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Free downloadable flooding guidance from CIRIA

27-Jul-2007
CIRIA is offering free online access to its report Standards for the repair of buildings following the recent flooding.
In the papers today - Friday 27th July

27-Jul-2007
The death toll from Britain's floods grew yesterday amid rising anger at the Government's handling of the crisis.
Capita Symonds bags HA contract

27-Jul-2007
Capita Symonds' has won an extension to a major traffic management contract for the Highways Agency.
BB hand Piccadilly line extension over to T5

27-Jul-2007
Balfour Beatty have completed their work on the extansion of the Piccadilly Line to Heathrow Terminal 5.
Thames Gateway bridge sent back for Public Inquiry

27-Jul-2007
The proposed Thames Gateway bridge, which would link Greenwich and Newham, has been sent for a second Public Inquiry, much to the annoyance of the Mayor Ken Livingstone.
Traffic levels reach all-time high

26-Jul-2007
According to statistics today published by the Department for Transport, estimated traffic levels in Great Britain rose by 1.4 per cent between 2005 and 2006, the first year that total traffic has exceeded 500 billion vehicle kilometres.
In the papers today - Thursday 26th July

26-Jul-2007
BAE Systems and VT group are to combine their surface warship building and maintenance activities, following the government's long-awaited decision to press ahead with plans to build two new aircraft carriers, costing more than £3.5bn.
Gas explosion hits Dallas

26-Jul-2007
A huge series of explosions at a liquid natural gas (LNG) plant near Dallas, Texas yesterday, has injured three people.
Civil engineers' pay soars by up to 20% in past two years

26-Jul-2007
Graduate civil engineers have seen average pay climb by 20% over the last two years to a whopping £34,535 according to the ICE's latest salary survey released this week.
Highways Agency misses major road delivery targets

26-Jul-2007
Cost escalation on major projects meant that that Highways Agency failed to meet its target for delivery of major road schemes last year, according to its annual report published yesterday.
Defra plans to hand sewers back to water companies

26-Jul-2007
Defra has launched a consultation, to take comment from people on its proposals to hand the running of household drainage to the water companies.
Auditor orders ODA to open up on programme plans

25-Jul-2007
The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) must justify its £9bn funding package by setting out precisely what needs to be done for the 2012 London Olympics, the National Audit Office (NAO) has warned.
Severn Trent hopes to start water works clean up today

25-Jul-2007
Severn Trent Water engineers are hoping to gain access to the company's flooded Mythe Water Treatment Works in Tewkesbury today to assess the damage and begin the task of cleaning the equipment which will allow it to restore supplies to the 150,000 homes without clean running water.
In the papers today - Wednesday 25th July

25-Jul-2007
Large-scale renewable energy projects will cause widespread environmental damage by industrialising vast swaths of countryside, a leading scientist claims. The warning follows an analysis of the amount of land that renewable energy resources, including wind farms, biofuel crops and photovoltaic solar cells, require to produce substantial amounts of power - The Guardian
Transport cash boostfor new housing build

24-Jul-2007
The government this week flagged extra spending on transport schemes to support its ambitious housing plans set out in the Housing Green Paper this week.
Energy 'gap' to be met by gas-fired stations, says nuclear lobby

24-Jul-2007
New nuclear build will not be ready by 2018, when ageing nuclear power stations will be coming off-line, so the 'gap' in production will be met by gas-fired stations, according to the nuclear lobby this week.
In the papers today - Tuesday 24th July

24-Jul-2007
The government has been accused of failing to act on its own advice to overhaul UK flood defences and drainage systems which first highlighted deep-seated problems three years ago.
Government launches nuclear consultation programme

24-Jul-2007
The department for business, enterprise and regulatory reform has launched a nuclear consultation roadshow to travel the country througout the summer.
SCOSS calls for Centre for Construction Safety Excellence

24-Jul-2007
The Standing Committee on Structural Safety (SCOSS) has called for a Centre for Construction Safety Excellence to be set up in its 16th biennial report.
Emirates team confirmed to build Olympic Stadium

23-Jul-2007
Sir Robert McAlpine and Buro Happold have signed a memorandum of understanding with the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA), to build the Olympic stadium.
ODA must face greater scrutiny

23-Jul-2007
The Olympic Deliverly Authority should make a clearer statement of 'key deliverables' expected in return for its funding package that has risen to more than £9 billion, says a new report into the Olympic budget by the National Audit Office.
PPP arbiter defers deadline for responses to Meronet interim payments

23-Jul-2007
The Public Private Partnership (PPP) Arbiter, Chris Bolt, had deferred the deadline for responses to his draft decision on interim payments for Tube infrastructure refurbishment company Metronet by seven days.
DLR tunnel breaks through

23-Jul-2007
The 6m diameter tunnel boring machine that has been tunnelling under the Thames for the latest Docklands Light Rail extension is expected to break-through today.
ODA construction shortlists announced

23-Jul-2007
Shortlists for the first package of Olympic construction for London's 2012 Games have been decided by the Olympic Delivery Authority, covering bridges, highways, other structures and associated infrastructure.
Carbon offsetting approved by MPs

23-Jul-2007
The Environmental Audit Committee has backed carbon offsetting - schemes where companies are paid to remove carbon from the atmosphere, compensating for carbon emissions.
In the papers today - Monday 23rd July

23-Jul-2007
It's official: the heavier rainfall in Britain is being caused by climate change, a major new scientific study will reveal this week, as the country reels from summer downpours of unprecedented ferocity.
Tories call for NAO inquiry into PPP following Metronet collapse

20-Jul-2007
Shadow transport secretary Theresa Villiers has asked for a full inquiry into the Tube Public Private Partnership (PPP) system, following the collapse of tube upgrade company Metronet earlier this week.
In the papers today - 20th July

20-Jul-2007
The melting of mountain glaciers and ice caps as a result of global warming over the next century is likely to cause bigger than expected increases in sea levels. An assessment of the volume of water running into the oceans from melting ice caps suggests that sea levels could rise by two to three times the amount previously expected from this source - The Independent
Channel Tunnel in lead for best of the rest

20-Jul-2007
The Channel Tunnel is storming ahead in our people's vote to find the best British Construction Industry Award winning project of the last 20 years.
Government dismisses Olympic mega mosque claims

20-Jul-2007
The Government has refuted claims that it intends to fund construction of a £100M 'Mega Mosque' on the edge of the London 2012 Olympic Park.
Olympic chief payoff slammed

20-Jul-2007
The Olympic Development Authority came under fire after it emerged that ex chairman Jack Lemley received a pay off of £388,000 of tax payers' money.
Tony Douglas quits BAA for Laing O'Rourke

19-Jul-2007
Tony Douglas, BAA Divisional Director and Chief Executive of Heathrow Airport is leaving the company to join the Laing O'Rourke Group as its Chief Operating Officer. Tony has been with BAA for nine years in a number of senior roles.
In the papers today - 19th July

19-Jul-2007
The Brazilian government came under fierce attack yesterday after the worst air disaster in Brazilian history claimed an estimated 200 lives when an Airbus-320 passenger plane landed at Sao Paulo's domestic airport, ran out of control after touching down, shot off the runway and over a busy road before smashing into a warehouse and exploding.
Nuclear power programme could hit skills shortage

19-Jul-2007
The Government is rushing forward a new generation of nuclear power stations without properly assessing the availability of skills or components, consultants warned this week.
Engineers add voice to concern over A-levl maths standards

19-Jul-2007
Civil Engineering academics and teaching specialists have backed a leading government adviser's claim that A-level mathematics are getting easier.
Liability concerns could trigger Ulley reservoir demolition

19-Jul-2007
Rotherham council was this week considering whether to demolish a dam which almost collapsed last month following torrential rain.
Government confirms planning permission for London desalination plant

18-Jul-2007
Thames Water said that security of London's future water supplies is more certain today after the government confirmed it has granted planning permission for the Thames Gateway Desalination Plant in Beckton.
Metronet goes into administration

18-Jul-2007
Metronet Rail BCV and Metronet Rail SSL, the companies responsible for the maintenance and renewal of the Bakerloo, Central, Victoria, and Waterloo & City lines (BCV) and Circle, District, Metropolitan, Hammersmith & City and East London lines (SSL), today entered PPP administration.
Climate change challenge laid down to engineers

17-Jul-2007
Engineers have been challenged to come up with the renewable energy generator (REG) device that will be capable of meeting 90% of the UK's domestic electricity needs for free.
In the papers today - Wednesday 18th July

17-Jul-2007
At least 200 people were believed dead last night after a passenger plane crashed in the heart of South America's largest city, Sao Paulo. The accident, believed to be the biggest in Brazilian history, happened at 6.45pm local time when an Airbus-320 belonging to the Brazilian company TAM reportedly skidded on the runway while landing at Sao Paulo's domestic airport Congonhas - The Guardian
Cash bonanza for local authorities

17-Jul-2007
Local authorities were this week heading for an infrastructure cash bonanza following a shake up of local government finance announced by the government on Tuesday.
Investors flock to construction

17-Jul-2007
Strong growth prospects for construction combined with high value mergers and acquisitions over the past year have made the industry increasingly popular with investors, says a report published on Monday.
Nuclear skills shortage prompts competition for skills

17-Jul-2007
The Government is rushing forward a new generation of nuclear power stations without properly assessing the level of skills or components available in the industry, consultants warned this week.
Stansted expansion plans illegitimate, inquiry told

17-Jul-2007
BAA's plans for Stansted airport fail to make a successful economic argument, the Stop Stansted Expansion (SSE) group will tell the inquiry into the airport's expansion today.
In the papers today - July 17th

17-Jul-2007
Peers are handing out exclusive access to the Houses of Parliament to lobbyists and pressure groups, who pay them thousands of pounds a year, The Times has learnt.
Nuclear leak fears follow Japan earthquake

17-Jul-2007
Officials are investigating the possibility of a second leak at the world's largest nuclear power plant following an earthquake in northwest Japan yesterday.
RMT demands tube jobs pledge

17-Jul-2007
The tube's biggest union was yesterday seeking 'urgent confirmation' from the financially stricken Metronet that the jobs of thousands of tube workers will be secure and that the maintenance and renewal of the underground would not be compromised.
Bus travel top priority for South Yorkshire

17-Jul-2007
The South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Authority (SYPTA) today published its business plan for 2007/2008, which aims to provide attractive alternatives to the car.
In the papers today - July 16th

16-Jul-2007
The Government's strategy for reducing waste in landfill sites has been called 'half-hearted and likely to fail' by a committee of MPs.
Mersey Tunnels go greener

16-Jul-2007
An environmental upgrade of the three Mersey road tunnels has saved more than 3,000 tonnes of CO2 from being pumped into the atmosphere, tunnel operator Mersey Travel said this week.
Low payment puts Metronet BCV on the brink

16-Jul-2007
Metronet BCV, the firm responsible for the refurbishment of the Bakerloo, Central and Victoria London underground lines, faces an uncertain future after receiving £430M less in Interim Infrastructure Service Charge (ISC) payments than it had asked for.
Bureau Veritas joins ACE

16-Jul-2007
Consultant Bureau Veritas was confirmed on Friday as the latest large firm to join the Association for Consultancy & Engineering (ACE).
South Downs wind turbine faces barrage of protest

13-Jul-2007
A wind turbine proposed for the hills around the famous Glyneboune opera house has run into a storm of opposition.
Green concrete reinforcement identified by report

13-Jul-2007
Concrete reinforcement could provide a significant outlet for currently unused steel scrap derived from tyres, says the Waste & Resources Action Programme (WRAP) in a report published yesterday.
In the papers today - July 13

13-Jul-2007
It can be greener to drive than catch the train, according to a rail industry study which reveals that trains are losing their environmental advantage.
London 2012 cycle park designers revealed

13-Jul-2007
A consortium headed by Hopkins Architects including consultant Expedition Engineering and cost consultant Faithful and Gould was yesterday named as the designer of London Olympic Velopark.
Councils and Highways Agency join forces to reap savings

13-Jul-2007
Ten councils and the Highways Agency are joining forces in a new venture to improve the design and delivery of highways projects and drive through efficiency gains.
Lost profit costing contractors 'billions'

13-Jul-2007
Latest research into the UK civil engineering contractors market shows that a staggering £1.6bn worth of profit is squandered each year.
In the papers today - Thursday 12th July

12-Jul-2007
Engineers brave strong winds, sub-zero temperatures and sleet - in July - to build Wales's highest tourist attraction.
Councils to charge companies to dig up roads

12-Jul-2007
New regulations propose to give local authorities the power to charge up to £240 to those who want to dig up the road, in an attempt to reduce the congestion and disruption.
ICE gets official say in running of ETB

12-Jul-2007
ICE will now have an official say in how the Engineering and Technology Board (ETB) is run after a crucial vote yesterday.
Scott Wilson slashes pension deficit

12-Jul-2007
Consultant Scott Wilson cut its pension deficit by a better than expected £21.2M in the financial year ending 29 April 2006, it was revealed today.
Super-Casino 'dead in the water'

12-Jul-2007
Gordon Brown has axed the proposed Manchester super-casino, in a surprise announcement during a reply in his second session of Prime Minister's Questions yesterday.
Hull to review emergency plans in aftermath of floods

11-Jul-2007
Flood Stricken Hull will review its emergency plan following the recent fl oods, which affected 23,000 homes in the city. Some homes will be uninhabitablefor a year.
In the papers today - Wednesday 11th July

11-Jul-2007
Virgin Trains has demanded an urgent meeting with the Department for Transport, after it was stripped of the contract to operate the Cross Country franchise.
Major south west bottleneck removed

11-Jul-2007
Thousands of local drivers and holidaymakers are to benefit from today when one of Cornwall's largest civil engineering projects officially opens in time for the peak summer holiday period.
Merseyside wins £90M in PFI credits

10-Jul-2007
Merseyside has been awarded £90M in PFI credits, to cut landfill and increase composting and recycling.
Government push for skills

10-Jul-2007
Government is launching a major advertising campaign to encourage skills training and learning. It will run over the next three years under the slogan 'Our future- its in our hands.'
Skanska fined for Swedish asphalt cartel

10-Jul-2007
Swedish contractor Skanska has been fined SEK170M (£12.5M) for participation in a price fixing cartel for asphalt.
In the papers today - Tuesday 10th July

10-Jul-2007
A dramatic grassroots fightback is under way against the massive expansion plans of Britain's airports which, despite grave concerns about effects on the environment, are aiming to treble flights and vastly increase passenger numbers within 20 years.
Blears announces Government's recovery efforts following recent flooding

10-Jul-2007
Hazel Blears issued a statement yesterday detailing the government's plan to tackle UK flood damage.
Cash for EU transport schemes

10-Jul-2007
The Department for Transport has asked for bids to build 'Motorways of the Sea' in the North Sea region to connect Britain with Belgium, Germany, Sweden, Denmark, the Netherlands and Norway.
Olympics need 'iron hand' to succeed, say PAC

10-Jul-2007
The cross-party Public Audit Committee (PAC) has urged the Olympic Delivery Authority to take control of various forms of risk in order for the 2012 games to be a success.
Tie up Site Waste Management Plans with CDM, says industry body

9-Jul-2007
The Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) today called on the Government to make sure the minimum requirements for Site Waste Management Plans (SWMP) mirror standards set in the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations (CDM) 2007.
Contractor launches not-for-profit training firm

9-Jul-2007
Bovis Lend Lease UK announced on Friday it was establishing a not-for-profit company to tackle the growing skills shortage in UK construction.
In the papers today - Monday 9th July

9-Jul-2007
The government has been warned it needs to take a quick decision to spend almost £1bn to experiment with the potential benefits of carbon sequestration and capture to fight global warming.
New Capita Symonds forensic division

9-Jul-2007
Consultant Capita Symonds has launched a new Forensics Services division to provide technical advice to solicitors and insurance companies .
Four reactor types for design approval

6-Jul-2007
Four types of nuclear reactor have been accepted by Government for the first phase of its approval programme for future power construction. No proposals were rejected.
In the papers today - Friday 6th July

6-Jul-2007
A company that advises London local authorities including is reported to have banned staff from travelling by bicycle on safety grounds.
Four new waste PFIs approved

6-Jul-2007
Four regions have been approved by the Department of the Environment Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA)to secure Private Finance Initiative (PFI) credits for their waste programmes.
More trains on time says ORR

6-Jul-2007
Nearly 90% of trains ran on time last year, according to the newly published figures from the Office of the Rail Regulator.
Tube derailment caused by 'loose material'

5-Jul-2007
Tube contractor Metronet has accepted responsibility for today's derailment of a westbound Central Line train between Mile End and Bethnal Green stations this morning, claiming it was caused by a 'loose bale of material'.
Construction fatalities top government priority

5-Jul-2007
New Work and Pensions Secretary Peter Hain's first briefing from the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) today will focus on the number of deaths in the construction industry.
In the papers today - Thursday 5th July

5-Jul-2007
Victims of the devastating floods that hit Britain last week may not be able to return to their homes for up to a year, council officials warned yesterday.
Carillion debt is down

5-Jul-2007
Carillion has cut its debt to below £150M, the contractor said in a trading statement for the first half of 2007.
CECA calls for clients to act against climate change

5-Jul-2007
Peter Andrews, chairman of the Civil Engineering Contractors Association (CECA), has called for clients to recognise renewable materials, and the government to back the Eddington report by setting up a, 'sustainable, integrated transport network.'
Dam design flaws exposed as Ulley repeats 2005 incident

5-Jul-2007
Spillway failure which caused last week's near catastrophic embankment scour at Ulley Dam near Rotherham was a repeat of a similar incident at Boltby Dam in North Yorkshire two years ago.
'Steady' and 'satisfactory' results for Costain

5-Jul-2007
Costain today released a statement claiming that trading during the first half of 2007 had been steady for the contractor, with its forward order book described as satisfactory.
Olympic Park remediation in full swing from next week

4-Jul-2007
Full-scale site clearance, demolition and remediation of London's Olympic Park will get under way next week after the Compulsory Purchase Order hanging over the Stratford site came into effect on Monday.
In the papers today - July 4th

4-Jul-2007
Transport for London hit back in the £2bn dispute with Metronet yesterday by arguing that the maintenance company deserved no financial compensation for huge cost overruns.
Telford honoured in the House of Commons

4-Jul-2007
The first ICE president Thomas Telford was honoured with an adjournment debate in the House of Commons yesterday ahead of the 250th anniversary of his birth on August 9.
WSP on track to meet profit and revenue growth targets

4-Jul-2007
Consultant WSP today confirmed it was on track to see its profit margins rise to 7% during 2007, up from 6.3% in 2006.
Construction bosses struggle to take a break

3-Jul-2007
Most executives across the UK construction sector are failing to take their full holiday entitlement, adding to a total of 21M days unused each year, it was revealed today.
In the papers today - Tuesday 3 July

3-Jul-2007
European rail operators threw down the gauntlet to low-cost airlines yesterday, launching a continental alliance that aims to get passengers off planes and on to trains by offering them sweeteners such as train miles and appealing to their green credentials as well as their wallets.
DLR northern extension gets underway

3-Jul-2007
Construction of the northern extension to London's Docklands Light Railway (DLR) will get under way this month, it was confirmed yesterday.
Government boosts flood defence spending

3-Jul-2007
Environment Secretary Hilary Benn yesterday announced an increase in Government spending on flood risk management and defence.
Road deaths fall by 1%

3-Jul-2007
Road deaths fell 1% last year according to new figures released from the Department for Transport (DfT).
Galliford Try expects profit to outstrip expectations

2-Jul-2007
Contractor Galliford Try today predicted that its profits would exceed expectations for the financial year ending 30 June 2007.
Royal Haskoning to rebuild Aceh

2-Jul-2007
Royal Haskoning has won an $8m (£4m) contract to rebuild infrastructure on the tsunami-hit Indonesian island of Aceh
In the papers today - Monday 2nd July

2-Jul-2007
As Britain tried to cope with a fresh deluge of rain yesterday, Environment Agency chief executive Baroness Young said that that her £500M annual budget was too small to cope with the extreme flooding that has put parts of Yorkshire and the West of England under water.
Flooded Sheffield river to be investigated by University

2-Jul-2007
The University of Sheffied has won a £2.5M grant to examine the redevelopment of the River Don floodplain.
Thames Water takes profit hit as it beats leakage targets

29-Jun-2007
Thames Water today revealed a 22% fall in its profit before tax for the financial year ending March 31 2007 and confirmed it had exceeded its leakage reduction targets set by industry regulator Ofwat.
Brown shakes up university education

29-Jun-2007
University and school education will be run by different government departments in Prime Minister Gordon Brown's new cabinet
In the papers today - Friday 29th June

29-Jun-2007
The rescue efforts after this week's devastating floods were the largest peacetime operations of their kind, it was claimed yesterday, as emergency services were braced for another deluge this weekend.
Metronet seeks to scrape back £1bn overspend

29-Jun-2007
Metronet today confirmed that it has requested the PPP Arbiter to step in and determine who is liable for £1bn in additional costs - Metronet or London Underground.
Murphy bags Metronet contract

28-Jun-2007
Murphy has won a two year £5M earthworks and structures contract with London Underground contractor Metronet
In the papers today - Thursday 28th June

28-Jun-2007
Devastating floods slowly began to drain from hundreds of wrecked homes yesterday, but are thought to have claimed another two lives, making the total six.
Scottish Parliament approves Edinburgh tram

28-Jun-2007
The new SNP-led Scottish Executive suffered its first defeat yesterday, as the Holyrood Parliament approved the Edinburgh tram scheme.
Payback deal for Olympic costs

28-Jun-2007
An agreement setting out how the costs of the London Olympics will be paid back has been published.
Boom or bust in 2008? Experts disagree

28-Jun-2007
Two reports published this week offer conflicting views on prospects for the UK the infrastructure market in 2008.
In the papers today - 27 June

27-Jun-2007
Businesses and households face long disruption after some of the heaviest rains on record brought extensive flooding to parts of northern and central England and killed four people.
Scour threat to Ulley Dam

27-Jun-2007
Unexpected inundation of a service spillway on the Ulley Dam between Rotherham and Sheffield during this week's torrential rainfall has been identified as the cause of severe structural damage to the earth embankment.
Skanska to build controversial Weymouth relief road

27-Jun-2007
Dorset County Council has awarded Skanska a £40M Early Contractor Involvement contract to design and build the A354 Weymouth Relief Road.
Freak weather damage 'not preventable'

27-Jun-2007
The damage wreaked by the freak weather conditions experienced across parts of the UK this week, which saw up to100mm of rain fall in one day, could not have been prevented by better design, engineers claimed.
New Olympic venue out to tender

27-Jun-2007
The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) today started the search for a team to design the Handball Arena for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Let energy companies decide on new nuclear, says government politician

27-Jun-2007
Energy companies should have the option of investing in new nuclear power stations, a prominent government figure said yesterday.
In the papers today - June 26

26-Jun-2007
A crucial decision over the funding of a £17bn London Underground maintenance project could be reached by Christmas, amid doubts over the future of the contractor in charge of the work.
Mott MacDonald wins upgrade of world's largest city

26-Jun-2007
Consultant Mott MacDonald is to help beef up infrastructure in the Chinese city of Chongqing, the world's largest city, and to help local government and businesses to improve their management skills.
CIOB aims to put women contruction graduates on top

26-Jun-2007
Women are being pushed to take more prominent roles in construction through a new scheme launched by the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB).
Atkins reports record profits despite big Metronet hit

26-Jun-2007
Atkins has reported record profits £76.6M but has revealed an exceptional loss of £121.3M relating to its shareholding in London Underground contractor Metronet.
White Young Green wins Hull Docks rail project

26-Jun-2007
Consultant White Young Green (WYG) was yesterday appointed by Network Rail to work on the £12M upgrade of the 9.7km branch line of Hull Docks.
London construction inflation continues to rise

25-Jun-2007
The cost of construction in London is now rising at a faster rate than at any point over the last five years, and the inflation rate will continue to rise according to a report published today.
Government consults on radioactive waste disposal

25-Jun-2007
The Department for Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) have opened a consultation into the disposal of higher-activity radioactive waste.
In the papers today - Monday 25th June

25-Jun-2007
A short section of highway in Lancashire is Britain's most dangerous road, it was revealed yesterday amid fears that the UK is falling behind other countries on road safety.
DfT appoints new ORR board member

25-Jun-2007
The Department for Transport has announced the appointment of Dr Chris Elliott FREng as a non-executive member of the Board of the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR).
United Utilities fined £8.5 million

25-Jun-2007
United Utilities Water has been fined £8.5 million for breaching trading arrangements with associate companies.
In the papers today - Friday 22nd June

22-Jun-2007
After nearly two years of work fixing New Orleans' flood protection network in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, the Army Corps of Engineers has revealed that significant areas of the city remain vulnerable to inundation in the event of another large storm.
British Construction Industry Awards shortlist

22-Jun-2007
Channel Tunnel Rail Link, Emirates Stadium, M60 widening and Kings Cross St Pancras Underground go head to head
Plea for £8.5M United Utilities fine to go to poor

22-Jun-2007
The Consumer Council for Water has asked for the £8.5M fine imposed on United Utilities to go to help the company's poorest customers.
OFT launches UK housebuilding study

22-Jun-2007
The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has launched an investigation into the UK housebuilding market.
£12 million congestion bust in Kent

22-Jun-2007
The government will spend £12.6 million scheme to block the exit from the southbound M20 in Kent at junction 10 to improve traffic flow on the choked motorway.
Metronet goes for extraordinary review

21-Jun-2007
Tube contractor Metronet Rail BCV Limited is to ask for an extraordinary review of its performance in a bid to force London Underground to pay the £750M extra costs it has racked up.
Essex seeks private money to build roads

21-Jun-2007
ESSEX COUNTY Council is developing an investment vehicle to fund and build all its major transport projects
Armitt defends overseas commission payments

21-Jun-2007
NETWORK RAIL chief John Armitt has defended so-called corrupt practices by engineers on international projects
In the papers today - 21 June

21-Jun-2007
An American company is poised to dump iron filings in the sea off the Galapagos Islands in an experiment to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Planktos Inc, a 'geo-engineering' company intends to sell carbon 'credits' to individuals who want to offset their personal greenhouse gas emissions - The Daily Telegraph
Flood defence spending needs major boost warns ABI

21-Jun-2007
FLOOD DEFENCE spending must be increased to a minimum of £750m warned the Association of British Insurers (ABI)
London turns off lights to raise awareness of energy usage

21-Jun-2007
London will be plunged into darkness for an hour tonight to increase the awareness of green issues.
Government launches plans to improve construction payment

20-Jun-2007
Plans to improve payment practices throughout the construction industry were unveiled today by Industry and Regions Minister Margaret Hodge.
In the papers today - Wednesday 20th June

20-Jun-2007
One of London's most deprived boroughs has turned down a £2m offer from Goldman Sachs to build and run a state school.
Tory plan gives £11bn to local authorities

20-Jun-2007
Local councils would enjoy an £11bn cash windfall and the opportunity to raise and borrow money under a new plan unveiled by the Tories.
Greengauge 21 backs High Speed Two

20-Jun-2007
A high-speed rail link between London and the Midlands could cost as little as £7.1bn according to a new report from pressure group Greengauge 21.
Bechtel man to be top Olympics civil servant

19-Jun-2007
Bechtel Civils operations manager Jeremy Beeton was yesterday appointed director general of the government's Olympics Executive within the Department for Culture Media and Sport.
Plan for all-access British coast

19-Jun-2007
Environment Secretary David Miliband has unveiled plans for public consultation to provide full access to the British coast.
Universities not producing enough engineers warns RAE

19-Jun-2007
Urgent action is needed to address a serious shortage of engineers in the next 10 years
Housing supports thriving South East economy

19-Jun-2007
House building is sustaining growth in a booming South Eastern economy claims a report by the South East England Regional Assembly.
In the papers today - Tuesday 19th June

19-Jun-2007
A row has erupted between Britain's £700bn commercial property industry and London mayor Ken Livingstone over how the capital's office buildings can be made more environmentally friendly.
Laing to run London Overground

19-Jun-2007
The London Overground network will be run by MTR Laing when refurbishment is complete, in 2010.
UK health and safety law victory in European Courts is victory for common sense say experts

18-Jun-2007
Health and safety professionals this week said common sense prevailed in last week's European Courts of Justice verdict in support of UK workplace safety law.
Capita Symonds keeps the peace at Glastonbury

18-Jun-2007
Consultant Capita Symonds will be at the Glastonbury music festival this week monitoring the sound levels of such acts as Artic Monkeys and The Who.
Businesses have two weeks to win training grants

18-Jun-2007
Businesses were reminded on Friday that the deadline for the Edge Awards 2007, to win part of a £300,000 training prize fund, is just two weeks away.
Yes to UK's First Desalination Plant

18-Jun-2007
The government's planning inspector has recommended approval of the UK's first desalination plant in East London
In the papers today - June 18

18-Jun-2007
An ambitious engineering programme at Glastonbury has been put in place to prevent this year's music festival, which starts this week, turning into yet another mud bath.
In the papers today - Friday 15th June

15-Jun-2007
London 2012's controversial logo yesterday received the seal of approval from the International Olympic Committee as a new opinion poll revealed two-thirds of Britons dislike it - The Financial Times
Lights out on Merseyside

15-Jun-2007
An explosion at an electricity substation in Merseyside cut power to 60,000 homes this morning.
EEF warns employers of new vibration law

15-Jun-2007
The Engineering Employers Federation (EEF) has alerted employers to new laws designed to limit Hand Arm Vibration and coming into effect on July 6th.
Work finishes on Olympic power tunnel

15-Jun-2007
Construction of two tunnels to take power into the Olympic Park has been completed, the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) announced yesterday.
Tube Lines begins Leicester Square refubishment

15-Jun-2007
One hundred engineers will be working to refubish Leicester Square station between 1am and 5am at night until 2008.
IStructE candidates fume after error forces exam re-sit

14-Jun-2007
Candidates in the Institution of Structural Engineers' (IStructE) notoriously tough chartered membership exam were this week outraged after being told they must re-sit the paper due to an error in one of the questions.
In the papers today - 13 June

14-Jun-2007
Scientists have criticised a major review of the world's remaining oil reserves, warning that the end of oil is coming sooner than governments and oil companies are prepared to admit.
New ro-ro standard to ensure no repeat of Ramsgate deaths

14-Jun-2007
All linkspans and ship to shore bridges at UK roll-on roll-off (ro-ro) ports will need to be reviewed following the introduction of a new British Standard, port engineers warned this week.
Hunger striker wins battle to get charity report published

14-Jun-2007
Water engineer Sohrab Baghri has succeeded in his hunger strike campaign to force a children's charity to publish 'damning' documents on its water and environmental sanitation (WES) work.
Ask engineers to manage climate change, MPs told

14-Jun-2007
Engineers must not be overlooked when the government forms a new body to monitor progress on reducing CO2 emissions, The Royal Academy of Engineering (RAE) told MPs this week.
In the papers today - 13 June

13-Jun-2007
A building containing the offices of the Labour Party chair Hazel Blears collapsed yesterday, leaving one man trapped in the rubble and at least one other injured. Ms Blears, one of the contenders for the Labour deputy leadership, had been in the Victorian building in St James, central London, hours before the collapse at about 4pm yesterday, but had left by the time it happened, one of her spokesmen said - The Independent
London 2012 legacy vision presented to International Olympic Committee

13-Jun-2007
London 2012's vision for a long-term legacy from hosting the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games was presented to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) yesterday.
BAA wants new runway for Heathrow

13-Jun-2007
Airports operator BAA this week confirmed it wants to build a new runway and terminal at Heathrow airport. Earliest opening date would be 2017.
Councils given power to raise cash

13-Jun-2007
Local authorities are to be given greater freedom to raise cash to 'self finance' housing projects as part of a drive by the government to give councils greater financial freedom.
Institutions approach to climate change debate on Monday

13-Jun-2007
Engineers and architects will gather next week to debate how to work together more effectively to tackle climate change through a single powerful response from the numerous institutions serving the industry.
Olympic cycle track procurement extended

12-Jun-2007
The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) yesterday pushed back the deadline for firms bidding to build the London 2012 Velodrome by a month.
In the papers today - Tuesday 12 June

12-Jun-2007
Brookfield Asset Management, a Canadian finance group, today agreed to pay A$4.2bn ($3.5bn) for Multiplex, the Australian construction company that built Wembley Stadium.
Leicestershire bypass gets green light

12-Jun-2007
The government yesterday gave the go-ahead and £14.8M funding to a new bypass in Leicestershire.
Eight more days holidays, promises DTI

12-Jun-2007
Six million workers in Britain were promised up to eight extra days annual holiday today - the first four coming in October this year.
Hyder reports large rise in profits

11-Jun-2007
Profits at consultant Hyder last year jumped a whopping 47% to £14.3M. This was on the back of a 19% increase in revenue to £203.1M.
In the papers today - Monday 11th June

11-Jun-2007
The Information Tribunal has ruled that civil servants' advice to ministers on major planning decisions should be disclosed to anyone who asks for it once the decision is taken.
Major upgrade works announced for M8

11-Jun-2007
A £5M project to deliver vital reconstruction work on Scotland's busiest stretch of motorway will get under way later this month.
Construction costs continue to rise in UAE

11-Jun-2007
New research from EC Harris, published in its Construction Cost Bulletin, shows construction prices in Dubai and Abu Dhabi were almost 30% higher in March 2007 compared with a year before.
Rail training centre opens

11-Jun-2007
The first Network Rail maintenance and safety training centre was officially opened by Rail minister Tom Harris last week in Paddock Wood, Kent.
In the papers today - Friday 8 June

8-Jun-2007
Travelling by rail may be a green form of transport but it could be even greener, as the maiden journey of Europe's first biodiesel train set out to demonstrate yesterday. The Virgin boss Sir Richard Branson launched the service, which runs on a partly blended biofuel, to haul a trial group of passengers, including the prime-minister-in-waiting, Gordon Brown, from London Euston to Llandudno in north Wales - The Independent
Scottish rail redoubling scheme goes to Balfour Beatty

8-Jun-2007
Balfour Beatty Rail Projects was yesterday awarded a £13M contract to redouble a 13km single line section of railway between Gretna and Annan in Dumfriesshire, Scotland.
Metronet appoints Serco to manage rail test track

8-Jun-2007
Tube contractor Metronet has awarded Serco a contract to manage on its behalf the maintenance and operation of Britain's only dedicated rail test track.
NCE petition to Prime Minister goes live

8-Jun-2007
NCE's petition to ensure engineers are involved in the planning process for national infrastructure is now on the 10 Downing Street website.
Olympic substation contract awarded

7-Jun-2007
EDF Energy Contracting yesterday won the contract to design and build a key electrical substation within London's Olympic Park.
Cable drying system to be installed on M48 Severn Bridge

7-Jun-2007
As revealed in NCE in January, the Highways Agency will start to install a dehumidification system to dry the corroded cables on the M48 Severn Bridge (see NCE 01/05/2007)
Cutty Sark still too fragile for engineers to board

7-Jun-2007
Engineers have been unable to survey the fire ravaged remains of the Cutty Sark because it is in too precarious and too contaminated a state to board, the vessel's owners said this week.
In the papers today - Thursday 7th June

7-Jun-2007
The debate over how to meet Britain's future energy needs has heightened confusion about nuclear power - reducing support for new reactors, research published yesterday suggests.
Liverpool residents continue their fight against developers

7-Jun-2007
Residents of Edge Lane in Liverpool vowed to continue their fight against Liverpool Land Development Company's plan to demolish their homes in a £350M regeneration scheme.
Engineers fear uproar over new coastal flood maps

7-Jun-2007
Coastal erosion maps being created by the Environment Agency could cause chaos around the UK if management strategies are not finalised before their publication, engineers warned this week.
Olympic site uncovers WWII past

7-Jun-2007
Archaeologists have uncovered evidence of second world war defences on the site of the 2012 Olypmic Park in Stratford, east London.
Prefabricated points brought in by Network Rail to cut costs

6-Jun-2007
Network Rail yesterday confirmed it was introducing prefabricated, preassembled sets of points to rail maintenance in order to reduce line closure times and costs.
Unitied Utilities slammed by consumer council

6-Jun-2007
Water company United Utilities were today slammed by the The Consumer Council for Water North West (CCWater) for its poor performance as the company announced a big leap in pre-tax profits.
Westminster Council leader slams London planning system

6-Jun-2007
Westminster City Council leader Sir Simon Milton has warned that giving new powers to Mayor Ken Livingstone to approve construction of tall buildings and override local councils will create needless bureaucracy in London's planning system.
Regulator accuses Network Rail of poor management on Portsmouth signalling scheme

6-Jun-2007
The Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) has slammed Network Rail for 'weaknesses in the planning and execution' of the troubled Portsmouth resignalling scheme and found it to have breached its licence conditions.
In the papers today - Wednesday 6th June

6-Jun-2007
The animated graphic of London's 2012 Olympic logo has been removed from the official website after reports that a promotional video using fast-moving images had caused eight cases of epileptic fits - The Times
London Olympic logo launched

5-Jun-2007
London 2012 organisers yesterday launched a new logo for the Olympic Games, designed at a cost of £400,000.
'Change one thing' for World Environment Day

5-Jun-2007
Environment minister Ian Pearson has urged people to find one way to best deal with climate change on World Environment Day.
Balfour Beatty reveals US wins

5-Jun-2007
Balfour Beatty today announced that its US subsidiaries have secured £550M of new project work.
Rail Minister announces £44m to transport freight by rail

5-Jun-2007
Rail Minister Tom Harris used the Rail Freight 2007 conference to announce the award of £44M of new freight grants.
In the papers today - Tuesday 5 June

5-Jun-2007
London 2012 bosses sparked a new dispute yesterday after a controversial new graffiti-style logo costing £400,000 was unveiled.
AMEC sells two of its building businesses

4-Jun-2007
AMEC today announced it is selling two businesses from its built environment division to the Morgan Sindall construction group, parent company of contractor Morgan Est.
Government completes British Energy sale

4-Jun-2007
The government today confirmed the sale of £2.3bn worth of shares in the nuclear energy producer British Energy (BE).
In the papers today - Monday 4 June

4-Jun-2007
The performance of the engineering industry is at its healthiest for 11 years according to manufacturer's industry body EEF.
Abingdon reservoir delayed after consultation period extended

4-Jun-2007
Abingdon reservoir's public consultation period has been extended by two years under changes to the Water Industry Act that came into effect in April.
Government waste plan fails to tackle planning constraints

1-Jun-2007
Engineers and planners this week criticised the government's latest waste strategy for failing to tackle constraints now holding back the development of vital waste infrastructure.
In the papers today - Friday 1 June

1-Jun-2007
Planning permission was granted yesterday for a £1.5bn redevelopment of Heathrow airport. A new terminal known as Heathrow East will replace terminals 1 and 2 - The Times
Appeal to engineers over missing Madeleine

1-Jun-2007
The neighbour of Madeleine McCann, who vanished from Praia da Luz, Portugal on 3 May, has appealed to the civil engineering community to keep images of the missing girl in circulation, to help efforts to locate her.
Accusations of blackmail over new congestion charges

1-Jun-2007
MPs on the Transport Select Committee last week accused the government of blackmailing local authorities into adopting congestion charge plans.
Thames storm tunnel is a white elephant, says academic

31-May-2007
A high profile water engineer this week described the £2bn Thames Tideaway Sewage Tunnel as a white elephant and urged Thames Water to consider alternatives to the scheme.
Water deal triggers cost cutting decision

31-May-2007
Board members of the two private investment funds that bought South East Water last year are meeting this week to discuss the details of the Competition Commission report into the acquisition.
Energy investment hamstrung by second nuclear power review

31-May-2007
Government uncertainty about the future of nuclear power is hampering investment in new generation facilities experts warned this week.
In the papers today - Thursday 31st May

31-May-2007
The government announced the sale of a £2.2bn stake in the nuclear power generator, British Energy, yesterday as the company announced a sharp rise in profits and its first dividend since a state-backed rescue operation in 2002.
Ofwat forces restructure at Thames Water after takeover

31-May-2007
Kemble Water Limited, the new owner of Thames Water, has changed the board structure at the water giant, under pressure from industry regulator Ofwat.
Shellhaven expansion gets the go ahead

30-May-2007
Transport Minister Gillian Merron has given final approval to the proposed London Gateway Port at Shellhaven, Thurrock, in the Thames estuary.
Fusion power construction opportunities to be launched next month

30-May-2007
Nuclear giant UKAEA is holding an event that will reveal the multibillion pound construction opportunities attached to the International Tokamak Experimental Reactor (ITER) at Cadarache in the South of France.
In the papers today - Wednesday 30th May

30-May-2007
British Airways has completed negotiations on the reform of working practices for 6,000 ground staff at Heathrow in preparation for the airlines move to the newly constructed Terminal 5 - Financial Times
Nuttall start work on Olympic Park walkway

30-May-2007
Contractor Edmund Nuttall has begun work on rebuilding a major public walkway running through the heart of the Olympic Park.
Millennium bridge engineer wins Academy Award

30-May-2007
Professor Chris Wise, the engineer behind London's Millennium Bridge, has won a prestigious Royal Academy of Engineering Silver Medal for his outstanding personal contribution to British engineering,
Kings Cross development cleared by High Court

29-May-2007
Plans to overhaul the area surrounding London's King's Cross station have been cleared after the High Court week rejected a legal challenge to Camden's outline planning consent for the £2bn development by Argent.
Network Rail signs Stratford station upgrade deal with ODA

29-May-2007
Ambitious plans for London 2012 to become the best connected Games ever took an important step forward this week as the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) signed an agreement with Network Rail to deliver key parts of the £104M scheme to upgrade Stratford Regional Station.
Thames Gateway bus route praised by Government watchdog

29-May-2007
North Kent's new bus rapid transit (BRT) system Fastrack has been praised in a key report published last week by government spending watchdog the National Audit Office (NAO).
In the papers today - Tuesday 29 May

29-May-2007
The government's timetable for decommissioning nuclear reactors has been pushed back with delays to the clean-up of two sites after cash constraints have raised the possibility 200 senior scientists and engineers being made redundant.
Network Rail to defer staff bonuses until Grayrigg investigation complete

25-May-2007
Network Rail have deferred bonuses for 123 workers, including its four top executives, until the reports into the Grayrigg disaster, where one person died, are published.
Tough sustainability targets set for London development

25-May-2007
Developer Stanhope said its £450M Central St Giles redevelopment in London will be the first to be governed by developer Stanhope's tough new sustainability standards that go beyond Part L of the building regulations.
In the papers today - Friday 25 May

25-May-2007
An array of 'pay as you throw' rubbish schemes to reward people who recycle would cut rubbish volumes but save just £4 per year for the average household, according to government predictions.
New chairman at English Hertiage

25-May-2007
Lord Sandy Bruce-Lockhart has been appointed chair of English Heritage, the government's statutory advisor on the historic environment, Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell announced today.
Grayrigg tarnishes Network Rail results

24-May-2007
Network Rail's clean-up operation following the Grayrigg disaster has tarnished an otherwise positive set of annual results.
Engineers cast doubt over Cutty Sark's future

24-May-2007
Engineers this week cast doubt over the future of the fire-ravaged Cutty Sark and said that the £25M restoration project could be abandoned if damage to the ship's wrought iron hull is found to be severe.
City predicts Accord could be put up for sale

24-May-2007
CONTRACTOR ACCORD is being groomed for sale, investment analysts predicted this week, after the firm's owner asked investment bank Close Brothers to conduct a strategic review.
In the papers today - Thursday 24th May

24-May-2007
Metronet, the private company upgrading and maintaining two thirds of London Underground, was asked by Tube officials to paint Lancaster Gate station three times in different shades of grey until they were happy with the colour, the firm has revealed.
Leading fire safety expert says more could be done to protect buildings in blazes

23-May-2007
Fire Safety Development Group (FSDG) chairman Mike Wood has called on the industry to go beyond building regulations when designing for fire to account for the economic consequences of blazes.
ODA begins search for ready-mix concrete supplier

23-May-2007
The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) has started the process to find a company to supply ready-mix concrete for the construction of the Olympic Park venues, infrastructure and associated works.
In the papers today - Wednesday 23 May

23-May-2007
Ministers were yesterday forced into climbdown over contentious plans to compel people selling their homes to provide costly information packs about their property.
Offshore wind farm construction set to rocket

23-May-2007
Construction of offshore wind farms could see a boom following today's Energy White Paper, which overhauled the renewables obligation certificates (ROCs) and gave support to new nuclear generation.
Road user charging in cities a step closer

23-May-2007
Road user charging in cities took a step closer yesterday with the publication of the draft Local Transport Bill which proposes to empower local authorities to implement such schemes should they wish to.
Contractors urge Ministers to back infrastructure plans with cash

23-May-2007
Engineers have criticised the government's proposed reform of planning legislation this week for failing to underpin national infrastructure plans with hard financial commitment.
Engineers assess fire damaged Cutty Sark

22-May-2007
Engineers are continuing to survey the fire raveged wreckage of the Cutty Sark after yesterday's blaze.
Tubelines overspends but is ahead of contract targets

22-May-2007
The private firm responsible for operating and maintaining three London Underground lines is ahead of all its contractural targets for the fourth quarter of 2006/7, although capital expendiature was over budget by £1.5M according to figures published yesterday.
HSC moves closer to merger with HSE

22-May-2007
The Health & Safety Commission (HSC) - which oversees health and safety at work - moved a step closer to a merger with the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) which enforces safety laws today.
In the papers today - Tuesday 22nd May

22-May-2007
The 1.8M people who called for road pricing to be scrapped will be ignored by the government today when it publishes a Bill bringing pay-as-you-drive charging a step closer - The Telegraph
Corporate manslaughter bill likely to be passed say lawyers

21-May-2007
Government has this week proposed a new measure that should make it more likely that the corporate manslaughter bill, currently before the House of Lords, will be passed, said regulatory experts at law firm Eversheds.
High winds prevent steel tunnel lift

21-May-2007
The lifting of the world's widest, corrugated steel rail tunnel was postponed due to high winds this weekend.
Planning White Paper published today

21-May-2007
Communities & Local Government secretary Ruth Kelly will today reveal an overhaul of the UK's planning system which is expected to include the creation of an independent body to push through major infrastructure projects.
In the papers today - Monday 21st May 2007

21-May-2007
The new £300M American embassy under construction in Iraq, on the banks of the Tigris will be the biggest and most expensive US embassy on earth when it opens in September.
British firms seek support for Dubai safety scheme

18-May-2007
UK consultants and contractors working in Dubai are setting up a Contractors Competence Scheme (CCS) to try and minimise accidents and injuries on sites.
World's largest span, corrugated steel rail tunnel to be lifted into place in the UK this weekend

18-May-2007
The first section of what will be the world's largest span, corrugated steel rail tunnel, will be lifted into place this weekend. The tunnel, supplied by Asset International, has a record-breaking span of 15.5 metres and will measure over 52 metres in length.
A-one+ win £158M Area 10 contract

18-May-2007
A-one+, the joint venture comprising Halcrow, Colas and Costain has been appointed as managers for Highways Agency Area 10.
Plans submitted for £89M Bexhill to Hastings Link Road

18-May-2007
A planning application has been submitted for a Bexhill to Hastings link road by East Sussex County Council.
Recruitment consultants to be investigated by ACE

17-May-2007
The Association for Consultancy & Engineering (ACE) is to examine the tactics used by 'unscrupulous' recruitment consultants to attract employees.
National Grid presses ahead with Kent LNG terminal

17-May-2007
Power distributor National Grid is pushing ahead with a £310M expansion of its Isle of Grain liquid natural gas (LNG) import terminal in Kent.
Lend Lease plans £1.5bn investment fund for Stratford

17-May-2007
Aussie contractor Lend Lease is drawing up plans for a £1.5bn residential investment fund based on the athletes' village it is building for the London Olympics.
Olympic Park construction moves forward

17-May-2007
The Olympic Delivery Authority yesterday issued a glut of announcements on 2012 venues including the Aquatics Centre, Velodrome and Media Centre
70% of office workers believe that green initiatives are not their responsibility

16-May-2007
Company directors should take responsibility for green initiatives and not rely on employees, revealed a survey published by design consultancy BDG Work Futures yesterday.
In the papers today - Wednesday 16th May

16-May-2007
Pollution is turning the Taj Mahal yellow, despite efforts to control air contamination around the 17th century monument. Airborne particles are being deposited on the monument's white marble, giving it a yellow tinge - The Guardian
Public sector being 'outwitted' in PFI refinancing deals

15-May-2007
A House of Commons report published today has found that the public sector is losing out when PFI deals are refinanced.
70% of office workers believe that green initiatives are not their responsibility

15-May-2007
Company directors should take responsibility for green initiatives and not rely on employees, revealed a survey published by design consultancy BDG Work Futures today.
Atkins wins £15M Southern Water asset management contract

15-May-2007
Consultant Atkins, has won a three-year contract to manage Southern Water's assets, following eight months of negotiation and tendering.
New UK managing directors appointed at MWH

15-May-2007
MWH has appointed Ian Noble and Jon Pike as regional managing directors for UK operations.
Contractors told to find use for Olympic bridges

11-May-2007
Contractors bidding to design and build London 2012's Olympic Park bridges must provide uses for temporary structures after the Games have finished, the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) said this week.
Olympic earthworks get underway

11-May-2007
The first earthworks at London's Olympic Park began this week with the excavation of the site for the 2012 International Broadcast Centre and Main Press Centre (IBC/MPC).
Temporary seating pushes up cost of 2012 stadium

11-May-2007
Temporary seating in London's Olympic stadium was this week singled out as the key reason why the venue's revised budget is set to be double that of original estimates.
In the papers today - Friday 11th May

11-May-2007
The UK power industry has told the government that the development of 'clean coal' power stations will not take place without heavy subsidy and higher electricity prices.
£30M expansion for Glasgow airport

11-May-2007
BAA yesterday announced plans to expand Glasgow airport with a new two-storey £30M departure terminal to be known as 'skyhub'.
Blair announces resignation

10-May-2007
Prime Minister Tony Blair will this morning inform the cabinet of his resignation before flying to his Sedgefield constituency to make further announcements
US contractor races to rebuild collapsed collapsed San Fransisco road

10-May-2007
Contractors have begun racing to rebuild a collapsed elevated section of motorway in California this week to win massive cash incentives if completed early or face enormous fines if late.
New national water strategy in the pipeline

10-May-2007
Environment Agency chief executive Baroness Barbara Young this week urged government to tackle water industry regulation as part of its new national water strategy.
In the papers today - Thursday 10 May

10-May-2007
Water regulator Ofwat has failed to protect consumers' interests and should apply tough sanctions against companies that do not fix leaking pipes say MPs.
Difficult clients and tight margins force firms to quit rail sector

10-May-2007
Contractors and consultants are rejecting Network Rail projects as decreasing margins and 'difficult' client relationships are forcing staff out of the sector, senior industry figures have told NCE.
Minister promises more rail capacity for West of England

9-May-2007
Rail minister Tom Harris has unveiled a new £750M plan to ease congenstion and prepare for greater rail capacity in the West of England.
Armitt named as ODA chairman

9-May-2007
Network Rail chief executive John Armitt was today unveiled as chairman of the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA).
In the papers today - Wednesday 9th May

9-May-2007
The operator of Sellafield has signed an innovative agreement to send nuclear waste to Sweden for treatment.
White Young Green launches energy business

9-May-2007
Consultant White Young Green (WYG) has today launched its new energy business in response to the growing demand in the sector.
CBI calls for streamlined planning system

8-May-2007
Business lobbyists CBI has called for the planning system to be streamlined ahead of the planning white paper, which is expected to be published next week.
Apprentice candidate hired by Hyder

8-May-2007
One of Sir Alan Sugar's apprentices is joining consultant Hyder as business development manager.
In the papers today - Tuesday 8 May

8-May-2007
The chief executive of National Grid has called for energy market regulation to be changed to encourage suppliers to sell less gas and electricity.
Selective bidding by contractors causes tender price rise

8-May-2007
Tenders are forecast to rise by 4.6% over the next year and by 4.8% the following year, according to the latest Economics Survey by EC Harris.
IStructE Young Structural Engineer of the Year 2007 announced

8-May-2007
Brenda Shonkwiler, an assistant engineer at consultants Gifford has won the Institution of Structural Engineers (IStructE) Young Structural Engineer of the Year Award for 2007.
Vinci preferred bidder in largest ever Greek motorway concession

4-May-2007
A consortium led by French infrastructure concessions and contracting giant Vinci has been named preferred bidder for Greece's largest ever motorway concession.
In the papers today - Friday 4 May

4-May-2007
Spy-in-the-sky cameras are being used to identify householders who are wasting the most energy and Haringey Council is the first authority in England to place house by house thermal maps on the web.
Infrastructure orders fall 16% says DTI

4-May-2007
Orders for work in the infrastructure sector fell 16% lower between March 2006 and March 2007 according to the latest government statistics.
Olympics firms ask ODA for permission to talk to the press

4-May-2007
Engineering firms working on London's Olympic Park are set to demand 2012 bosses loosen the media stranglehold which prevents them publicising their achievements.
Engineers charity challenge raises £40K

4-May-2007
Following a year-long charity drive, construction staffing specialist Hill McGlynn has raised £40,000 to be split between several charities.
In the papers today - Thursday 3 May

3-May-2007
Conservative leader David Cameron has defended the rights of councils to have fortnightly rubbish collections but he said he was glad his own family's rubbish is collected once a week.
Residents fear ground movement could cause gas leak from 316km South Wales pipeline

3-May-2007
South Wales residents have warned that a 316km gas pipeline between Milford Haven and Tirley will be vulnerable to fracture from earthquakes and landslides.
Atkins staff accuse bosses of profiteering over pension changes

3-May-2007
Angry Atkins staff this week circulated a letter to colleagues involved in the firm's pension scheme seeking support for a protest against the company's decision to wind up its final salary scheme.
San Francisco collapse highlights US transport vulnerabilty say engineers

3-May-2007
Engineers in the US this week seized on the catastrophic collapse of part of the MacArthur Maze interchange in San Francisco to stress the vulnerability of the nation's highway infrastructure.
Engineer on hunger strike

2-May-2007
Water Engineer Sohrab Baghri is in his third day of a hunger strike demanding that charity Plan International publishes reports that he claims expose its failings on infrastructure projects.
Olympic park clean up 25% complete

2-May-2007
New aerial footage of the Olympic Park released today shows a quarter of the land has been cleared and underlines scale of the work to come.
In the papers today - Wednesday 2 May

2-May-2007
Attempts to rebuild Britain's city centres are being jeopardised by absentee landlords buying up swathes of new flats, according to development experts
Thames Water to use wind power to drive sewage works

1-May-2007
A wind turbine is planned as part of Thames Water's £400M investment programme to improve one of London major sewage works, the company announced yesterday.
New treatment works online in Thanet

1-May-2007
A new wastewater treatment works with a 30m litres per day capacity has been completed at Weatherlees Hill in Kent ensuring that water can safely be discharges into the in line with European legislation.
Major elements removed in Potters Bar station refurbishment

1-May-2007
Contractor Nuttall has removed a pair of 140t concrete roof canopies from Potters Bar station as part of a major structural overhaul, client Network Rail said yesterday.
Stadium expansion under way for top Rugby club

1-May-2007
Construction was underway yesterday on a 7,000-seat stand at the home of Gloucester RFC, league leaders of Ruby Union's Guinness Premiership.
Highways Agency takes on new maintenance contractor for Area 10

1-May-2007
The Highways Agency announced today it has appointed new contractor Aone+ as managing agent for motorways and strategic roads in north west England.
In the papers today - Tuesday 1 May

1-May-2007
A victorian office building in Manchester may have to be pulled down after a fire left it a blackened shell.
Emergency repair cash released after San Francisco motorway bridge collapse

1-May-2007
Governor of California Arnold Schwarzenegger yesterday released emergency funds to accelerate the rebuild of a collapsed section of overpass, destroyed in a oil tanker explosion early on Sunday morning in San Francisco.
Kent assesses earthquake damage

30-Apr-2007
Building control officers and surveyors were this morning working through a list of more than 600 homes damaged during Saturday's earthquake in Kent.
Scottish minister backs Maglev link

30-Apr-2007
The Scottish executive minister for finance, Tom McCabe has added his voice to support for a magnetic levitating (Maglev) train link between Glasgow and Edinburgh.
In the papers today - Monday 30 April

30-Apr-2007
World Bank president Paul Wolfowitz will today testify before the panel of directors investigating his conduct.
Constrution warned that new safety regulations still apply despite parliamentary debate

30-Apr-2007
Trade body the Construction Confederation (CC) has warned contractors that changes to the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations (CDM), which came into force on 6 April, still apply despite the tabling of a House of Commons debate on the issue.
Costain M25 contract wins Highways Agency safety award

27-Apr-2007
Work to refurbish the Holmesdale Tunnel on the M25 has clocked up over 1.5M man hours since May 2006 without a reportable accident to any of the road workers involved.
Skanska UK targets complex jobs after impressive first quarter

27-Apr-2007
Complex projects offer the best opportunity for profitability, Skanska UK chief executive David Fison claimed today.
In the papers today - Friday 27 April

27-Apr-2007
EDF Energy is in talks with British Energy about building nuclear power stations together. It hopes to have the first reactor connected to the grid by Christmas 2017.
Tyne Tunnel work to start before contract signed and sealed

27-Apr-2007
Site investigtions for the new Tyne tunnel could start as early as next month if negotiations, which began this week, are successful.
Materials producers claim CDM discrimination

27-Apr-2007
Materials producers expressed fears this week that the Construction (Design and Management) 2007 regulations guidance discriminates against them by putting them on a danger list.
Metronet ups pressure on London Underground in £750M cost overrun row

26-Apr-2007
London Underground maintenance firm Metronet has revealed that an extraordinary review of cost overruns on the Tube upgrade could begin as early as June. It said it would ask for one if it failed to strike a deal with London Underground on £750M of work that it claims it should be paid for.
Middle East Foundations - an apology

26-Apr-2007
The 22 March edition of NCE contained a photograph accompanied by a caption which referred to investigations underway regarding the collapse of a diaphragm wall and consequent flooding of the basement excavation of the Infinity Tower in Dubai. The caption stated that the excavation was being dug by Middle East Foundations. That statement was entirely false. Middle East Foundations has no connection whatsoever to the Infinity Tower or to the incident referred to in the caption. NCE hereby ...
In the papers today - Thursday 26 April

26-Apr-2007
Companies and individuals are spending millions on 'carbon credit' projects that yield few, if any, environmental benefits.
Train operators face rolling stock competition inquiry

26-Apr-2007
The Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) today announced it would refer the leasing of rolling stock for franchised passenger services to the Competition Commission (CC) for further investigation.
Clients in denial as concrete decay stalks Dubai buildings

26-Apr-2007
Concrete buildings in Dubai are at risk of collapse because designers and clients are ignoring research on concrete durability, materials experts warned this week.
Wembley contractors rip out faded seats

26-Apr-2007
Contractors at Wembley Stadium were this week ripping out hundreds of sun faded seats for a second time, despite the fact that the venue has not officially opened.
London 2012 cycle park shortlist announced

25-Apr-2007
Eight architects have been shortlisted for the London Olympic cycle VeloPark design competition the Olympic Delivery Authority announced today.
Mott MacDonald beats Scott Wilson to Victoria station upgrade

25-Apr-2007
Mott MacDonald has beaten Scott Wilson to become the lead consultant on the £509M upgrade of Victoria underground station.
In the papers today - 25 April

25-Apr-2007
Mayor of London Ken Livingstone admitted yesterday that the company charged with renewing three-quarters of the underground network could collapse, as he announced a significant increase in engineering work on the tube system.
Londoners to see major tube upgrade

25-Apr-2007
Mayor of London Ken Livingstone yesterday unveiled plans for upgrades to five Tube lines, but pledged to keep diruption to a minimum.
Slate scandal scars Alfred McAlpine results

25-Apr-2007
Police have launched a fraud investigation into Alfred McAlpine's Slate division as the contractor yesterday revealed the scandal's impact on its annual results.
Cement plant in Rugby cuts emissions

24-Apr-2007
CEMEX has cut emissions of dust from its controversial Rugby cement plant by 80%, the construction supplier announced yesterday.
Roadworks foreman awarded £5,000 compensation following dust and fume exposure

24-Apr-2007
A general foreman at Aggregate Industries UK (formerly Associated Asphalt) in Markfield, Leicestershire received £5,000 compensation for long-term voice and throat problems suffered as a result of exposure to dust and fumes at work.
In the papers today - Tuesday 24 April

24-Apr-2007
Alfred McAlpine has sacked six executives, and its finance director has resigned, after large volumes of slate disappeared from its mine in North Wales.
Timber framed housing grows three times rest of market

24-Apr-2007
Timber framed house construction is growing at three times the rate of the rest of the housing market, according to research from the UK Timber Frame Association (UKTFA).
Cardiff footbridge is a priority, insists Council

23-Apr-2007
Cardiff Council yesterday insisted it was fully committed to the construction of a new cycle and footbridge following a protest in the Welsh capital.
In the papers today - Monday 23 April

23-Apr-2007
Scotland's first minister Jack McConnell has called for an inquiry into how more than 100M litres of raw sewage were discharged into the Firth of Forth.
New immigration system will ease access to international staff

23-Apr-2007
A new points based immigration system to be introduced to the UK from 2008 will make it easier for employers to take on skilled staff from overseas, said law firm DWF.
Small businesses urged to check accuracy of utility bills

23-Apr-2007
The Forum of Private Business (FPB) has warned its members to be wary of inaccurate bills from utility companies.
CDM 1994 slammed for failing to deliver safety improvements

20-Apr-2007
The 1994 Construction (Design & Management) regulations (CDM) have been criticised for failing to deliver predicted benefits in health and safety on sites.
£400M Kings Cross redevelopment due for green light

20-Apr-2007
The London Borough of Camden has decided to approve Network Rail's £400M redevelopment of King's Cross station so work can take place ahead of the 2012 Olympics.
Alignment of Wembley bridge arches is probed

20-Apr-2007
Surveyors have been called in to check the alignment of arches on one of the main entry points to Wembley Stadium, it was revealed this week
In the papers today - Friday 20th April

20-Apr-2007
Australians have been told to pray for rain for face a ban on irrigation in their main food growing region to preserve drinking water supplies.
Water leak delays Olympic cable tunnel breakthough

20-Apr-2007
Severe water ingress has forced engineers constructing a cable tunnel beneath London's Olympic Park to delay the breakthrough of the fourth and final bore, it emerged this week.
In the papers today - Thursday 19 April

19-Apr-2007
Two of the five members of Metronet, the consortium modernising the Tube have admitted its finances are creaking as costs of the £17bn upgrade escalate.
Cryptosporidium outbreak could lead to prosecution

19-Apr-2007
Ireland's Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) this week threatened to prosecute Galway City Council after nearly 200 people were diagnosed with cryptosporidium poisoning.
Transport issues hold the key to hung Scottish Parliament

19-Apr-2007
High profile transport infrastructure proposals will be a critical factor in the post-election horse trading between political parties vying for power in Scotland, it emerged this week.
Liverpool One factor causes land costs to soar in city

19-Apr-2007
Soaring land values and unexpected construction costs have forced developer Grosvenor to take a £140M hit on its Liverpool One regeneration project, it was revealed this week.
CDM guidance put back as HSE and authors lock horns

19-Apr-2007
Disagreement between the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) and authors of guidance for the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007 has delayed publication of two vital advice documents for clients and CDM co-ordinators.
Atkins reports Metronet losses

18-Apr-2007
Atkins alerted the City today to expect a £36M exceptional loss in relation to Underground maintenance contractor Metronet Enterprises when its results for the year to the end of March 2007 are announced in June.
Ofwat fines United Utilities £8.5M

18-Apr-2007
Ofwat has today announced plans to fine United Utilities £8.5M for awarding work to companies it owns without market testing the cost of the work to ensure value for money.
In the papers today - Wednesday 18 April

18-Apr-2007
The Sellafield nuclear site secretly stored and tested the hearts, lungs and other organs of some of its former workers over a period of 30 years.
2007 Saltire Society Awards open

17-Apr-2007
Entries are invited for the 27th annual Saltire Society Civil Engineering Awards, to recognise top civils projects in Scotland.
ACE launches third benchmarking project

17-Apr-2007
The Association for Consultancy & Engineering (ACE) has commissioned a benchmarking study for to examine the performance of consultancy businesses.
Gunman kills 30 at Virginia university engineering department

17-Apr-2007
At least 30 engineering students and lecturers were shot dead by a gunman at a Virginia university in the deadliest mass shooting in US history
Large turnover growth and steady margins for Mouchel Parkman

17-Apr-2007
Mouchel Parkman's interim results for the six months to the end of January revealed an increase in revenue of 18% up to £206.4M and pretax profit up 17% to £14.3M on the same period last year.
Olympic clean-up ahead of green targets

17-Apr-2007
A massive 95% of demolition material has been recycled or reused at the Olympic Park, beating the 90% target set by the ODA earlier this year.
In the papers today - Tuesday 17 April

17-Apr-2007
A beach walker was crushed to death by a falling cliff yesterday.
Engineers to run the London Marathon for RedR-IHE

17-Apr-2007
Ten runners from across the construction industry are on track to raise at least £10,000 this Sunday when they tackle the Flora London Marathon in support of RedR-IHE.
Concrete advertising misleading, says watchdog

17-Apr-2007
The Advertising Standards Authority has ruled that an advertisment run by the British Association of Reinforcement (BAR) was 'misleading and denigratory'.
Are you standing for election?

16-Apr-2007
NCE wants to hear from civil engineers who are standing in local authority elections in England, council elections in Scotland and elections to the Scottish Parliament and Welsh Assembly on 3 May.
Deal struck to avert Tube strike

16-Apr-2007
A proposed strike by 2,000 RMT union members has been called off after a deal was reached at the eleventh hour.
Stansted's £40M extension project gets under way

16-Apr-2007
Construction work on Stansted's £40M, carbon neutral, terminal extension began this week.
Scottish Power buys Northern Ireland wind farm

16-Apr-2007
Scottish Power has bought Wolf Bog wind farm in Northern Ireland from Renewable Energy Systems for over £10M, making it the biggest on shore wind generator in the province.
In the papers today - Monday 16 April

16-Apr-2007
Russian gas giant Gazprom has reiterated its ambitions to be a major player in the UK as part of efforts to become a truly global group. The company, which provides a quarter of Europe's wholesale gas to domestic suppliers, is reported to be mulling over plans to sell direct to households in Britain - the only fully liberalised energy market in Europe - The Daily Telegraph
Amec announces the disposal of its precast concrete business

13-Apr-2007
Industry giant Amec today announced it has completed the sale of Buchan Concrete Solutions to Roger Bullivant for an undisclosed amount.
In the papers today - Friday 13 April

13-Apr-2007
Property developer Grosvenor is tightening its risk management procedures after being forced to set aside £140M for cost overruns on the Liverpool One redevelopment scheme.
Middle East Foundations - an apology

13-Apr-2007
The 22 March edition of NCE contained a photograph accompanied by a caption that referred to investigations under way regarding the collapse of a diaphragm wall and consequent flooding of the basement excavation of the Infinity Tower in Dubai.
London Tube system facing strike chaos from Sunday

12-Apr-2007
Talks between tube operator Metronet and the National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers (RMT) have broken down, and 2000 RMT members will begin a three-day strike from 6pm on Sunday 15 April for three days.
East London Line plans threatening safety, warns union

12-Apr-2007
The National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers (RMT) today slammed Transport for London (TfL) for 'drifting blindly into dangerous fragmentation of its London Rail franchise'.
In the papers today - Thursday 12 April

12-Apr-2007
A-Level students should be paid to pass their science and maths exams, says a report out today. The Council for Industry and Higher Education is calling for the government to act on the falling number of students choosing to study science, technology, engineering and maths (Stem) subjects - The Daily Telegraph
Agency implored to include local needs in coastal plans

12-Apr-2007
Engineers have urged the Environment Agency not to ignore local needs in favour of national objectives when prioritising coastal management schemes.
Change at the top at White Young Green

12-Apr-2007
Consultants White Young Green have appointed Lawrie Haynes as their new chief executive officer, taking his post on 1 July, prior to current CEO John Purvis retiring in October.
In the papers today - Wednesday 11 April

11-Apr-2007
The UK's largest energy producer, British Energy, has become embroiled in a legal battle with Credit Suisse.
Investment in women is key to solving the skills crisis

11-Apr-2007
Increased investment in education and support for female engineers could help Britain meet its European Union target of 3% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) invested in research and development by 2010, and solve the growing skills shortage to boot, according to UGS vice-president of marketing Henry Seddon.
Board shake up for Capita Symonds

11-Apr-2007
Capita Symonds has appointed Jonathan Goring as managing director in place of Bill Dye, who returns to his role as group executive director of HR Solutions & Property Consultancy at Capita Group, in a major restructure of the executive board.
Burj Dubai breaks record for most floors

10-Apr-2007
The Burj Dubai, which will be the tallest building in the world once complete, has passed 120 floors.
In the papers today - Tuesday 10 April

10-Apr-2007
A solicitor whose firm specialises in compensation claims for sick miners made a personal profit of £16.8M in one year - The Times
Highway robbery: road sign thefts leaves police baffled

10-Apr-2007
In a mystery that would have stumped even Mulder and Scully, hundreds of apparently worthless road signs have been disappearing from highways in the south-west of England.
John Armitt to chair Engineering and Physical Sciences Reseasch Council

5-Apr-2007
Science and Innovation Minister, Malcolm Wicks today announced the appointment of John Armitt as the new chair of the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC).
In the papers today - Thursday 5 April

5-Apr-2007
Millions are taking off early to avoid Easter traffic chaos.
Tunnelling breakthrough for Olympic power lines

5-Apr-2007
The breakthrough of two of the four tunnel boring machines (TBM) currently driving tunnels for the undergrounding of power lines over London's Olympic Park was confirmed by 2012 bosses yesterday.
2012 stadium delayed due to complex design

5-Apr-2007
Engineers working on the main 2012 Olympic stadium this week admitted that design is being held up by difficulties in planning the transition from an 80,000 to a 25,000 capacity venue after the Games.
Brown's pension raid hits consultancy competitiveness

5-Apr-2007
Consultants this week said that Chancellor Gordon Brown's tax raid on pension dividends had slowed growth and risked making UK firms less competitive around the world.
In the papers today - Wednesday 4 April

4-Apr-2007
An art gallery with a geothermal heating and cooling system designed to cut its carbon emissions by up to half has been shortlisted for the prestigious £100,000 Gulbenkian Prize for museums and galleries.
Agency implored to include local needs in coastal plans

4-Apr-2007
Engineers urged the Environment Agency last week to avoid ignoring local needs in favour of national objectives when prioritising coastal management schemes.
Rowsell Wright Consulting officially launched

4-Apr-2007
Procurement guru Steve Rowsell this week finally left the Highways Agency and officially launched the Rowsell Wright consultancy with former Agency sidekick Gary Wright.
Award-winning hospital may need surgery

4-Apr-2007
Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust this week confirmed it has a significant problem with the glazing at the recently opened Evelina children's hospital in central London.
OFT offers olive branch to firms in bid-rigging scandal

4-Apr-2007
Firms in construction cartels accused of £3bn worth of bid-rigging have been given a last-chance offer by the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) to avoid prosecution and a possible prison sentence.
Britain's public transport lags behind rest of Europe

3-Apr-2007
Britain is falling shy of its European counterparts in its public transport and promotion of walking and cycling, while its roads are among the safest and cars among the cleanest.
Engineers sought for management prize

3-Apr-2007
ICE members still have time to enter the Civil Engineering Manager of the Year Awards (CEMYA).
New charging regime for Dartford Crossing

3-Apr-2007
Local residents using the Dartford Crossing may be in line for discounts when a new charging regime is introduced, transport minister Dr Stephen Ladyman announced today.
In the papers today - Tuesday 3 April

3-Apr-2007
China is battling to dispel concerns over the dismal conditions in which workers are building infrastructure for the Beijing Olympics after six men died while building an underground railway.
Network Rail outlines £2.4bn expansion plan

3-Apr-2007
Network Rail today announced it will increase spending to £2.4bn over 900 individual projects for the next two years.
Firms could save cash by training students says skills council

2-Apr-2007
Employers could save as much as £12,000 on the cost of recruitment for a graduate civil engineer by sponsoring students according to ConstructionSkills, the construction industry's skills council.
Balfour Beatty Centex acquisition complete

2-Apr-2007
Engineering giant Balfour Beatty has completed the purchase of US construction firm Centex Construction for $362M (£183.5).
In the papers today - Monday 2 April

2-Apr-2007
Despite Greenpeace's High Court judgement in February whcih demanded a new consultation into the role of nuclear power, energy giants are still jostling to build the new fleet of stations
Water resource management plans face public scrutiny

2-Apr-2007
Water companies will be forced to submit resource management plans for public consultation under a new law introduced this weekend.
DfT consults on adding aviation to emissions trading scheme

2-Apr-2007
The government has launched a consultation into how it could include emissions from aviation in the European Union's carbon emission trading scheme.
Network rail fined £4M for Ladbroke Grove crash

30-Mar-2007
The High Court has fined Network Rail £4M for the failings of its predecessor Railtrack in the 1999 Ladbroke Grove crash which killed 31 people.
Offshore wind transmission plan announced

30-Mar-2007
Plans for a new licensing regime for would be electricity generators were announced by the Department for Trade and Industry and Ofgem today in an attempt to deliver cheaper and more timely connections for offshore wind farms.
In the papers today - Friday 30 March

30-Mar-2007
The overcrowding crisis on the railways has worsened over the past year, official figures released yesterday show.
Lorries banned from overtaking on the A1(M) County Durham

30-Mar-2007
The Highways Agency is to trial an overtaking ban for lorries on two 2km sections of the A1(M) in County Durham to help improve traffic flows.
Motorists targetted in new street design guidance

30-Mar-2007
New guidance on street design that aims to breathe new life into communities by creating safe and sustainable environments for residents has been unveiled today by transport minister Gillian Merron.
Carbon emissions rise by 1.25% between 2005 and 2006

30-Mar-2007
New figures published today by the Department for the Environment Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) show that carbon emissions in 2006 rose by 1.25% with 560.0Mt of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere.
Trade and Industry Committee to investigate UK Construction Industry

30-Mar-2007
The Trade and Industry Committee has announced a wide-ranging inquiry into the UK construction industry and is inviting responses from interested parties.
In the papers today - 29 March

29-Mar-2007
London Underground maintenance workers are to begin a week-long ban on overtime and are threatening strikes that may cause travel chaos for millions of passengers. The Rail Maritime and Transport Union backed action by 750 votes to 60 in a dispute over the transfer of workers to other companies - The Times
Clients fear CDM 2007 could result in prison sentences

29-Mar-2007
Clients are calling for the revised Construction Design and Management 2007 (CDM 2007) regulations to be scrapped, fearing the more onerous responsibilities placed upon them could land staff in prison.
Carbon fibre used to reinforce Burj Dubai floor slabs

29-Mar-2007
Carbon fibre reinforcement is being used to strengthen defective floor slabs in what is set to become the world's tallest building, the Burj Dubai, sources on the project said this week.
Olympic Park wind turbine in Games switch-off

29-Mar-2007
London's £2M Olympic Park wind turbine may have to be switched off during competitions at the 2012 Games to avoid distracting athletes, it was revealed this week.
Lords throw Supercasino into doubt

29-Mar-2007
The supercasino, awarded to Manchester in January, is now in doubt, as the House of Lords voted the idea down by only three - the slimmest of margins.
Give business the vote on infrastructure levy, says industry boss

28-Mar-2007
Confederation of British Industry (CBI) director-general Richard Lambert yesterday said that if businesses were to pay a supplementary rate to fund new infrastructure, as recommended by government advisor Sir Michael Lyons last week, they must be able to vote on how the money is spent.
In the papers today - Wednesday 28 March

28-Mar-2007
Government efforts to introduce competition into the water sector needed a complete overhaul, the water regulator said yesterday, adding that not a single water customer had switched supplier since new rules were introduced in 2005.
Road users put at risk by maintenance funding shortfall

28-Mar-2007
Ninety six per cent of English local authorities have said that road user safety is being put at risk by road maintenance under-funding.
Wembley stadium will hold 2007 FA Cup

27-Mar-2007
Brent Council has this afternoon awarded the new Wembley stadium the safety certification it needed to allow it to hold the FA cup on May 19.
HA business plan seeks £200M in efficiency savings

27-Mar-2007
The Highways Agency has published a set of eight key targets to deliver by 31 March 2008 so that it can deliver £200M in efficiency improvements.
In the papers today - Tuesday 27 March

27-Mar-2007
Network Rail has apologised for the mistakes that led to the 1999 Paddington rail crash, after a court heard that 'a catalogue of failures to act' led to the tragedy.
Plant theft down for first time in 12 years

27-Mar-2007
According to new information from The National Plant and Equipment Register, plant theft has dropped for the first time in 12 years.
Heathrow T5 to open one year from today

27-Mar-2007
Heathrow Airport's new fifth terminal - T5, will open one year from today announced airport giant BAA this morning.
Government calls for new strategy to deal with low level nuclear waste

26-Mar-2007
A UK wide strategy for dealing with solid low level waste was called for today in new policy published by the government.
London Development Agency launches skills report

26-Mar-2007
A study by the London Energy Partnership 'Skills Gap in the Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Sector in London' has identified flaws with training in the sector.
North East civils awards shortlist announced

26-Mar-2007
ICE North East today named seven projects in the shortlists for its annual Robert Stephenson Awards.
Taylor Woodrow And George Wimpey to merge

26-Mar-2007
Contractor and house builder Taylor Woodrow will merge with house builder George Wimpey to create a company, Taylor Wimpey, with revenues of around £6.7 bn.
In the papers today - Monday 26 March

26-Mar-2007
The extent of overcrowding on the rail network was exposed last night after a survey revealed that several train routes are regularly operating at more than 80 per cent above their capacity.
Green transport could undermine Tube funding - Morgan

23-Mar-2007
Green transport policies coupled with the capital's continued growth as a business centre could undermine long-term funding plans to revamp the London Underground Tube network.
Union calls for directly employed workforce

23-Mar-2007
Trade union Amicus yesterday annouced it would take its fight to stop the exploitation of migrant workers in the UK to the House of Commons next week, demanding a directly employed workforce in the construction sector.
In the papers today - Friday 23 March

23-Mar-2007
Companies developing alternative ways of treating household and commercial waste see the decision to dramatically escalate landfill tax as a 'watershed moment' for the industry.
Engineering firms welcome the Budget

23-Mar-2007
Industry business association ACE, which represents over 800 consultancy and engineering companies working in the built and natural environment, today welcomed many of chancellor Gordon Brown's Budget spending commitments.
ORR publishes guidance on staff competence in the railways

23-Mar-2007
The Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) has published an update guide on developing and maintaining staff competence for use in the railway industry.
In the papers today - Thursday 22 March

22-Mar-2007
Twenty construction firms that failed to blow the whistle on an alleged £3bn bid-rigging scandal will face fines and possible criminal prosecutions.
£2bn Thames tunnel gets go-ahead

22-Mar-2007
A 30km tunnel to carry sewage and rain run-off out of central London and to the East End for treatment has been approved by the Department for the Environment, Food & Rural Affairs.
Broadgate engineers battle to get Tower back on track

22-Mar-2007
The construction and erection of six, 25m tall, steel A-frames supporting the eastern base of the Broadgate Tower ran over by three weeks at the end of last year due to the work being more complex than first thought.
Government's Green challenge could affect LU spending plans

22-Mar-2007
Green transport policies coupled with the capital's continued growth as a business centre could undermine long-term funding plans to revamp the London Underground tube network.
Green light for Woolwich Crossrail station

22-Mar-2007
A new Crossrail station at Woolwich will be built if the scheme gets the go ahead after developers struck a funding deal with central government, the local council and Crossrail backers.
Chancellor Gordon Brown announces Budget

21-Mar-2007
The base rate of income tax will be cut from April 2008 to 20p from 22p under measures announced by Chancellor Gordon Brown in his budget today. He said it was the lowest basic rate for 75 years.
Mott MacDonald engineers run through new Malaysian tunnel

21-Mar-2007
Two Mott MacDonald engineers have taken part in a 16km run through a project they have been working on in Malaysia, the Stormwater Management and Road Tunnel (SMART)
Lyons calls for council tax reform

21-Mar-2007
Council tax should be revised and updated and a proportion of income tax should go directly to local government, former audit commission chairman Sir Michael Lyons today advised the government.
In the papers today - Thursday 21 March

21-Mar-2007
Aplan for businesses to provide the extra cash to kickstart the long-delayed £10bn Crossrail project across London is expected to be announced today by Sir Michael Lyons, the former chairman of the Audit Commission, who has undertaken a wide-ranging and radical review of local government finance.
Ditch Thames Gateway for towns like Croydon, developers told

21-Mar-2007
Development of the Thames Gateway should be shunned in favour of rebuilding existing towns in the South East, a leading architect said last week.
Eurostar reaches record speeds

21-Mar-2007
Eurostar trains have this week reached record speeds of 255km/h during dynamic testing along CTRL section two between Ebbsfleet and St Pancras.
Engineers expect solution for Thames sewer flooding to be announced this week

20-Mar-2007
Engineers looking to build a tunnelled solution that will transfer sewage discharged into the Thames to a treatment plant, are expecting to hear which of two possible solutions will be backed by government this week
In the papers today - 20 March

20-Mar-2007
Some of the UK's biggest train operators warned about falling standards of track maintenance months before the west coast line crash which killed one passenger and injured dozens of others.
Man is responsible for drying out rivers, says WWF report

20-Mar-2007
Dams, pollution and poor management are responsible for drying 10 of the world's major rivers, according to a new report, 'World's Top 10 Rivers at Risk', published by the World Wildlife Fund
High rise building on fire in Dubai

20-Mar-2007
Another high-rise build has caught fire in central Dubai this morning, the second tall building fire in the area this year.
Environment Agency pushes for more investment in infrastructure

19-Mar-2007
The Environment Angency has today released a report outlining the criticality of environmental services, such as water, sewerage and flood defences in new development.
In the papers today - Monday 19 March

19-Mar-2007
The new owner of Thames Water, the Australian bank Macquarie, has imposed a pay freeze on managers throughout the company as part of a drastic cost-cutting plan following its £8bn takeover of the business.
Unlimited liability demands put consultants at risk

19-Mar-2007
Consultants risk being put out of business by insurance claims unless clients stop passing on unlimited liability in contracts, insurers warned this week.
Olympic venue builders urged to think like Hollywood

19-Mar-2007
Firms wishing to build London 2012's temporary structures could team up with film studios and consider how the venues will look on camera, construction chiefs were told last week.
In the papers today - Friday 16 March

16-Mar-2007
More householders could lose their weekly visit from the binmen as councils come under mounting pressure to switch to fortnightly refuse collections. A report due out today from the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs is expected to say that as long as waste food is properly wrapped and people observe basic bin hygiene, there should be no public health problems - The Times
Severn Bridge corrosion revealed

16-Mar-2007
Severn Bridge suspension cable corrosion is worse than that found on the older Forth Road Bridge and more serious than the Highways Agency expected, it emerged this week.
Reading given go-ahead for £68M station upgrade

16-Mar-2007
Network Rail has secured government approval and funding for a £68M upgrade of Reading station, it was revealed this week.
Highways Agency appoints interim major projects director

16-Mar-2007
The Highways Agency has appointed Jerry England, former chief operating office at Thames Water, as its interim major projects director. He will take up the role on Monday.
Olympic budget confirmed at £9.3bn

15-Mar-2007
As predicted in NCE's own cost analysis of the Olympics (NCE 23 November 2006) the budget for the London 2012 Games was confirmed by Culture Minister Tessa Jowell today at over £9bn
Atkins to close final salary pension scheme

15-Mar-2007
Atkins is closing its final salary pension scheme as of 1st July it announced today.
Bids invited for the Aquatics centre

15-Mar-2007
Construction companies are today being invited to bid to build the Aquatics Centre that will be the gateway to the London 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games.
In the papers today - Thursday 15th March

15-Mar-2007
Lottery chiefs were furious last night on learning that they will have to fund nearly £700 million of the £2 billion shortfall on the 2012 Olympic Games.
Carillion and Highways Agency fall out over CAT score

15-Mar-2007
Contractor Carillion was this week at the centre of a row with the Highways Agency over the Capability Assessment Toolkit (CAT) used by the Agency to assess its suppliers.
Government told to firm up coastal erosion policy

15-Mar-2007
Local government engineers are expected to fight recommendations that could prevent them from defending inhabited coastal areas from rising sea levels.
Unlimited liability demands put consultants at risk

15-Mar-2007
CONSULTANTS RISK being put out of business unless clients stop passing on unlimited liability in contracts, insurers warned this week.
Reading given go-ahead for £68M station upgrade

15-Mar-2007
Network Rail has secured government approval and funding for a £68M upgrade of Reading station, it was revealed this week.
Breaking News: Nichols report tells Highways Agency to scrap TPI list

14-Mar-2007
The much awaited Nichols report into management of the Highway's Agency's major roads programme was published today and made a series of recommendations for the Agency to implement including scrapping the format of the targeted programme of improvements (TPI) list.
In the papers today - 14 March

14-Mar-2007
Gordon Brown is planning a new £700M million raid on Lottery cash to help pay for soaring costs of the London 2012 Olympics, The Daily Telegraph has learned.
Government to provide 1000 new carriages on rail network

14-Mar-2007
Transport Secretary Douglas Alexander revealed today that the government will pay for 1,000 new train carriages to be added to the UK railway system.
Bring British Waterways under DfT say boat operators

13-Mar-2007
Boat operators this week called for British Waterways to be transferred from control of the Department for the Environment Food and Rural Affairs and placed with the Department for Transport.
Engineering essential to deliver Climate Change Bill, says Royal Academy

13-Mar-2007
The Royal Academy of Engineering yesterday responded to the Climate Change Bill by urging engineers to rise to the global warming challenge, and win over public opinion in order to meet the challenges set in the Climate Change Bill.
Sydney Harbour Bridge row overshadows anniversary celebrations

13-Mar-2007
The 75th anniversary of Australia's greatest engineering achievement the Sydney Harbour Bridge is being overshadowed over claims from UK consultant Hyder, that Englishman Ralph Freeman designed the structure.
Guidance published today by Underground PPP arbiter on Metronet £750M cost overruns

13-Mar-2007
Guidance published today by the London Underground PPP artibter Chris Bolt has paved the way for an extraordinary review of seven London Underground contracts managed by PPP contractor Metronet that, combined, have run over budget by £750M.
Massive profit growth for Royal Haskoning

13-Mar-2007
Results released by Royal Haskoning today show that pretax profits increased from Euros15.8M (£10.8M) in 2005 to Euros 22M (£15M) in 2006.
Costain announces major losses

13-Mar-2007
Contracting giant Costain today announced a £61.7M pretax loss in its preliminary results for 2006.
In the papers today - 13 March

13-Mar-2007
Labour's 'dithering' over funding for the 2012 Olympics could threaten £2bn of vital building works for the London Games, it emerged last night.
Environment Agency launches new waste tracking system

13-Mar-2007
A new system to track waste companies such as skip operators who could be handling waste illegally was unveiled today by the Environment Agency.
All UK housing to be carbon neutral by 2016

13-Mar-2007
The Climate Change Bill white paper will be published later today, and aims to make all UK housing carbon neutral by 2016.
Turquoise belts to govern land use planning in flood prone sites

12-Mar-2007
Environment Secretary David Miliband has called for the creation of 'turquoise belts' alongside streams and rivers as part of an overhaul of land use planning.
In the papers today - Monday 12 March

12-Mar-2007
Light pollution is so bad in Britain that at least half the stars in the Orion constellation are invisible to more that 90% of people.
One week left to enter ICE annual awards

12-Mar-2007
The deadline for entering construction projects into the 2007 ICE West Midlands Annual Awards will expire at the end of the week.
Government urges smarter driving to reduce emissions

12-Mar-2007
Motorists were today urged to clean out their cars and pump up their tyres is a bid to tackle climate change and cut driving costs.
West Coast Main Line re-opens following Grayrigg derailment

12-Mar-2007
The West Coast Main Line re-opened this morning, following three weeks of intensive construction work at the site.
Surging growth at Waterman

9-Mar-2007
Consultant Waterman reported a pre-tax profit of £4.2M on turnover of £83.7M last year, compared to £3.8M profit on £72.7M turnover in 2005.
Mid Kent Water and South East Water merger future uncertain

9-Mar-2007
The planned merger between Mid Kent Water and South East Water looked uncertain this week after the Competition Commission said a merger could prejudice Ofwat's ability to make comparisons between water enterprises.
In the papers today - Friday 9 March

9-Mar-2007
Capacity on overcrowded high-speed railway lines will be doubled under Department for Transport (DfT) plans to introduce a fleet of as many as 2,000 carriages, with the new system far more fuel-efficient than today's trains.
West Coast Main Line to re-open Monday 12 March

9-Mar-2007
Work to rebuild the West Coast Main Line, damaged just south of Grayrigg Cumbria following the derailment on 23 February, will be complete in time to allow the line to reopen on Monday 12 March.
Construction orders for January 2007 announced

9-Mar-2007
New figures from the Department of Trade & Industry (DTI) show that construction orders have risen again, by 3% in the 12 months to January 2007. However, orders in the three months to January 2007 fell by 6% cent compared with the same period last year. Orders in the three months to January 2007 fell by 7% compared with the previous three months. Decreases in private housing, public housing, infrastructure and private commercial orders more than offset increases in public non-housing ...
In the papers today - 8 March

8-Mar-2007
Carillion has absorbed the Mowlem business that it bought last year more quickly than expected, contributing to a 30% in pre-tax profit. The order book more than doubled to £16bn and profit margins rose from 1.4% to 1.7% - Financial Times
Council opts for partnerships over merger as key to future

8-Mar-2007
Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) Council members this week voted to retain the ICE's independence from the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE).
Boycott clients demanding unlimited liability, urges ACE

8-Mar-2007
Many of the UK's largest clients are threatening to put consulting firms out of business by demanding unlimited liability cover, the Association for Consultancy & Engineering (ACE) warned this week.
Construction must innovate to survive, says O'Rourke

8-Mar-2007
UK construction must start to invest seriously in innovation, research and development if it is to compete and survive in the world marketplace, Laing O'Rourke chief executive Ray O'Rourke warned industry bosses this week.
Hard shoulder trial proves a winner with motorists

8-Mar-2007
Six out of 10 motorists using the Highways Agency's hard shoulder running trial in the West Midlands want to see it rolled out across the UK, it was revealed last week.
Balfour Beatty named Highways Agency top supplier

8-Mar-2007
Contractor Balfour Beatty has come out top in the Highways Agency's assessment of supplier capabilites (CAT3), scoring 187.2 out of a possible 288.
ODA launches procurement policy

7-Mar-2007
The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) today launched its procurement policy, laying down criteria for companies hoping to be involved in delivering the 2012 Games.
In the papers today - Wednesday 7 March

7-Mar-2007
Ministers will split the costs of the London 2012 Olympics into three categories when the revised budget is announced later this month, Tessa Jowell, the culture secretary, told the FT yesterday. The move is designed to quell the growing political storm over rises in the reported total figure - The Financial Times
Government slammed for failing to deliver on sustainability targets for property estate

7-Mar-2007
Government departments were today slammed in a report by the Sustainable Development Commission (SDC) for failing to meet carbon, waste and water targets.
Weight restrictions to stay on Severn bridge

6-Mar-2007
The Highways Agency was yesterday expected to announce weight restrictions must remain in place on the Severn Bridge after an investigation into the bridge's corroded cables.
NCE/ACE Consultants of the year shortlists announced

6-Mar-2007
BBC Newsnight political editor and World at One presenter Martha Kearney will be guest speaker at the NCE/ACE Consultants of the Year Awards on 23 March.
Major Contractors Group launches multi-language safety DVD

6-Mar-2007
A multi-language DVD aimed at improving construction industry health and safety was launched by the Major Contractors Group (MCG) this week
Record results at RPS

6-Mar-2007
Environment, development and property group RPS today announced record results for the year ending 31 December 2006.
In the papers today - Tuesday 6 March

6-Mar-2007
Buffer zones preventing high rise development next to any of Britain's 24 world heritage sites are to be announced today.
Lairig Elide Bridge in Glencoe opens up new route into the Highlands

6-Mar-2007
The new Lairig Elide Bridge opened to two-way traffic yesterday evening, providing a new route through Glencoe to the Western Isles and Highlands.
Education spending provides the largest boost in construction demand

5-Mar-2007
A report published by the sector skills council for construction, ConstructionSkills, claimed that government spending on education, in particular the building schools for the future programme, will provide the largest boost to construction employment outside London with the national picture eclipsing the resource demands of the 2012 Olympic build in the next five years.
WSP announces 31% profit rise

5-Mar-2007
NCE Consultants File top five consultant WSP today announced its profits had risen 31% and revenues 19% in the year to December 2006.
Environment Agency expresses its doubts over Abingdon reservoir

5-Mar-2007
The environment agency has expressed its doubts over a reservoir planned by Thames Water south of Abingdon, Oxfordshire.
In the papers today - Monday 5 March

5-Mar-2007
Britain is expected to experience a building bonanza over the next five years, placing an increasing strain on the availability of skilled labour, according to industry forecasts.
Japanese consultants seek UK advice on design and build

5-Mar-2007
The Association of Japanese Consulting Engineers (AJCE) visited the UK last week to learn from UK experience of design and build.
Energy experts call for a 'clear and robust' nuclear waste plan

2-Mar-2007
The government was yesterday warned not to go ahead with new nuclear power until it has devised a 'clear and robust' plan for waste treatment and decommissioning.
White Young Green to get new head as pre-tax profits soar

2-Mar-2007
Expanding consultant White Young Green is to get a new chief executive in the next month in preparation for the retirement of current incumbent John Purvis in June.
Olympic cycle track to be monitored for radioactivity

2-Mar-2007
The London 2012 Olympic cycle park site must be monitored for radioactivity during construction, it was revealed this week.
Lend Lease confirmed as Olympic Village builder

2-Mar-2007
A consortium led by contractor Lend Lease was today confirmed as shopping mall developer Westfield's partner in building Stratford City, the site that neighbours London's Olympic Park including the 2012 Athlete's Village.
In the papers today - 2 March

2-Mar-2007
Britain will be divided into a patchwork of road-pricing zones where drivers will be charged varying rates, under a government plan to make them pay by the mile without tracking them on every road.
In the papers today - 1 March

1-Mar-2007
Last night the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) said it had failed to interview any maintenance personnel since the Cumbria accident last Friday because members of the RMT union were advised to be accompanied by a lawyer
Flood warning follows British Waterways budget cuts

1-Mar-2007
Canal structures across the country could fail, flooding homes and blocking roads following budget cuts at British Waterways, ICE warned MPs this week.
Council bosses suspended after contract probe

1-Mar-2007
Three senior Isle of Wight council officials were suspended last week after an investigation into a contract awarded unlawfully found that critical legal advice was ignored.
Frameworks in trouble as consultants raise prices

1-Mar-2007
Transport for London (TfL) framework contracts for consultancy services were heading for trouble after it emerged this week that firms are unwilling to work for the prices agreed.
Funding deal clears way for Olympic park lock and canal freight plan

1-Mar-2007
Ministers yesterday finally approved plans for a lock and flood control system to allow barges to travel from the Thames to London's Olympic Park.
Shanghai ripple hits top engineering firms

28-Feb-2007
The UK's top construction and engineering firms all experienced falls in value in a worldwide share plunge yesterday, sparked by the sharpest drop in Chinese shares for a decade.
Network Rail complete points check accross the UK

28-Feb-2007
Network Rail has completed 700 additional precautionary visual inspections of points following the train derailment in Cumbria that left one woman dead on Friday evening.
Concrete Eurocode fails to tackle control of early age thermal cracking

28-Feb-2007
Concrete Eurocode EN1992 fails to properly tackle early-age thermal crack control and could lead to 'insufficiently robust design solutions', industry research body CIRIA warned this week.
In the papers today - Wednesday 28 February

28-Feb-2007
An early railway locomotive has made its final journey - by road.
Thames Estuary flood plans revealed

28-Feb-2007
Plans to protect the Thames Gateway for the next 100 years reached an important stage this week as officials completed the second phase of the Thames Estuary 2100 project.
Surging growth for White Young Green

27-Feb-2007
Consultant White Young Green made £6.9M pre-tax profit on £99.1M turnover in the last six months of 2006.
In the papers today - Tuesday 27 February

27-Feb-2007
Shares in Alfred McAlpine went into free fall, plummeting 22% after the support services group sounded a profits warning following the discovery of accounting irregularities and possible fraud in its Welsh slate business.
BAA launches Stansted transport links consultation

27-Feb-2007
BAA today launched a 14 week public consultation on the road and rail access for a two runway Stansted Airport planned for 2015
Corus hike structural sections prices

27-Feb-2007
Corus has announced a price increase for its column and beam sections, including I-beams from April 1, of around £30 per tonne.
Points failure blamed for Grayrigg rail disaster

26-Feb-2007
Poor condition of the points at the site of the Grayrigg rail disaster have been blamed for the accident in a report released by the Rail Accident Investigation Board this afternoon.
Plasterboard recycling 'cost effective'.

26-Feb-2007
New research shows that plasterboard recycling from office refurbishments is commercially viable.
Cumbria derailment findings released today

26-Feb-2007
Preliminary findings into the cause of the Cumbria rail accident, which killed one woman, will be released later today.
Sellafield clean-up shortlist next month

26-Feb-2007
Contractors bidding to decommissioning the Nuclear Decommissioing Authority's (NDA) Sellafiled site will learn whether they have been shortlisted next month, the Authority has announced.
Contractors step up school leaver recruitment

26-Feb-2007
Carillion, Tarmac and Balfour Beatty will be among the contractors to take part in the Civil Engineering Contractors Association (CECA) push to recruit more school leavers, it was announced yesterday.
In the papers today - Monday 26 February

26-Feb-2007
A Whitehall watchdog has told councils to stop relying on speed cameras as their main tool for promoting road safety in a report published today
Investigators on site at Cumbria rail crash

24-Feb-2007
Investigators have moved on site to try and determine the cause of a train derailment, which killed one passenger, at Greyrigg, Cumbria just after 8pm on Friday evening.
All change for Metronet civils work

23-Feb-2007
Metronet, the company that runs 9 of the 12 London Underground lines, has announced that it will for the first time award contracts to contractors outside its five core partners.
Government committee slams DEFRA

23-Feb-2007
Parliament's Environment, Food & Rural Affairs Committee has higlighted a £200M hole in the Department for the Environment Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) budget.
In the papers today - Friday 23 February

23-Feb-2007
Multiplex, the Australian construction group, yesterday returned to profit and pledged that completion of its beleaguered flagship project, London's Wembley stadium, was 'imminent'.
Soaring salaries to hit nuclear clean-up budgets

23-Feb-2007
UK decommissioning costs will rocket due to rapidly rising salaries for skilled engineers, experts warned this week.
Olympics programme presented to government

23-Feb-2007
Olympic Delivery Authority chief executive David Higgins, this week said the programme and budget for the London 2012 Olympic Park had now been agreed and 'signed off' by its delivery partner CLM.
MPs join in criticism of Metronet

23-Feb-2007
Tube contractor Metronet came in for further criticism this week when a committee of MPs described its poor performance as 'cause for serious concern'.
Balfour Beatty fined £180,000 after electrocution

22-Feb-2007
Balfour Beatty Rail Infrastructure Services Limited was today fined £180,000 and ordered to pay £73,602.41 costs at Winchester Crown Court.
New £730,000 risk model for level crossings

22-Feb-2007
Network Rail has produced a new risk model to help predict danger at level crossings and make them safer as a result.
In the papers today - Thursday 22 February

22-Feb-2007
The right for people to walk along a 2,500-mile coastal path around England is expected to be rushed through Parliament within a year. The aim is to open up beaches, inlets and cliff tops that have so far been closed to public access and to allow walkers to enjoy these spectacular views of the shore. The complete route, however, may take as long as ten years to map out unless agreement is reached with landowners - The Times
HA weakened by departures, say contractors

22-Feb-2007
Roads contractors fear that the Highways Agency has plunged itself into a project management crisis following last week's 'hasty' removal of major projects boss Keith Miller. Agency chief executive Archie Robertson has been accused of making a 'hasty political statement' by dismissing Miller before a successor to run his £1bn a year major projects directorate had been lined up.
Procurement plan modified for the Olympic smimming pool

22-Feb-2007
Olympic bosses have modified the competitive dialogue procurement model to cut bid costs for the London 2012 Olympic pool.
Police apologise to Foulkes over knife caution

22-Feb-2007
ICE DIRECTOR General Tom Foulkes was this week 'delighted' to receive a written apology from London Transport Police's chief constable for his arrest and detention for carrying an offensive weapon last November (NCE 23 November 2006).
In the papers today - 21 February

21-Feb-2007
Carillion has won a five-year signalling services deal with Network Rail as the infrastructure operator lifted its ban on the construction services group. The deal is worth £60m and will see Carillion's rail division deliver alterations, enhancements, safety improvements, small renewal projects and life-extension schemes in the south-east - The Financial Times
Nuclear plans dealt blow in the courts

21-Feb-2007
Government plans to raise £30bn of private investment for new nuclear energy were plunged into uncertainty last week when a judge ruled that it must re-consult the public before backing nuclear power.
London 2012 transport plan criticised by MPs

21-Feb-2007
The Olympic Transport Plan was criticised by MPs this week for its lack of contingency.
New Downing St petition calls for 'engineer' to be a protected title

20-Feb-2007
Astronautics engineer Jon Jennings has this week leapt on the online petition bandwagon to call for the title of 'engineer' to be restricted to chartered engineers only.
Drax to install new turbines to cut carbon emissions

20-Feb-2007
Drax power station in Yorkshire is to cut carbon emissions from its six coal fired generated by 5% following a £100M turbine upgrade announced this week.
Amec sells Spie Rail to Colas

20-Feb-2007
Contractor Amec has sold its 50% stake in Spie Rail to French firm Colas.
UK road use levels steady, claims DfT report

20-Feb-2007
Traffic levels in Great Britain rose by just 1% between 2005 and 2006, it was revealed yesterday.
Carbon capture consultation launched

20-Feb-2007
An on-line public consultation on carbon dioxide capture and geological storage (CCS) was launched by the European Commission yesterday.
In the papers today - 20 February

20-Feb-2007
Contractors have been appointed to the Environment Agency's £500M flood, defence and waterways programme.
First driver fined for ignoring traffic officer

19-Feb-2007
A driver from Tonbridge has been the first to be fined as a result of ignoring a Traffic Officer.
Greater Gabbard wind farm gets green light

19-Feb-2007
The Department for Trade and Industry will today give the go-ahead for 140 offshore wind turbines to be built at Greater Gabbard in Suffolk.
In the papers today - 19 February

19-Feb-2007
Car dealers selling environmentally friendly models currently exempt from London's congestion charge have reported record business as motorists get set for today's western extension to the London congestion charge.
Slimmer OGC to get more power

19-Feb-2007
The government is to slash its procurement department the Office of Government Commerce in half but give it more power to force government departments take its advice.
Olympic delivery partner sub contracts still await confirmation

19-Feb-2007
CLM's running mates in the bid to be the London 2012 delivery partner are still waiting to be handed Olympic contracts six months after the consortium won the job, it was revealed this week.
'Flawed' government energy review derails nuclear plan

16-Feb-2007
Mr Justice Sullivan yesterday ruled that the government's energy review was not the 'fullest public consultation' and that it had already committed itself to building new nuclear power stations before the energy White Paper was published in 2003.
In the papers today - Friday 16 February

16-Feb-2007
Workers were warned yesterday that they face disciplinary action if they use office computers to sign the Downing Street petition calling for the scrapping of road pricing proposals. The curbs faced by individuals wanting to protest emerged as Dorset Police launched an internal investigation into the circulation of an email that urged staff to back the campaign - The Daily Telegraph
Olympic cycle park design competition launched

16-Feb-2007
A design competition for the London 2012 VeloPark was launched by the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) yesterday.
Olympic village project should learn from green Turin Games

16-Feb-2007
Developers of the London 2012 athletes' village should follow the example set by Turin's Winter Olympics if they are to deliver prime minister Tony Blair's promise of 'the greenest Games ever', an engineer on the project claimed this week.
Inspectors needed to tackle Dubai's poor safety record

16-Feb-2007
UK engineers this week called for stricter enforcement of health and safety regulations in Dubai blaming this for the United Arab Emirates' (UAE) poor accident rate.
Crowd ban triggers battle for control of Italian football grounds

15-Feb-2007
Italian football clubs this week urged local authorities to hand over ownership of their stadiums so they can invest in vital infrastructure improvements needed to overturn an order to play matches behind closed doors.
In the papers today - Thursday 15 February

15-Feb-2007
The construction company that will build the Olympic stadium has priced the job at more than double the budget planned when London was awarded the Games. London's bid book quoted a £280M cost for the stadium, but Sir Robert McAlpine, the Olympic Development Authority's preferred bidder, says the cost will be more like £630M - The Guardian
Facelift for Heathrow Terminal Three

15-Feb-2007
BAA is to give Heathrow's Terminal Three forecourt a refubishment, with work to be completed by the end of the year.
DfT slammed by transport committee

15-Feb-2007
The Department for Transport (DfT) has been slammed by the government's transport select committee for not meeting five out of seven of its own targets.
Industry reels as second HA boss goes

15-Feb-2007
The shock departure of the Highways Agency's major projects director Keith Miller this week raised fears about the future of key projects such as the M25 widening.
Forth road bridge replacement gets green light

14-Feb-2007
The Scottish Executive today unexpectedly approved replacement of the Forth road bridge.
Building collapsed in east London

14-Feb-2007
The Fire Brigade are currently trying to secure and stabilise a four storey building in Whitechapel, East London after it collapsed last night.
New chief exec for Edmund Nuttall

14-Feb-2007
Chartered builder Jon Roberts is to succeed Peter Brooks as chief executive of Edmund Nuttall
Turbine row generates was of words

13-Feb-2007
The row between wind turbine installer Sundog and renewable energy consultant John Large escalated this week after Sundog revealed it had warned Large the site was unsuitable before fitting the machine.
In the papers today - Wednesday 14 February

13-Feb-2007
Property developers are facing a crackdown on ambitious plans to build skyscrapers beyond the City of London
New anti-corruption guidebook launched

13-Feb-2007
Transparency International (TI) has developed a guide to minimise fraud and bribery in construction projects.
National Trust call for urgent action to save Welsh coastline

13-Feb-2007
The National Trust claims that three-quarters of the Welsh coastline it owns will be under threat in the next century, and that politicians must plan for advancing seas.
England goes for 2018 World Cup

13-Feb-2007
The 2018 football World Cup final will be played in Wembley Stadium if England wins a bid to host the tournament.
In the papers today - 13 February

13-Feb-2007
The Freedom Tower, the controversial skyscraper to be built on the former World Trade Centre site, is up for sale with a price tag of approximately $3 billion (£1.53 billion).
Contractor insurance covers bad weather, says ruling

13-Feb-2007
According to law firm Taylor Wessing, damage incurred by contractors during bad weather is covered by insurance.
Contractors' workload up on last year says survey

13-Feb-2007
The total civil engineering workload for contractors is up by 30% on this time last year, according to a survey released by the Civil Engineering Contractors' Association (CECA) today.
Highways Agency axes major projects director

12-Feb-2007
The Highways Agency has confirmed that major projects director Keith Miller is to leave the organisation.
Waste PFI credit process streamlined by Government

12-Feb-2007
Local Authorities seeking waste PFI credits will all have to apply at the same time under new plans introduced by the Government today
In the papers today - 12 February

12-Feb-2007
Local authorities will have to build new and politically sensitive incineration plants for waste or face heavy fines from Brussels, a Conservative MEP has warned.
£800,000 for greener air conditioning

12-Feb-2007
The Government is giving £400,000 to a consortium to develop greener forms of air-conditioning for planes, high-speed and underground trains, and buildings.
Offshore wind and gas hybrid gets green light

12-Feb-2007
The government today gave the go ahead to a 200MW offshore wind and gas project.
Anti-road user petition hits 1M

12-Feb-2007
More than a million people have signed a petition to abandon the government's proposed road charging scheme.
Engineers battle adverse Tauern tunnel conditions

9-Feb-2007
Austrian contractor Porr Tunnelbau was this week continuing to battle difficult ground conditions at the Tauern road tunnel in the Austrian Alps.
In the papers today - 9 February

9-Feb-2007
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) yesterday asked London 2012 organisers to clarify costs following fears of a spiralling budget. The intervention by IOC members added to the pressure on ministers as they thrash out a final budget for the Games' infrastructure, now up to £5bn after an initial estimate of £2.4bn - Financial Times
Climate change risk check for Network Rail assets

9-Feb-2007
Climate change has prompted Network Rail engineers to review its civil engineering assets and highlight areas on the railway that are vulnerable to increasingly severe weather.
London 2012 online tendering package launched

9-Feb-2007
The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) today launched an online eTendering and planning package to help companies compete for up to 2,000 contracts throughout the delivery of the London 2012 Games.
Manchester to build five waste treatment plants

9-Feb-2007
Manchester yesterday released details of planned infrastructure as part of its £3bn waste PFI, including the construction of five Mechanical Biological Treatment (MBT) plants.
In the papers today - 8 February

8-Feb-2007
One in three homes built in recent years should not have been given planning permission and only 18% measure up to design standards.
Bad weather once again leads to travel chaos

8-Feb-2007
Airports, roads and railways have all been affected by heavy snowfall during the night, especially in the south and south east of England, depite advance warnings from the Met Office.
Japanese weed proves to be a knotty problem for ODA

8-Feb-2007
Land remediation at the Olympic Park has hit a hurdle early on with the revelation that the site is covered with fast-spreading Japanese Knotweed.
Anger over civil engineers' absence from skill shortage

19-Jan-2007
Engineering firms have slammed trade associations for not ensuring key civil engineering jobs are included on the latest round of the National Shortage Occupation List, issued by the Home Office.
Wembley trips over steps

19-Jan-2007
Plans to transform the entrance to the new Wembley stadium were unveiled by developed Quintain this week, less than five months before the stadium is due to open.
High winds bring chaos

19-Jan-2007
Ten people have died, and the UK's infrastructure was brought to a virtual standstill yesterday as high winds battered the country.
Water companies end hosepipe ban in south east

18-Jan-2007
Four water companies - Thames Water, Southern Water, Three Valleys Water and Sutton and East Surrey Water have lifted their hosepipe bans.
Network Rail consults lawyers over Thameslink station leaks

18-Jan-2007
Network Rail has demanded that 'unacceptable' levels of leakage into the new Thameslink station box be reduced, it emerged this week.
In the papers today - 18 January

18-Jan-2007
Transport for London predicts congestion will rise as a result of the congestion charge extension.
28 year old project managers pick up £75,000 salaries

18-Jan-2007
Salaries of £75,000 are being offered to engineers in their early 30s as the industry struggles to cope with a massive shortage of project managers.
Green London 2012 frieght plan hits funding snag

18-Jan-2007
Uncertainty surrounds freight routes for bringing construction materials into London's Olympic Park because fuding for a vital canal lock had yet to be secured, London 2012 bosses admitted last week
In the papers today - Wednesday 17 January

17-Jan-2007
A huge winter storm has claimed the lives of 42 people and left half a million without electricity. 'This is a big one, affecting all the way from New Mexico to Maine,' Dennis Feltgen, a spokesperson for the National Weather Service, said. - The Times
No visible anchors in Sao Paolo collapse

17-Jan-2007
Geotechnical experts this week expressed surprise that there were no visible anchors or struts supporting the walls of a 40m diameter, 30m deep shaft that collapsed in Sao Paulo, Brazil, last Friday. Seven passers by were swept into the shaft as the wall sheared away and earth poured into the shaft. They are assumed dead.
Balfour Beatty preferred bidder for Fife hospital

17-Jan-2007
Balfour Beatty subsidiary Consort Healthcare has been selected by NHS Fife as preferred bidder for the £152M Fife General Hospital and Maternity Services PPP project.
Government insists Crossrail will not be at the expense of Thameslink

17-Jan-2007
Rail Minister Tom Harris this week denied that Crossrail would be built at the expense of Thameslink and said that funding already committed by government showed its dedication to both schemes.
Scott Wilson boasts bumper profits

16-Jan-2007
Scott Wilson is to target organic turnover growth of 10% and operating margins of 8% after posting strong interim results for the six months ending 29 October 2006
Race for Structural Awards begins

16-Jan-2007
Entries for the Structural Awards 2007 are now being accepted.
In the papers today - 16 January

16-Jan-2007
Eurotunnel, the troubled operator of the Channel Tunnel, looked to have narrowly avoided bankruptcy yesterday after a French court approved a plan to halve its debt and brushed aside lawsuits from 33 of the group's creditors. The court granted the company 36 months to complete its restructuring plans, which will see its creditors paid less than half of the £6.2bn they are owed - The Independent
Mott MacDonald acquires US power firm

16-Jan-2007
Consultant Mott MacDonald has bought US energy specialist Careba Power Engineers for an undisclosed sum.
The Hedgehog tops poll of UK environmental icons

16-Jan-2007
The humble hedgehog has been voted by the public as England and Wales' number one Icon of the Environment, as part of an Environment Agency survey.
Yorkshire Water makes major contract awards

15-Jan-2007
Yorkshire Water has awarded a £25.6M waste water treatment works upgrade contract to a joint venture of Morrison Construction and Earth Tech.
New nuclear guidance published

15-Jan-2007
New guidance on the assessment of nuclear power station designs was published by nuclear regulators today.
Pilot schemes get go ahead to tackle urban flooding

15-Jan-2007
Minister for climate change and environment Ian Pearson announced £1.7M funding would be granted for 15 nationwide projects during a visit to Great Yarmouth, where residents have recently suffered from surface water flooding.
In the papers today - 15 January

15-Jan-2007
An RAC patrol man stripped to his underpants to rescue two drivers stuck in flood-water - even though they were not members of the motoring organisation.
More women are studying engineering but not going into industry, says report

15-Jan-2007
New research carried out by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) has found that more women are choosing to study engineering but that this increase is failing to translate into an equivalent increase in women in the profession
New trains for Piccadilly line

15-Jan-2007
Tube Lines have invited expressions of interest from manufacturers, for new trains for the London Underground Piccadilly line.
Delays to CDM put health and safety improvements at risk

12-Jan-2007
Attempts to improve construction's health and safety record could be derailed by delays in publishing an approved code of practice (ACOP) for the revised Construction (Design and Management) Regulations, a leading safety adviser warned this week.
Local MP savages 'ludicrous' Buncefield housing plans

12-Jan-2007
Plans to build up to 12,000 homes around the Buncefield oil depot that exploded in December 2005 were this week condemned by local MP Mike Penning.
In the papers today - 12 January

12-Jan-2007
Business leaders from 17 of Britain's largest companies have formed a taskforce to develop radical ideas on tackling climate change. Chaired by BT chief executive Ben Verwaayen, the taskforce also includes Tesco boss Sir Terry Leahy, Shell UK chairman James Smith, RWE Npower chief executive Andrew Duff and Rolls-Royce chief executive Sir John Rose - Financial Times
Brazil dam collapse pollutes water supply

12-Jan-2007
The collapse of a dam in Brazil on Wednesday has dumped an estimated 2bnl of toxic material into rivers, state officials announced yesterday.
Two new Ofwat board members

12-Jan-2007
Environment minister Ian Pearson has announced two new non-executive board members - Michael Brooker and Gillian Owen for the water regulator, Ofwat.
In the papers today - 11 January

11-Jan-2007
Tony Blair insisted that he would press ahead with pilot road pricing schemes yesterday, despite more than 40,000 people signing a petition against them in less than 24 hours. Blair's official spokesman sounded a defiant note as the number of opponents to the proposals on the Downing Street website, www.petitions.pm.gov.uk, reached more than 218,000 - The Times
Wear red for RedR this Valentine's Day

11-Jan-2007
This 14 February engineering relief charity RedR is calling for supporters to wear a red item of clothing and dig deep into their pockets for the charity.
Cracks expose flaw in Scandanavian mega-bridge

11-Jan-2007
Urgent structural repairs are being carried out to the 7.8km long Oresund Bridge linking Sweden and Denmark after cracks were discovered in concrete at 50 different locations late last year.
Skanska win Olympic DLR extension work

11-Jan-2007
Docklands Light Railway (DLR) has awarded the first of three major construction contracts to Skanska in partnership with GrantRail to build the £211M DLR extension to Stratford International, a key part of the transport plans for the 2012 Games.
In the papers today - 10 January

10-Jan-2007
Britons spend 15% of their income on transport - more than anyone else in Europe, according to a study for the BBC by the Centre for Economics and Business Research. Commuters also travel further to get to work and spend twenty minutes more in transit every week than they did 10 years ago - The Times
Lovell wins £76M Decent Homes contract

9-Jan-2007
Hammersmith & Fulham Housing Management Services (HFHMS)have chosen Lovell to carry out £32 million of improvement work to 5,200 homes over the next four years.
Insufficient knowledge for zero-emission homes

9-Jan-2007
A technology gap must be filled in order to meet the government's target of building zero-emission homes within 10 years, according to the Home Builders Federation (HBF).
MP condemns Buncefield build

9-Jan-2007
Plans to build up to 12,000 homes around the Buncefield Oil Depot, that exploded in December 2005, were this week condemned by local MP Mike Penning.
Delays could scupper health and safety plans

9-Jan-2007
Attempts to improve construction's health and safety record could be derailed by delays in publishing an approved code of practise (ACOP) for the revised Construction (Design and Management) Regulations, a leading safety advisor warned this week.
In the papers today - 9 January

9-Jan-2007
The European Commission will tomorrow call for 'a new industrial revolution', promoting renewable energy and nuclear power to replace dwindling fossil fuels and combat climate change. Its controversial proposals, outlined in a series of papers on energy policy and competition, are partly based on research published yesterday showing that the price of oil and gas is likely to double to $110 a barrel as global reserves plateau - The Guardian
Water companies give go ahead to plastic pipes

9-Jan-2007
Drainage supplier Asset International today announced it had reached a partnership agreement with Welsh Water that will allow the use of light-weight plastic storm drains.
Russia cuts oil supply to EU

9-Jan-2007
Russia yesterday shut off a key oil pipeline to the EU, sparking fears that a new energy dispute could drive up oil prices.
Rail heads told to clean up ticketing

9-Jan-2007
A meeting of the Committee of Public Accounts yesterday quizzed rail heads over the controversial upgrade of the West Coast Main Line service (WCML), but questions quickly turned to ticketing across the network.
£340M M1 contract goes to MVM cosortium

8-Jan-2007
A huge contract to widen the M1, worth £340M, has been awarded to MVM, a joint venture made up of Vinci, Sir Robert McAlpine, Morgan Est, Gifford and WSP.
Venice left high and dry

8-Jan-2007
A lack of rainfall and unusual atmospheric pressures have been blamed for the drought that has left some of Venice's canals little more then muddy ditches.
In the papers today - Monday 8 January

8-Jan-2007
Armed military police may guard the gas pipeline at Bacton, Norfolk, under new government plans, as security is upgraded across the energy sector due to fears that energy supplies are vulnerable to terrorist attack - Financial Times
AMEC wins Thamesline station contract

8-Jan-2007
Construction giant AMEC has been awarded the contract to provide mechanical, electrical and piped services to the Thames link station beneath St Pancras in London.
Vandals cut motorway footbridge cables

5-Jan-2007
Police have appealed for witnesses after vandals tried to hack through cables supporting a footbridge over the M60 in Greater Manchester.
In the papers today - Friday 5 December

5-Jan-2007
The government has launched an attack on airlines refusing to take climate change seriously. Environment minister Ian Pearson said that Ryanair was 'the irresponsible face of capitalism', that British Airways was 'only just playing ball', and that the US industry is 'completely irresponsible', and 'a disgrace' - The Guardian
UK imports more cheap coal

5-Jan-2007
UK coal production is dropping dramatically, but coal imports are increasing to take advantage of falling coal prices, according to new statistics from the Department of Trade & Industry.
Central London council to scrap free parking for motorcycles

4-Jan-2007
Westminster City Council may scrap free parking spaces for motorcycles and scooters in its borough because of a boom in riders in the city.
£1,000 on offer in 2007 Young Consultant of the Year Award

4-Jan-2007
New Civil Engineer wants young consultants and engineers under 35 to enter the NCE/ACE Young Consultant of the Year Award 2007. The award which rewards young excellence and talent in the field of consultancy and engineering.
In the papers today - 4 January

4-Jan-2007
Britain's biggest train company is scrapping its most reliable trains more than a decade earlier than scheduled, replacing them cheaper trains that break down twice as often. South West Trains will send 120 Class 442 carriages into storage in sidings next week despite protests by Passenger Focus, the national rail passenger watchdog. - Times
In the papers today - Wednesday 3 January

3-Jan-2007
Fainting dieters are among the top causes of New York subway delays, according to the city's transport authority.The Telegraph
Commercial sector leads industry growth boom.

3-Jan-2007
The construction industy ended 2006 on a high with December seeing accelerated growth in construction activity according to a report published by the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply (CIPS) today.
Network rail shuns turkey

3-Jan-2007
Network Rail engineers worked through Christmas and new year to complete major improvements to the West Coast Main Line in the Midlands.
E.ON lodges application for £26M wind farm

3-Jan-2007
Energy giant E.ON has lodged a planning application for a 10 turbine wind farm in County Durham.
Engineers honoured in Queen's list

2-Jan-2007
Engineers have been honoured in the Queen's 2007 New Year's Honours list. Dr David Wynford Williams, lately the national Hydrographer and Chief Executive of the UK Hydrographic Office, part of the Ministry of Defence, was made a Companion of the Order of the Bath (a CB).
In the papers today - 2 January

2-Jan-2007
A beach walker was crushed to death by a falling cliff yesterday. Caroline Palser, 55, was walking with her partner along South Beach, Whitehaven, Cumbria when a section of cliff slipped away and fell on her. Metro
Thames Water launches reservior consultation

2-Jan-2007
Thames Water has launched the second stage of consultation over the proposed construction of a reservoir in Oxfordshire.
40 years of nuclear generation ends at two power stations

2-Jan-2007
Two nuclear power stations were taken out of service on 31 December 2006, marking the end of their 40 year life.
World Bank 'satisfaction' on Sri Lanka tsunami rebuild

2-Jan-2007
The World Bank has concluded that Sri Lankan reconstrcution has made 'satisfactory progress' following the Boxing Day tsunami of 2004.
Merry Christmas from NCE

22-Dec-2006
Today will be the last daily news alert until Tuesday 2 January
Edinburgh city chiefs back tram plan

22-Dec-2006
Edinburgh's tram network received a major boost yesterday when councillors voted to approve the draft final business case.
In the papers today - Friday 22 December

22-Dec-2006
A £2.2bn complex of apartment and office blocks in Brooklyn has been approved by planning authorities in what would be the biggest project by a private developer in New York's history. The project would see the construction of 16 skyscrapers and a basketball arena over nine hectares (22 acres) of downtown Brooklyn, a site almost one and a hlf times the size of the World Trade Centre. The Guardian
Government wants your views

22-Dec-2006
The government has launched four major consultations - on shipments of waste, proposed marine works, flood & coastal erosion risk management, and the energy review.
In the papers today - Thursday 21 December

21-Dec-2006
The Christmas plans of hundreds of thousands of people are in jeopardy because of the severe fog which has grounded flights from British airports. BA has cancelled 180 flights out of Heathrow today, including all domestic services - The Independent
Northumberland waste PFI deal goes ahead

21-Dec-2006
Waste contractor SITA UK announced today it has signed a 28 year private finance initiative (PFI) contract with Northumberland County Council.
Government consults on pollutants in surface water

21-Dec-2006
The Department for Environment, Food And Rural Affairs (DEFRA) is looking for views on its new proposals for dealing with hazardous substances found in surface waters, published today.
Pell Frischmann to design new Delhi Airport

21-Dec-2006
Pell Frischmann has won the contract to design a new terminal and piers at Indira Gandhi International Airport, Delhi.
Decision on Thameslink funding in mid 2007

21-Dec-2006
The government has given £30M to the Thameslink project for project planning and design development, with final decisions on funding the scheme to conclude in summer 2007.
Rail passenger numbers up

20-Dec-2006
Passenger numbers, distances travelled and revenue for the rail operators are all up, according to the latest National Rail Trends report, published by the Office of Rail Regulation today.
In the papers today - 20 December

20-Dec-2006
Two years after the Tsunami, billions of pounds worth of donations from governments and individuals have still to be been spent on reconstruction.
Airlines to be included in European emissions trading scheme

20-Dec-2006
All flights within Europe are expected to be subject to the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (ETC) under plans due to be announced today by the European Commission.
Bedfordshire 'bitterly disappointed' over road maintenance cuts

20-Dec-2006
Bedfordshire County Council expressed its frustration today after government cut £1.5m from next year's funding allocation for repair of Bedfordshire's roads.
Network Rail to slash number of rail renewal contractors

20-Dec-2006
Network Rail has revealed plans to slash its rail renewal contractors from six to four in a bid to achieve £150M efficiency savings across the railway.
Purchase powers for London's Olympic site are granted

20-Dec-2006
The 2012 Olympic park moved one step closer to construction yesterday as the London Development Agency (LDA) won compulsory purchase powers for the east London site.
In the papers today - 19 December

19-Dec-2006
France's SNCF will attempt to raise the world speed record for a conventional train to at least 342mph in the New Year - smashing their own 16-year-old record. Tests with a new generation high-speed train à grande vitesse (TGV) will attempt to push the speed record for steel wheels on steel rails to at least 550kph, possibly even to 570kph - The Independent
TIF Funding fontrunners named

19-Dec-2006
Transport Secretary Doug Alexander this week highlighted several schemes favoured for funding from the Transport Innovation Fund.
ICE slams World Bank infrastructure development policy

19-Dec-2006
The Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) has launched a report warning that World Bank policies could hamper social development in low income countries.
Government gives green light to two offshore wind projects

19-Dec-2006
Trade and Industry Secretary Alistair Darling and Environment secretary David Miliband, yesterday consented to two new offshore wind projects off the south coast, the London Array and Thanet.
In the papers today - 18 December

18-Dec-2006
China has awarded a £4bn nuclear reactor contract to Westinghouse, giving its technology a central role in the expansion of the country's atomic energy sector. The decision is a severe blow to France, whose Areva company had been in competition with Westinghouse and Atomstroiexport of Russia, to supply the reactors, which are to be used at power stations in eastern and southern China. - Financial Times
Norwegian merger creates oil and gas giant

18-Dec-2006
Norwegian firm Statoil has outlined plans to merge with Norsk Hydro's oil and gas business to create the world's largest offshore oil and gas operator.
A boom year for 2007 despite rising cost fears

18-Dec-2006
The industry is set to see a boom year in 2007 despite the fears of rising cost a survey of construction managers revealed today.
Third Dartford Crossing consultation announced

17-Dec-2006
A 12 week consultation on proposals for changes at the Dartford-Thurrock River Crossing including a potential third crossing has been published, Transport Minister Stephen Ladyman has confirmed.
DfT looks for new East Coast Mainline operator

15-Dec-2006
The Department for Transport (DfT) today announced it is inviting Expressions of Interest to operate services on the InterCity East Coast Mainline. The new operator should be in place in 12 to 18 months.
In the papers today - Friday 15 December

15-Dec-2006
Britain was accused of caving in to pressure from Saudi Arabia after the government intervened to end a Serious Fraud Office (SFO) inquiry into bribery allegations against BAE systems. The SFO's decision to abandon its investigation into the Al Yamamah oil-for-arms contracts came under fierce attack from opposition peers and leading international lawyers - Financial Times
New scheme to track environmental impact of aviation

15-Dec-2006
The Department for Transport (DfT) has launched a new scheme to monitor the environmental impact of airport and air passenger expansion.
Energy giant Centrica announces job cuts

15-Dec-2006
British Gas owner Centrica announced 1,310 job cuts today as a result of the company's poor performance through 2006.
Dublin Port tunnel to open next week

15-Dec-2006
Ireland's largest civil engineering project - the £495M Dublin Port Tunnel - is due to open next Wednesday at a ceremony led by Irish Taoiseach Bertie Ahern. The 4.5km tunnel and associated road works has been built for Dublin City Council under a design and build contract by the Nishimatsu Mowlem Irishenco Consortium. Contractors designers were Haswell and Carl Bro (NCE 20 May 2004).
Construction company fined £180,000 by HSE

14-Dec-2006
Rosekey and its director, Mr Kashmir Singh Atwal, have both been fined £90,000, after pleading guilty to breaches of the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974.
Global dam engineers condemn Iceland dam deaths

14-Dec-2006
Dam experts this week slammed the safety record on the Karahnjukar Dam project in Iceland, as client and main contractor defended their performance on the scheme.
Clarke quits as Metronet chairman

14-Dec-2006
Atkins chief executive Keith Clarke has stepped down as chairman of struggling Tube contractor Metronet.
In the papers today - 14 December

14-Dec-2006
The Souter family is to collect more than £100m after the transport company they founded, Stagecoach, yesterday announced plans to return at least £400m to shareholders.
Amec confirms building division sale

14-Dec-2006
In a strategic review of the business finalised this month, chief executive Samir Brikho confirmed that the building and civil engineering division, building and facilities services division, property developments division, concrete manufacturing business Buchans and the PPP arm will all be sold off.
Safety fears slow down Wembley's retractable roof

14-Dec-2006
Wembley stadium's retractable roof will take three-quarters of an hour longer to close than originally planned because of fears over its safety when moving at design speed, NCE discovered this week.
Engineers wooed by excitement, says report

12-Dec-2006
High profile and exciting projects are the main drivers for engineers moving jobs according to a recruitment survey of over 200 engineers published this week.
Rail engineering skills not in critical shortage - Home Office

12-Dec-2006
Finding skilled railway engineers will be suddenly more difficult when the Home Office removes them from its critical skills shortage list next week.
Engineering firms not engaging with students, says academic

12-Dec-2006
Civil engineering firms are struggling to recruit graduates because they are not engaging with students and universities, academics and skills advisors said this week.
Good news for A380

12-Dec-2006
The beleaguered Airbus A380, has received certification from both the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
TfL awards £1bn road maintenance contracts

12-Dec-2006
Three contractors have been awarded bonanza road maintenance contracts in London that could be worth £1bn over 10 years.
OFT proposes to refer BAA to Competition Commission

12-Dec-2006
The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) today confirmed that it proposes to refer the British Airports Authority (BAA), owned by Spanish giant Ferrovial, to the Competition Commission. The OFT invites comments until 8 February 2007 before making its final decision.
Better transport infrastructure needed in the south east says regional assembly

12-Dec-2006
Better transport infrastructure is needed across the south east to boost economic growth, the South East England Regional Assembly warned today.
In the papers today - 12 December

12-Dec-2006
The Arctic could lose virtually all its summer sea ice by the year 2040 - 40 years earlier than previously thought -according to a study by leading climate scientists.
Network Rail boss Armitt to retire

12-Dec-2006
Network Rail chief executive John Armitt today announced his intention to retire at the end of July 2007.
Government backs 'Integrated Wing' aircraft

11-Dec-2006
The government has awarded Airbus UK half of the £34M costs for the first phase of the 'Integrated Wing' concept programme.
Conservation handbook lauched to save water voles

11-Dec-2006
A new conservation handbook launched today by the Environment Agency (EA) has moved Britain's water voles a step closer to full legal protection.
Clyde bridge improvements start today

11-Dec-2006
A 45 week improvement of Erskine Bridge over the River Clyde started today.
New ACE chair urges consultants to promote their work

11-Dec-2006
Michael Whitwell, the newly elected chairman of the Association for Consultancy and Engineering (ACE), has called on consultants to stop being modest about their successes, and promote themselves more.
New bypass for the West Midlands

11-Dec-2006
A £27.42 million bypass of Brierly Hill in the West Midlands was given the green light this week.
In the papers today - 11 December

11-Dec-2006
Engineering group Amec is expected to write off more than £100m from its books as part of a strategic review this week that it hopes will help turn the company round.
In the papers today - 8 December

8-Dec-2006
European aircraft manufacturer Airbus today said it planned to invest £510M in India over the next decade to meet demand in the fastest-growing air travel market in the world. India needs passenger and freight aircraft valued at £53.6bn to meet burgeoning demand by 2025 - International Herald Tribune
2012 designer dismisses dull stadium claims

7-Dec-2006
London 2012's main stadium designer this week hit back at criticism that the key venue would be dull because it had been procured as a design and build contract.
DfT criticised over lack of guidance on congestion scheme

7-Dec-2006
Transport experts this week cast doubt on the Department for Transport's strategy to work up a national congestion charging scheme based on regional pilots.
Boston Big Dig investigators warn of 'concrete cancer'

7-Dec-2006
Investigators in the US have advised the Boston Big Dig project owner to carry out tests on concrete used throughout the scheme fearing that it could be susceptible to alkali silica reaction (ASR), or concrete cancer.
In the papers today - Thursday 7 December 2006

7-Dec-2006
The Souter family is to collect more than £100m after Stagecoach, the transport company they founded, announced plans to return at least £400M to shareholders. Its chief executive, Brian Souter, has a 15% stake, while his sister Ann Gloag, now a non-executive director, has 11 per cent. Mr Souter, 51, and Ms Gloag, 63, founded the business in 1980 to take advantage of the liberalisation of public transport under the Thatcher government - The Independent
UU pleads guilty to supplying unfit water

7-Dec-2006
United Utilities pleaded guilty to supplying water unfit for human consumption at St Helens Magistrates Court yesterday.
BREAKING NEWS: Brown gives £550M to renewables research

6-Dec-2006
Chancellor Gordon Brown today pledged £550M to fund research into renewables technology.
In the papers today - Wednesday December 4

6-Dec-2006
The Barker review proposes allowing more building on green belt sites around cities. The proposal drew protest from environmental groups, who predicted a 'sprawl' of new development across the countryside - The Financial Times
Chancellor expected to announce green budget

6-Dec-2006
Chancellor Gordon Brown will give his pre-budget report this lunch time and, in response to the Stern Review on climate change, is expected to raise taxes on carbon emitting modes of transport.
Worthy Winners donate cash to charity

5-Dec-2006
NCE Graduate Award winners last week challenged engineering firms to donate cash to development charity Engineers Without Borders after giving away their prize money.
Speed up planning urge key government advisors

5-Dec-2006
Planning approval for major infrastructure projects must be speeded up to avoid the UK grinding to a halt, two key government advisors warned this week.
Thames Gateway to follow Chinese sustainability model

5-Dec-2006
Sustainable design principles pioneered in China are to be applied to the Thames Gateway development, it emerged this week.
M6 toll road to increase its charges from January 1 2007.

5-Dec-2006
Chief executive of the Macquarie-owned Midland Expressway Limited, Tom Fanning, told NCE: 'The raising of our prices now comes at a time where other tolling operations such as the Dartford River Crossing and the Severn Bridge are raising their levels.'
Free Site Waste Management Plan workshops offered to contruction firms

5-Dec-2006
A series of free regional Site Waste Management Plan (SWMP) workshops is being organised by the government-funded environmental advice agency Envirowise.
Royal Academy urges government to invest in nuclear engineers

5-Dec-2006
The Royal Academy of Engineering has urged the government to invest in training of nuclear engineers to ensure that its newly unveiled nuclear submarine programme can be built in the UK.
Government accepts that some waste regulations are unnecessary

5-Dec-2006
Chancellor Gordon Brown has accepted that the regulatory burden associated with managing inert waste is 'unnecessary', it was revealed today.
In the papers today - 5 December

5-Dec-2006
The former chairman of the troubled 2012 Olympics in London left with a £150,000 pay off, it emerged last night.
May Gurney woos city with good interim results

5-Dec-2006
Shares in May Gurney rose today thanks to good interim results, the company's first since floating on AIM in June.
Two dead in warehouse explosion

4-Dec-2006
Two firemen were killed as they tackled a major blaze in a fireworks depot that exploded yesterday.
Lack of clarity on London 2012 risks loss of public support, warn London politicians

4-Dec-2006
Transparency and clarity on the cost of hosting London 2012 is urgently needed if Londoners are to remain supportive of the Games, it was claimed today.
UK's Health and Safety performance improving

4-Dec-2006
The Health and Safety Commission (HSC) have published a performance report detailing the wide range of work that it has overseen during the past year to reduce work-related fatalities, injuries and illness.
In the papers today - 4 December

4-Dec-2006
National road tolls should be launched during the next decade to help prevent US-style gridlock said Transport Secretary Douglas Alexander today.
Business owners warned over lack of retirement funds

1-Dec-2006
Less and less self-employed people are saving money for their retirement, according to figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
In the papers today - 1 December

1-Dec-2006
Airbus plans to give about half the work on its planned A350 XWB jet to independent suppliers and will encourage them to use subcontractors in China. The move is likely to prompt job cuts and factory closures at its plants in Europe - International Herald Tribune
Olympic delivery partner signs up to safety standards

1-Dec-2006
London 2012's project manager CLM, the consortium of CH2M Hill, Laing O'Rourke and Mace, yesterday signed up to the Olympic Delivery Authority's (ODA) health and safety standards.
London flood protection consultation to be launched

1-Dec-2006
A consultation on flood protection for London and the Thames Estuary is to be launched early next year as part of the Thames Estuary 2100 project, flooding experts told delegates at Civils 2006.
Yorkshire first region to introduce construction recycling targets

1-Dec-2006
Yorkshire Forward today became the first Regional Development Agency (RDA) to adopt a target for the use of recycled materials in construction projects.
Special Andrew Mylius scoops news award

30-Nov-2006
NCE special correspondent Andrew Mylius has been named News Journalist of the year by the International Building Press.
In the papers today - 30 November

30-Nov-2006
The creator of an inflatable sculpture that killed two people after it broke free of its moorings has been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter following an investigation by the Health & Safety Executive.
Environment Agency urges industry to help reform 'messy' waste regulation

30-Nov-2006
Environment Agency head of waste management Chris Howes today called on the construction industry to help it rework waste management regulations.
Boston Big Dig companies sued for negligence

30-Nov-2006
Fifteen construction companies involved in design and construction of the Boston Big Dig tunnel are being sued by the Massachusetts attorney general, it was revealed this week.
Graduate Award winners announced at Civils 2006

30-Nov-2006
Zeena Farook of Arup was named NCE Graduate of the year 2006 at Civils 2006 yesterday.
In the papers today - November 29

29-Nov-2006
Britain's coasts already being affected by climate change, according to the Marine Climate Change Impacts Partnership. These changes are altering the number, variety and distributions of every kind of marine organism - The Independent
Dunwoody calls for 'savage' transport decisions

29-Nov-2006
Savage decisions are needed to ensure that the UK's transport system remains able to support the nation's economy, Commons transport select committee chairman Gwyneth Dunwoody said this morning.
NCE Innovation Awards winners announced

28-Nov-2006
ACO TECHNOLOGY and Biffa Waste Services are the first ever winners of the NCE Innovation Awards at Civils 2006.
Olympic utilities tendered as single package

28-Nov-2006
All utilities for London's Olympic Park and the neighbouring Stratford City development were put out to tender this week under a single concession package.
Climate change will end life on earth by 2100 unless engineers act

28-Nov-2006
Life on earth will cease by 2100 unless engineers get to grips with designing to prevent climate change, a sustainability expert speaking at the Civils 2006 exhibition in Olympia warned this week.
Engineers to play key role in UK's future says treasury report

28-Nov-2006
A Treasury report into the long term opportunities and challenges facing the UK, outlines a strong role for civil engineers.
BREAKING NEWS - London sets out £80bn transport plan

28-Nov-2006
London mayor Ken Livingstone this morning set out plans to spend £81bn on transport in the capital between now and 2025
Construction Minister speaks to delegates at Civils 2006

28-Nov-2006
Minister for Construction Margaret Hodge told delgates at NCE's breakfast briefing at Civils 2006 this morning that industry bodies must consolidate if safety, procurement and sustainability are to improve.
Civils 2006 to host Infrastructure Forum launch

28-Nov-2006
Constructing Excellence is to launch a new body, the Infrastructure Forum, at Civils 2006 this Thursday.
In the papers today - 28 November

28-Nov-2006
A rival structure is set to rival the Eiffel Tower for domination of the Paris skyline.
Network Rail back in the black

27-Nov-2006
Network Rail today announced a £740M pre-tax profit for the six months to 30 September, compared with a pre-tax loss of £108M in the same period last year.
Industry backs training of more lecturers in engineering

27-Nov-2006
A new generation of engineering and construction lecturers is expected after Education Secretary Alan Johnson agreed to consider making it easier for professionals to teach in colleges.
Scott Wilson wins £14M East London Line design deal

27-Nov-2006
Scott Wilson has won the job to design phase one of the £350M East London Line works for Balfour Beatty/Carillion.
In the papers today - 27 November

27-Nov-2006
European business leaders have written an open letter to European Commission president José Manuel Barroso, urging him to reduce the carbon emission caps more than 10%.
Profits up 184% at Hyder

27-Nov-2006
Pre tax profits at consultant Hyder rose from £2.6M in the first half of 2005 to £8.1M in the first six months of 2006, its interrim results showed today.
Isle of Wight coastal road strengthening scheme 'a waste of money'

24-Nov-2006
A £13M scheme to strengthen a coastal road on the Isle of Wight has been labeled a 'waste of money' because it will not protect the road from landslips, local protestors claimed this week.
West Ham United linked to Olympic stadium move

24-Nov-2006
This week's takeover of West Ham United reignited the possibility of the football club moving into the London 2012 main stadium after the Games finish.
Mouchel Parkman moves for congestion work

24-Nov-2006
Mouchel Parkman signaled its intention to compete with Capita for London's congestion charging contract with its acquisition last week of traffic management specialist Traffic Support for £26.3M.
In the papers today - 24 November

24-Nov-2006
Three men have been arrested after a man died in a collision with a London Underground train. Two men, aged 25 and 17, fell on to the track from the eastbound platform of the Piccadilly Line of the London Underground at Earls Court station at 4.10pm yesterday. The 25-year-old was killed and the 17-year-old was seriously injured and is being treated in hospital - The Metro
Laying of track signals completion of CTRL

24-Nov-2006
The last track panel was installed on Channel Tunnel Rail Link (CTRL) section two last week, completing the high-speed line all the way from the Channel Tunnel to the international terminus at St Pancras, central London.
Olympic bosses to ask industry how to build 2012 pool

23-Nov-2006
Revised designs for the London 2012 aquatics centre will be revealed on Monday. The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) will then consult the construction industry about how to build the venue in a series of roadshows, it was revealed yesterday.
Atkins results hit by Metronet performance

23-Nov-2006
Atkins' admitted today that its shareholding in underperforming Tube contractor Metronet has cost the firm a £1.4M reduction in profit before tax, according to interim results for six months ended 30 September 2006.
In the papers today - 23 November

23-Nov-2006
The historic growth in the amount of rubbish generated each year appears to have stopped, according to government figures They show that the total amount of domestic rubbish produced last year, both recyclable materials and black bags, dropped by three per cent. This was the biggest fall on record and one of the few years to have seen a decrease - The Daily Telegraph
Olympics will cost £8.6bn say engineers

23-Nov-2006
London 2012's true construction cost will be £8.6bn, engineers polled by NCE said this week.
In the papers today - 22 November

22-Nov-2006
The government finally came clean on the cost of the London Olympics yesterday, admitting the bill had already risen by £900m.
Edinburgh calls for £900m transport investment

21-Nov-2006
Edinburgh City Council set out plans for nearly £900M worth of transport investment last Friday when it published its Local Transport Strategy.
Energy crisis will hit within 10 years says report

21-Nov-2006
Fears of the UK facing an energy crisis within 10 years escalated this week with the publication of a new report by business consultant LogicaCMG.
M1 to close for bridge demolition

21-Nov-2006
Widening of the M1 junctions 6a to 10 will reach a critical stage this weekend as demolition of a 1950's reinforced concrete bridge is forcing a 13 hour closure of the motorway.
Foulkes furious over knife arrest

21-Nov-2006
Director General of the ICE Tom Foulkes this week issued a personal warning to engineers against carrying travel toolkits after being arrested at the Waterloo Eurostar terminal for carrying a 5cm knife blade in his travel case.
Carillion wins track renewal contract

21-Nov-2006
Construction firm Carillion has been awarded a £20M contract for track replacement on Greater Manchester's Metrolink network.
In the papers today - 21 November

21-Nov-2006
A man who swung from a 25,000v railway cable escaped death because he unwittingly chose a seven-minute window when the power was turned off for the first time in 15 months.
More joined-up thinking needed on transport funding say experts

21-Nov-2006
The government must take a more 'joined-up approach' on transport and boost funding for schemes that cross local authority boundaries, an independent body advising the government on transport said this week.
Water company merger goes to Competition Commission

21-Nov-2006
The merger of South East Water with Mid Kent Water has been referred to the Compeition Commission by the Office of Fair Trading (OFT)
In the papers today - 20 November

20-Nov-2006
Only a third of the public supports the building of new nuclear power stations in Britain, according to a poll carried out for the Financial Times.
Thames Water initiative wins prize from Wansdworth Council

20-Nov-2006
A Thames Water scheme designed to protect the elderly and vulnerable from being preyed on by criminals posing as engineers has won an award from Wandsworth Council.
UK traffic levels up by 1.2%

20-Nov-2006
Department of Transport statistics on traffic in the UK estimate a 1.2% rise in traffic levels across the country between the first quarter of 2005 and the first quarter of 2006.
RPS snaps up Australian consultant

20-Nov-2006
Environmental consultant RPS has bought Harper Somers O'Sullivan (HSO), an environmental consultancy based in New South Wales, Australia for £2.3M.
In the papers today - 17 November

17-Nov-2006
Metronet, one of the two private sector consortia put in charge of London Underground, said yesterday that it expected the taxpayer to pick up a 'substantial part' of an estimated £750m overspend on the Tube system, despite its operations being slated as 'inefficient and uneconomic'.
Fears for clients over CDM regs

17-Nov-2006
Clients will struggle to fulfil their responsibilities under the revised Construction (Design and Management) (CDM) regulations engineers said this week.
Flood plans deficient warns Environment Agency

17-Nov-2006
Flood emergency plans are deficient in key areas and only one-third of emergency service flood plans have been shown to the local people they are designed to protect, according to research from the Environment Agency (EA).
£61M upgrade for A1

17-Nov-2006
Roads minister Stephen Ladyman has given the go-ahead to a £61M upgrade of the A1 between Bramham and Wetherby in west Yorkshire.
Dry winter approaching, warns Ofwat

17-Nov-2006
Ofwat has warned water companies to expect another dry winter so they can prepare to meet the demands of summer 2007.
In the papers today - 16 November

16-Nov-2006
A former Tube worker who was injured after falling down four steps at Wanstead station is claiming £300,000 in compensation from London Underground.
PPP Arbiter slams Metronet

16-Nov-2006
In his first ever report into the performance of Tube infraco Metronet, the PPP arbiter Chris Bolt today slammed the performance of the company.
Mouchel Parkman bags Hornagold & Hills in £50M buying spree

16-Nov-2006
Mouchel Parkman has bought leading edge project manager Hornagold & Hills, software and systems specialist Traffic Support Ltd and water specialist Ewan Group.
Green light imminent for £1.6bn London sewer tunnel

16-Nov-2006
Environment Minister Ian Pearson is likely to back scaled back plans to build a new £1.6bn London sewer tunnel running under the River Thames, sources close to the project said this week.
Treasury pushing for 60% Olympic budget contingency

15-Nov-2006
London Mayor Ken Livingstone said this morning that the Treasury is pushing for the Olympic budget to include a 60% contingency fund in case of cost overruns.
In the papers today - Wednesday 15 November

15-Nov-2006
High-speed trains will compete with airlines between London and dozens of cities on the Continent from next year, when three missing links in Europe's 186mph rail network will be filled. Eurostar is joining forces with high-speed rail operators in six European countries to offer through tickets and fast connections - The Times
Management shake up at Thames Water

14-Nov-2006
Leadership at Thames Water is set for a shake up following completion of the takeover by the Maacquarie consortium Kemble Water it was announced this week.
Protestors block construction at Milford Haven

14-Nov-2006
Environmental protesters this week blocked construction on a major gas pipeline project in South Wales jeopardising energy security.
Crossrail wont happen without road user charging says expert

14-Nov-2006
London's Crossrail scheme is unviable without a Greater London road toll to pay for it, a new report from a leading transport economist claims this week.
Environment Agency's role in shoreline defence a 'backward step' say councils

14-Nov-2006
Municipal engineers this week hit out at government plans to give the Environment Agency the final say over councils' long-term plans for coastal defence.
White Young Green chases iconic building portfolio with Adams Kara Taylor acquisition

14-Nov-2006
Consultant White Young Green said it plans to earn a reputation for designing iconic projects following its £10.5M purchase this week of structural engineering firm Adams Kara Taylor.
Tubelines shows off green credentials

14-Nov-2006
Tube Lines has Lines recycled over 1300 tonnes of waste in the last year, more than halved noise and vibration caused by trains in certain areas and built the largest single membrane green roof in London on the new Northern Line Control Centre, says the annual environment report of the firm upgrading London Underground.
In the papers today - 14 November

14-Nov-2006
The Victoria Falls, one of Africa's most popular tourist destinations and most precious ecological sites, are under threat from plans to build a giant holiday complex nearby, environmentalists have warned.
Water companies win praise from Ofwat

14-Nov-2006
Water companies have won praise not only from the regulator Ofwat, but the Consumer Council for Water. The 'Levels of service for the water industry in England and Wales 2005-06' report shows that most water companies are on target, and improving levels of service to customers.
In the papers today - 13 November

13-Nov-2006
Norfolk has been acclaimed the most environmentally friendly place to live in England and Wales.
New safety strategy launched to prevent accidents on site

13-Nov-2006
A new strategy aimed at cutting down on deaths and accidents on construction sites has been launched by a collaboration of industry bodies and leading firms.
Flood causes more loss than burglary, says Environment Agency

13-Nov-2006
New research from the Environment Agency (EA) claims that flood damage loses homeowners more than 30 times more than burglary, but homeowners do little to mitigate damage.
Environment Agency launch search for the nation's favourite environmental icon

13-Nov-2006
To celebrate its 10th anniversary, the Environment Agency (EA is asking the public to vote for what it believes is the most iconic symbol from our environment.
Henderson raises offer for John Laing

10-Nov-2006
The fight for John Laing Group has moved up another notch, with fund manager group Henderson raising its offer for the developer to £1bn.
In the papers today - 10 November

10-Nov-2006
The energy regulator Ofgem yesterday warned the Spanish company Iberdrola, which is considering a bid for Scottish Power, that it had strong measures to prevent asset stripping. There are fears that Iberdrola may involve private equity interests in its £12bn approach for Britain's fifth largest energy supplier - The Guardian
Wicks calls for a common European energy policy

10-Nov-2006
Energy minister Malcolm Wicks called for a common energy policy to address the growing energy crisis and the hindrance of incompatible market structures in a speech made yesterday to a Friends of Europe think-tank in Brussels.
£2.1bn per year for clean water for world's poorest

10-Nov-2006
The UN's new Human Development Report has called for an end to water 'apartheid' and said that solutions would come from regulation and investment, not engineering.
In the papers today - 9 November

9-Nov-2006
Scottish Power, the UK's fifth-largest energy provider, has received a takeover approach from Spanish power giant Iberdrola.
Metronet firms face fight for more TfL contracts

9-Nov-2006
Transport for London (TfL) said this week that it would make good on its threat to withhold work from Atrkins, Balfour Beatty and Bombardier because of their failure to perform for the Metronet Tube upgrade consortium.
50 UK companies investigated for corruption abroad

9-Nov-2006
British companies operating civil engineering contracts abroad are under investigation by the Serious Fraud Office (SFO), NCE learned this week.
Budget cuts could threaten future use of Olympic

9-Nov-2006
London's Olympic Park risks becoming a white elephant if budget pressures force designers to cut corners, one London politician warned this week.
£10.4bn needed to stave off global energy crisis

9-Nov-2006
Decades of underinvestment in basic energy infrastructure has set the globe on a 'doomed' path that only £10.4 trillion of new investment can solve, energy experts claimed this week.
Stone-age relics found at Berkshire sewage treatment works

9-Nov-2006
Stone Age flintwork dating back to 8,000 BC and signs of a Roman settlement have been discovered by Thames Water at a sewage treatment works near Kintbury in Berkshire.
In the papers today - 8 November

8-Nov-2006
Britons exaggerate how green they are, with most mistakenly believing that they are following energy-saving practices, a Times poll shows. The Populus poll carried out after the publication of the Stern report on climate change shows that the majority of people believe they have already changed their habits to become green. However, the reality is that they are still burning energy unnecessarily, analysis of the findings shows - The Times
Engineer to leacture students on the use of maths

8-Nov-2006
The engineer responsible for ensuring that Arsenal's Emirates Stadium stands up is to take on the daunting task of explaining the importance of maths to 400 GCSE and A-level students.
Government accused of underinvestment in infrastructure

8-Nov-2006
The government is lagging behind many of its targets to repair and upgrade Britain's infrastructure, said a report by the Construction Products Association.
£8bn needed to save Britain's coast line

8-Nov-2006
The south and west of England needs £8bn to protect against sea level rise, according to a report by the Association of British Insurers (ABI).
EA demands cash for coast

7-Nov-2006
The Environment Agency has demanded more cash to bolster flood defences to protect those living along the cost from the effects of global warming.
Environmental awards top £2bn

7-Nov-2006
More than £2bn worth of business has been approved by Ceequal environmental quality awards since the scheme's launch in 2003.
In the papers today - 7 November

7-Nov-2006
Engineers have unveiled what they hope is the future for commercial airliners - a radical 'flying wing' designed to be so quiet that no one outside an airport will be able to hear it.
Cutty Sark refurbishment starts this week

7-Nov-2006
A £25M project to suspend the Cutty Sark 3m above its current position in order to refurbish it started on site in Greenwich this week.
Network Rail begins £3.5M bridge upgrade on three structures in Lancashire

7-Nov-2006
Three road over rail bridges have been assessed by Network Rail as part of the Bridgeguard 3 programme, which is looking at nearly 1,000 bridges in the North West to ensure they are able to carry the large commercial road vehicles, weighing up to 44t, now permitted on UK roads under recent EU legislation.
Three new areas to get Transport Innovation Fund pump-priming cash from government

6-Nov-2006
The government this week announced three new areas will receive 'pump-priming' funding to develop road pricing schemes bringing to 10 the number of regions considering road pricing.
In the papers today - 6 November

6-Nov-2006
Building the London 2012 Olympics site will cost hundreds of millions of pounds more than anticipated because tax was not taken into account when the estimates were announced.
Mitsui Babcock sold to Doosan Heavy Industries of South Korea

6-Nov-2006
Mitsui Babcock parent company Mitsui Engineering & Shipbuilding announced today that it has sold its UK energy business to Doosan Heavy Industries (UK) Limited, for JPY 20 billion (£89M).
In the papers today - 3 November

3-Nov-2006
BG warned gas users yesterday that they face an uncertain winter and should not expect prices to fall in the longer term to the levels of two years ago, despite new supplies. The company, spun out of the state-owned British Gas stable in the late 1990s, said it was doing all it could to increase the UK's energy security - including trying to find new offshore fields in Norwegian waters and piping gas straight back to Britain - The Guardian
Skanska UK profits soar

3-Nov-2006
Contractor Skanska yesterday announced a £10M increase in its UK operation's profits for the first nine months, compared with the same period last year.
Engineers unsure of new CDM roles

3-Nov-2006
Early results from NCE's online survey into the construction industry's view of the impending revisions to the Construction (Design and Management) regulations highlights great awareness of changes but poor understanding of responsibilities.
Nuclear winter looms over Britain

3-Nov-2006
Britain faces the real risk of winter blackouts because of unexpected shutdowns at five nuclear sites, energy researchers have warned.
In the papers today - 2 November 2006

2-Nov-2006
For the first time in its 32-year history, the International Energy Agency will next week urge governments to help speed up the construction of new nuclear power plants as part of a cheaper, cleaner and safer global energy strategy. Several countries, including India, China, the US and France, already plan more plants, and others such as the UK are considering new reactors. But some, including Germany and Spain, oppose more capacity - Financial Times
Ofwat keeps five-year spending limits

2-Nov-2006
Ofwat has outlined its regulatory approach for the future - five-year spending plans will remain, but companies will have to write 25-year plans to help form a coherent long-term view.
Skills shortages 'major concern' say ACE

2-Nov-2006
Skills shortages in the construction industry remain the biggest concern for engineering firms, according to the Association for Consultancy and Engineering's (ACE) second annual State of Business report.
Man killed after cherry picker fall

2-Nov-2006
A man has been killed after a bus hit the cherry picker he was working on, knocking him out of the bucket and under the vehicle's wheels.
In the papers today - 1 November

1-Nov-2006
Uranium prices hit a new high after one of the world's richest potential sources of potential nuclear fuel was put out of reach by a subterranean flood. The 7% surge from $56 (£29.50) a pound to $60 is the biggest weekly rise in 20 years. The increase comes a week after a rock fall caused an uncontrollable flood at the unfinished Cigar Lake mine in Canada - The Daily Telegraph
Woolwich station moves a step closer

1-Nov-2006
No vote was taken on amendments to the Crossrail Bill last night, but government has decided to withdrawn its veto, allowing the Crossrail Bill Select Committee to make amendments to the final bill.
The Olympics will be late and over budget, warns Lemley

1-Nov-2006
Former chairman of the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) Jack Lemley warned that the Olympic projects will be late and cost more than expected.
Local authorities must have power to raise funds if devolution plans are to work

1-Nov-2006
Municipal engineers warned this week that plans to devolve more powers to local authorities will not work unless they are given power to raise their own funds for much needed infrastructure.
In the papers today - 31 October

31-Oct-2006
Spanish construction group Ferrovial has posted an 86pc rise in underlying profits in the first nine months, boosted by the £10.1bn acquisition of airports operator BAA in June. Ferrovial said earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation were Eu1.64bn (£1.1bn) on revenues 46pc higher at Eu9.13bn. The company had no update on the terror alert in August, which cost BAA £13m. Should additional security costs top £23m, which now seems likely, Ferrovial can ...
Olympic transport plan launched

31-Oct-2006
London 2012's transport plan was launched yesterday aiming for 100% of spectators to visit the games using public transport.
DfT launches new £4m road safety scheme

31-Oct-2006
The Department for Transport has launched a £4million road safety scheme, the Road Safety Partnership Grant Scheme, to fund around 20 local highway authorities with innovative road safety policies.
Clarke to head new CIC safety committee

31-Oct-2006
Atkins chief executive Keith Clarke has been appointed chairman a new Construction Industry Council Health and Safety Committee.
Stern warning on climate change

30-Oct-2006
Nearly £200bn needs to be spent globally in the short term to tackle climate change or the world will face a longer-term bill estimated at £3.68 trillion, claims the Stern report into the cost of climate change published today.
In the papers today - 30 October

30-Oct-2006
Passengers could face an uncomfortable ride on the West Coast Main Line as two train-leasing companies threatened to stop buying new carriages. Angel Train, which is used by Virgin Trains, and Porterbrook are both understood to have warned the Department for Transport (DFT) that they would stop buying new vehicles if it launched an inquiry. The DFT alleged that companies were charging unreasonably high fees for trains inherited from the former state-owned British Rail - Financial Times
£10M ferry terminal for Liverpool

30-Oct-2006
Merseytravel has unveiled a £10M plan for a new Pier Head ferry terminal.
Are you ready for the 2007 Construction (Design and Management)regulations?

30-Oct-2006
Take part in the NCE HSE survey and win £50 of Amazon vouchers
In the papers today - 27 October

27-Oct-2006
A homeless man was yesterday charged with causing more than £60,000 of damage by defecating in train carriages. Police launched an investigation after excrement was smeared on seats and tables in 30 trains in the South East over a period of three months. Bonney Eberndu, 36, was arrested after police released CCTV footage showing their suspect. The attacks caused major delays on the network - Metro
Court hears of terrifying final moments on Bahrain sinking party boat

27-Oct-2006
West London Coroner's Court heard of the terrifying final moments on the Dhow party boat that sank, killing 58 people, on 30 March.
2005 port stastics announced

27-Oct-2006
The Department for Transport yesterday published national statistics on port traffic and UK and world fleet statistics in Maritime Statistics 2005.
A3 upgrade confirmed at Hindhead

27-Oct-2006
The government has unveiled a £371M improvement to the A3 at Hindhead, Surrey. The construction will upgrade the London to Portsmouth road from single to dual carriageway, including two new tunnels through the Devil's Punch Bowl, an area of special scientific interest.
In the papers today - 26 October

26-Oct-2006
Balfour Beatty, part of the consortium Metronet, has been accused of taking two 'massive potential bombs' on to the London Underground. The firm used two 54kg canisters of unstable acetylene gas as it carried out repairs on the Victoria Line, the RMT Union claimed. The gas would have been used for welding, but an explosion could have been as deadly as methane gas blast in mines - Metro
Environment Agency flood date on River Nene 'flawed'

26-Oct-2006
Northampton residents this week launched a head-on battle with the Environment Agency after claiming that recent flood modelling of the River Nene at Upton was flawed.
Case for Third Dartford Crossing 'indisputable' say engineers

26-Oct-2006
Engineers this week urged the government to build a third Dartford Crossing or risk seeing the M25 paralysed by gridlock - even after the planned widening of the ring road improves congestion hot spots to four lanes.
Row over axed Woolwich station deepens

26-Oct-2006
Ministers this week plunged deeper into a row with the government's Crossrail Bill select committee after refusing to reconsider plans to drop Woolwich station.
Nuclear waste to be stored underground, confirms government

26-Oct-2006
Energy minister David Miliband yesterday confirmed that high-level radioactive waste will be consigned to geological disposal in the future.
New CDM regulations criticised over lack of clarity for designers

26-Oct-2006
Designers will be left uncertain of their role under the new Construction Design Management (CDM) regulations as they lack clarity, a leading health and safety expert warned this week.
DfT approves Nottingham tram extension

25-Oct-2006
The Department for Transport (DfT) has approved a £437M extension to the Nottingham tram system. Subject to planning approval, the extension could start in 2010.
Young slams State of the Nation

24-Oct-2006
Environment Agency chief executive Barbara Young this week criticised the ICE for backing the unsustainable growth of airports and seaports.
East London Line team unveiled

24-Oct-2006
Balfour Beatty and Carillion this week revealed the three construction bosses heading its joint venture to build the East London Line extension, after the contract was awarded last week.
Construction industry set to boom

24-Oct-2006
The construction industry is set to boom in 2007 with contractors reporting record order books as a result of a surge of building and infrastructure projects coming through, industry figures told NCE this week.
Halcrow launch driect-action charity

24-Oct-2006
An internal company appeal for aid for victims of the 2004 tsunami has led to the creation of a new 'direct-action' charity organisation, it was announced this week.
BNFL sells off reactor sites

24-Oct-2006
BNFL is to break up its subsidiary British Nuclear Group (BNG) selling off its reactor sites business whilst keeping control of its works at Sellafield.
Cornwall and Wales winners in EU structural funding awards

24-Oct-2006
The Department of Trade & Industry has announced how it intends to spend £6.4bn in EU Structural Funds over the next seven years, with Cornwall, West Wales and Valleys, and the Highlands and Islands sharing £1.7bn, with the remainder shared among the rest of the UK.
In the papers today - 24 October

24-Oct-2006
Corruption is rife in the construction industry, according to a new survey by the Chartered Institute of Building.
Government climate change report published

24-Oct-2006
A £400,000 Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs research project into the cost of adapting tourism, planning, land use and the built environment for future climate change will help the government plan for the future, said climate change and environment minister Ian Pearson.
Balfour Beatty and Amec win National Grid contracts

24-Oct-2006
Contractors Balfour Beatty and Amec today won the job to upgrade the national grid in England, enabling it to better connect with renewable sources of energy such as wind farms.
Atkins wins two year water contract framework in Northern Ireland.

23-Oct-2006
Consultant Atkins has been appointed to the Northern Ireland Rivers Agency on a two-year, £500,000 framework with an optional two-year extension.
Civil engineering business faces up to climate change

23-Oct-2006
A new study by the UK Climate Study Programme and Acclimatise has found that sectors employing civil engineers have the greatest awareness of climate change and its effects.
In the papers today - 23 October

23-Oct-2006
Property developer Anton Bilton is involved in a last-minute race to save one of the first landmark buildings of postwar London.
Balfour Beatty/Carillion East London Line win confirmed

23-Oct-2006
Transport for London today confirmed that the Balfour Beatty/Carillion joint venture has won phase one of the East London Line project, worth £363M.
Revised CDM regulations approved by the HSE

20-Oct-2006
The proposed revised Construction (Design and Management) (CDM) Regulations and Approved Code of Practice (ACoP) were this week approed by the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) and submitted to the minister.
Wembley ready for 2007 final, says client and contractor

20-Oct-2006
Wembley will be ready in time to host the 2007 FA Cup Final, Multiplex and Wembley National Stadium (WNSL) confirmed yesterday.
In the papers today - 20 October

20-Oct-2006
FIgures released yesterday say that the Airbus A380 is unlikely to break even for at least another decade.
Black & Veatch buy Gleeson

20-Oct-2006
Contractor Gleeson was yesterday bought by Black & Veatch (B&V) in a £36M deal, making it the largest company serving the UK water industry.
Corus sold to Tata

20-Oct-2006
Steel firm Corus has confirmed it is accepting a £4.3bn takeover offer from Indian rival Tata Steel.
Government confirms need for new Dartford Crossing

20-Oct-2006
Transport minister Stephen Ladyman yesterday admitted that the Dartford Crossing in Kent is struggling to cope with traffic volumes and said that government is investigating the possibility of building a new route over the Thames.
Crane collapse forces closure of construction site in Holborn

19-Oct-2006
The jib of a tower crane on site in central London collapsed this morning forcing contractor Sir Robert McAlpine to evacuate the site.
Government axes 'value for money' Crossrail station

19-Oct-2006
Former minister for local government and the regions Nick Raynsford slammed the government this week for vetoing a select committee recommendation to build a Crossrail station at Woolwich.
In the papers today - 19 October

19-Oct-2006
A £60M biodiesel plant will be built by the owners of Scotland's largest refinery, INEOS, at Grangemouth. The project will manufacture fuel from vegetable and rapeseed oils. 'We are aiming to become the first truly pan-European supplier of biodiesel to meet the significant growth in demand predicted for Europe,' said INEOS chief executive Harry Deans - The Scotsman
Contractors bid for rail signalling trial

19-Oct-2006
Network Rail will next month announce successful contractors who will implement a new £59M signalling system designed to drastically increase track capacity.
Anger as Olympics stadium procured without shortlist

19-Oct-2006
Consultants were this week 'seething' at the Olympic Delivery Authority's (ODA) decision to scrap plans to shortlist bidders for the London 2012 main stadium.
London 2012 boss resigns

18-Oct-2006
Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) chairman Jack Lemley today resigned from his role on the London 2012 games.
Planning permission granted for £3.5bn Thameslink project

18-Oct-2006
The transformation of the Thameslink route has taken a major step forward with the Department for Transport and the Department for Communities & Local Government agreeing to grant planning permission and legal powers to Network Rail to 're-build' the Thameslink route.
In the papers today - 18 October

18-Oct-2006
Management failures at a Whitehall Agency have forced it to take on extra staff when it had been expected to cut jobs as part of the government's efficiency drive.
BREAKING NEWS: Planning permission granted for £3.5bn Thameslink project

18-Oct-2006
The transformation of the Thameslink route has taken a major step forward with the Department for Transport and the Department for Communities & Local Government agreeing to grant planning permission and legal powers to Network Rail to 're-build' the Thameslink route.
Sita UK awarded £1bn PFI

17-Oct-2006
Cornwall County Council has awarded Suez Environment subsdiary Sita UK the PFI contract to manage all municipal waste in a 30-year deal worth £1bn.
Thames water acquisition welcomed by insiders

17-Oct-2006
Water industry insiders this week welcomed the £8bn acquisition of Thames Water by a consortium led by Australian investment group Macquarie Bank.
Compensation sought over scrapped Messina bridge

17-Oct-2006
Italian contractor Impregilo was this week negotiating compensation with the Italian government after it scrapped its contract to build the Eu3.88bn (£2.53bn) Messina Bridge.
Four contractors to share £3.5bn of BAA projects

17-Oct-2006
BAA could use just four contractors to deliver £3.5bn of major capital works in the next 10 years, including Heathrow's sixth terminal for which a planning application was submitted this week.
ICE state of the Nation report backs effluent reuse

17-Oct-2006
Drinking water supplies should be supplemented with treated sewage effluent as a means of averting a national water crisis, the ICE said this week.
Two trains collide on Rome's metro

17-Oct-2006
At least two people have died and some 250 injured as two metro trains collided in the centre of Rome.
Corruption survey reveals widespread concern

17-Oct-2006
According to a Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB)survey published this week, 51% of UK construction professionals felt that corruption is commonplace within the UK construction industry.
In the papers today - 17 October

17-Oct-2006
Britain's nuclear power industry almost ground to a halt yesterday just hours after Tony Blair heralded a new era in energy supply security with the opening of a new gas pipeline from Norway. The discovery of more cracks in boiler tubes forced British Energy to shut down two plants, Hunterston B in Scotland and Hinkley Point B in Gloucestershire. The company also disclosed for the first time that only one of its eight plants is operating at full output.
BNG fined for Sellafield radiation leak

17-Oct-2006
British Nuclear Group (BNG) was fined £500,000 yesterday for the leak of 83,000l of radioactive material from its Thorp reprocessing plant.
Third bridge identified in Montreal

17-Oct-2006
Research by the Toronto Globe and Mail newspaper has identified a third bridge built at the same time and by the same contractors as both the collapsed bridge in Laval, north of Montreal, and a second bridge at DeBlois, now earmarked for demolition.
Langeled pipeline opens

16-Oct-2006
The world's longest sub-sea pipeline linking Norway's offshore gas fields to the UK gas network was officially opened this week.
In the papers today - 16 October

16-Oct-2006
Companies will be fined up to £2,500 a day for missing deadlines in filling in holes dug in the road under proposals to tackle congestion caused by such works.
New bridge lifted over A66 today

16-Oct-2006
The A66 bypass at Temple Sowerby reaches a milestone today, when an 80m crane will lift four 62 tonne, 36m beams across the river Eden.
Water industry debt figures rising says regulator Ofwat

16-Oct-2006
Figures published this week show that existing consumer debt in the water industry has risen £30M between 2004/5 and 2005/6.
Lawyers warn new age laws could cost employers £600m

16-Oct-2006
Leading law firm Mace & Jones is urging employers to protect themselves from the estimated £600m additional cost to business of new age discrimination legislation.
BREAKING NEWS: M25 widening shortlist announced

13-Oct-2006
Three construction and finance groups have been shortlisted to tender for the £5bn M25 Design, Build, Finance and Operate contract, the Highways Agency announced today.
BREAKING NEWS: Emirates team to build London 2012 stadium

13-Oct-2006
The London 2012 main stadium will be built by the Arsenal Emirates stadium team of Sir Robert McAlpine, Buro Happold and HOK Sport, the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) confirmed today.
Olympic stadium teams in the dark

13-Oct-2006
Olympic stadium bidding teams said this week that they are being kept in the dark as to why the announcement of a shortlist had been delayed.
In the papers today - 13 October

13-Oct-2006
Plans to scrap four ageing US naval vessels and make Hartlepool an international centre of ship dismantling were yesterday rejected by councillors.
Ringway create 'fake' bus lane for Transport for London

13-Oct-2006
In a new Transport for London (TfL) advert to promote the awareness of enforcement operations to keep bus red routes and yellow boxes clear, it contacted Ringway, one of its main contractors, to help develop a fake bus lane.
Waste disposal authorities meet landfill targets

13-Oct-2006
All waste disposal authorities in England have successfully met their limits for the first year of the Landfill Allowances Trading Scheme (LATS, helping reduce the overall amount of waste sent to landfill, it was confirmed yesterday.
Government decides against widening waste technology market

13-Oct-2006
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) this week ruled against a relaxing of restrictions for the output of waste technologies.
In the papers today - 12 October 2006

12-Oct-2006
The energy industry has called on the government to set out its blueprint for Britain's energy future - or risk jeopardising the investment the country needs to keep the lights on over the next decade. The demand for clarity follows the disclosure that the white paper that will determine Britain's energy mix, expected before Christmas, has been pushed back to March next year - The Financial Times
Plane hits New York apartment block

12-Oct-2006
A small plane, piloted by the New York Yankees pitcher Cory Lidle, has hit a luxury apartment block in the Upper East Side of New York city, killing both the pilot and his instructor.
Five dead in French train collision

12-Oct-2006
Five have been killed and several more seriously injured in a head-on collision between a passenger train and a goods train near Zoufftgen, France, close to the Luxembourg border.
Decision making in limbo at ODA

11-Oct-2006
Decision making at the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) has fallen into a state of limbo following its appointment of the CLM consortium as delivery partner on the London 2012 Olympics project last month, consultants told NCE this week.
New CDM regs put more people at risk

11-Oct-2006
Small scale construction projects will be less protected against accidents under the revised CDM regulations, health and safety experts warned this week.
DLR Woolwich Arsenal extension hits delays in difficult ground

11-Oct-2006
Tunnelling of the £177M Docklands Light Railway extension under the River Thames to Woolwich Arsenal, east London, has hit delays, NCE has learned.
Balfour Beatty/Carillion win East London Line contract

11-Oct-2006
A Balfour Beatty/Carillion joint venture is expected to be confirmed as the winner of the main works contract for the £1bn East London Line (ELL) next week.
Engineers told to consider safety consequences of cost cutting

11-Oct-2006
ENGINEERS WERE warned this week not to jeopardise structural safety by producing cut price, low quality designs.
Canada faces infrastructure crisis

11-Oct-2006
CANADA MUST invest £60bn in its highways infrastructure if it is to avoid a repeat of last month's bridge collapse in Montreal that killed five people, a leading engineer has warned.
In the papers today - 11 October

11-Oct-2006
The highest canal aqueduct ever built, Pontsysyllte in north Wales, has been nominated by the Government as a World Heritage site
World Bank to relax Pakistan rebuild demands

11-Oct-2006
THE WORLD Bank is expected to relax demands that more than 500,000 homes destroyed in last years Pakistan earthquake must be rebuilt using concrete.
Take work out of five year review say engineers

11-Oct-2006
CONTRACTORS AND water companies this week suggested taking budgets for capital maintenance and major projects out of Ofwat's five year monitoring programme in order to dodge the boom-and-bust investment cycle and find greater spending efficiency.
Department for Transport announce £4.1M research into traffic pollution

10-Oct-2006
A £4.1 million research project will build up a picture of how the weather, street design and driving behaviour affect traffic pollution.
In the papers today - 10 October

10-Oct-2006
The crisis at Airbus took another twist late yesterday as chief executive Christian Streiff resigned just three months into the job.
Australian and New Zealand government plea for engineers

10-Oct-2006
British construction workers, engineers and tradesmen are in demand down-under, as both the Australian and New Zealand governments issue pleas for more skilled workers, according to an agency specialising in working abroad.
Network Rail appoints signalling scheme framework contractors

10-Oct-2006
Network Rail yesterday appointed contractors to carry out signalling upgrades across the UK.
Competitive dialogue begins for M74 link

9-Oct-2006
Four of the UK's biggest construction companies have bid as a joint venture to complete the 'missing link' of the M74 motorway.
In the papers today - 9 October

9-Oct-2006
A $245m (£170M) stretch of blacktop intended as a good-will gesture from the American people to survivors of the 2004 tsunami has instead become a parable of the problems of Aceh's recovery.
Construction starts on Europe's largest onshore windfarm

9-Oct-2006
Secretary of State for Trade and Industry Alistair Darling announced the commencement of construction at the Whitelee site, south of Glasgow
Government launches £12M transport research initiative

9-Oct-2006
The money will be invested in researching new intelligent transport systems and will be carried out by a number of organisations, working collaboratively.
Construction orders up by 10%

6-Oct-2006
New figures from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) show that construction orders rose by 10% in the 12 months to August 2006 compared to the same period last year.
Environment Agency to check all English proposals in flood zones

6-Oct-2006
The Environment Agency is now a statutory consultee for all development applications in areas of England at risk of flooding.
In the papers today - Friday 6 October

6-Oct-2006
An unprecedented £5 billion in commercial property is up for grabs in the City of London as owners seek to cash in on bumper investor demand and soaring values, according to CB Richard Ellis (CBRE), the world's biggest real estate consultant. Tony McCurley, CBRE's executive director for Central London investment, said that at least £3.25 billion of property was formally up for sale and a further £1.75 billion of property was unofficially available on the so-called grey market ...
World Bank corruption stance attacked by FIDIC

6-Oct-2006
The World Bank was this week criticised for its 'heavy handed' policy of naming and shaming corrupt firms by the International Federation of Consulting Engineers (FIDIC).
In the papers today - 5 October

5-Oct-2006
Volkswagen was last night in a position to engineer a friendly merger between rival truck makers Scania and MAN after taking a 15 per cent stake in MAN. The move, which makes Volkswagen the biggest shareholder in both Scania and MAN, is expected to have cost the German carmaker about £1.07 billion - The Times
New firm to probe over-charging solicitors

5-Oct-2006
CONSTRUCTION LEGAL fees are in the Dock after the launch of a company to address overcharging by solicitors.
Local workforce is key to UK firms in Romania and Bulgaria

5-Oct-2006
FUTURE SUCCESS of UK companies bidding for work in the accession countries of Romania and Bulgaria will depend on their ability to recruit and train local staff, engineers in the region said this week.
RedR-IHE CEO steps down by 'mutual agreement'

5-Oct-2006
REDR-IHE CHIEF executive Bobby Lambert has stepped down following disagreement with the board of trustees over the disaster relief charity's funding and internal management.
In the papers today - 4 October

4-Oct-2006
The human cost of China's biggest hydroelectric project, the Three Gorges Dam, has risen beyond the government's forecasts, Xinhua news agency revealed this week.
ACE campaigns to change project liability

3-Oct-2006
A campaign to change liability laws on UK construction projects was last week launched by the Association for Consultancy and Engineering (ACE).
Maglev technology still safe says proponents

3-Oct-2006
High speed rail firm UK Ultraspeed this week continued to back maglev technology for the proposed north south rail link, despite the accident in Germany last month.
Abandon cheap clients, says ACE

3-Oct-2006
UK firms should walk away from projects where they are being asked to squeeze their profit margins, Association for Consultancy and Engineering chief executive Nelson Ogunshakin said last week.
New firm to scrutinise industry legal fees

3-Oct-2006
Construction legal fees are in the Dock after the launch of a company to address overcharging by solicitors.
Worcestershire flood barrier unveiled by Environment Agecy

3-Oct-2006
Bewdley residents will be high and dry this week thanks to a series of new flood defences, opened by the Environment Agency yesterday.
In the papers today - 3 October

3-Oct-2006
3i group have reached a deal to buy water group AWG for £2.2bn - The International Herald Tribune
Southern Water denies underspend claims

3-Oct-2006
Southern Water has hit back at OFWAT, which last week published a report claiming that water companies had underspent on their improvement pledges for the 2005-2010 improvement programme by almost £1bn.
Moscow ground in danger of collpase warn engineers

3-Oct-2006
A boom in basement construction in Moscow has put much of the ground in the city at risk of collapse, engineers told NCE this week.
Corus change steel section specification

3-Oct-2006
Designers of structural steel sections need to be aware of a new system of specification introduced by steel giant Corus to comply with the new European Union Construction Products Directive (CPD).
Network Rail must tackle regional and local train delays, says regulator

2-Oct-2006
Network Rail was praised by the Office of Rail Regulation on Friday for reducing train delays on the national network, but warned it must do more at regional and local levels.
Motorway collapse kills five in Montreal

2-Oct-2006
A motorway overpass has collapsed in northern Montreal, Canada, killing five motorists, only hours after a local official had declared the structure safe.
Thames Water launch new water meter trial

2-Oct-2006
Thames Water this week began a four-year programme to install water metersto all homes in Bromley and Croydon on change of occupancy.
In the papers today - 2 October

2-Oct-2006
A tornado swept across the south coast yesterday, producing a dark column of swirling air that witnesses said stretched 300 metres (1,000ft) into the sky.
Minimum wage rise hits this week

2-Oct-2006
The National minimum wage rose to £5.35 per hour this week from £5.05, affecting around 1.3 million workers across the UK.
In the papers today - 29 September

29-Sep-2006
Airbus executives will attend a critical board meeting today, amid threats by airlines to cancel orders for the flagship A380 superjumbo.
Civils 2006 fact of the day

29-Sep-2006
The Civils Networking Dinner incorporating the Emerging Engineering Design Award and will be held on Wednesday 29th November 2006 at the Victoria Park Plaza.
Water companies underspent by £1bn, says regulator

29-Sep-2006
Water companies have been slow to start work on their £16.8bn, five-year investment programme, according to a new Ofwat report published yeseterday.
Design changes could delay World Trade Centre work

29-Sep-2006
World Trade Center Memorial foundations contractor EE Cruz is worried that design changes could lead to delays on its $17M (£9M) contract to install 142 piles on the footprint of the twin towers.
UK firms bid for £10bn Lebanon repair work

29-Sep-2006
UK consultants are preparing to bid for £10bn of infrastructure reconstruction work in Lebanon, following Israeli bombardment in August.
In the papers today - 28 September

28-Sep-2006
Cutting carbon emissions should become the European Union's primary purpose, David Miliband, the environment secretary, said yesterday. He told delegates at the Labour Party conference that the EU would appeal to a new generation only if it came to stand for Environmental Union. Using its collective power to curb domestic greenhouse gas emissions, negotiate international agreements on global reductions and ex-clude energy-inefficient pro-ducts from its market would give the EU a 'vision ...
Historic meeting hears case for ICE/IMechE union

28-Sep-2006
Merger between the Institutions of Civil Engineers (ICE) and Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) was thrust firmly onto the table this week at the first ever joint meeting of the councils of both bodies.
Main Olympic stadium could be temporary structure

28-Sep-2006
London 2012's main stadium could be an entirely temporary structure, Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) chief executive David Higgins revealed last week.
Minister backs desalination as drought busting solution

28-Sep-2006
Environment minister Ian Pearson this week backed desalination as a necessary technology to serve water stressed areas in south east England.
Human error blamed for fatal Maglev rail crash

28-Sep-2006
Investigations began this week into the cause of a train crash that killed 23 people in Germany last Friday.
In the papers today - Wednesday 27 September

27-Sep-2006
Christopher Garnett, former chief executive of the train operator, GNER, says the rail franchise market will 'self-destruct' because bids are getting too high. GNER agreed to pay the government £1.3bn over 10 years for its east-coast franchise, but is struggling to meet the payments. 'The market will self-destruct as bidders bid to win on ever-tighter margins,' said Mr Garnett. 'When it goes wrong, it's going to come right back to the Department for Transport.' GNER said it was not ...
South London crane collapse kills two

27-Sep-2006
An investigation is under way after two people died when a 50m crane collapsed onto a block of flats.
Ageism laws to impact on job ads

27-Sep-2006
Civil engineering job adverts asking for 'senior partner' or a 'dynamic and energetic' person are set to become extinct because of fears they breach the law against ageism in the workplace that comes into force on Sunday, HR consultants told NCE this week.
Blair says new nuclear 'inevitable'

27-Sep-2006
Prime Minister Tony Blair this week said that the UK must remain self sufficient for energy or face economic crisis.
Purvis purrs as profits soar at White Young Green

26-Sep-2006
Profit at consultant White Young Green leapt a whopping 18%, from £9.4M to £11.1M in the year to 30 June, the firm revealed this week.
In the papers today - Tuesday 26 September

26-Sep-2006
Dozens of train passengers were lucky to escape last night after an express train travelling at 100mph derailed when it hit a car that had been driven on to the tracks. The crash killed the driver of the car but none of the 74 passengers onboard the 14.25 Plymouth to Edinburgh service was hurt. The train was approaching York and slowing down from its top speed of 125mph when it hit the car just before 9pm. The Times
Students lobby ministers to replace Downing Street with a new eco-HQ

26-Sep-2006
Three government ministers will today view Manchester school students' proposals for an environmentally friendly replacement to No.10 Downing Street.
Innovation in Engineering Awards shortlist announced

25-Sep-2006
The Institution of Engineering & Technology has short-listed four consulting engineering firms for the built environment category of its annual Innovation in Engineering Awards.
Black & Veatch scoops grand prize for water works

25-Sep-2006
Consultant Black & Veatch has earned the Global Grand Prize in the design category of the International Water Association (IWA) Project Innovation Awards for the Tai Po Water Treatment Works and Aqueducts project in Hong Kong.
In the papers today - 25 September

25-Sep-2006
Plans for investment in the electricity and gas transmission networks over the next five years will be set out by the energy regulator today in the final paper from its transmission price control review before its conclusions are delivered in November. National Grid, which owns most of the transmission networks of pipes and wires, hopes for a more favourable pricing regime than was proposed by Ofgem in its previous paper in June. The Financial Times
Weight restrictions necessary on Severn Bridge confirm officials

22-Sep-2006
The Forth Estuary Transport Authority today confirmed that Severn Bridge weight restrictions are necessary following the discovery of worsening corrosion
In the papers today - 22 September

22-Sep-2006
Entrepreneur Richard Branson yesterday pledged £1.6bn to combat global warming.
Heathrow loop reopens after Piccadilly Line extension work complete

22-Sep-2006
Complex work by Tube Lines to extensively modify the Piccadilly line signalling system and prepare for the line's extension to the new Heathrow Terminal 5 was completed on time, enabling services on the Heathrow loop to resume this week.
Raise fees or face crisis IStructE warns consultants

22-Sep-2006
Structural engineers must raise their fees to avoid a looming crisis in the profession the Institution of Structural Engineers (IStructE) warned this week.
Raise fees or face crisis IStructE warns consultants

22-Sep-2006
Structural engineers must raise their fees to avoid a looming crisis in the profession the Institution of Structural Engineers (IStructE) warned this week.
Atkins and Mace top the league of top earners salaries

22-Sep-2006
Top earners at Atkins, Mace, Mott MacDonald, RPS and WSP are revealed as being the highest paid consultants in NCE's top 20, research reveals this week.
Welding quality under the spotlight as Menorca airport roof collapses

22-Sep-2006
Investigators of last week's airport roof collapse on the Spanish island of Menorca are this week believed to be focusing on the quality of welding on the steel structure.
In the papers today - 21 September

21-Sep-2006
Protesters last night picketed a London event in a row over what they claimed was the Olympic Delivery Authority's refusal to guarantee a wage deal. Officials from umbrella group London Citizens said they struck an accord in 2004 obliging mayor Ken Livingston to seek a minimum wage for workers on the Olympic projects. An ODA spokesman said it would be illegal to dictate terms of contract stuck under open tender. - Guardian
Losers count the cost of CLM's 2012 victory

21-Sep-2006
CLM OFFICIALLY became the Olympic delivery partner last Thursday after a 10 day standstill following the announcement last month that it had won the Olympic Delivery Authority's coveted role (NCE 7 September).
Repaired Jubilee river flood defence still 10% under capacity

21-Sep-2006
ENVIRONMENT AGENCY officials have this week ruled out any further works to bring the Jubilee River flood defence channel in Berkshire up to its design capacity.
Weight limits for Severn Bridge as cables disintegrate

21-Sep-2006
Worsening corrosion on the Severn Bridge between England and Wales has led to the enforcement of weight restrictions on the bridge at the end of this month, officials told NCE this week.
In the papers today - 20 September

20-Sep-2006
Johannesburg Fibreglass igloos have been built for a colony of African penguins to replace nesting grounds affected by commercial damage.
Funds secured for shard of glass

19-Sep-2006
Nearly £200M towards constructing the £350M London Bridge Tower was secured by developer Sellar Property Group this week, allowing demolition of existing buildings to begin in April 2007.
51 Lime Street approaches topping out

19-Sep-2006
The city of London's latest landmark tower 51 Lime Street is approaching topping out after a rapid construction programme saw each floor of the 29 storey, 125m tall building erected in four days.
Boscastle to get £4.6M flood defence project

19-Sep-2006
A £4.6M project to protect the Cornish fishing village of Boscastle from future flash flooding begins next month. Contractor Carillion will be carrying out the work to lower and widen the River Valency which passes through the village
Tesco demand further investigations into Gerrards Cross

19-Sep-2006
Supermarket giant Tesco has still to submit revised plans for its troubled Gerrards Cross store to Network Rail for approval almost three months after its contractor Costain concluded its review of the project.
UK dam safety plan unveiled by Environment Agency

19-Sep-2006
Plans for a system for recording 'near-miss' incidents at UK dams have been unveiled by the Environment Agency.
In the papers today - 19 September

19-Sep-2006
Paul Wolfowitz, president of the World Bank suffered a setback yesterday after the bank's shareholders insisted that they would have the final say on implementing his flagship anti-corruption strategy.
Bidders announced for rail franchises

19-Sep-2006
The Department for Transport today announced the qualified bidders for the new cross country; east midlands and west midlands rail franchises.
Balfour Beatty scoops £320M Government contract

19-Sep-2006
Balfour Beatty yesterday won a seven year, £320M contract to provide office support services to the Department for Work and Pensions.
RCS to be renamed as Balfour Beatty Infrastructure Services

18-Sep-2006
Highways term maintenance contractor RCS, part of the Balfour Beatty Group, has announced that it will rebrand as Balfour Beatty Infrastructure Services
Explosions close railway line

18-Sep-2006
A number of explosions in a plastics factory near Slough caused chaos on the mainline from Paddington to Reading yesterday.
WSP acquires new US consultant

18-Sep-2006
WSP today announced the acquisition of a leading US consultant, Environmental Strategies Consulting, which will add to its expertise in the environmental sector.
In the papers today - 18 September

18-Sep-2006
Lord Sterling of Plaistow, the former chairman of ferries group P&O, is behind a major push to restore regular river services on the River Thames. The businessman, who helped organise the celebrations for the Queen's Silver and Golden Jubilees, wants improved river transport to be a lasting legacy of the 2012 Olympic Games.
In the papers today - Friday 15 September

15-Sep-2006
AWG, the owner of Anglian Water, is in takeover talks with a four-party consortium that includes a Canadian government pension fund, an Australian fund manager and 3i, the UK private equity group. The company is valued at about £2.2bn. Financial Times
Driverless trains installed at Heathrow Terminal 5

15-Sep-2006
A major transport milestone has been reached on the Terminal 5 construction programme as the project nears the 85% completion mark.
Age discrimination laws to cost UK construction 'substantial amounts of money', warn lawyers

15-Sep-2006
New laws coming into force in October could hit construction firms financially, lawyers warned yesterday.
Government gives Thames reservoir a cautious welcome

15-Sep-2006
Thames Water's plans for a new reservoir near Abingdon, Oxfordshire, were yesterday given a cautious welcome by the Government's Consumer Council for Water (CCWater).
News Flash: Spanish airport roof collapse

14-Sep-2006
An airport terminal roof under construction collapsed this morning on the Spanish island of Menorca.
Big business backs London's road charging scheme

14-Sep-2006
Nationwide road user charging proposals received a major boost this week after it emerged that big businesses in the capital are strongly in favour of a London-wide scheme.
Environment Agency asked to look again at water grid

14-Sep-2006
Engineers this week questioned claims by the Environment Agency that a national water grid to transfer water from sparsely populated regions to the south east would be expensive to implement.
BAA says Ferrovial will keep hands off frameworks

14-Sep-2006
Airport operator BAA last week moved to reassure framework suppliers that its new owner Ferrovial would not interfere with its 10 year, £9.5bn infrastructure spend.
In the papers today - September 14

14-Sep-2006
Geologists say that large parts of central Moscow are at risk of collapsing 'like a pack of cards' because the ground under some buildings has been weakened by subterranean shopping centres and car parks. There have been three incidences in the past week when the ground has simply opened up, pulling anything on the surface downwards - The Independent
Work completed on Ebbsfleet International - the ultimate park-and-ride station

13-Sep-2006
Main works on the Channel Tunnel Rail Link's Thames Gateway station were completed this week. Ebbsfleet International sits east of the M25 between Dartford and Gravesend in Kent and will be the second stop for Eurostar trains heading out of London's St Pancras after Stratford International.
Network Rail and Amey fined over derailment

13-Sep-2006
Network Rail and Amey Rail have been fined a total of £500,000 and ordered to pay £40,000 costs at the Old Bailey after pleading guilty to causing a major train derailment in south west London almost four years ago.
HSE uses cartoons to push safety message

13-Sep-2006
safety rules could start appearing on construction sites in the UK as a more direct way of imposing safe working practice, the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) said on Tuesday.
In the papers today - 13 September

13-Sep-2006
Drax, the power generator, is to pay out £326m to shareholders in a special dividend after its first-half earnings soared more than 20 times on the back of high electricity prices.
In the papers today - 12 September

12-Sep-2006
Bovis Homes looks set to get approval to build 3,000 new homes at Wellingborough in Northamptonshire, securing a key part of its strategy to reposition itself as a mid-market housebuilder.
Olympic cement mill to be built by Cemex

12-Sep-2006
Cemex yesterday announced plans to construct a new grinding and blending facility for the manufacturing of blended cements in the UK, at the Port of Tilbury near London.
Waterloo & City line reopened

12-Sep-2006
London Underground's Waterloo & City line reopened yesterday after a £40 million major upgrade by to increase capacity and improve service.
How will climate change affect me?

11-Sep-2006
A project to communicate the possible impacts of climate change by taking it from the global perspective down to the local and answering the question 'How will climate change affect me?' was announced at the weekend.
US owes London £900,000 in congestion charges

11-Sep-2006
The US Embassy in London now owes £891,000 to Transport for London in unpaid congestion charges and fines, making America by far the worst offender in terms of unpaid charges and penalties.
New US director for Halcrow

11-Sep-2006
Halcrow has appointed a regional director for the US West Coast.
In the papers today - 11 September

11-Sep-2006
Wind energy is an emotive subject on the Isle of Wight, with campaigners in the middle of a bitter battle against proposals for a wind farm on the island.The staunch opposition is an irony not lost on some of the island's biggest companies, whose growth has been fuelled by the booming global demand for wind power. - Financial Times
Hochtief's Paddington Bridge wins rail civils prize

8-Sep-2006
Hochtief won the Civil Engineering Award for its Paddington Bridge project at last night's National Rail Awards 2006 in London.
In the papers today 8 September

8-Sep-2006
The gas and electricity supplier npower yesterday became the first power company to announce three price rises in less than a year. The company said it was increasing gas bills by 17.2% and electricity prices by 9.9% for its six million domestic customers.
EA slams national water grid

8-Sep-2006
The Environment Agency yesterday slammed the idea of a £15bn large-scale water grid from the north of England or Wales quenching the thirst of the South East.
New nuclear security attacked by parliamentary committee

8-Sep-2006
Specifying nuclear power is not the route to energy security claimed the House of Commons Trade and Industry Committee this week in its conclusions on new nuclear power.
In the papers today - September 7

7-Sep-2006
London City could be the next British airport to fall into foreign hands as the shortlist of around six bidders includes only one UK company. Construction group Balfour Beatty has teamed up with US bank Merrill Lynch to bid for the Docklands airport, which handled almost 2m passengers last year - The Telegraph
Emirates stadium team tipped to build 2012 venue

7-Sep-2006
The team that built Arsenal's Emirates stadium is odds-on to construct London's Olympic stadium, it was revealed this week.
Carillion axes 300 rail jobs

7-Sep-2006
Carillion Rail is shutting 15 depots and cutting 300 staff from its rail division, the contractor revealed yesterday.
Latest construction orders statistics released

7-Sep-2006
Orders in the twelve months to July 2006 rose by 8% compared with the previous 12 months, and orders in the three months to July 2006 rose by 6% compared to the same period a year earlier.
Metronet faces £700k fine for Waterloo & City delays

7-Sep-2006
Tube contractor Metronet faces a fine of at least £715,000 after completing the £40M Waterloo and City Line upgrade ten days late.
New Overground rail system for London

5-Sep-2006
London Mayor Ken Livingstone this week announced plans for a new 'London Overground' rail network to reinstate disused commuter lines with a £400M package of improvement.
Bechtel too expensive says Livingstone

5-Sep-2006
Bechtel lost out on managing construction of London's Olympic Park because it was too expensive, London Mayor Ken Livingstone confirmed yesterday.
WSP poised for acquisition

5-Sep-2006
Consultant WSP said this week that it was poised for a 'big acquisition' in a bid to make itself a premier player in UK transport and infrastructure.
Steel and glass palace opens in Kazakhstan

5-Sep-2006
A radical steel and glass pyramid was opened this week in Astana, Kazakhstan after a blistering 21 month procurement and construction programme.
In the papers today - 5 September

5-Sep-2006
Construction activity in the UK accelerated last month to its fastest rate in five months despite a sharp fall in house building, a survey showed yesterday. The Chartered Institute for Purchasing and Supply said its index for the sector rose to 54.5 in August from 53.2 in July, driven by commercial building activity - The Independent
Atkins to help London businesses save money

5-Sep-2006
Atkins has been appointed by the London Development Agency (LDA) to develop a new green business support service which will help London-based companies to improve their environmental performance, save money and become more competitive.
Hard shoulder running trial set to go live

5-Sep-2006
A week today motorists in the West Midlands will become the first in Britain to use the hard shoulder as a running lane to cut congestion during busy periods.
New £5M quay opens at Teignmouth port

4-Sep-2006
Port operator ABP has expanded its cargo-handling operation at Teignmouth thanks to the opening of the £5M Western Quays development
Work starts on east coast flood scheme

4-Sep-2006
Work began on Friday on a major £7.9M flood alleviation scheme in Lowestoft, Norfolk.
In the papers today - September 4

4-Sep-2006
British Nuclear Fuels is expected to reject a bid of up to £400m for British Nuclear Group - which cleans up the Sellafield nuclear site - from Fluor of the US. BNFL, which is owned by the Government and is overseeing the sale of BNG, may tell the Texas-based company as early as this week that its unexpected bid for the company early last week will not succeed - The Daily Telegraph
Small rise in construction output

1-Sep-2006
Construction output for the second quarter (Q2) of the year was the same as in 2005, and was 1% higher than in the first quarter (Q1) of the year, the Department for Trade & Industry has reported.
In the papers today - September 1

1-Sep-2006
Business leaders are growing increasingly concerned about the Forth Road Bridge which is suffering from corrosion of its main suspension cables and could face significant restrictions on heavy goods vehicles by 2013. Tavish Scott, Scotland's transport minister, approved preparatory work in March for a new crossing, which consultants estimate could cost at least £500m and take up to 11 years to build - The Financial Times
Thames Water withdraws drought order as water supply levels in London increase

1-Sep-2006
Thames Water announced today that it has withdrawn its application to the Department for Food and Rural Affairs for a drought order for London.
Kier expands design business

1-Sep-2006
Kier's specialist engineering design business, Kier Engineering Services (KES) yesterday announced it was expanding its operations in the UK and opening up its services to all of Kier's clients, as well as continuing its traditional support for Kier companies.
Contractors swap trucks for a ship in green initiative

1-Sep-2006
A ship hired by Barr Construction set sail today to transport 1500 tonnes of materials from Grangemouth to the site of the new environmentally friendly Tesco store in Wick. The alternative was to use 75 trucks.
Pick Everard wins Wessex Water security job

31-Aug-2006
Engineering and architectural practice Pick Everard is working with Wessex Water to upgrade security at its sites in line with new government requirements.
Lean construction courses launched

31-Aug-2006
New training courses in lean construction techniques are being launched this week in a bid to improve on-site efficiency and reduce waste.
In the papers today - 31 August

31-Aug-2006
Rail companies are trying to wean business customers off air and car journeys by making 3G or wi-fi internet available on their trains.
CLM beats Bechtel to key London 2012 job

31-Aug-2006
CLM, the joint venture company set up between US programme manager CH2M Hill, Laing O'Rourke and Mace, was yesterday appointed to manage construction of London's Olympic Park for the 2012 Games.
In the papers today - August 30

30-Aug-2006
Thames Water is to cut a quarter of its workforce over the next four years, but insists that workmen who are dealing with leaking pipes will not be affected. The company confirmed yesterday that it plans to make 1,200 staff redundant as part of a cost cutting programme, as revealed in The Times earlier this month.Back-office staff and middle managers are expected to bear the brunt of the job cuts, which are designed to make the water company more attractive to potential buyers ...
Thames consult on Oxfordshire resevoir

30-Aug-2006
Thames Water is to launch a public consultation on plans to build a new reservoir at Abbingdon, Oxfordshire next month.
Construction set to start on £15M A74 crossing

30-Aug-2006
Consultant Carl Bro has just completed design of a £15M bridge that will cross the West Coast Main Line north of Carlisle.
Fire's structural impact investigated

30-Aug-2006
Research has started into ways of predicting the way in which fire will spread, its impact on a structure, and the way people caught in the blaze will behave.
Costain makes losses on everything but civils

30-Aug-2006
Civil engineering was the only profitable business area for Costain as it reported a £21.9M pre-tax loss today.
Scarborough to implement £30M integrated transport project

29-Aug-2006
Following many years of hard work and lobbying by the County and Borough Councils the Transport Minister, Gillian Merron, has finally approved funding for the Scarborough Integrated Transport Scheme.
Tube Lines renews 763m of Piccadilly Line track over bank holiday weekend

29-Aug-2006
The work was carried out over 76-hours between Park Royal and North Ealing stations on the east bound track. The work ended early this morning in time for the start of the morning services.
In the papers today - 29 August

29-Aug-2006
The former capital of the East German state of Saxony, Dresden, faces the prospect of losing its hard-won and recently gained status as a Unesco world heritage site because of an apparently un-winnable dispute over a road traffic bridge project.
Construction industry debt on the rise warn experts

29-Aug-2006
In a survey of the UK's top 2000 civil engineering companies industry specialist Plimsoll Publishing has found that 618 are more in debt than they were four years ago.
Carillion blasted again over rail safety in report by government

29-Aug-2006
The Rail Accident Investigation branch of the Department for Transport, has criticised contractor Carillion and sub contractor Schweizer following an accident, which killed a man at Trafford Park in 2005.
Enter NCE/Practical Photography Engineering Image 2006 competition

25-Aug-2006
Don't forget to get your entries in for the NCE/Practical Photography Engineering Image 2006 competition.
World Bank issues amnesty for whistleblowers

25-Aug-2006
The World Bank is cracking down on international corruption in infrastructure projects by launching an amnesty on naming and shaming encounters with corrupt officials.
In the papers today - 25 August

25-Aug-2006
British Airways yesterday joined the campagin for radical restructuring of BAA by urging for separate ownership of Heathrow and Stansted.
Balfour hints at future consultancy purchase

25-Aug-2006
Cash rich Balfour Beatty said this week that it was looking to snap up a consultant to boost its intellectual capability in transport and infrastructure.
New Orleans considers Thames Barrier style flood defences

25-Aug-2006
US engineers are working on plans install two flood control barriers to protect New Orleans from devastating storm surges, it emerged this week.
Human traffickers to target London's Olympic boom

24-Aug-2006
Organised crime specialists are warning the Olympic Delivery Authority and contractors to watch out for an epidemic of illegal immigrant workers being offered as cheap labour in the run up to the London 2012 Games.
Consultant accused of corruption in Indonesia

24-Aug-2006
Consultant WSP International is under investigation by the Indonesian government for alleged corruption on two World Bank-funded road projects, it was revealed this week.
In the papers today - 24 August

24-Aug-2006
Wembley, one of the forerunners to host the first super-casino has withdrawn from the contest after a surprise decision by Brent council last night. The move tilts the odds towards the Millenium Dome in south London winning the right to build a giant casino as only one of which will be allowed by the government The Financial Times
Refugees swamp charities

24-Aug-2006
Charities were this week struggling to help thousands of refugees fleeing a guerrilla war being waged in northern Sri Lanka between the government and Tamil separatists.
Wembley contractor: we won't work for UK clients anymore

24-Aug-2006
Contractor Multiplex this week vowed to stop working for clients in the UK, after a harrowing year at the mercy of clients on Wembley Stadium and the White City redevelopment in West London.
In the papers today - August 23

23-Aug-2006
Hull, Portsmouth and Cardiff were named yesterday as the British cities most likely to face New Orleans-style flooding. The warning was issued yesterday by flood defence experts as the country braces itself for an imminent series of extremely high tides, raising fears of a repeat of the devastation of 1953 - The Times
Carl Bro to grow after going Dutch

23-Aug-2006
Consultant Carl Bro is looking to grow its UK transport, water and environmental businesses over the next year following last week's acquisition of the firm by Dutch consultant Grontmij.
T5 terror changes ruled out

23-Aug-2006
Heathrow airport operator BAA has ruled out making any changes to the layout of Terminal 5 in the wake of the alleged terrorist plot to blow up transatlantic flights.
New Orleans to get 'Thames Barrier'

23-Aug-2006
U.S. engineers are working on plans install two flood control barriers to protect New Orleans from devastating storm surges, it emerged this week.
Depleted charities struggle in Sri Lanka

23-Aug-2006
Charities were this week struggling to help thousands of refugees fleeing a guerrilla war being waged in northern Sri Lanka between the government and Tamil separatists.
Tyne Crossing appeal dismissed

22-Aug-2006
The lone legal protester against the New Tyne Crossing has reached the end of the road this week.
Industry carbon trading scheme expanded

22-Aug-2006
The Government yesterday expanded its carbon trading scheme to cover an additional 160 facilities in the UK.
In the papers today - 22 August

22-Aug-2006
Commuters could face slower journeys under plans to conserve energy by teaching train drivers to accelerate less quickly and coast where possible.
Underground staions to get more than a lick of paint

22-Aug-2006
Tube Lines, the company responsible for rebuilding the Tube's busiest lines, is overhauling Belsize Park, Hampstead, Archway, Bounds Green and Cockfosters stations as part of its station upgrade programme for 2006-7.
ACE launches aviation and maritime group

21-Aug-2006
The Association for Consultancy and Engineering (ACE) expanded its interests last week by creating an Aviation and Maritime Sector Interest Group.
In the papers today - 21 August

21-Aug-2006
Germany's construction sector has emerged from and economic slump, according to German economists.
Scotland rail services inspection completed

21-Aug-2006
Inspectors begin inspecting rail services this week on the Inverness to Kyle of Lochalsh line - completing the roll-out of the customer services performance regime to all rail services in Scotland.
UK and Norway must work together moer closely to secure energy supplies says Minister

21-Aug-2006
The UK must work closely with Norway if we are to meet the twin challenges of ensuring our energy supply is both secure and clean, Malcolm Wicks, Minister for Energy said today.
Tolls should stay on the Forth Road bridge say officials

18-Aug-2006
The Forth Estuary Transport Authority (FETA) has set out the case for retaining tolls on the Forth Road Bridge.
Multiplex to pull out from White City Construction Contract

18-Aug-2006
Multiplex Group announced today that fellow Australian developer Westfield Group would take over the remaining design and construction works for the White City development project, effective immediately.
ODA sets out Delivery Partner procurement process

18-Aug-2006
The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) today set out the steps it has taken to procure the project manager (delivery partner) for London's 2012 Olympics.
Olympic city shortlist revealed

18-Aug-2006
The contest to build London's Olympic city, including the 2012 Athlete's Village, became a three horse race yesterday.
In the papers today - 18 August

18-Aug-2006
Powerful private sector business leaders have pledged to rebuild Lebanon's shattered bridges in a show of unity over post war reconstruction. Former prime minister Najib Mikati and a leading telecommunications advisor kicked off the reconstruction frenzy by appointing Dar al-Handassah to rebuild the Madfoun bridge linking north Lebanon to the capital The Financial Times
Government to spend £4.5 million on marine energy technology

18-Aug-2006
The DTI's Marine Renewables Deployment Fund has granted £4.5M to an ambitious, deep-sea electricity socket, to be sited in the waters 10 miles off the Cornish coast.
Construction firms must act to reduce waste says Envirowise

18-Aug-2006
Construction firms are being urged to take early action on waste before the planned enforcement of Site Waste Management Plans (SWMPs) next year.
Olympic planning team chosen

18-Aug-2006
The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) yesterday announced the membership of its proposed Planning Committee
Sellafield installs equipment to speed up clean-up

17-Aug-2006
One of Europe's largest cranes was in action at Sellafield over the weekend as British Nuclear Group installed a major piece of equipment essential for the clean up of its pile fuel storage pond.
In the papers today - 17 August

17-Aug-2006
Cleaning up the sites of Britain's ageing or defunct nuclear power stations will cost 'significantly' more than the current £70bn estimate, a committee of MPs has claimed. Each time inspectors have looked at sites such as Sellafield, they have found new problems that have pushed up estimated costs - The Independent
Demolished contractor rises from rubble

17-Aug-2006
Nearly a year after going into administration, contractor Controlled Demolition yesterday announced its intention to go forward with a new boss, new management structure and a new name.
Northern Ireland begins major water supply investment programme

17-Aug-2006
Work began yesterday on enhancing Northern Ireland's water supply.
Carillion banned from Network Rail jobs

16-Aug-2006
Network Rail today suspended contractor Carillion Rail from bidding for any new business for the immediate future until its workforce safety performance improves.
Recent acquisitions push up Balfour Beatty forward order book to £8.8bn

16-Aug-2006
In the company interim results announced today Balfour Beatty announced a record forward order book of £8.8bn, boosted by the acquisition of rails, civil and roads businesses.
Forth Road Bridge motorway link on schedule says progress report

16-Aug-2006
Construction of the motorway link between the Forth Road Bridge and the M9 and M8 is right on schedule, a progress report to the Forth Estuary Transport Authority (FETA) confirmed today.
In the papers today - 16 August

16-Aug-2006
Millions of Tube passengers face chaos for the rest of the summer because of three disputes that could lead to strikes by London Underground staff.
Card Geotechnics win regeneration contract next to Olympic Park

16-Aug-2006
Card Geotechnics will provide geo-environmental consultancy services to developer Telford Homes on the development of a commercial and residential scheme overlooking the future Olympic Park.
Judith Armit announced as new chief executive of the Thames Gateway

15-Aug-2006
Ruth Kelly, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government,has today confirmed the appointment of Judith Armitt, as the new chief executive of the Thames Gateway.
M80 to get a £2.5M facelift

15-Aug-2006
A £2.5M project to deliver vital maintenance works on the M80, one of Scotland's major motorway routes, is to get underway next week.
In the papers today - 15 August

15-Aug-2006
Three of the UK's biggest airlines have united to call on the British Airports Authority to pay some of the estimated £250M in costs run up during the security crisis began.
Management buy out Concrete Repairs Limited from MJ Gleeson

15-Aug-2006
The senior management team at Concrete Repairs Limited (CRL) has announced its acquisition of the issued share capital for CRL from M. J. Gleeson Group plc.
In the papers today - 14 August

14-Aug-2006
Oil prices may get further relief this week after BP said during the weekend it would keep pumping crude from the western half of Alaska's Prudhoe Bay, the largest US oil field, while it replaces corroded pipe in the eastern half.
Jacobs wins fire contract

14-Aug-2006
Jacobs Engineering Group has been awarded a three-year contract to provide multi-disciplinary services to the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority (LFEPA).
Christmas upgrade for London to Brighton line

14-Aug-2006
Network Rail has announced £3M of upgrade works on the London-Brighton Line will take place over three days between Christmas and the New Year.
Scottish bus merger to lead to higher fares, says trading watchdog

14-Aug-2006
The joint venture between Stagecoach and Scottish Citylink could lead to higher fares and reduced service levels for their coach passengers on the Glasgow-Aberdeen and Edinburgh-Inverness routes, the Competition Commission (CC) claimed on Friday.
In the papers today - August 11

11-Aug-2006
Turkey has revived plans for a dam that will force more than 50,000 people from their homes and destroy the remains of Hasankeyf, one of the oldest towns in the world. The Ilisu project stalled four years ago when Balfour Beatty pulled out, but Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday confirmed a consortium headed by Austria's VA Tech Hydro has agreed to build it - The Independent
Olympic city shortlist revealed

11-Aug-2006
The contest to build London's Olympic city, including the 2012 Athlete's Village, became a three horse race yesterday.
Olympic planning team chosen

11-Aug-2006
The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) yesterday announced the membership of its proposed Planning Committee.
Scottish Parliament repairs wont cost taxpayers say officials

10-Aug-2006
The Scottish Parliament reiterated today its commitment to public safety and to redeeming costs to the public purse over the strengthening the Scottish Parliament Building's debating chamber roof.
Government to give go ahead to London Gateway port

10-Aug-2006
The huge new London Gateway port has taken a step closer to construction with confirmation from Government that it is still 'minded' to give the project the go ahead.
In the papers today - 10 August

10-Aug-2006
Thames water found itself in familiar territory yesterday after being criticised for high prices and leaking pipes in Jakarta, the Indonesian capital, the Guardian has learned.
Airports in chaos as MI5 prevent mass terror attack

10-Aug-2006
'The current threat level is assessed as critical. This means that an attack is expected imminently and indicates an extremely high level of threat to the UK,' announced security service MI5 this morning.'
In the papers today - 9 August

9-Aug-2006
Britain's first recycling van to run on vegetable oil left over from industrial food-frying has hit the streets in Poole, Dorset.
Structural awards shortlist revealed

9-Aug-2006
The Institution of Structural Engineers (IStructE) yesterday unveiled the 2006 shortlist for its Structural Awards, with 38 projects nominated across ten categories.
More repair pane for Scottish Parliament

9-Aug-2006
Four windows in the Scottish Parliament building must be replaced after manufacturing defects in the glass caused them to crack when they expanded and contracted during hot and cold weather, NCE can reveal this week.
Paris bridge is not wobbly says designer

9-Aug-2006
The designer of a new lightweight footbridge in Paris this week denied French press reports that it wobbles like London's infamous Millennium Bridge.
Lawyers warn contractors over NEC3

9-Aug-2006
Contractors could be forced to foot the bill and face legal action, for delays caused by the client on Olympic projects, construction lawyers warned this week.
Construction orders rising fast in commercial and industrial development

8-Aug-2006
Construction orders rose by eight per cent in the 12 months to June 2006 announced the Department of Trade and Industry this week.
More Olympic winners annouced

8-Aug-2006
Olympic bosses yesterday confirmed the 14 specialist contractors for the remediation of the London 2012 park.
In the papers today - 8 August

8-Aug-2006
Structural engineers have been called in by the London Borough of Hackney gauge the full extent of damage caused by one resident's 40 years' worth of tunnelling.
ODA challenges contractors

7-Aug-2006
The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) has challenged contractors to prove their green credentials after publishing its draft 'Sustainability Principles' last week
Mott MacDonald win Palm Jumierah contract

7-Aug-2006
Mott MacDonald has been appointed by client Nakheel to provide engineering and site supervision services for a new $400 million monorail on the Palm Jumeirah complex off Dubai, UAE
In the papers today - 7 August

7-Aug-2006
The Football Association has denied that it has waived financial penalties of £40M payable by Wembley Stadium contractor Multiplex in a bid to get the stadium completed faster The Guardian
Millions of workers ill

4-Aug-2006
TWO MILLION workers suffer ill health which they believe was caused or made worse by work, research by the Health & Safety Executive has revealed.
In the papers today - 4th August

4-Aug-2006
Sweden's nuclear power regulator may close down all 10 of the country's reactors, after problems at one plant forced it to be shut down and two other were switched off as a safety precaution.Last week's failure of a back-up power system at a reactor operated by Vattenfall, the Swedish energy company, activated the reactor's emergency systems and forced its closure. - Financial Times
In the papers today - 3rd August

3-Aug-2006
Massive funding cuts at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) is threatening waste management, canal repair and flood defence projects. About £200M has been cut from DEFRA's budget due to costs overrunning on existing projects. The Environment Agency is set to experience the biggest cuts at £24M. Construction of new flood defences is expected to go ahead, but maintenance of them will be cut back. - The Independent
ICE nominates Halcrow engineer for Karen Burt Memorial Award

3-Aug-2006
Halcrow Yolles engineer Catherine Richards has been nominated by the Institution of Civil Engineers for the Karen Burt Memorial Award.
Clinton launches climate change initiative

3-Aug-2006
A partnership between former US president Bill Clinton's Clinton Climate Initiative (CCI) and the Large Cities Climate Leadership Group, chaired by London Mayor Ken Livingstone, was formed yesterday in California.
In the papers today - 2nd August

2-Aug-2006
Speed limits on all rural roads are to be reviewed in the light of figures that show motorists are 3½ times more likely to die driving in the countryside than in towns.The government will order local authorities to reconsider the limits on all roads this month, particularly rural ones, where 63 per cent of road deaths happen. Ministers believe that the default 60mph on rural roads is too high in many cases, but they also want the limit raised on some 30mph and 40mph roads, where the ...
Leakage rates rise as the sun shines

2-Aug-2006
Pipe bursts are on the increase across the UK because of the extreme weather conditions water companies told NCE this week.
A third of the UK could be used to host nuclear waste say experts

2-Aug-2006
Over a third of the UK is suitable for use as an underground repository for nuclear waste, waste management firm Nirex confirmed this week.
Capita Symonds graduate engineer wins UK transport planner of the year competition

2-Aug-2006
Chris Gent from Capita Symonds has been crowned UK transport planner of the year for his use of PLUTO - a computer based transport policy explorer - to tackle the problems of a hypothetical town.
Wembley Stadium won't host FA Cup final 2007 say contractors

1-Aug-2006
Wembley Stadium contractor Multiplex has admitted that it is unlikely that the stadium will be completed before October 2007 - thus handing the prestigious FA Cup Final to Cardiff for a seventh consecutive year.
In the papers today - 1 August

1-Aug-2006
Britain and California are to sign a new carbon trading agreement, side-stepping opposition from President George Bush. The announcement that could eventually bring California into the European carbon market was announced yesterday by Tony Blair and Arnold Schwarzenegger, California's Governor.
Carillion and HSBC win £1.5bn Ministry of Defence project

1-Aug-2006
A £1.15bn, 25 year contract for the redevelopment, management and operation of facilities on the Northwood Headquarters site was announced by Defence Minister Tom Watson today.
Halcrow to track buses in Swindon

1-Aug-2006
Halcrow is to lead a new partnering project with Swindon Borough Council to deliver real-time travel information to bus users in Swindon.
Mouchel Parkman win five year highways contract

1-Aug-2006
Mouchel Parkman's Bristol office has picked up a five-year contract to support South Gloucestershire Council's highways and transport-related services team.
New nuclear engineering doctorate centre opened

1-Aug-2006
The University of Manchester's Dalton Nuclear Institute and Imperial College London have combined forces this week to launch the UK's first Nuclear Engineering Doctorate Centre to provide specific training and qualification in nuclear engineering.
Civils workload rises but small firms miss out

31-Jul-2006
Civil engineering workload continues to rise but small firms are experiencing no benefit, according to the latest survey of workload trends by the Civil Engineering Contractors Association.
Household fly tipping costing councils as much as commercial waste

31-Jul-2006
New data shows that fly-tipping by householders is now costing local authorities as much to clean up as waste dumped by organised waste criminals.
In the papers today

31-Jul-2006
A swathe of job cuts at Great North Eastern Railways looks increasingly likely as the train operator's troubled parent company Sea Containers seeks to cut costs and avoid a liquidation of its business.
New environmental indicators show UK is improving its performance

31-Jul-2006
Water pipe leakage, aviation emissions, household waste levels and childhood obesity have all increased over the past five years, a new report by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said this week.
In the papers today - 28 July

28-Jul-2006
Shops and residents were asked to turn off their air conditioning units after power cuts hit central London yesterday, resulting in the closure of Oxford Circus Underground station during peak hours.
Benaim becomes Patron of RedR-IHE

28-Jul-2006
Civil, structural and geotechnical consulting engineers Benaim have become a new patron of RedR-IHE. Benaim joins 20 other RedR-IHE Patrons that provide regular financial support - allowing the organisation to respond to disasters immediately.
Tube back to normal after landslide

28-Jul-2006
The Piccadilly Line of the London Underground tube network is back to normal today after a landslide forced the evacuation of 600 passengers yesterday evening.
Water burst causes flooding in Hammersmith

27-Jul-2006
Thames Water engineers are today inspecting the 500mm water supply pipe that burst in Hammersmith, West London last night.
Thames Water tops league of environmental polluters

27-Jul-2006
Thames Water has been named as the company most fined for polluting the environment in 2005.
In the papers today - 27 July

27-Jul-2006
An endangered snail that almost prevented construction of the A34 Newbury bypass is now extinct despite developers promises to protect it, campaigners said yesterday.
Titanic docks to be rebuilt by Lagan Construction

27-Jul-2006
In a £3.2M infrastructure contract Lagan Construction will open up a historic site on Belfast's dockland for redevelopment as part of a massive regeneration programme to breathe new life into the area.
First business relocates to make way for the Olympic Park

27-Jul-2006
In the week that the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) launches its Olympic Park delivery programme, the Mayor of Newham, Sir Robin Wales, will today formally mark the first business relocation to make way for the Olympics.
In the papers today - 25 July

26-Jul-2006
Christopher Garnett has resigned as chief executive of train operator GNER only days before the High Court rules on the company's attempt to quash a decision by the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR).
Nynas signs new deal to supply bitumen to the Shetlands

26-Jul-2006
A three year contract to continue to supply the Shetland Islands Council with bitumen has recently been awarded to Nynas Bitumen.
Highways Agency trials screw piles for large structures

26-Jul-2006
Screw pile foundations have been used for the first time for the installation of cantilevered variable message sign (VMS) gantries in a pilot project for the Highways Agency, it was revealed this week.
London low emission zone plans 'uneconomic' say businesses

26-Jul-2006
Plans announced this week by London Mayor Ken Livingstone, to make the capital a low emission zone by 2008 have been criticised as uneconomic.
Banks put their trust in engineers

26-Jul-2006
Following new guidance published by the Joint Money Laundering Steering Group (JMLSG) and accepted by the Treasury, engineers will now be accepted as certifiers of documentary evidence for bank customers.
In the papers today - 25 July

25-Jul-2006
EDF Energy is increasing its fuel prices by up to 19% - the second raft of prices this year. From July 31 it will charge 19% more for gas and 8% more for electricity Financial Times
Eddington transport study delayed

25-Jul-2006
Publication of former BA chairman Sir Rod Eddington's government-commissioned study of Britain's long-term transport needs has been delayed until November.
Work starts on £175M upgrade of 'Cumbria Gap'

25-Jul-2006
Transport secretary Douglas Alexander has this morning performed the official start of work ceremony for the £175M project to bring the A74 in Cumbria up to motorway status.
South East calls for £80M Reading Station rail improvements

25-Jul-2006
Government funding to remove the national rail bottleneck at Reading Station would reduce delays and make train journeys quicker for 30 million passengers a year, the South East England Regional Transport Board said today.
Contractors need more protection from the heat, lawyers warn

24-Jul-2006
Laws protecting employees from the effects of abnormally high temperatures remain weak, despite health and safety legislation indicating minimum temperatures below which workers should not have to work.
Scott Wilson's share price climbing steadily

24-Jul-2006
Scott Wilson's share price was up 6p this morning, after the announcement of the group's annual results last week - it's first results announcement as a Stock Exchange listed company.
Rail regulator publishes final report into Hatfield rail disaster

24-Jul-2006
The Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) has today published the final report by the Independent Investigation Board set up by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) to oversee its investigation into the October 2000 Hatfield train derailment.
More innovation needed from manufacturers if they are to reap rewards in emerging markets

24-Jul-2006
A new report by business advisory firm Deloitte is warning that manufacturers must tailor their products, pricing and strategies specifically to Asian, Eastern European and Latin American countries, if they are to realise the enormous potential of these emerging economies.
New Asian business acquisition for Hyder Consulting

24-Jul-2006
Hyder Consulting's East Asia subsidiary has acquired master planning and landscape architecture consultancy, ACLA, which operates primarily in China and Hong Kong, with small offices in Singapore, Dubai and India.
in the papers today - 24 July

24-Jul-2006
The cat's eye, invented in 1934, is to undergo a major high-tech overhaul.
Government approves A3 Hindhead tunnel scheme

21-Jul-2006
Senior government ministers Doug Alexander, Ruth Kelly, and David Milliband, yesterday said that they were 'minded to accept' a public inquiry inspector's recommendation in favour of construction of the A3 Hindhead tunnel in Surrey.
In the papers today - 21st July

21-Jul-2006
Paris has its own wobbly bridge after the Simone de Beauvoir footbridge was reported to be 'trembling'. It opened on the 13th of July with a new floating swimming pool as part of the extension of the Paris Plage - the capitals urban beach. Meetings will be held tomorrow to discuss a solution to the problemThe Independent
Costain win job in Pakistan.

21-Jul-2006
Costain has been awarded the engineer, procure and construction support for the Kirthar concession in the Sindh province in Pakistan.
New training venues to be set up across the UK

21-Jul-2006
Plans for 2012 training camps across the UK were unveiled yesterday by the London Organising Committee for the Olympic Games (LOCOG).
In the papers today - 20th July

20-Jul-2006
Research by consultant Hyder shows the UK is in the grip of an environmental revolution. Around 95% of Britons surveyed said they were recycling household rubbish. Ten years ago that figure was only 7.5% The Independent
Government rules out new M6 toll road

20-Jul-2006
Transport Minister Steven Ladyman announced today that future capacity improvements on the M6 will not include construction of a new toll road.
Tory plans threaten rail freight, claims Rail Freight Group

20-Jul-2006
Conservative proposals to give passenger operators more control of the UK's rail network could seriously disadvantage freight, the Rail Freight Group (RFG) claimed yesterday.
Construction firms should tighten bullying policies say lawyers

20-Jul-2006
Construction businesses are being urged to urgently review their policy on workplace bullying following a landmark ruling in the House of Lords.
Tessa Jowell announces Olympic procurement plans

19-Jul-2006
The Olympic Delivery Authority confirmed today that it will be using NEC 3 to procure the Olympic Games construction projects. It also hinted that e-auctions would be used to negotiate prices. And it will be seeking Olympic 'site-wide' insurance cover.
In the papers today - 19 July

19-Jul-2006
Russia is wasting so much gas that its reputation as a reliable energy supplier to Europe could be wrecked, world energy watchdog the International Energy Agency has warned. Russia squanders 30bn cubic metres of gas every year, equivalent to a fifth of its annual exports, which could lead to it struggling to meet demand in the future The Telegraph
Tsunami reminds governments of need for advanced earthquake warning systems

19-Jul-2006
The tsunami that struck the Indonesian Island of Java this week should serve as yet another wake up call to the country's government on the need for an advance warning system, said earthquake experts.
Melting roads force councils to spray dust over highways

19-Jul-2006
Soaring temperatures have forced local authority engineers to employ gritting machines to protect bituminous road surfaces from melting in this week's record temperatures.
Nuclear waste should all be buried say experts

19-Jul-2006
Buclear Waste should be disposed of in a deep underground repository, government advisers will recommend later this month.
In the papers today - 18 July

18-Jul-2006
Ford Motor Company is to invest £1bn over the next six years in development of greener cars. The research and development will be carried out in the UK and will be used to design lighterweight models across their Ford, Jaguar, Land Rover and Volvo vehicle ranges.It will investigate a range of technologies including replacing steel with aluminium, new transmission systems, hybrid systems using electric motors along side the conventional internal combustion engine, and systems to encourage ..
New Orleans flood defences incomplete nearly two months into hurricane season.

18-Jul-2006
New Orleans' improved flood defences were this week still under construction, with contractors missing their deadline of the start of hurricane season on June 1 (NCE March 2).
Network Rail submit planning application for £400M King's Cross revamp

18-Jul-2006
Network Rail has announced that a planning application for the £400M redevelopment of King's Cross station has been submitted to Camden Council.
40% of all construction companies hit by crime

18-Jul-2006
Nearly half of all engineering and construction companies have been a victim of economic crime in the past year reveals a report published this week.
Scott Wilson's Geoff French to chair ACE International Business Group

18-Jul-2006
Scott Wilson chairman Geoff French is to chair ACE's new International Business Group, the Association for Consultancy and Engineering (ACE) has announced.
Capita Symonds appointed for HA Project Support Framework

17-Jul-2006
Capita Symonds is among 14 consultants appointed onto the Highways Agency Project Support Framework (PSF) agreement.
Conservatives launch new rail review

17-Jul-2006
The conservative party has today launched a rail review aimed at tackling overcrowding and high fares on the railways.
In the papers today - 17 July

17-Jul-2006
Campaign launched for new nuclear plants at Sellafield
Poland is to become the largest recipient of EU funds

14-Jul-2006
Some Eu60bn (£41bn) will be given to Poland over the next seven years in regional support overtaking Spain, the current highest recipient of EU grants.
Underground disposal for nuclear waste recommended

14-Jul-2006
Nuclear waste should be disposed of deep underground, government advisers will recommend later this month.
In the papers today - 14 July

14-Jul-2006
The costliest and most infamous road project in American history - Boston's Big Dig' road tunnel - has been hit by the biggest scandal of its troubled history after a concrete roof collapsed, killing a woman.Inspectors announced yesterday that they had found at least 60 more trouble spots in the tunnel where 12 tonnes of concrete ceiling tiles crushed the female car passenger on Monday.Thomas Reilly, the Massachusetts Attorney-General, said contractors had known there were problems ...
Katrina battered bridge replacement begins in New Orleans

14-Jul-2006
Construction began in New Orleans yesterday on a £436M road bridge to replace a viaduct badly during Hurricane Katrina.
In the papers today - 13 July

13-Jul-2006
Rock group Pearl Jam has promised to donate $100,000 (£54,456) to several groups that focus on climate change, renewable energy and other environmental causes as part of an effort to offset carbon emissions the band churns out on tour. 'Our carbon profile strategy is the newest component of our ongoing efforts to advance clean renewable energy and carbon mitigation,' the Seattle-based band said in a statement on its website. Cascade Land Conservancy and EarthCorps, which work to protect ...
Engineering Image summer round begins

13-Jul-2006
The summer round of the NCE and Practical Photography 'Engineering Image' photographic competition is now underway.
Carl Bro sold

13-Jul-2006
Consulant Carl Bro has been bought by Dutch firm Grontmij for £95M.
Railway safety at all-time high

13-Jul-2006
Safety on the railway is at an all-time high, figures in the Office of Rail Regulation's (ORR) Railway Safety Annual Report show.
Another series of rail strikes planned

13-Jul-2006
Rail workers are to stage a series of one day strikes starting next Friday after rail union RMT rejected a £2,500 per head pay rise.
In the papers today - 12 July

12-Jul-2006
A 12t concrete section Boston's 'Big Dig' road tunnel fell onto a passing car on Monday night killing the driver. Steel tie-backs which restrained the concrete are thought to have given way causing the ceiling section to fall. The stretch of tunnel is still closed ahead of a criminal investigation into the collapse beginning. - Guardian
Mains replacement work announced

12-Jul-2006
Thames Water yesterday confirmed the schedule for the next round of mains replacement work in London.
Gambrill leaves Crossrail

12-Jul-2006
Cross London Rail Links (CLRL) head of public affairs Bernard Gambrill is leaving at the end of this month after four years guiding the project through the hybrid bill process.
Big firms suffer in Highways Agency's drive for specialists

12-Jul-2006
Three top engineering consultancies were dumped by the Highways Agency this week as it looked to increase its use of specialist firms.
In the papers today - 11 July

11-Jul-2006
Large parts of England's industrial heritage will be lost because of the north-south economic divide, English Heritage claimed yesterday. It used the publication of its annual buildings-at-risk register to say that many 'dark, satanic mills' of the north were being left to decay while jewels of the South were saved - The Daily Telegraph
Young people want cheaper and more frequent public transport

11-Jul-2006
More needs to be done to make public transport attractive to young people, the South East England Regional Assembly said yesterday.
Nelson is once again squeaky clean

11-Jul-2006
Restoration of Nelson column in London's Trafalgar Square was completed today following a £470,000 programme of repair and cleaning work over the last two months.
Steams engine's 'missing link' a step closer to being found

11-Jul-2006
Steam engine enthusiasts moved a step closer to unravelling the debate over the origins of the steam power after the National Railway Museum this week purchased one of the oldest engines in the world.
Yet another Crossrail row breaks out

11-Jul-2006
A row broke out last week between Crossrail backers and the Rail Freight Group (RFG) over the sharing of scarce capacity on the Great Western and Great Eastern Mainline.
Improper plugging of diversion tunnel blamed for dam failure

11-Jul-2006
Owner of one of the world's largest dams, the 202m tall Campos Novos Dam in southern Brazil, this week played down the sudden, unplanned loss of its impounded water, late last month.
HSE demands site transport plans

10-Jul-2006
Contractors should ensure that they have a transport plan for sites and effective segregation of pedestrians and vehicles, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has warned, after a worker received serious injuries after being run over by a loaded 4t dumper truck.
British firms wins Russian decommissioning contract

10-Jul-2006
A joint venture between British Nuclear Group and Fluor has won a contract with the Russian Foundation for Environmental Safety of Power Engineering to assist with the decommissioning of Russia's nuclear powered navel fleet.
Latest structural design issues released

10-Jul-2006
Structural safety watchdog CROSS (confidential reporting on structural safety) has released its July newsletter which highlights the latest series of potential structural design and maintenance and construction issues brought to its attention.
In the papers today - 10 July 2006

10-Jul-2006
The government is considering taking over ownership of British Energy's nuclear sites to make it easier for companies such as Eon, EDF and RWE to build new reactors. The government, which owns two thirds of BE, is expected to pre-approve sites such as Sizewell in Suffolk, Dungeness in Kent and Hinckley Point in Somerset. This would reduce delays to construction of the plant - Financial Times
Great Western World Heritage bid opened up to the public

7-Jul-2006
English Heritage yesterday launched a consultation on which sections of the Great Westren Railway should be put forward in its bid for World Heritage site status.
In the papers today - 7 July 2006

7-Jul-2006
Tube passenger numbers would have been 30 million higher last year but for the 7 July bombings, according to London Underground. The network had been on course to carry over one billion passengers, up from the record 976 million the previous year - The Times.
South West hits out at Crossrail

7-Jul-2006
The South West Regional Assembly has told the select committee examining the Crossrail Bill that rail services in region could be set for a timewarp should the scheme go ahead.
Engineering Image Summer Round starts today

7-Jul-2006
Start snapping up images of construction and the built environment for the Engineering Image 2006 photo competition.
Ten year regional transport programmes announced

7-Jul-2006
Transport secretary Douglas Alexander yesterday delivered his long-awaited verdict on regional transport plans up to 2016.
Construction orders on the rise

6-Jul-2006
New construction orders in the 12 months to May 2006 rose by 9% compared with the previous twelve months, according to figures published today by the Department for Trade and Industry
In the papers today - 6th July 2006

6-Jul-2006
Rail services in Valencia resumed yesterday - two days after the country's worst underground accident left at least 41 people dead.
National Grid Transco seeks additional funding

6-Jul-2006
National Grid Electricity Transmission (NGET) has asked Ofgem, the gas and electricity regulator, to grant a further £35.77M to cover additional cost incurred running the grid over the past financial year.
New waste site to be built at Dounreay

6-Jul-2006
UK Atomic Energy Authority has applied for planning permission to build a new disposal facility for low level nuclear waste next to its Dounreay site.
Department for Transport asks Local Authorities to tackle congestion

6-Jul-2006
In a new consultation document published today entitled 'The guidance on intervention criteria' the Department for Transport sets out when the government may step in directly and intervene in how local roads are managed.
Capture and storage of carbon dioxide in China moves a step closer

6-Jul-2006
Using carbon capture and storage technology to harness emissions from Chinese power stations moved a step closer this week with an international meeting in Beijing.
In the papers today - 5th July 2006

5-Jul-2006
Officials believe that the driver of the metro train that derailed in Valencia killing 41 people had fainted or become somehow 'indisposed' before the derailment.
Judge reduces Balfour Beatty's fine for the Hatfield rail disaster

5-Jul-2006
A Court of Appeal judge this morning reduced the fine imposed on Balfour Beatty for its part in the Hatfield rail crash from £10M to £7.5M.
Thames Water forced to invest a further £150M in London water infrastructure by 2010

5-Jul-2006
Thames Water's London contractors were given a £150M boost this week after the industry watchdog forced it to splash out on 368km of new water mains for the capital.
Messina Bridge not a priority, says Minister

5-Jul-2006
Messina Bridge currently lies at the bottom of the new Infrastructure Minister's to do list, he said this week.
41 dead in Valencia train crash

4-Jul-2006
At least 41 people are believed to have died after an underground train derailed on the Valencia metro in Spain
Halcrow wins ICE sustainability award

4-Jul-2006
Engineering consultancy Halcrow has won an Institute of Civil Engineers Sustainability Award 2006 for their work as a project partner in the Stratford -upon-Avon Park and Ride scheme, working with client Warwickshire County Council.
In the papers today - 4th July 2006

4-Jul-2006
The Conservative Party has attacked Network Rail after it asked for an extra £7.9bn of funds for the period from 2009 to 2014.
Mouchel Parkman employee to travel the length of the UK on local bus services to raise money for charity

4-Jul-2006
Using only local bus services Stephen Hosking, will travel from John O'Groats to Land's End in order to raise money for OCD-UK.
Amey and Laing Roads/Vinci to battle it out for £2.2bn Birmingham roads PFI

4-Jul-2006
Birmingham City Council has begun the final stage of selecting firms to carry out its £2.2bn highways maintenance Private Finance Initiative project.
Network Rail publishes plan for next price control review

3-Jul-2006
Network Rail has today published its Initial Strategic Business Plan (ISBP).
British Nuclear Group profits announced

3-Jul-2006
British Nuclear Group (BNG) has this morning announced profits of £72M on gross revenue of £2.01bn in its first full year as a management and operations contractor.
Carillion sells Barclay Mowlem to Laing O'Rouke Australia for £30M

3-Jul-2006
Contractor Carillion is has sold its Australian contracting business Barclay Mowlem to Laing O'Rourke Australia for £30M in cash.
In the papers today - 3rd July 2006

3-Jul-2006
Labour could force all homeowners to erect £3,000 wind turbines on their houses.
New system for recording buried services to be developed

3-Jul-2006
Standardised procedures for recording buried utility services are to be developed by the National Underground Assets Group (NUAG) and brought into action by the end of 2007.
Solar energy key to carbon emission reduction says Germany

3-Jul-2006
A new study, commissioned by the German government, has found that solar energy can help Europe can meet all its electricity generation needs and cut CO2 emissions from electricity generation by 70% by the year 2050
Don't rule out water grid say engineers

29-Jun-2006
National water transfer schemes must be taken seriously by government in planning the UK's future water strategy, engineers warned this week
Engineer cleared of assassination plot

28-Jun-2006
World famous geotechnical engineer Dr Mamdouh Hamza was this week cleared of planning the murder of four Egyptian politicians.
Arup clean sweep at steel design awards

28-Jun-2006
Arup was structural engineer on all of the winning projects in this year's Structural Steel Design Awards, which took place in London last week.
Three more engineers arrested over Polish roof collapse

28-Jun-2006
Three further arrests were made this week following the collapse of a Polish exhibition centre in January. Six people are now being held in relation to the disaster.
Balfour Beatty makes £32M cash takerover bid for Birse

28-Jun-2006
Contractor Balfour Beatty made a bold statement of intent in its drive for growth this week by making a £32M cash offer for contractor Birse.
Corroded rock anchors caused A5 failure

28-Jun-2006
Widespread corrosion of rock anchors on the A5 in Wales led to its closure last month, the Welsh Assembly confirmed this week.
Gerrards Cross collapse: doubts over arch positioning

21-Jun-2006
Difficulties with positioning concrete arch sections could have been a major contributor to last June's catastrophic Gerrards Cross tunnel collapse it emerged this week.
Wembley judgement 'lets contractors screw subbies'

21-Jun-2006
Construction is heading back to the bad old days of confrontation following the outcome of the Wembley stadium steelwork court case, fabricator Cleveland Bridge Group said this week.
Romford Crossrail depot scrapped

21-Jun-2006
Promoters of London's £10bn Crossrail scheme have scrapped plans for a depot in Romford in order to appease local councilors.
Regional Assembly slams housing plan for South East

21-Jun-2006
A row has broken out this week between the government and the South East Regional Assembly over new housing targets for the region.
Overseas engineers feature in Queen's Birthday Honours

21-Jun-2006
British Engineers working abroad were dominant among construction industry figures honoured in the Queen's 80th birthday honours list announced last week.
EA sues designers of failed Jubilee River flood defence

14-Jun-2006
Designers OF Berkshire's flawed Jubilee River flood channel are finally being sued, three and a half years after floods ripped through homes the channel was designed to protect.
Multiplex shot through the heart by Bon Jovi over Wembley mess

14-Jun-2006
Eighties rock icon Jon Bon Jovi blasted Wembley Stadium's builders for denying him the chance to re-open the new venue, six years after his band closed the old one.
Tanker fire triggers motorway emergency plan review

14-Jun-2006
Highways Agency officials are to review emergency access to the motorway network after an accident on the M25 on Friday trapped thousands of people for over eight hours.
ODA announce key construction milestones

14-Jun-2006
Key construction milestones for London's Olympic Park were set down by Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) chief executive David Higgins today
Desalination is vital anti-terrorism measure for London says Thames

14-Jun-2006
Thames Water's proposed £200M desalination plant is vital to protect London's water infrastructure against catastrophic terrorist attacks, the company warned this week.
Tarmac boot boost for Rooney toe

14-Jun-2006
If Wayne Rooney makes a miracle recovery to play against Trinidad and Tobago tonight, he may have Tarmac to thank.
Atkins and Balfour Beatty warned over Metronet failures

7-Jun-2006
Atkins, Balfour Beatty and other shareholders in Tube contractor Metronet are to be named and shamed if performance on the PPP does not improve, Transport for London told NCE this week.
Business rate revamp could delay Crossrail funding package for years

7-Jun-2006
A majo revamp of the business rate system could undermine efforts to secure funding for London's £10.3bn Crossrail project, the scheme's supporters warned this week.
Cleveland Bridge to make last ditch appeal on Wembley ruling

7-Jun-2006
Former Wembley Stadium steelwork contractor Cleveland Bridge (CBUK) is appealing against Monday's High Court ruling which said that CBUK and not Multiplex breached the stadium contract.
Stansted expansion on shaky ground as Ferrovial buys BAA

7-Jun-2006
Standstead planned £2.4bn second runway and new satellite building are predicted to become early casualties of the Ferrovial purchase of airport group BAA, according to consultants this week.
Nuttall and Morrison score Olympic Park land contracts

7-Jun-2006
Contracts to clear and prepare the site of London's Olympic Park were awarded by the London Development Agency this week.
Win tickets to an exclusive World Cup party

31-May-2006
NCE along with Construction News and The Architect's Journal is hosting two of the best football parties of the year at the famous Café de Paris, Leicester Square, London
Risk of multiple fatalities shuts London-Wales route

31-May-2006
A potential catastrophic collapse caused by shear failure of the rock anchors, forced part of the main route between London and Hollyhead on the A5 to close last week.
Buildings in Indonesia earthquake zone 'substandard' says expert

31-May-2006
THE EARTHQUAKE that hit Indonesia last week should serve as a wake up call to the regions government to improve and enforce building standards experts have warned.
Contractors shying away from building Olympic stadium

31-May-2006
Lack of interest in building the new athletics stadium for the 2012 Olympics could drive up costs, industry experts claimed this week.
Scottish Parliament roof set for further surgery

31-May-2006
Struts in the Scottish Parliament's problematic debating chamber roof will be beefed up by piercing each end with stainless steel pins at the cost of £130,000 it emerged this week.
Victorian values

9-Aug-2001
Bridges - Overbridges

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