Tuesday.
Letters: Perhaps high speed rail is more suited to France?

28 October 2010
Perhaps high speed rail is more suited to France?
Infrastructure UK reveals early indicators of high civils costs

27-Oct-2010
Infrastructure UK (IUK) has published an update on its study in to the high cost of civils work in the UK. Among the factors to blame are stop-start investments, standards, and regulation compliance, poor commissioning, a fragmented supply chain and a purely contractual approach to projects.
Further bad news for road building

27-Oct-2010
There was more bad news for road building yesterday as transport secretary Philip Hammond revealed that no new local authority schemes will be considered for at least two years at the same time as shelving a number of managed motorway schemes.
Government launches National Infrastructure Plan

25-Oct-2010
Prime Minister David Cameron today announced the publication of the UK’s first ever infrastructure plan, identifying the scale of the infrastructure challenge and the investment that is needed to underpin sustainable growth in the UK over the coming decades.
Grosvenor appoints consultant Ramboll as engineering partner

22-Oct-2010
Property group Grosvenor has appointed consultant Ramboll as engineering partner working as part of a core team of contractors and consultants on its London estate development portfolio.
Comfort in transport-related announcements, says CECA

21-Oct-2010
For months now the spending review has been hyped as a halloween horror story, but for contractors there was some comfort to be found in the transport-related announcements, says Rosemary Beales.
PwC comments on cuts in social housing

21-Oct-2010
While the cuts look significant, none of this is a huge surprise, says Richard Parker, head of housing at PwC.
AA disappointed at drop in flood defence spending

21-Oct-2010
Simon Douglas, director of AA Insurance, is concerned that flood defence spending will not be maintained at current levels.
There are winners and losers from the spending review, says Grant Thornton

21-Oct-2010
Despite the trepidation with which the spending review has been awaited the sky has not ‘fallen in’ for the industry as a whole, says Grant Thornton construction partner Kathryn Hiddleston.
TIF inclusion raises interesting questions, says Andrew Yates

21-Oct-2010
Chancellor George Osborne’s commitment to introducing Tax Incremental Financing as part of the Comprehensive Spending Review has raised interesting questions over the shape of the regime in the UK., says Andrew Yates, commercial real estate partner at Berwin Leighton Paisner.
CSR is good news, says Glenigan

21-Oct-2010
The construction industry will welcome the announcement that capital funding will be some £2bn a year higher than previously announced, says construction intelligence firm Glenigan.
Contractors "deeply regret" roads cuts; future of Managed Motorways uncertain

21-Oct-2010
The Highways Agency’s capital budget has been slashed in half in chancellor George Osborne’s Comprehensive Spending Review.
Aecom admits email on working hours was wrong

21 October 2010
Consultant Aecom has admitted mistakes were made in the way it told staff about proposals to extend working hours without any increase in pay.
Letters: NEC has faults so why did ICE drop other forms?

21 October 2010
NEC has faults, so why did ICE drop other forms?
Mott wins Retrofit accolade

21 October 2010
Mott MacDonald picked up the prize for infrastructure for its work on the Silver Jubilee Bridge at last night’s Retrofit Awards held at the ICC, Birmingham.
Murphy and Maccaferri vie for tunnel environment prize

21 October 2010
This week NCE begins its countdown to the inaugural International Tunnelling Awards with a look at the two entries shortlisted for Environmental Initiative of the year award.
Engineers give cautious welcome to spending review

20-Oct-2010
Civils contractors and engineers have welcomed the recognition that improving the UK’s infrastructure would help drive growth in the economy.
Transport for London spared from major cuts

20-Oct-2010
Transport for London (TfL) has survived the Comprehensive Spending Review with less than an 8% cut in planned capital spending, but road spending has been badly hit.
Local government facing massive cuts

20-Oct-2010
Local government budgets have been slashed in chancellor George Osborne’s Comprehensive Spending Review
Rail spending safe with Crossrail and key Tube upgrades protected

20-Oct-2010
Network Rail spending to 2014 has survived the spending review almost unscathed, along with London’s Crossrail and key Tube upgrades.
Osborne commits up to £1bn for carbon capture and storage

20-Oct-2010
Chancellor George Osborne has said up to £1bn will be set aside for the “world’s first carbon capture and storage demonstration project” and a further £1bn pumped into a Green Investment Bank.
Spending review live: £30bn for transport; Crossrail go but delayed; massive cuts in local government; capital roads spend halved; £1bn for CCS; waste PFIs scrapped

20-Oct-2010
Chancellor George Osborne has said that over the next four years £30bn will be spent on transport projects, but has signalled a grim four years for local government.
CIOB announces Neil Matthias Construction Manager of the Year

15-Oct-2010
It’s a long way from becoming a joiner on the Youth Training Scheme (YTS) to being named Construction Manager of the Year by the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB), but Neil Matthias has climbed the career ladder with relentless passion.
High Speed 2 awards design and development contracts

14-Oct-2010
High Speed 2 (HS2) has selected three companies for design and development work on the recently announced ‘Y’ shaped high speed rail network – the government’s preferred way of connecting Birmingham to Manchester and Leeds.
Bracklinn Bridge hand-pulled into place

14 October 2010
Site workers last week finished pulling by hand a 20m long steel and timber bridge over a waterfall in a Scottish national park.
Letters: Road signs are useless when they are obscured

14 October 2010
Hearing with interest the details for the new driving test and the ability to follow road signs prompted the thought that this may encourage local authorities and the Highways Agency to ensure their road signs are visible.
Tunnelling awards shortlist announced

14 October 2010
The shortlist for the inaugural International Tunnelling Awards was published this week.
Network Rail strengthens board with Shell director

13-Oct-2010
Network Rail has made a further heavyweight addition to its board with the appointment of Shell executive director Malcolm Brinded as a non-executive director.
Breakthrough set for Gotthard Base Tunnel

13-Oct-2010
The construction of the world’s longest railway tunnel is to take a historic step forward in Switzerland on Friday with the breakthrough of the east bore of the Gotthard Base Tunnel.
High Speed 1 sale set for further delay

13-Oct-2010
The sale of High Speed 1 (HS1) could be delayed by a further four to six weeks as concern builds with the bid deadline just over a fortnight away.
Northampton’s flood defences among best in country

13-Oct-2010
An independent review by Scott Wilson has found that Northampton has one of the best standards of flood defences in the country, the Environment Agency has said.
Canton TV building is China’s tallest tower

7 October 2010
China’s tallest tower, the willowy Canton TV building, opened this week ahead of the opening of the Asian Games in mid-November.
Letters: A fresh look at some tried and tested thinking

7 October 2010
A fresh look at some tried and tested thinking
Ofgem calls for 10 year, £32bn energy spending programme

7 October 2010
Around £32bn must be spent on “rewiring” Britain’s gas and electricity network in the next 10 years, the energy watchdog Ofgem said this week.
Flying the flag

7 October 2010
NCE concludes its build up to next week’s British Construction Industry Awards by showcasing the International shortlist, sponsored by Twintec.
Laing O'Rourke appoints restructuring boss as Europe chief executive

1-Oct-2010
Laing O’Rourke has appointed Roger Robinson, who was drafted in to oversee its restructuring, to the role of chief executive for its Europe hub.
Thames Water awards bursaries to aspiring civil engineers

29-Sep-2010
Five aspiring east London engineers were today awarded financial bursaries by Thames Water to help pay for their degrees.
Network Rail appoints Higgins as new chief executive

28-Sep-2010
Network Rail announced today that it has appointed Olympic Delivery Authority boss David Higgins as its new chief executive.
UK wind farms imports 80% of equipment and services

28-Sep-2010
UK needs a home-grown supply chain to bring down high costs of offshore wind farms, says UK Energy Research Centre report.
£120M project to reduce sewer flooding in Yorkshire

27-Sep-2010
Yorkshire Water has announced details of a £120M programme of work to upgrade its waste water treatment works and sewer network and further protect homes in the region from the misery of sewer flooding.
Project by May Gurney and Hyder Consulting scoops environmental awards

27-Sep-2010
South West Water and contractor May Gurney have won an Environmental Best Practice award for an innovative pipe-laying process in South Devon.
South East councils receive £355,000 flood funding boost

27-Sep-2010
A £355,000 boost in funding has been given by the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) to councils in the South East to help them plan for the risk of future floods.
Bachy Soletanche’s new TrenchMix technique in Midlands flood relief

23-Sep-2010
Developed in the UK by Bachy Soletanche and Mastenbroek, a TrenchMix machine, newly arrived from construction projects in France and Switzerland, is currently helping provide flood protection at a site of special scientific interest (SSSI) in Nottingham.
BCIA Building Award 2010

23 September 2010
A mass of entries characterises the British Construction Industry Awards Building project category. Here is the shortlist.
Letters: Look back to history for Pakistan flood answers

22-Sep-2010
Look back to history for Pakistan answers
Balfour Beatty / Bam consortium to build £250M Irish PPP road

17-Sep-2010
A consortium of Balfour Beatty and Bam has been appointed preferred bidder by Ireland’s National Roads Authority for the £250M N17/N18 Gort to Tuam PPP roads scheme.
Nottinghamshire MP calls for Commons debate on future of Crossrail

17-Sep-2010
Labour MP for the Nottinghamshire constituency of Bassetlaw John Mann has called for MPs to debate the prospect of scrapping the £15.9bn Crossrail project.
Aecom to make staff work more hours for no extra pay

16-Sep-2010
Consultant Aecom wants its staff to work longer hours for the same money, it emerged this week.
A1 north of Newcastle to qualify for upgrade from national budget

16-Sep-2010
Proposals to identify the A1 north of Newcastle to the Scottish border a route of strategic national importance were published today by transport minister Mike Penning.
Letters: Road spending is not a luxury that can be cut

16 September 2010
Road spending is not a luxury that can be cut
CBI urges ministers not to neglect infrastructure

16 September 2010
Britain will fall behind its competitors if the government’s Comprehensive Spending Review fails to give the necessary priority to investment in infrastructure, the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) has warned.
BCIA Awards: Civil celebrations

16 September 2010
NCE’s countdown to the BCI Awards 2010 continues with the civil engineering award for projects valued between £3M and £50M.
TfL considers night time road possessions

16 September 2010
Transport for London (TfL) is considering using railway style possessions after the success of overnight closures during the refurbishment of the twin bore Blackwall Tunnel under the River Thames.
Gaelectric secures planning approval for wind farm

15-Sep-2010
Galelectric will investment some € 22M (£18.3M) into the wind farm in Co Tyrone, Northern Ireland.
Insurer urges government not to cut flood spending

14-Sep-2010
AA Insurance is urging the government to resist any temptation to cut spending on flood defences in its autumn Comprehensive Spending Review.
Don't cut transport, says London Assembly

14-Sep-2010
The London Assembly’s transport committee and economic development, culture, sport and tourism committee has written to chancellor George Osborne to underline the economic benefit of investment in the capital’s transport network.
Awards scheme launched for aggregates, concrete, cement and gypsum

10-Sep-2010
The parent company behind Lafarge Aggregates & Concrete UK has launched a new awards scheme to champion sustainable construction.
Government urged not to change renewable energy target

10-Sep-2010
The Committee on Climate Change has advised energy secretary Chris Huhne not to raise the UK’s renewable energy target for 2020.
URS completes acquisition of Scott Wilson Group

10-Sep-2010
URS Corporation today announced that the company has completed its acquisition of Scott Wilson Group.
Work begins on the Leeds Arena

9-Sep-2010
Work has started at the city centre site where the £55M Leeds Area will be built, according to the local council.
Network Rail less efficient than European railways

9-Sep-2010
Network Rail remains less efficient than comparable European railway operators, the rail regulator said yesterday
Connaught contractors have few options following collapse

9-Sep-2010
Contractors employed by collapsed firm Connaught should look for opportunities to finish the work and review termination and protection clauses within their contracts, construction lawyers have said.
CBI warns against infrastructure spending cut mistakes

9-Sep-2010
The Government is in danger of repeating past mistakes with the Comprehensive Spending Review if it fails to give the necessary priority to investment in infrastructure, the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) said today.
Overseas engineers can help with short term skills crisis, ICE says

9-Sep-2010
The ICE warned today that introducing a permanent immigration cap could leave the UK struggling to deliver vital infrastructure projects such as high-speed rail, low carbon energy generation and the nuclear new build programme.
Pressure mounts on coalition to maintain infrastructure spend

9-Sep-2010
Business groups have rounded on the coalition government, demanding infrastructure spend be maintained in the coming Comprehensive Spending Review to keep Britain competitive, where savage public sector cuts are expected.
State of the Nation: Northern Ireland

9 September 2010
Improving the standards of Northern Ireland’s infrastructure is integral to its fledgling economic recovery, ICE Northern Ireland’s State of the Nation report said last week.
NCE's Charity Golf Masters tees up RedR

9 September 2010
Keen golfers from across the construction industry will gather at Hampton Court Palace Golf Club next week to compete in the tenth NCE Charity Golf Masters.
Johnstone targets transport for NCE

9 September 2010
Richard Johnstone has joined NCE as a reporter.
Spelman backs £3.6bn Thames Tunnel

9 September 2010
Environment secretary Caroline Spelman has given her support to Thames Water’s plans for a tunnel to reduce the amount of raw sewage discharged into the River Thames.
Celebrating heritage in the North East

9 September 2010
ICE North East has launched a new leaflet celebrating the bridges of the Border region.
Recyclable hoarding wins National Framework Agreements

8-Sep-2010
ISG Pearce and The Apollo Group have awarded Ecosheet, an environmentally friendly alternative to plywood, with National Framework Agreements – the first of their kind for hoarding.
Azerbaijan seeks flood protection help from the Netherlands

8-Sep-2010
The Azerbaijan government has entered into a contract with engineering consultancy Royal Haskoning and research institute Deltares to prevent a repeat of devastating floods experienced by the country in spring 2010.
Water industry urged to maximise its energy potential

8-Sep-2010
The water industry should work together to maximize the potential to produce its own energy, expert Paul Street told Stockholm World Water Week attendees yesterday.
EDF approves sale of UK electricity networks to Cheung Kong Group

8-Sep-2010
EDF’s board of directors approves the sale of the UK electricity distribution networks to the Cheung Kong Group for £3.2bn, saying it would reduce its debt by £5.1bn.
Arup to axe up to 600 UK jobs

7-Sep-2010
Arup has confirmed that up to 600 of its 3,888 UK staff are facing redundancy as a result of falling workload.
Green light for Port Talbot link road

7-Sep-2010
A multi million pound investment to complete the second phase of a major transport route in Neath has been given the green light.
Gifford appoints Steve Canadine as new chief executive

3-Sep-2010
Consultant Gifford has that Steve Canadine is to succeed Mark Stevenson as chief executive on 1 October.
Kanagaretnam “Sri”Sriskandan 1930 – 2010

3-Sep-2010
Bridge over the River Kwai engineer dies, aged 79
Thames Water in hunt for Thames Tunnel delivery partner

2-Sep-2010
Thames Water has gone out to tender for a delivery partner for the £2bn Thames Tunnel project.
Crossrail announces more tunnelling shortlists

2-Sep-2010
Crossrail has today shortlisted seven construction teams for the Connaught Tunnel on the Abbey Wood branch and the Pudding Mill Lane Tunnel portal
Colas to axe 2,400 jobs after heavy losses in central Europe

2-Sep-2010
Roads contractor Colas is to axe 2,400 jobs from its central European operations after announcing a 33% drop in revenue in the first half of 2010.
Infrastructure show hots up

2 September 2010
Thousands of construction professionals are to descend on the NEC in Birmingham between 18 and 20 October for the inaugural Infrastructure Show.
Atlas Copco acquires drilling company in the UK

1-Sep-2010
Atlas Copco Construction & Mining UK has acquired H & F Drilling Supplies, the largest independent manufacturer and distributor of drilling equipment in the UK.
Ferrovial's AmeyCespa buys waste firm Donarbon for £48.6M

1-Sep-2010
Amey and its joint venture partner Cespa (AmeyCespa), both subsidiaries of Ferrovial, today announced their acquisition of waste management firm Donarbon.
Network Rail completes Airdrie-Bathgate track laying

31-Aug-2010
Network Rail completed track laying on the new 24km stretch of railway between Airdrie and Bathgate last Friday, making it the longest domestic passenger railway with new stations to be built in Britain for a century.
Toll roads are no answer to congestion, says campaign group

31-Aug-2010
The M6 toll road has been “a costly failure” according to a new report from Campaign for Better Transport (CBT).
New pre-combustion CCS plant enters DECC competition

26-Aug-2010
A new pre-combustion carbon capture and storage (CCS) demonstration plant has been proposed for a site adjacent to the Alcan aluminium works at Lynemouth, Northumberland.
Bids in for US high speed rail cash

26-Aug-2010
US transportation secretary Ray LaHood has announced that the US Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has received 77 applications from 25 states for the most recent round of high speed rail grant funding.
Bouygues Construction signs £600M PPP deal for Singapore Sports Club

26-Aug-2010
Bouygues Construction subsidiary Dragages Singapore has signed a PPP contract with the Singapore Sports Council to finance, design, construct and operate the new Singapore Sports Club.
Future of water regulator Ofwat to be reviewed

26-Aug-2010
The water regulator Ofwat will be reviewed to ensure it is fit for future challenges of climate change and population growth, the government announced today.
Crossrail tunnelling contract awards confirmed for 2011

25-Aug-2010
Tunnelling contracts for London’s £15.9bn Crossrail scheme will not be awarded until 2011, scheme promoters have confirmed.
Costain holds firm on plans for consultant purchase

25-Aug-2010
Costain chief executive Andrew Wyllie has insisted his firm is still intent on buying a major consultant, despite making no moves since announcing the strategy in March.
Students continue to shun STEM subjects

24-Aug-2010
Not enough students are taking science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) subjects at either GCSE or A-Level to plug the growing skills gap, the Institution of Engineering Technology (IET) warned this week.
Bridges special: Sheinton Bridge

19-Aug-2010
In October 2008 the normally tranquil Sheinton brook became a raging torrent after exceptionally heavy rainfall swept across Shropshire.
Costain & Arup alliance to push for offshore wind farm work

19-Aug-2010
Costain has teamed up with Hochtief and Arup in a new alliance that will seek to design and build offshore wind farms.
Grave concerns over Pakistan cholera reports

19-Aug-2010
The Disasters Emergency Committee has expressed grave concern following reports of cholera in Pakistan’s Swat Valley. With floodwaters affecting a fifth of the country, and stretching for more than 1,000km, the DEC has warned that millions of people are at risk of potentially deadly water borne diseases.
Mott MacDonald is Owner’s Engineer for £1bn power plant in Saudi Arabia

19-Aug-2010
Mott MacDonald has been appointed by Dhuruma Electricity Company as owner’s engineer for a £1bn power plant in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Bridges special: Melbourne's West Gate Bridge

19 August 2010
Melbourne’s West Gate bridge carries the busy M1 freeway over the River Yarra, connecting the Australian city’s central business district to its south eastern suburbs.
ICE HQ to house Olympic press

19 August 2010
The ICE’s headquarters at One Great George Street has been chosen as a venue for the London Media Centre for the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Movement monitoring: Farringdon Station

19 August 2010
The UK’s two biggest rail infrastructure projects, Thameslink and Crossrail, will meet at Farringdon Station.
New 2011 Apprentices announced

19 August 2010
Incoming ICE president Peter Hansford has chosen six young engineers who will work closely with him throughout his presidential year.
Under surveillance: a new Blackfriars Station

19 August 2010
Strainstall provided an extensive ground movement monitoring system for the Blackfriars Station redevelopment project, a part of Network rail’s Thameslink programme.
Amey chief is new East Midlands chairman

19 August 2010
Amey director Paul McCormick has been selected as the new chairman of ICE East Midlands.
Manchester magic

19 August 2010
It can’t be easy for the Gifford engineers toiling away in Manchester’s Media City to finish the development’s iconic footbridge.
Aecom acquires UK rail consultant Tritech

18-Aug-2010
Aecom has acquired the trading interests of UK rail specialist Tritech Rail as part of a plan to expand in the sector.
Civils contractors workload continues to fall

17-Aug-2010
The first Civil Engineering Contractors Association Workload Trends survey to be carried out since the General Election shows that the change of government has slowed the decline in the industry’s fortunes.
Irish Rail inspection regime slated

17-Aug-2010
The inspection regime at Ireland’s rail operator Iarnrod Eireann has been slated by Ireland’s Railway Accident Investigation Unit following an investigation into last year’s Malahide viaduct collapse.
Scottish premier pushes world's first floating wind farm

17-Aug-2010
First Minister Alex Salmond has today met Statoil, a Norwegian based oil company, to discuss the possibility of developing the world’s first floating wind farm in Scotland.
Scotland planning applications down

16-Aug-2010
Planning applications in Scotland have fallen in the last year, according to figures from the chief statistician.
Balfour Beatty to proceed on Denver's Eagle P3 commuter rail project

16-Aug-2010
The Denver Transit Partners (DTP) team - which includes Balfour Beatty Rail and Parsons Brinckerhoff - has reached financial close for the Eagle P3 commuter rail project in Denver, USA.
Railway passengers and freight to double by 2035

16-Aug-2010
A new report on long term rail industry planning, published this week, predicts twice as many passengers and a doubling of freight by 2035.
Mott MacDonald buys Australian consultant Hughes Trueman

13-Aug-2010
Mott MacDonald has acquired Sydney and Canberra-based consultant Hughes Trueman as part of its strategy to expand in Australia.
Gifford wins raft of Indian road contracts

13-Aug-2010
Consultant Gifford has secured several new road design projects in India through its local operations, Gifford India.
Amey named preferred bidder for £200M North Lanarkshire roads contract

13-Aug-2010
North Lanarkshire Council has today named Amey as the preferred bidder for its highways, street lighting and winter services contract.
London Underground locked in strike battle with RMT

12-Aug-2010
London Underground (LU) was yesterday locked in a battle with the RMT over its threat of industrial action because of planned job cuts.
29 national bodies concerned about planning reforms

11-Aug-2010
29 national bodies - including the ICE and IStructE - have requested a meeting with communities and local government secretary Eric Pickles to ensure planning does not become too localised.
Balfour Beatty wins £460M Heathrow deal

11-Aug-2010
Balfour Beatty has signed a £460M construction contract to deliver the second phase of a satellite building to support Heathrow Airport’s new Terminal 2 - T2B for client BAA.
Halcrow awarded Gloucestershire Surface Water Management Plan contract

10-Aug-2010
Gloucestershire County Council has awarded a contract to produce Surface Water Management Plans to Halcrow.
Atkins to design Wessex Water’s largest ever trunk mains grid

10-Aug-2010
Atkins has been appointed to Wessex Water’s largest ever new mains project, the Water Supply Grid, as well as a number of the water company’s workstream framework agreements for the AMP5 investment period.
U-turn on 33 school build projects

9-Aug-2010
More than 30 school building projects facing the prospect of cancellation have been given the green light.
ITT Projects wins £1.2M Thames Water aeration deal

6-Aug-2010
ITT Projects has been awarded a £1.2M contract through Interserve Project Services Limited (IPSL), to deliver a complete aeration plant package for Thames Water at Riverside Sewage Treatment Works in east London.
Majority of oil gone has gone from Gulf of Mexico

5-Aug-2010
Almost three quarters of the oil from BP’s Deepwater Horizon well has either been cleaned up, recovered or broken down according to a US Goverrnment Report.
Businesses told to make use of climate change opportunities

5-Aug-2010
UK businesses need to be ready to face the risks and benefit from the opportunities that climate change could bring, environment secretary Caroline Spelman said today.
Coventry to receive £64M for new streetlighting

4-Aug-2010
Coventry is to benefit from over £64M to replace the majority of its street lighting, regional and local transport minister Norman Baker announced today.
Aecom wins £33M USAID contract in Iraq

3-Aug-2010
Aecom has been awarded a five-year, $53M (£33M) U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to contract to provide economic-consulting services to Iraq.
RedR seeking to reach Pakistan flood victims

3-Aug-2010
Rescue teams are currently struggling to reach an estimated 27,000 people still stranded and cut off from help in the northern parts of Pakistan.
British Land and Blackstone to develop Broadgate tower for UBS

3-Aug-2010
British Land and Blackstone has signed a lease with Switz banking giant UBS to develop a new £340M building on the Broadgate Estate in the City of London.
Defra publishes real-time online monitor of its energy use

3-Aug-2010
Defra has begun publishing real-time online data on its energy use at its London headquarters.
Four consortiums competing for Dublin underground contract

3-Aug-2010
Iarnród Éireann (Irish Rail) has announced that four major consortiums are bidding to construct a major underground rail service through the heart of Dublin.
Case not yet made for above-inflation TfL fares rise, Assembly says

3-Aug-2010
Transport chiefs have not yet justified a potential 7% rise in Tube and bus fares next year, a new report from the London Assembly said today.
UK construction costs fall by 10%

2-Aug-2010
Slow economic recovery sees UK construction costs fall by 10% and are now 16% below the mid-2008 peak.
Scrapping congestion extension could breach European air quality laws

2-Aug-2010
The Mayor of London’s proposal to remove the Western Extension of the Congestion Charging Zone (WEZ) is condemned by air quality, transport and environment groups saying it would increase air pollution and could result in breaking European air quality laws.
Successful opening of new nuclear waste vault

2-Aug-2010
A state of the art facility for the storage of the nation’s low level nuclear waste opened at the Nuclear Decimmisiong Authority’s site near Drigg in Cumbria on Thursday.
Key Ireland transport schemes complete

30-Jul-2010
Two of Ireland’s most important infrastructure projects are being officially opened this week signallingfaster travel times and significantly improved road safety for motorists and the general public both northand south of the border.
Mott MacDonald appointed design checker for new River Wear bridge

30-Jul-2010
Mott MacDonald has been appointed as the Category III design checker by Sunderland City Council for its new landmark River Wear bridge.
Transport minister strikes out on bridge hits

30-Jul-2010
Bridge strikes, frequently caused by lack of driver awareness of bridge heights, is costing the public purse around £500,000 a year.
Newport transporter bridge reopens after £1.225M refurbishment

30-Jul-2010
Newport’s historic Transporter Bridge, one of only eight in the world, officially reopened to the public today after a £1.225M refurbishment project.
McCabe enters partnership with Western Gulf Advisory

30-Jul-2010
J&M McCabe Properties Limited, the holding company of McCabe Group, a Dublin-based construction company, has formed a strategic partnership with Western Gulf Advisory (“WGA”), a Bahrain-Swiss-based investment company in a transaction worth £300M that includes the company’s debt.
London 2012 road network plan published

30-Jul-2010
A new information document detailing how London’s road network will operate during the Olympic Games in 2012 was published yesterday.
Ministers hear business and council views on RDAs

29-Jul-2010
Government ministers yesterday met with businesses and local authorities to hear their views on the creation of local enterprise partnerships in place of Regional Development Agencies (RDAs).
Wave energy technology receives £1.5M investment boost

29-Jul-2010
Business and enterprise minister Mark Prisk today announced a £1.5M investment in the development of wave energy technology during a visit to the South West RDA’s Wave Hub project at Hayle.
Coalition government seeks answers to PFI question

29-Jul-2010
Business secretary Vince Cable and chancellor George Osborne this week launched a paper to encourage an industry-led recovery by addressing the problems businesses face accessing finance.
Government launches waste review

29-Jul-2010
The government today officially launched a review of waste policies and is seeking views from local authorities, businesses and the public.
Bachy Soletanche starts on Milton Court tower

29-Jul-2010
Specialist geotechnical contractor Bachy Soletanche this month started work on its first tower project of the year, and first multi-storey residential tower order received in the last two years
Polypipe Civils Achieves BBA Approval for its Polystorm Lite Modular Cell

28-Jul-2010
Polypipe Civils has received approval from the British Board of Agrément (BBA) for its Polystorm Lite modular cell product.
Vinci wins £16.5M Gatwick contract

28-Jul-2010
Gatwick Airport has awarded a £16.5M contract to Vinci Construction UK to transform the airport’s South Terminal forecourt - part of its near £1bn investment programme to modernise the airport.
Government sets out energy policy to reduce emissions by 80%

28-Jul-2010
Energy secretary Chris Huhne yesterday set out 32 actions to reduce carbon emissions by 80% in 2050 in the first ever Annual Energy Statement to Parliament.
10MW wind turbine unveiled

28-Jul-2010
Arup has linked up with Wind Power to continue development of an innovative new 10MW wind turbine design - the Aerogenerator X.
Construction skills body warns against skills shortage

27-Jul-2010
CITB-ConstructionSkills, the industry Training Board and Sector Skills Council has issued a warning to Government and industry, encouraging them to prevent a long term skills shortage of construction workers.
Costain trials precast manholes on Welsh bypass

27-Jul-2010
Contractor Costain has committed to using a precast manhole system on future projects after trialling it to success on a £90M Welsh bypass project.
Credit crisis damaged value for money of PFI

27-Jul-2010
Government action to protect PFI projects during the credit crisis stimulated the economy but threatened long term value for money and will cost an additional £500M to £1bn, the National Audit Office (NAO) has found.
London 2012 marks two year countdown

27-Jul-2010
Olympic organisers are starting the two year countdown to the Games with the construction on schedule and within budget.
Wave energy test equipment sets sail for Cornwall

27-Jul-2010
Wave Hub, the South West Regional Development Agency’s pioneering marine energy project, set sail for Cornwall last night in preparation for installation next week on the sea bed 16km offshore.
High tech machine helps build flood defences

27-Jul-2010
Environment Agency midlands director Mark Sitton-Kent visited Attenborough Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) yesterday to inspect progress on the £51M Nottingham Left Bank Flood Alleviation Scheme.
Cork suffers major water main break

26-Jul-2010
Cork has suffered a major water main break that has severely disrupted water supplies to a number of areas.
Government must import 250,000t of salt, says review

26-Jul-2010
An independent review of how transport systems coped with the last two winters has today recommended that central government imports 250,000t of road salt to enable local authorities to deal with a winter as extreme as that of last year.
Flood barrier construction underway in Gloucestershire

26-Jul-2010
Work is getting underway on a permanent flood barrier to protect a water treatment works in Gloucestershire, in the event of future extreme weather.
France's power shortages will impact UK

26-Jul-2010
Reports that France will see a power shortfall by as soon as 2013 will put greater pressure on the UK’s dwindling supply and force up prices according to UK energy consultancy M&C Energy Group.
Government draws up action plan for fuel of the future

22-Jul-2010
The Government is creating plans to greatly increase the the number of anaerobic digesters - which produces electricity from bio-degradable material - to provide a green energy boost for Britain.
Olympic stadium's roof finished

22-Jul-2010
The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) has announced that the Olympic stadium’s roof cover has been completed as the ODA’s published its annual report.
Geotechnical specialist Quantum acquires civils firm

22-Jul-2010
South Wales-based geotechnical expert Quantum GB has acquired Carmarthenshire-based civil engineering company Surveying & Engineering (S&E) as part of its expansion plans across the southern half of the UK.
Belfast completes £1M culvert repair work

22-Jul-2010
Three Rivers Agency culvert repair schemes, totalling more than £1M, have been completed in the greater Belfast area.
ICE calls for contributions to civils costs study

22-Jul-2010
The ICE today called on industry to take part in an investigation into how the cost of delivering civil engineering works for major infrastructure projects can be reduced.
Motts wins two urban development projects

22-Jul-2010
Mott MacDonald has been appointed to provide consultancy services for a regeneration project in the north east of England and sewerage plant in India.
Letters: the public is as important as the politics for the ICE

22 July 2010
The public is as important as the politics for the ICE
Korec zooms in on M25 widening job

21-Jul-2010
Korec has landed a contract to supply the Skanska Balfour Beatty JV widening the M25 with a licence for Trimble’s VRS Now service.
CAA given new duty to help passengers

21-Jul-2010
The Civil Aviation Authority is to be given new duties to promote the interests of passengers was announced by the Government today.
London 2012 set to miss renewable energy target during games

21-Jul-2010
Loss of the wind turbine scheme and lack of other renewable energy projects in London mean it is unlikely to meet the 20 percent target during Games-time, the London Assembly heard yesterday.
Liverpool City Council signs £50M library PFI

21-Jul-2010
Liverpool City Council and Inspire Partnership have today signed a £50M PFI contract to renovate Liverpool Central Library was formally signed today and immediately hailed as “the best news this year” by Liverpool City Council.
Final phase of Fehmarnbelt Crossing site investigation underway

20-Jul-2010
Danish firm Per Aarslef has won a €21.8M (£18.1M) soil investigation contract for the proposed Fehmarnbelt crossing.
Scottish wind farm signs turbine supply contract

20-Jul-2010
Siemens will be supplying 68 wind turbines for the Griffin onshore wind power plant in Scotland which is due for completion in 2012.
Costain MWH is preferred bidder for Birmingham water works

20-Jul-2010
Costain MWH has achieved preferred bidder status on a potential £15M contract tendered by Severn Trent Water to construct a new treated water pumping station at one of its major water treatment works in Birmingham.
Amey to upgrade nine stations in south east

20-Jul-2010
Amey has won a Network Rail contract to extend platforms at nine stations in south east England so they can accommodate new 12-car passenger trains carrying extra commuters into London.
Balfour Beatty wins £100M Southampton highways contract

20-Jul-2010
Balfour Beatty WorkPlace has signed the Southampton Highways Service Partnership contract with Southampton City Council.
Sheffield shortlists Amey and CarillionMouchel for highways PFI

20-Jul-2010
Sheffield City Council has shortlisted Amey and CarillionMouchel for its Sheffield Highway PFI scheme, it announced yesterday.
Costain tops in graduate training

19-Jul-2010
The Association of Graduate Recruiters (AGR) has named Costain the winner of the Best Graduate Development title in its 2010 awards.
Minister sees Britain's new busiest station take shape

19-Jul-2010
Theresa Villiers today helped lay the foundations of London’s next major transport hub in a visit to Farringdon station.
Essex Waste Partnership announce PFI shortlist

19-Jul-2010
Essex County Council and Southend Borough Council today announced the shortlist of three organisations who will be invited to submit detailed proposals for the treatment of residual waste.
ITM awarded Crossrail C701 instrumentation and monitoring contract

16-Jul-2010
ITM Ltd (Instrumentation, Testing & Monitoring) has been awarded contract C701 for the instrumentation and monitoring contract for Crossrail.
Polypipe Civils gets into the racing spirit with charity regatta

16-Jul-2010
Polypipe Civils recently competed alongside 63 other yachts in the 2010 Polypipe Regatta held in Port Solent, Portsmouth.
Ex-Balfour Beatty man to lead renewables group

15-Jul-2010
Former Balfour Beatty managing director and VT Group chief executive Paul Lester has been appointed chairman of renewable tidal energy company Marine Current Turbines (MCT).
Bechtel and B&W joint venture to build small new nuclear

15-Jul-2010
Babcock & Wilcox (B&W) and Bechtel have announced they will develop the first small-scale Generation III++ nuclear power stations.
Support given for North Wales tidal scheme

15-Jul-2010
Conwy County Borough Council has given its support, in principle, for a £150M pilot tidal energy scheme at Llanddulas, proposed by consultant Capits Symonds.
South West and Thames top tap test

14-Jul-2010
Water quality for South West Water and Thames Water has been crowned the best in England and Wales, with a 99.98% compliance rate according to the Drinking Water Inspectorate today.
McLaren wins main contractor gig on £45M Tottenham Hotspur training ground

14-Jul-2010
McLaren Construction has been confirmed as main contractor on Tottenham Hotspur FC’s new £45M Training Academy at Bulls Cross in Enfield, Middlesex.
Engineering careers guide launches for students

14-Jul-2010
A pocket-sized careers guide for engineering students has been launched this week by careers website Gradcracker.
Last call for Young Woman Engineer Awards

13-Jul-2010
The Institution of Engineering & Technology (IET) has today issued a last call for entries for its annual Young Woman Engineer Awards, with deadlines set for 30th July.
Watermead Country Park Connect2 project ahead of schedule

13-Jul-2010
Work on the £1.4M Connect2 project to improve footpaths and cycleways in and around Watermead Country Park is ahead of schedule.
Bouygues to rebuild Marseille's Stade Velodrome

12-Jul-2010
Marseille City Council has appointed a consortium including Bouygues Construction subsidiaries GFC Construction and Exprimm to carry out a £250M reconstruction of the Stade Velodrome.
Somerset councils go out to tender for new nuclear advisors

10-Jul-2010
Sedgemoor District Council, West Somerset Council and Somerset County Council have gone out to tender for firms to provide professional technical advice during the planning process for new nuclear power stations at Hinkley Point.
Olympic Aquatics Centre roof among the winners at steel design awards

9-Jul-2010
The Legacy Roof which spans the London 2012 Olympics Aquatics Centre is one of four Award winning entries in this year’s Structural Steel Design Awards, which were announced at a special ceremony at London’s Imperial War Museum yesterday (8 July 2010).
Blackfriars foundations approach completion

8-Jul-2010
Balfour Beatty Ground Engineering (BBGE) is nearing completion of a ten month foundations project on Network Rail’s landmark Blackfriars station redevelopment.
Aecom joint venture wins £13.8M New York City dredge-design contract

8-Jul-2010
Joint venture to design, oversee project to clean tributaries around New York City
AEA Launches New Sustainable Construction Service

8-Jul-2010
AEA, the leading energy and climate change consultancy, has launched a new Sustainable Construction capability to enable commercial and public bodies to respond to concerns about the impact of buildings upon the environment.
Port project creates new Thames wetland

8 July 2010
Consultant Aecom and contractor Carillion have this week created a new mudflat as part of developer DP World’s London Gateway Port project.
Letters: Doing the maths: Does High Speed 2 add up?

8 July 2010
Does High Speed 2 add up?
Road to hearts & minds

7-Jul-2010
In the first of a regular series on the work of the Royal Engineers in Afghanistan, NCE reports on work to rebuild a vital infrastructure link in Helmand province.
Costain positions itself for new nuclear with Sellafield work

7-Jul-2010
Costain’s current work on the Evaporator-D plant at Sellafield - currently the largest nuclear construction project in the UK - gives the company a strong position to benefit from approaching nuclear power plant construction contracts, according to its newly-appointed nuclear director.
Government invites discussion on the future of energy from waste

6-Jul-2010
Climate change minister Greg Barker and environment minister Lord Henley are today jointly chairing an Anaerobic Digestion Round Table with industry.
Sellafield awards £1.5bn liquid effluent contract

5-Jul-2010
Sellafield Ltd has awarded the contract to build a new highly active liquid effluent facility to the HALEF Partnership, of AMEC, AREVA and Balfour Beatty, believed to be worth up to £1.5bn.
£10M in offshore wind grants

5-Jul-2010
The government will later today announce £10M in grants to companies to develop the offshore wind supply chain and new turbine manufacturing.
Forth Replacement Crossing ITS system tenders invited

2-Jul-2010
Transport Scotland has invited expressions of interest in installing £22M of Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) on the approaches to the Forth Replacement Crossing.
Amec and Balfour Beatty win £250M Sellafield decommissioning contract

2-Jul-2010
HALEF, a partnership comprising Amec, Balfour Beatty and Areva, has been awarded an early contractor engagement contract to build a £250M Highly Active Effluent Facility at Sellafield..
Consultant EC Harris to float on the stock exchange to raise funds for growth

2-Jul-2010
Partners at consultant EC Harris have agreed to float the company on the stock exchange as part of an ambition to expand the firm.
George Rocke, 1927 - 2010

1-Jul-2010
Dam specialist George Rocke, who dedicated 45 years to the profession, is remembered by son, Iain.
ICE 2010 Salary Survey

01 July 2010
Field work for the 2010 ICE Salary Survey has now started and members will have received an email invitation to take part.
ICE Council elections 2010

01 July 2010
Voting for the ICE Council elections 2010 closes on 13 July - don’t forget to vote!
Letters: Does wind energy really need such a big subsidy?

01 July 2010
Does wind energy really need such a big subsidy?
Training for tips

30-Jun-2010
Bauer Group has opened a dedicated training site for drilling rigs and operators to improve site safety. Operators are taught how to avoid turning over their rigs.
Faithful+Gould wins professional services contract for EDF's UK nuclear new build

30-Jun-2010
EDF Energy is pleased to announce that it has awarded Faithful+Gould Limited, a professional services consultancy agreement to support its UK Nuclear New Build project.
Work steps up on new West Hampstead Thameslink Station

30-Jun-2010
West Hampstead’s new station building has moved a step closer with the demolition of two shop units on the junction of Iverson Road and West End Lane allowing the pavements to be widened.
London Assembly Conservatives call for driverless Tube trains

30-Jun-2010
London Assembly Conservatives Group transport spokesman Richard Tracey has called for the Underground to become driverless.
London 2012 Velodrome timber ceiling now in place

30-Jun-2010
New images released by the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) today show the huge roof of the London 2012 Velodrome now covered with the timber ceiling of the venue in place.
Utilities construction set to grow to £4.4bn by 2014

30-Jun-2010
A new report by AMA Research has said utilities construction output will grow to 2014 due to long term capital investment in water, and the growth of nuclear and renewable energy.
Balfour Beatty preferred bidder for £175M Oldham schools project

29-Jun-2010
Balfour Beatty announces today that it has been appointed as preferred bidder by Oldham Council for their Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme, which is worth up to £175M.
BAM selected for PPS project A12 Utrecht Lunetten-Veenendaal

28-Jun-2010
The Dutch Directorate-General for Public Works and Water Management (Rijkswaterstaat) has selected BAM as preferred bidder for the widening of a 30km section of the A12 motorway between Utrecht-Lunetten and Veenendaal in The Netherlands.
Europe's second largest drainage scheme in final stages

28-Jun-2010
The team behind Europe’s second-largest land drainage scheme is tackling its final major challenge before completion of the project in St German’s, near King’s Lynn in Norfolk.
Bam Nuttall wins £8.9M viaduct strengthening job on M8

28-Jun-2010
Transport Scotland has awarded Bam Nuttall a £8.9M contract to strengthen and refurbish the M8 White Cart Viaduct in Paisley.
Amey completes sale of Tube Lines to Transport for London

28-Jun-2010
Amey has announced that it has reached financial close in the sale of its equity in Tube upgrade contractor Tube Lines to Transport for London (TfL).
Network Rail awards two Crossrail contracts

25-Jun-2010
Network Rail has awarded Atkins a contract to improve rail services in Acton, west London and Jacobs Engineering to work on a major rail infrastructure project at Stockley Flyover in west London
Urban park scheme for Olympic site

25-Jun-2010
Work is underway to create around 250 acres of new parklands, on former industrial land, that will provide a colourful and festival atmosphere for the London 2012 Games and afterwards become the largest new urban park in the UK for over 100 years.
Search for the AP1000 supply chain ramps up

24-Jun-2010
The search for supply chain partners to deliver the AP1000 nuclear power plant in the UK stepped up in Manchester yesterday with the formal launch of “Nuclear Power Delivery UK” - a team consisting of Westinghouse, Shaw Group, Laing O’Rourke and Toshiba
Hochtief starts digging on Poole's Twin Sails Bridge

24-Jun-2010
Contractor Hochtief has held a “turning of the sod” ceremony at Poole’s Twin Sails bridge construction site in Hamworthy to mark the start of work proper.
Abu Dhabi Ports Company appoints Tony Douglas new chief executive

24 June 2010
Former Laing O’Rourke chief operating officer Tony Doulgas has been named as new chief executive of the Abu Dhabi Ports Company (ADPC).
Basin Cut

24 June 2010
The Rosyth Dockyard on the Firth of Forth is more than halfway through a major refurbishment project that will allow it to accommodate two of the latest class of aircraft carriers. Paul Thompson reports.
The Cutting crew

24 June 2010
Investigation of a remediated cut slope failure presented a challenge to the team working on the M1 widening scheme, says Gifford technical director Andy Rose.
Sharing It Around

24 June 2010
Crossrail Central has been helping ground investigation contractors share best safety practice on the £15.9bn mega-project.
Talking Point

24 June 2010
Early stakeholder engagement and target setting is the way forward for major projects as witnessed on the Olympic Park enabling works
BCIA's UK-wide judging is underway

24 June 2010
The BCIA judges have started their intensive programme of visits to the 37 shortlisted projects to assess the winners of this year’s British Construction Industry Awards and the Prime Ministers Better Public Building Award.
Big names sign up for Infrastructure show

24 June 2010
BAA, Crossrail and Network Rail are the latest high profile names to sign up to NCE’s newly launched Infrastructure Show, taking place between 18 and 20 October at NEC, Birmingham.
Crossrail unveils new Whitechapel station design

23-Jun-2010
A new improved design for Whitechapel Station was made public by Crossrail today with a upgrades which will benefit passengers and local residents whilst delivering substantial savings compared to the original proposal.
Amey wins a place on two government framework contracts

23-Jun-2010
Amey has won a place on the South West and South East Pan Government Highways Professional Services Framework contracts.
Financial close achieved on Scotland's largest PFI mental healthcare project

23-Jun-2010
Atkins is providing multidisciplinary services on a new £95.4M contract to deliver a 231-bed state-of-the-art mental healthcare development for NHS Tayside which reached financial close on Friday.
First tunnel breakthrough for Brisbane Airport Link

22-Jun-2010
Brisbane Airport Link - which will be Australia’s longest road tunnel - saw its first tunnel breakthrough last week.
Mott MacDonald appointed designer on £30M East London Line extension

22-Jun-2010
Mott MacDonald has been appointed designer and technical adviser for the £30M Phase 2 East London Line extension, connecting it with Clapham Junction, by Rail for London.
Works starts on last Olympic Park venue

22-Jun-2010
Construction is now underway on the historic Eton Manor site, marking the start of work on all Olympic Park permanent venues, the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) announced today.
Three invited to tender for £230M Borders Railway

22-Jun-2010
Bam is to compete against consortiums including Sir Robert McAlpine and Carillion and Fluor and Miller Construction for the £230M Borders Railway PFI.
GDF Suez acquires 9% stake in Nord Stream

21-Jun-2010
GDF Suez has become Nord Stream’s fifth shareholder with a 9% holding, following its acquisition of 4.5% each from founder members Eon Ruhrgas and Wintersall Holding.
Atkins wins design contract in Chiltern Railways upgrade

21-Jun-2010
Atkins is to undertake the detailed design of the Chiltern Railways upgrade, currently one of the UK’s most important and technically challenging rail modernisation programmes.
Sellafield metal recycling to save £360,000

21-Jun-2010
Four top duct sections have been processed through Sellafield’s metal recycling facility (MRF), as part of a six-year project that will save the company £360,000 in disposal costs.
Balfour Beatty preferred bidder for £231M Derby school project

21-Jun-2010
Balfour Beatty announces today that it has been appointed as preferred bidder by Derby City Council for their £231M Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme.
Stonehenge Visitor Centre funding cut welcomed

21-Jun-2010
The Stonehenge Alliance has welcomed the announcement of withdrawal of £10M Treasury funding for new Stonehenge visitor facilities.
Morgan Sindall wins £95.4M Scottish health contract

21-Jun-2010
Morgan Sindall Group, the construction and regeneration group, has been awarded a £95.4M contract to design and build the Tayside Acute Adult Mental Health Developments scheme in Scotland.
Bouygues wins £300M Hong Kong rail contract

21-Jun-2010
Dragages Hong Kong, a subsidiary of Bouygues Construction, has just signed a contract for the construction of a rail tunnel worth €360M (£300M) in Hong Kong.
Atkins to design water park in Abu Dhabi

18-Jun-2010
Atkins has been appointed by Aldar Properties PJSC as lead designer for a new 16.4ha water park to be built on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, UAE.
Competition launched to rebuild earthquake-hit Haiti

18-Jun-2010
The Haitian government has appointed Malcolm Reading Consultants to launch an international competition to assist the rebuilding programme following this year’s earthquake.
Watchdog approves Bristol Water price rise

18-Jun-2010
The Competition Commission (CC) has provisionally decided that Bristol Water can make a small increase in the prices it charges its customers above the five-year price limits previously set by Ofwat.
Aecom wins US Army engineering contract worth up to £638M

17-Jun-2010
Aecom is among the firms to win a US Army Engineering and Support Center Worldwide Environmental Remediation Services contract valued up to US$945M (£638M).
Network Rail boss Iain Coucher to step down

17-Jun-2010
Iain Coucher has told Network Rail’s board he is to step down after eight years with the company, including three years as chief executive.
Balfour Beatty wins Denver rail contract

17-Jun-2010
Balfour Beatty announced today that it has been selected, as part of the Denver Transit Partners (DTP) team, to construct the Eagle P3 commuter rail project in the Denver metropolitan area of the United States.
Volvo steps up staff training programmes

17 June 2010
Despite the economic downturn, Volvo Construction Equipment has continued to invest in training and technical support.
Clean green machine

17 June 2010
Delivering more for less - construction’s new mantra - means making savings. Can these include consumption of fuel by plant? Yes they can, says Volvo. NCE reports.
London 2012 press centre on track as windows fitted to building

16-Jun-2010
The concrete structure of the London 2012 Olympics Main Press Centre (MPC) is complete.
Delhi Metro corridor to open next week

16-Jun-2010
The Qutub Minar – HUDA city centre Delhi Metro corridor will open next week, with the first train services commencing simultaneously from Qutub Minar and HUDA City Centre in Gurgaon at 8am on Monday.
Costain-Skanska wins initial Crossrail tunnel contract

16-Jun-2010
A Costain-Skanska joint venture has won the initial contracts for two tunnel portals that will take the Crossrail railway underneath London.
Gasunie acquires 20% stake in Nord Stream pipeline link

15-Jun-2010
Dutch natural gas transport company Gasunie has acquired a 20% stake in the North European Gas (NEL) pipeline - the second pipeline link for the Nord Stream Baltic Sea pipeline.
Aecom wins £7.2M contract for Doha road project

15-Jun-2010
Aecom has won a US$10.7M (£7.2M) to help build the Doha Expressway Phase 2 project awarded by the Qatar Public Works Authority.
New bridge to carry M74 over the River Clyde

15-Jun-2010
A major civil engineering operation for the M74 Completion project is now underway in Glasgow.
Scotland railway reopens after train derailment

15-Jun-2010
Train services between Glasgow and Oban resumed yesterday following the successful completion of operations to recover a derailed train and repair damaged tacks at Falls of Cruachan.
Transport for London ditches Shard move in efficiency drive

15-Jun-2010
Transport for London (TfL) yesterday announced that it has sold its lease agreement at the Shard in a deal that will contribute a multi-million pound cash sum to TfL’s established efficiency savings programme.
Grontmij buys French consultant Ginger

15-Jun-2010
Grontmij is to acquire French consultant Ginger for €120M (£99M) to create Europe’s fourth largest consultancy firm.
Dredging International wins £27M Panama Canal contract

14-Jun-2010
The Panama Canal Authority (ACP) announced last week that Dredging International has won the $40M (£27M) contract to dredge an area of the Panama Canal’s man-made body of water, Gatun Lake.
London Array gets £250M EIB loan

14-Jun-2010
The European Investment Bank (EIB) has approved a £250M loan for Dong Energy to help finance construction of the London Array offshore wind farm.
Nuclear power and railway projects to add 4% growth to UAE ecomony

14-Jun-2010
Nuclear power and railway projects may help the United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) economy grow an average of 4% in 2010-2011, according to UAE’s central bank governor Sultan Bin Nasser al-Suwaidi.
Eight civil engineers make Queen's birthday honours list

14-Jun-2010
Eight civil engineers have been appointed OBEs/CBEs/MBEs in the Queen’s birthday honours list.
Value for money review of rail schemes told to report back early

14-Jun-2010
Transport secretary Philip Hammond announced today that he wants an independent review of value for money in the rail industry to report back early with its initial findings.
Besix wins £179.8M contract to build Bahrain's North Manama Causeway

14-Jun-2010
Belgian construction group Besix has been awarded a Dh973.3M (£179.8M) contract to build Bahrain’s North Manama Causeway.
Laing O’Rourke/Bachy Soletanche JV wins £100M Hong Kong Rail Express Link contract

14-Jun-2010
MTR Corporation, the operator of the mass transit rail system in Hong Kong, has awarded a HK$1039M (£100M) contract to a Laing O’Rourke/Bachy Soletanche joint venture for the underground construction of a section of the approach tunnels for the station complex in West Kowloon.
Two shortlisted to run Dounreay

14-Jun-2010
Two consortia have been shortlisted to take over the running of the Dounreay nuclear decommissioning site in northern Scotland.
ACE and CECA warn of project delay consequences

14-Jun-2010
Engineering bodies have expressed concerns over government plans to suspend transport infrastructure projects.
Victoria station to get £700M re-development

11-Jun-2010
Victoria Tube station, one of the busiest and most congested on the network, is set for a radical £700M transformation as Transport for London announced yesterday that a contract has been awarded for its re-development.
Total-Abengoa Solar consortium appointed for Masdar project

11-Jun-2010
Masdar, Abu Dhabi’s multi-faceted initiative advancing the development, commercialisation and deployment of renewable and alternative energy technologies and solutions, has appointed the bidding consortium of Total and Abengoa Solar as a partner to own, build and operate Shams 1, the world’s largest concentrated solar power plant and the first of its kind in the Middle East.
Mersey Gateway backers insist project still alive

11-Jun-2010
The Mersey Gateway Project team has strongly rejected claims that the project has hit a brick wall following transport secretary Philip Hammond’s announcement that decisions on all major transport infrastructure projects would be put on hold until after this autumn’s Comprehensive Spending Review.
8t purge unit is successfully installed in Sellafield legacy pond facility

11-Jun-2010
A significant step forward has been taken in hazard reduction work on the First Generation Magnox Storage Pond at Sellafield with the delivery of a pond purge unit to treat the pond water and reduce dose uptake to workers during future retrieval operations.
BREEAM award for Welsh Assembly government building

11-Jun-2010
The recently completed Welsh Assembly government building at Llandudno Junction has been awarded the 2010 BREEAM Award for Wales in the Bespoke Category.
Olympic Park soil-washing complete and ‘Green Build’ on track

11-Jun-2010
The Olympic Delivery Authority has announced that nearly 2M.t of contaminated soil has been cleaned for reuse on the Olympic Park in the UK’s largest ever soil-washing operation.
Scotland publishes first zero waste plan

11-Jun-2010
Scotland’s first zero waste plan was published this week.
RMT announces tube strike dates

11-Jun-2010
London Underground union RMT has this week announced strike dates on Tube Lines over the failure of TfL and the company to give concrete assurances on jobs, pay and working conditions.
Deritend completes refurbishment work on iconic Tees Transporter Bridge

11-Jun-2010
Deritend has completed refurbishment work on the Tees Transporter Bridge in Middlesborough.
New chairman for the Construction Industry Council

11-Jun-2010
At its Council meeting this afternoon Gordon Masterton OBE was appointed as the eleventh Chairman of the Construction Industry Council. Keith Clarke, CIC’s former Chairman, now becomes Deputy Chairman in accordance with CIC’s rules & byelaws.
Atkins wins energy contract in Poland

10-Jun-2010
Atkins has been awarded a £7.7M contract to oversee the design and construction of a new £500M liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant by Polskie LNG in Swinoujscie, Poland.
Capita Symonds appointed for M5 junction 19 improvements

10-Jun-2010
Capita Symonds has been appointed by Persimmon Homes to provide civil engineering design for improvements to junction 19 on the M5.
Chris Webster appointed chief executive of Miller Construction

10-Jun-2010
Former Amey chief operating officer Chris Webster has taken the job of chief executive at Miller Construction.
Bouygues wins £405M Hong Kong harbour contract

10-Jun-2010
Dragages Hong Kong, a subsidiary of Bouygues Construction, was recently awarded a major Hong Kong contract worth €490M (£405M). The Cruise Terminal Building project is a design-build contract for a harbour terminal for cruise ships along with supporting facilities.
Keller acquires Australian marine foundations firm for £21M

10-Jun-2010
Ground engineering firm Keller Group has acquired the Sydney-based marine foundation contractor Waterway Constructions.
Royal Albert bridge improvements to go ahead

10-Jun-2010
The most complex plan ever to strengthen and refurbish the Royal Albert bridge has been approved byboth Plymouth City Council and Cornwall Council.
Bouygues Construction wins £404M Hong Kong contract

10-Jun-2010
Dragages Hong Kong, a subsidiary of Bouygues Construction, has been awarded a design-build contract worth €490M (£404M) to build the Cruise Terminal Building in Hong Kong harbour.
Amey to start upgrades on Birmingham road network

10-Jun-2010
This week marks the start of the £2.7 billion highways PFI, as Birmingham City Council’s long term partner Amey begins the upgrade and maintenance of the city’s infrastructure network for the next 25 years.
World Cup 2010: Jungle genius

10 June 2010
Designers of the Mbombela Stadium, which stages its first World Cup match next week, took their inspiration from African animals in the nearby game reserve.
Crossrail posts £35M Liverpool Street advance works notice

9-Jun-2010
Crossrail has issued an invitation for tenders for advance works and infrastructure at the Liverpool Street London Underground station.
Second phase of Port Eglinton Viaduct launch underway

9-Jun-2010
The operation to complete the second and final launch of the largest bridge on the M74 Completion project has now begun in Glasgow.
Canoe Slalom olympic venue takes shape

9-Jun-2010
New aerial images released by the Olympic Delivery Authority today show how work is progressing on the canoe slalom venue for the London 2012 Games.
Crossrail invites Connaught Tunnel refurbishment tenders

8-Jun-2010
Crossrail has issued the tender notice for the refurbishment of the Connaught Tunnel, which runs beneath the Albert Docks in East London.
Transport for London appoints new Tube Lines CEO

8-Jun-2010
Transport for London (TfL) has appointed Andie Harper to be the new Tube Lines chief executive officer (CEO).
BAM Nuttall wins £10M contract for M8 bridge

8-Jun-2010
A £10M contract to strengthen the M8 White Cart Viaduct was announced today by scottish transport minister Stewart Stevenson.
Surrey shortlists five for £200M road maintenance contract

7-Jun-2010
Surrey County Council has shortlisted five contractors for the £200M contract to manage its roads maintenance for up to the next ten years.
Bid rigging awareness has grown in construction sector, says OFT

7-Jun-2010
Construction sector research by the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has found improvements in awareness and understanding of competition law and bid rigging.
Gautrain opens in time for the World Cup

4-Jun-2010
South Africa’s first high speed modern railway line will open three days before the World Cup, taking football fans from the O.R. Tambo International Airport to Sandton, Johannesburg’s new commercial hub.
Al Maktoum International airport to open in 2011

4-Jun-2010
Dubai’s Al Maktoum International airport will begin passenger operations next March, according to one of the airport’s senior executives.
German joint venture to build wind farm in Liverpool Bay

4-Jun-2010
RWE Innogy, Stadtwerke München and Siemens have entered into a joint venture to build the offshore wind farm Gwynt y Môr.
Infrastructure Investment Trusts could be "the PFI of the 21st century"

4-Jun-2010
Infrastructure Investment Trusts (IITs) could be the PFI of the 21st century, according to the Association for Consultancy and Engineering (ACE).
Bison supplies precast concrete flooring and staircase for £7.5M Northumberland scheme

4-Jun-2010
Bison Manufacturing will supply its precast Hollowcore flooring and staircase products for a £7.5M regeneration scheme in Alnwick, Northumberland, working closely with Gentoo Construction.
Aecom wins design and build role in £189M Canadian road project

4-Jun-2010
Aecom has been awarded a design-build subcontract for a major ring road in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada the total project worth $277M (£189M).
BP agrees to fund sand barrier construction

3-Jun-2010
Oil giant BP has agreed to pay $360M ( £579.2M) to fund the construction of six sections of the Louisiana barrier islands proposal to stem the damage from the Gulf of Mexico oil spill.
Faster finish: The Inchbonny Bridge repair

3 June 2010
Lower temperature asphalts benefit the environment and can lead to rapid construction techniques as proven on a new Scottish bridge project. NCE reports.
Thames opens first UK desalination plant

2-Jun-2010
In drought, Londoners will drink water produced by the UK’s first desalination plant, which opened today at Beckton in east London.
Construction sector growth increased in May

2-Jun-2010
Growth in the construction sector increased in May, and is now at a level last seen in September 2007.
Arup forms carbon capture one-stop shop

2-Jun-2010
Consultant Arup has formed new unit to manage carbon capture and storage (CCS) projects with legal firm Martineau and Yellow Wood Energy.
Capita Symonds wins London Southend Airport contract

1-Jun-2010
Capita Symonds has been appointed as the civil engineering designer for a proposed runway extension at London Southend Airport.
Scotland's stations to receive £168,000 makeover

1-Jun-2010
Funding worth over £168,000 has been announced by Scotland’s transport minister Stewart Stevenson to improve stations.
Welsh ministers query Severn Bridge maintenance regime

1-Jun-2010
Welsh Assembly Member Chris Franks has slammed the Severn River Crossing company - the firm that owns and operated both Severn bridges - for not investing enough in systems to improve the cables in the original M48 bridge, saying the two bridges could force “significant” debts onto the public purse when returned to public ownership in 2016.
25 years' engineering achievement at Sellafield

28-May-2010
One of Sellafield’s effluent treatment plants has today celebrated 25 years of operation during which time over 20M.m3 of contaminated water has been treated.
Hydrock appointed to Major SEEDA Regeneration Schemes

28-May-2010
Construction Services Company Hydrock has won the contract to provide Engineering Services to the South East England Development Agency for the preparation of the development platform at two major regeneration projects - Northfleet Embankment and Queenborough and Rushenden in Kent.
First underground power infrastructure laid at Victoria Desalination Plant

28-May-2010
The first of 87km of underground power cable has been laid at the Victoria Desalination Plant in Victoria, Australia.
Work complete at London 2012 rowing and canoe sprint venue

27-May-2010
Enhancement works on the London 2012 rowing and canoe sprint venue have been completed by lead contractor Morrison on time and on budget.
Former transport minister calls for Commons debate on Crossrail

27-May-2010
Labour MP and former transport minister Tom Harris has called for a debate on funding for Crossrail following the coalition government’s decision to axe Heathrow’s third runway.
Cricket world cup stadiums take shape in India

27-May-2010
A significant milestone in the reconstruction of Chidambaram Stadium, home of Indian Premier League champions Chennai Super Kings, has been reached with the complete rebuild on target for completion ahead of next year’s Cricket World Cup.
Media Players

27 May 2010
The road linking the massive MediaCity in Manchester to the motorway network sits on a highly contaminated former dock site that had to be cleaned up fast if the development is to open on schedule next year. GE reports.
Power Base

27 May 2010
Fragile ground made conventional piling risky at a mill conversion in Macclesfield, so a more gentle solution was required. GE reports.
Wet 'N' Wild

27 May 2010
A drilling team braved everything the weather could throw at them last winter in an important project to improve Shetland’s ferry and fishery infrastructure. Neil Jaques reports.
Landing Craft

27 May 2010
Jet grouting has helped support an important Victorian sewer during construction of Sydney Airport’s new runway extension. GE reports.
Talking Point

27 May 2010
Matthew Warner from the Association of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Specialists considers the impact of Eurocodes
ConstructionSkills welcomes Government commitment to apprenticeships

26-May-2010
ConstructionSkills has welcomed the re-allocation of £150M to fund 50,000 more apprenticeship places for SMEs, as Parliament resumed today with the Queen’s Speech – outlining Government reforms designed to “reduce the structural deficit” and “return the economy to growth.”
Clean up of historic fuel pond at Sellafield takes a major step forward

25-May-2010
Two important high hazard risk reduction milestones have been achieved in the clean up of the historic pile fuel storage pond facility at Sellafield.
London Array picks Ramsgate as operations base

25-May-2010
London Array has announced that the port of Ramsgate will become London Array’s construction, operations and maintenance base for the project which will become the world’s largest offshore wind farm.
GDF Suez to get 9% stake in Nord Stream project within weeks

25-May-2010
GDF Suez will finalise a deal which grants it a 9% stake in the Nord Stream gas pipeline project “in the coming weeks”, according to the company’s vice chairman and president Francois Cirelli.
General Electric wins £43.7M Medupi contract

25-May-2010
General Electric (GE) has won a 500M rand (£43.7M) contract to help build the Medupi power station in South Africa.
Emirates Railway contracts to be awarded by end of 2010

25-May-2010
The first contracts for the 1500km-long Emirates Railway are expected to be awarded by the end of the year, according to its developer, the state-owned Union Railways.
Work begins on Vietnam’s first inclined single tower cable-stayed bridge

25-May-2010
Construction has begun on the 759m long Nguyen Van Troi–Tran Thi Ly Bridge across the Han River in Da Nang, the commercial and educational centre of Central Vietnam. The £53M landmark, designed by WSP, is due for completion in 2014.
Contract awarded for A90 resurfacing scheme

25-May-2010
An £848,000 essential maintenance contract to resurface the A90 eastbound carriageway from Kinfauns Castle to St Madoes, five miles east of Perth, was awarded this week.
Costain wins ECI contract for Lancashire County Council

24-May-2010
Costain announces that it has been awarded an Early Contractor Involvement (ECI) contract by Lancashire County Council (LCC) to develop and construct a major road decongestion and regeneration scheme.
Transport secretary opens new Platform 0 at King's Cross

24-May-2010
Network Rail’s redevelopment of King’s Cross station reached another crucial milestone today with the official opening of Platform 0 by transport secretary Philip Hammond.
Work starts on Olympic Stadium’s field of play

21-May-2010
On the second anniversary of the start of construction on the Olympic stadium, work has begun on the field of play and the first batch of seats is being manufactured.
Costain Skanska JV awarded second Crossrail contract

21-May-2010
Costain, in joint venture with Skanska, announces that it has been awarded a second contract by Crossrail, as part of its enabling works framework, for the construction of the Pudding Mill Lane Portal.
Facelift for Manchester city centre rail bridge

21-May-2010
A key railway bridge in Manchester city centre is getting a £600,000 facelift by Network Rail to keep it in prime condition for the next 25 years.
Official opening of DNA-inspired Helix bridge

21-May-2010
Officially named “The Helix”, the world’s first curved double-helix bridge was unveiled to a stunning display of music and fireworks.
China and UAE sign agreement on railway co-operation

21-May-2010
China and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have signed an agreement which aims to push forward cooperation in railway construction between the two countries.
Structural work complete on Berlin-Brandenburg International Terminal

20-May-2010
Structural work has been completed this month on the new Berlin-Brandenburg International Airport terminal.
£6.3M safety 'cocoon' protects workers building One World Trade Center

20-May-2010
Workers building One World Trade Center are being protected by a US$9M (£6.3M) safety “cocoon” - the first time one has been installed on a steel superstructure in New York City.
Tottenham redesigns stadium plans to save listed buildings

20-May-2010
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club has redesigned its new stadium to retain listed buildings on the site, after its previous planning application was blocked by English Heritage and conservation officials.
Government seeks fast solutions to avoid future snow chaos

20-May-2010
The government will by July identify “quick wins” to improve transport resilience in preparation for the next winter, after prolonged cold weather this year caused widespread transport disruption.
Holistic approach to sustainability needed

20 May 2010
The engineering profession must be part of the solution to global infrastructure issues and not the problem. Sustainable Development Commission chair Will Day made the statement at the ICE/Halcrow Sustainability lecture.
Welsh bypass project scoops the George Gibby award

20 May 2010
An innovative road scheme in Wales has won this year’s George Gibby award in recognition of its environmental sensitivity and originality.
Haitians benefit from RedR water and sanitation course

20 May 2010
Engineering disaster relief charify RedR has held a Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Week to provide vital training to local aid workers in Haiti.
Making the most of UK waterways

20 May 2010
Waterborne transport is the most sustainable form of freight transport and will play a vital role in the future of world trade, the world association for waterborne transport infrastructure (better known as Pianc) says in the ICE journal Civil Engineering this month.
Costain finishes Gerrards Cross tunnel rebuild

19-May-2010
Costain has reached a major milestone in its work on the Tesco Gerrards Cross tunnel project with completion of the reinforced concrete over-build above the busy Chiltern Main Line railway between London Marylebone and Birmingham Snow Hill.
Contractors File 2010: sign up now!

18-May-2010
Entries for the NCE Contractors File are now being sought. All firms who wish to appear in this year’s File should now have received information on how to access the online form. Deadline for completion has been extended to 14 June.
Skanska wins £79.3M Alaskan Way Viaduct construction contract

18-May-2010
Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) has awarded Skanska USA Civil the construction contract of the SR 99 South Holgate Street to South King Street: Stage 2 project.
Danish firm heads for Scottish anaerobic digestion market

18-May-2010
Denmark’s leading supplier of anaerobic digestion technology Xergi is to build a large anaerobic digestion plant in Scotland.
Skanska scoops design & build role on £180M New York tunnel

18-May-2010
Skanska is to design and build the Palisades Tunnel in New York, part of the new Trans-Hudson Express Project (THE Project).
Mott MacDonald specialist railway engineers seconded to Evergreen 3 project

17-May-2010
Mott MacDonald has seconded three railway engineers to provide Chiltern Railways with specialist expertise for its Evergreen 3 project, upgrading the railway between London Marylebone and Banbury and constructing a proposed new railway between Bicester and Oxford.
Prisk confirmed as construction minister

17-May-2010
Mark Prisk has been confirmed as construction minister in the Department for Business Innovation and Skills.
Brazil's Eletrobras to increase hydropower investment

17-May-2010
Brazilian state power utility Eletrobras will invest 9bn Brazilian reais (£3.5bn) in Brazil’s largest hydropower and electricity projects this year, up from £2.1bn in 2009.
Mumbai increases four-year infrastructure budget by £5.8bn

17-May-2010
The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Agency (MMDRA) has massively revised its four-year estimated budget for infrastructure projects in Mumbai to Rp 1.13 trillion (£17.2bn) – an increase of £5.8bn.
Kier expands into waste recycling through acquistion

17-May-2010
Kier Group has expanded its waste management business through the acquisition of Pure Recycling and Pure Buildings from Nicholas Spencer and Jodie Spencer.
Scotland's Waverley Station entrance plans get green light

14-May-2010
Network Rail’s plans to overhaul Waverley Station’s entrance from Princes Street have been given the green light by the Scottish government.
London's Blackwall Tunnel set for weekend closures

14-May-2010
Transport for London (TfL) will carry out five weekend closures of the northbound Blackwall Tunnel this year as part of ongoing refurbishment and safety upgrade work, it announced yesterday.
Election 2010 update: Theresa Villiers confirmed as transport minister

14-May-2010
Former shadow transport secretary and high speed rail champion Theresa Villiers has been named as a transport minister in the new-look Department for Transport.
Olympic Park employment figures hit target

13-May-2010
The Olympic Delivery Authority’s (ODA) latest employment statistics show that their 6,442-strong workforce fills the requirement of recruiting locally.
Thames Water awards £500M network contracts

13-May-2010
The UK’s biggest water and sewerage firm has awarded contracts for more than £500M of work over the next five years to repair, maintain and replace its pipes and sewers across London and the Thames Valley.
Concern over lack of progress in construction industry

13 May 2010
Construction has “fallen considerably short” of the progress hoped for 12 years ago when the ground breaking Rethinking Construction report was published, a leading engineer and promoter of best practice said last week.
Water special case study: The Bran Sands digestion facility

13 May 2010
As the pressure on water companies to be environmentally responsible grows, sludge digestion is becoming an ever more attractive option.
Water special case study: The Glencorse water treatment works

13 May 2010
As is the case with much of the UK’s water infrastructure, two of Scottish Water’s water treatment works near Edinburgh are showing their age.
Stephenson’s story told 160 years on

13 May 2010
Three interpretation panels have been unveiled at Berwick Station in Northumberland to mark the 160th anniversary of Robert Stephenson’s Royal Border Bridge across the Tweed.
Water special project profile: Asset International

13 May 2010
NCE profiles the sewerage upgrade scheme responsible for controlling pollution in the River Rea
MEPs save high emission power stations from closure threat

13 May 2010
Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) have voted to reprieve 14 British coal-fired power plants from closure by delaying the introduction of new European Union (EU) emissions reduction legislation.
British Gas opens UK’s first green skills training centre

12-May-2010
The British Gas Green Skills Training Centre in Tredegar, South Wales, was officially opened this morning by Welsh Assembly Government First Minister Carwyn Jones.
PPP Arbiter criticises Transport for London for lack of clarity over Tube costs

12-May-2010
PPP Arbiter Chris Bolt yesterday said he was “disappointed” with Transport for London for failing to provide cost information on upgrade work in a format that allowed benchmarking with other projects.
Detailed design process for High Speed 2 to Manchester and Leeds gets underway

11-May-2010
Consultants are being sought to draw up detailed designs for the High Speed 2 route from Birmingham to Manchester and Birmingham to Leeds.
Second Avenue Subway first phase tunnelling to begin this month

10-May-2010
S3 Tunnel Constructors, a Skanska USA Civil/JF Shea Constructors/Schiavone Construction joint venture (JV), will start tunnelling as part of the $3.8bn (£2.5bn) Phase 1 of Second Avenue Subway in Manhattan this month.
Oil spill funnel suspended due to ice-like hydrates

10-May-2010
The lowering of a dome to contain the Gulf of Mexico oil spill has been put on hold after ice-like crystals prevented the operation’s success at the weekend.
Amey reaches financial close on £2.7bn Birmingham Highways PFI

7-May-2010
Amey and Birmingham City Council have announced that they have reached financial close on the Birmingham Highways private finance initiative (PFI) scheme.
Cambridge Guided Busway foundations to be assessed

6-May-2010
Bam Nuttall last week agreed to carry out borehole soil testing to ensure foundations for the Cambridgeshire Guided Busway are robust.
Nominations wanted for annual ICE awards

6-May-2010
ICE is calling for nominations for its annual institutional awards, designed to recognise outstanding civil engineering achievement and long term contribution to the profession, and the Institution.
ICE invests £20k into the next era of technicians

6 May 2010
Twenty outstanding students have received ICE QUEST Technician Scholarships, providing financial assistance totalling thousands of pounds The 20 students were based across the nation, and were selected from a wide pool of applicants.
NIIB Bank is essential

6 May 2010
Continued uncertainty over the scale of the public spending deficit reinforces the need for an infrastructure investment bank to safeguard funding for key projects, said the ICE this week.
The Strata building: London's power tower

6 May 2010
Strata, central London’s tallest residential building at 147.9m high and the world’s first tower with integrated wind turbines, is on track for completion next month.
Future proofing for climate change in East Midlands

6 May 2010
Engineering and environment experts from across the East Midlands gathered at Pride Park football stadium in Derby last week to discuss how to best manage the future increased risk of flooding in the region, a likely effect of climate change.
Spanish firm FCC wins major rail contract in venture with Algerian firm

5-May-2010
A joint venture between Spanish firm FCC Construction and Algerian company ETRHB Haddad has been awarded an almost €1M (£850M) contract to build a 185km-long railway line.
WSP reports early signs of recovery in private sector market

5-May-2010
WSP said today that there were early signs of increased activity in the private sector but warned that the impending election was creating economic uncertainty.
Cemex block factory first to achieve Green Dragon

4-May-2010
Cemex UK is the first national building products company to achieve the Green Dragon Environmental Standard for the environmental management systems incorporated at its blockworks factory at Newport, South Wales.
Construction industry IT benchmarking report to be published

4-May-2010
A new IT benchmarking report designed specifically for the construction sector has been published by The Knowledge Practice, in association with Construct IT (Salford University) and the National Computing Centre (NCC).
England’s tallest bridge gets the go ahead

30-Apr-2010
Planning permission was granted yesterday for England’s tallest highway bridge, which will tower 180m above the River Wear, connecting Castletown and Pallion in Sunderland.
Halcrow and Mott MacDonald to join forces to tackle tidal energy

29-Apr-2010
Consultants Mott MacDonald and Halcrow have teamed-up to take advantage of growing opportunities for the sustainable development of global tidal range energy projects.
Abu Dhabi commits £46bn to public transport projects

29-Apr-2010
The Abu Dhabi government plans to spend $68bn (£46bn) on public transport projects in the next five years, according to an official report.
ICE reinforces need for infrastructure bank

29-Apr-2010
Uncertainty over the deficit and the cuts required to reduce it are reinforcing the need for a national infrastructure investment bank says the ICE.
Work on Bahrain’s public transport network to commence end of 2011

29-Apr-2010
Work on Bahrain’s BD3bn ($7.9bn) public transport system should start by the end of 2011, according to officials.
Select Plant Hire and Finning announce strategic collaboration

29-Apr-2010
Following a recent engineering and safety study, Finning (UK) Ltd and Select Plant Hire Ltd have announced a joint strategic collaboration programme covering the company’s 258 strong Caterpillar fleet of excavators.
Catch All Solution

29 April 2010
Motorists on the A58 in Halifax can now travel safely without fear of rocks falling on live traffic. GE reports
Tunnelling project profile: The Gautrain Rapid Rail Link

29 April 2010
NCE throws the spotlight on Africa’s first high speed rail link.
Tunnels: A major project round up

29 April 2010
Record breaking tunnels are being designed and built across the globe. NCE is tracking the progress of them all at its online major projects hub.
Landslide Victory

29 April 2010
The UK’s first flexible debris flow barrier is being installed at the landslide-prone Rest and be Thankful site in Scotland. David Gibson reports.
Talking Point

29 April 2010
John Dunnicliff puts forward his recommendations as to who should be responsible for instrumentation and monitoring during construction
Setting out their stall: How the parties present the key civil engineering issues

29 April 2010
How the three main parties serve the interests of the engineering profession.
Midlands Highway Alliance launches £300M framework

28-Apr-2010
The Midlands Highway Alliance (MHA) launches a new framework contract for its medium schemes next week.
CBI warns of EU threat to UK energy supply

28-Apr-2010
Business lobby group the CBI has warned that a new European Directive could force the UK to close up to 14 power plants, potentially putting energy security at risk.
Atkins reveals designs for Shatin to Central Link

27-Apr-2010
Atkins has revealed preliminary designs for the new Hung Hom Station on the Shatin to Central Link of Hong Kong’s Mass Transit Railway (MTR), on which it is now undertaking detailed design work.
UK recovery hindered by construction recession

26-Apr-2010
The construction industry is lagging behind economic growth and will remain in recession, according to the latest construction forecasts from the Construction Products Association.
UK's tallest bridge steps closer to being built

26-Apr-2010
What will be the UK’s tallest bridge looks set to take a step closer to being built as Sunderland’s planning committee meets today to consider giving the scheme its consent.
Turner & Townsend merges Canadian operation with CM2R

26-Apr-2010
Cost consultant Turner & Townsend today announced the merger of its Canadian operations with CM2R, a Toronto based construction consulting firm operating in North America.
Tuflow used on Environment Agency flood risk assessment

26-Apr-2010
The Environmental Agency has specified consultant BMT Group’s flood and tide simulation software to assess flood risk.
Harbour bridge construction deal awarded

26-Apr-2010
Construction of the long-awaited Twin Sails Bridge in Poole is a step closer to completion with the appointment of a contractor for the project.
Renewable Energy Association calls for political support and investment

26-Apr-2010
The Renewable Enegy Association (REA) has called for political parties to be open about the huge investment needed to rebuild energy supplies and increase the capitalisation of the proposed Green Infrastructure Bank to fund renewables in the coming decades.
Balfour Beatty wins Forth Bridge bearings replacement job

23-Apr-2010
Balfour Beatty Regional Civil Engineering (BBRCE) has been awarded the contract to replace bearings on the Forth Road Bridge’s north and south approach viaducts.
Engineers take on five month charity mission

23-Apr-2010
James Bonell, engineer at sustainability consultancy Inbuilt, has just set off on a 4,827km challenge to circumnavigate the British mainland in a sea kayak.
The under cover delivery of the new King's Cross

22 April 2010
Meeting key milestone dates was the secret to completing the Northern Ticket Hall on time, but that could only be achieved if everyone pulled together.
Firms scoop Queen’s Awards

22 April 2010
Three civil engineering firms are among 145 national businesses who have been given prestigious Queens Awards this week.
Scott Wilson wins Shatin to Central Link design package

21-Apr-2010
MTR has awarded Scott Wilson a design package on the Shatin to Central Link, a strategic rail link connecting the North East New Territories with Kowloon and Hong Kong Island.
Bristol Water awards framework to Black & Veatch as AMP5 consultant

21-Apr-2010
Black & Veatch is one of two framework partners chosen by Bristol Water to provide design consultancy services associated with the water company’s Asset Management Plan (AMP) 5 Capital Investment Programme 2010 to 2015.
Waste to energy scheme criticised as unsustainable

21-Apr-2010
Opponents of a 16MW energy from waste scheme proposed for Cornwall last week told a public inquiry that the scheme is unsustainable.
Network Rail confirms 500 maintenance workers to be made redundant

21-Apr-2010
Network Rail has announced that approximately 500 maintenance employees will be leaving the company by the end of May as a result of “productivity improvements” over the last two years.
Kent to use Contract Change Management system

19-Apr-2010
Management Process Systems Limited (MPS) of Cambridge today announced that their Contract Change Management (CCM) system, which supports the NEC form of contract, has been selected for two highway projects in Kent.
Sharp increase in steel prices

19-Apr-2010
Rapidly rising raw material costs are driving increases in steel construction prices, says the British Constructional Steelwork Association (BCSA).
Wembley Stadium admits to permanent pitch problems

19-Apr-2010
Wembley Stadium operator Wembley National Stadium Limited (WNSL) has admitted that it will have to continue to regularly replace the pitch after accepting it cannot find a way to make grass grow inside the stadium bowl.
CARE emergency response on standby near China quake region

18-Apr-2010
CARE International this week said this week that despite having no presence in China at the moment, its emergency response experts were on standby ready to deploy to the region affected by last weeks 7.1 magnitude quake if needed.
Crossrail announces Paddington shortlist

16-Apr-2010
Crossrail today announced the shortlist of bidders invited to tender for the Paddington Integrated Project.
Morgan Sindall to expand with creation of new division

16-Apr-2010
Construction and regeneration group Morgan Sindall is to join up its construction business Morgan Ashurst and infrastructure services business Morgan Est to create a new enlarged division.
Lib Dems highlight importance of green jobs and innovation in construction

16-Apr-2010
Liberal Democrat Party leader Nick Clegg yesterday visited maker of EcoSheet, 2K Manufacturing in Luton where he talked about the importance of green job creation and innovation in the construction industry.
Rail transformation on North Cotswold strides forward

15-Apr-2010
Network Rail will invest around £70M over the next two years to transform the North Cotswold line, with the redoubling scheme leading the way as it moves into the next vital phase.
Aggregate Industries launches modular rail solution

15-Apr-2010
Charcon Specialist Products, part of Aggregate Industries UK, has launched Rail-Pod™, a modular platform solution which is constructed off site and delivered and installed by rail or road.
Greendale Construction wins Health and Safety Award

14-Apr-2010
Dorset construction company Greendale Construction has been awarded The Building Safety Group Site Managers Health and Safety award.
Galliford Try wins £100M Thames Water work

12-Apr-2010
Contractor Galliford Try today announced that it has won over £100M, and potentially up to £500M, worth of work under Thames Water’s AMP5 frameworks for the next five years.
Shaken But Not Stirred

25 March 2010
Contaminated ground beneath the surface of two new housing developments has resulted in an unusual foundation technique being adopted. GE reports.
Talking Point

25 March 2010
As the Register of Ground Engineering Professionals comes closer to reality, the BGA discusses how the scheme will be implemented.
Judge rejects 9/11 payout deal as "not enough"

22-Mar-2010
A £383M ($575M) compensation deal for rescue workers made ill by dust and ash at the World Trade Centre in New York has been rejected by a federal judge.
On The Record

25 February 2010
Real time ground information can be produced by equipping rigs with sensors and data loggers. Jeff Williams tells GE about the innovation.
Talking Point

25 February 2010
Sustainability must be considered at the design stage if environmental targets are to be met, says Viv Troughton.
Piccadilly Plunge

28 January 2010
Redevelopment of the Regent Palace Hotel in London’s West End has been one of the most imaginative and demanding of minipiling projects. Paul Wheeler reports.
Cracking The Pumphouse Peanut

28 January 2010
A series of peanut-shaped diaphragm walls has helped create a basement pump house for a new power plant in Kent. GE reports
Talking Point

28 January 2010
Eurocodes will bring in a lot of change for the UK geotechnical industry, so planning for this change must begin now, says Brian Skinner.
Skills crisis looms with 500,000 engineers needed by 2017

1-Dec-2009
Up to 500,000 engineering and manufacturing workers will be needed in the coming eight years to satisfy demand in the transport, construction, aerospace and defence industries, according to Engineering UK.

NCE AT THE HEART OF THE INDUSTRY FOR 40 YEARS

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NCE Editorial