Search

The article highlights the announcement of Great Britain's environment secretary Hilary Benn that British flood defense schemes are set to be accelerated after an unexpected £200 million boost to annual budgets. Benn has pledged the extra cash while updating parliament on the response to the dramatic flooding seen across Yorkshire, the Midlands and Lincolnshire.

The article reports that the North London Line and East London Line will be merged into one network when the Mass Transit Railway Corp. of Hong Kong, China and its partner Laing Rail take over operation of the London Overground lines in November 2007. The concession gives the new operator seven years to transform the route, with the option of a further two years.

The article reports that the unexpected inundation of a service spillway on the Ulley Dana between Rotherham and Sheffield, England during the torrential rainfall has been identified as the cause of severe structural damage to the earth embankment. It is known that a wall built hard against the embankment at the spillway inlet collapsed during the flooding but it was unclear whether this was the cause or as a result of the inundation.

The article reports that a high-speed rail link between London and the Midlands in England could cost as little as £7.1 billion. According to the Greengauge 21, the scheme could render many cross Channel flights between Manchester and London, Paris or Brussels, obsolete. It says that there is enough capacity along existing transport corridors to accommodate the proposed railway, that could be built to shoulder Alstom's double-decker trains, as used on the French TGV network.

The article suggests that consultant should think twice about entering into adjudication legal experts warned, and those that do proceed must pay their adjudicator on time or lose their right to any claim. It says that the warning comes after it was revealed that Mott MacDonald lost its right to claim £62,800 in outstanding fees from client London & Regional Properties Ltd. because it failed to pay the adjudicator in time.

The article reports that residents of Edge Lane in Liverpool, England vowed to continue their fight against Liverpool Land Development Company's plan to demolish their homes in a £ 350 million regeneration scheme. It says that new compulsory purchase orders (CPO) are due to be issued within the next two weeks. It mentions that they are the second CPO to be issued after local resident Elizabeth Pascoe won a test case to overturn the original CPO issued against her house.

The article reports on the accusations made against the British government that it is blackmailing local authorities into adopting congestion charge plans. The accusations coincided with Manchester, England's unveiling of plans for congestion charging in the city. Former leader of Manchester City Council and Member of Parliament (MP) for Blackley Graham Stringer's comments were aimed at transport minister Steven Ladyman.

The article reports that the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) has threatened strike action after Network Rail deferred the bonuses of rail workers and managers. These workers and managers maintained the line around Grayrigg, Cumbria, England following a derailment in February 2007. John Armitt, Iain Coucher, Ron Henderson and Peter Henderson, deferred their own bonuses, worth a total of £286,074, in an attempt to prevent a strike.

The author reflects on the growing number of building projects in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. He points out that this country has transformed its economy from one of the world's poorest in the 1970s to one of the richest in 2007. He contends that death and injury is common on Dubai's building sites. He criticizes the working conditions of Dubai's unskilled workers.

The article reports that daily operations of the railways should be handed over to Great Britain's Office of Rail Regulation, according to Shadow Minister for Rail Stephen Hammond. While speaking at a conference in Birmingham, Hammond claims that civil servants in the Department for Transport have too much control over train services and other organisations could do a better job. He added that any government should be less involved in the specifics of running training services.

The article warns that road pricing schemes in cities could take effect within 2007 through 2012, according to the British government. While speaking at a conference, Rail Minister Tom Harris commented that eighty percent of road congestion is in urban areas. Several areas were identified in a bill as being potential cities for a road pricing trial including Bristol City, Durham and Greater Manchester. Bids will go to the Department for Transport in July 2007.

The article reports on the establishment by British consultants and contractors working in Dubai, United Arab Emirates of a Contractors Competence Scheme (CCS) to try and minimise accidents and injuries on sites. The move, led by consultant EC Harris and contractor Bovis Lend Lease, aims to raise the overall standard of site safety. Aziz Zerban from EC Harris is leading the scheme, and approached the Dubai municipality to see whether it will insist on contractors signing up to the scheme.

The article reports on the problems encountered in privately financed schools (PFI) in Exeter, England during the mini-heatwave. A Devon County Council spokesperson confirmed that there are issues regarding heating and ventilation. They are working with the schools and Carillion to ensure this is resolved quickly. Carillion has been working to increase ventilation at six schools, but a spokesperson for West Axe said that it was an ongoing problem.

The article reports on the launch by the Association for Consultancy & Engineering (ACE) of a task force to examine the tactics used by unscrupulous recruitment consultants to attract employees. The organisation is investigating allegations that some firms are supplying staff who they then remove and replace after the trial period in a bid to earn more fees. It claims firms then have to re-advertise the role, or use the recruitment consultant again to fill the vacancy.

The article focuses on the plan of British water companies to spend millions on protecting potable water supplies from terrorism under regulations being put together by water association body Water UK. According to Water UK director of water services Phillip Mills, the regulations clarify disparate sets of legislation coming from Europe, Westminster and Whitehall. Three Valleys Water has recently fitted 52 reservoirs with new access covers.

The article reports on the decision of the municipality of Dubai, United Arab Emirates, to delay the introduction of a new health and safety law until the end of 2007 after asking consultants to rewrite it. Dubai municipality minister Ahmed Khalil Abdul Kareem said he expected the new law to be ready, by the end of 2007. The new laws are expected to include a points system, penalising those who run unsafe sites in addition to a system of reporting accidents online.

The article reports on the sewage spillage into the Firth of Forth in Scotland. Investigators are trying to confirm whether the failure of the bolt holding a screw-pump bearing collar was the cause or consequence of the pump break down which resulted in 100 million liters of partially diluted sewage polluting the water. According to Seafield pumping station general manager Richard Johnson, the spill was caused by the failure of the screw-pump.

The article reports on the Waterloo railway station redevelopment in England. Network Rail vowed that it would go ahead with plans to redevelop Waterloo railway station despite an application being made to obtain listed-building status for the entire complex. Redevelopment plans now hinge on English Heritage's listing recommendation to the Department for Culture, Media & Sport. Network Rail is proposing to invest £1.2 billion in developing the station.

The article focuses on the final chance given by the British Office of Fair Trading (OFT) to construction cartel companies which are accused of bid-rigging to rectify their misdeeds to avoid prosecution. The agency has offered companies reduced penalties of around 5% from their global turnover in exchange for their admission and cooperation. The forms of bid-rigging include cover pricing, in which competitors set their prices to make sure that a certain firm obtains the job.

The article reports on the plan of Network Rail to extend platforms on Thameslink stations in England in a move it hopes will increase pressure on the government to sanction a £3.5 billion expansion to the service. The investment will deliver £2.4 billion of enhancements on top of ongoing maintenance and renewals programs in 2007. It cites the approach taken by Network Rail to meet the efficiency savings demanded by the Office of Rail Regulation.

The article focuses on the increase in the number of road signs that have been stolen in highways in the south-west of England. More than 150 road signs have been taken from roadworks along the A30 and A38 according to the Highways Agency. The estimated value of the 40 miles per hour road signs stolen from a locked store on the A38 is £500.

The article focuses on the need for increased awareness of health and safety issues among migrant workers with the rise in on-site fatalities in the British construction industry. An influx of international labor may impact on construction safety according to a Health & Safety Executive (HSE) report. Employers are reluctant to spend cash training employees according to John Wilson of Civil Engineering Contractors Association. Labor unions are calling for better training of employees.

The article reports that a new Crossrail station at Woolwich in London, England 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. Local Member of Parliament Nick Raynsford, who fought to have a Woolwich station added to the Crossrail Bill, said that an agreement has been reached between the Department for Transport, Berkeley Homes and Greenwich Council.

The article presents information on a report, released by the British Health & Safety Executive (HSE), on construction site deaths in 2006-2007. Deaths on construction sites have risen by 25 percent to 75 percent during the period. The HSE has put the rise down to the large number of immigrant workers on construction sites who have previously used less safe working procedures. Language barriers have also led to difficulties enforcing health and safety practices.

The article reports on the announcement of legal experts that the Network Rail is likely to face charges under the Health & Safety at Work Act following the February 23, 2007 Cumbria, England train crash. They also cite that it may also face civil actions from victims seeking compensation. However, it is unlikely that corporate manslaughter charges will be brought against the company or individuals over the death of victim Margaret Masson.

The article reports on a fatal train crash involving a Network Rail train on February 23, 2007 at Grayrigg, Cumbria, England. Engineers investigating the crash said that the maintenance schedule of Network Rail had failed to detect the poor condition of a set of points that caused the train to derail. An interim report by the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) confirmed that the points were faulty and caused the accident.

The article reports on a ruling handed down by High Court judge Sullivan against the British government's plans to raise private investment for new nuclear power plants. Sullivan ruled that ministers must reconsult the public before deciding to launch a nuclear power construction program. He branded the consultation exercise as seriously flawed and manifestly inadequate. The nuclear industry now fears that uncertainty about government support for nuclear power will make investment less attractive.

This article reports on a call by British engineers for stricter enforcement of health and safety regulations in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE) after two accidents last month left three dead and 39 injured. New safety regulations are about to be enforced in the UAE, which many hope will improve site safety for laborers. The government is introducing a federal labor law and a Dubai municipality code of practice on February 25, 2007.

The article focuses on the redevelopment of its ageing promenade by northern coastal resort Cleveleys in Lancashire, England. Global warming threatens to increase the risk of flooding in the town and the promenade's existing flood defences are struggling against the constant threat of overtopping. Client for the project, Wyre Council is keen to use the project to boost flood defences and encourage tourism at the same time.

The article presents an update on the plans for a rail service linking Oxford and Milton Keynes in England. The South East Regional Assembly is expected to back plans for a rail service linking Oxford and Milton Keynes in February 2007. The link, to be known as East West Rail, is being promoted by a consortium of local authorities in the South East and East Anglia that plans to revive an existing freight line abandoned in the nineties belonging to Network Rail Infrastructure Ltd.

The article reports on the decision of London, England Mayor Ken Livingstone to call for an extraordinary review to settle who pays for the £750 million overspend by tube operator Metronet Rail Group. Metronet, which operates three-quarters of London's Tube, said that Transport for London should pay for the overspend, highlighted by the public/private partnership arbiter in 2006. Metronet said they are working hard to achieve a commercial settlement with London Underground Ltd.

The article reports on the British Environment Agency's recommendation to demolish local authority housing in flood-prone areas of the Thames Estuary in England. The Agency has four models for how climate change could affect the Thames Estuary. The worst case scenario predicts that the Thames Barrier could be used for every single tide by 2050.

The article focuses on the incidence of vandalism in Great Britain. Latest Home Office figures show that criminal damage is the third most common crime in England and Wales, accounting for 21% of reported crime. And recently infrastructure has been a prime target for vandals. Earlier in January 2007, vandals took a hacksaw to the steel cables of a footbridge over the M60, and in Lewes, east Sussex, protestors have attacked parking meters causing an estimated £300,000 of damage.

The article reports on the accusations of Arup associate director Jo Da Silva, who is also a leading international relief engineer, on the negative attitude of engineering consulting firms to disaster relief. Da Silva said that a huge number of engineering companies would like to send people to disaster zones when something like a tsunami happens, because they feel they have a lot to offer.

The article reports on the proposal of civil engineering experts that buildings that will be constructed should reflect climate change. Climate change predictions to be released in February 2007 by the United Nation's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change are expected to conclude that extreme weather could become commonplace in the British winter.

The article focuses on the report "Modifying Infrastructure Procurement to Enhance Social Development," which recommends that World Bank projects use local supplies and contractors to maximise social benefits. It was released by Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) contracts group manager John Hawkins and Engineers against Poverty programme officers Canulla Herd and Jill Wells. It cites the benefits of keeping funds locally. It mentions the reasons of the World Bank for awarding contracts to the lowest bidder.

The article reports that British Rail Minister Tom Harris has denied rumours that the £10 billion Crossrail scheme in London, England will be built at the expense of the £3.5 billion Thameslink commuter railroad scheme. The future of both projects will be determined by the Treasury's Comprehensive Spending Review and the five year railroad investment plan known as the "High Level Output Study." The Thameslink project involves upgrading the north-south corridor through London Bridge.

The article focuses on the criticisms raised by engineering firms against trade associations for not ensuring that key civil engineering jobs are included on the 2006 National Shortage Occupation List issued by Great Britain's Home Office. The list failed to include any railroad, structural or bridge engineers. It cites the implications of the noninclusion of engineering jobs in the list.

The article reports that stadium contractor Multiplex was expected to begin 2007 with defeat in its High Court battle with stadium designer Mott MacDonald. Analysts were predicting that Multiplex would lose its action against Mort MacDonald over compliance. The Australian Securities and Investments Commission ruled that Multiplex offer £12.8 million to its shareholders in compensation for shares bought ahead of the February 2007 recalculation.

The article discusses the bribery and corruption practice of some companies in Great Britain. British companies operating civil engineering contracts abroad are under investigation by the Serious Fraud Office. As a signatory to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development anti-bribery convention, the country is obliged to prosecute British-based companies that engage in corrupt practices abroad.

The article reports on the status of a Crossrail station construction in London, England. The prospects for a railroad station at Woolwich has improved significantly after the conflict between the government and its Crossrail Bill select committee was temporarily resolved in November 2006. The conflict started after the government rejected the committee's recommendation that there be a station at Woolwich on cost grounds.

The article discusses the skills shortages in the construction industry of Great Britain. The shortages remain the biggest concern among engineering firms, according to the Association for Consultancy and Engineering's (ACE) second State of Business report. The ACE expects the construction industry to grow by an average of 2.6% up to 2015. But it also finds that the industry will lack the skilled workforce it needs.

The article reports that 50 Labour Members of the British Parliament has sided with the Crossrail Bill select committee in line with the argument between the government and the committee over a station at Woolwich in London, England. The Members of the Parliament strongly support the addition of a railroad station at Woolwich.

The article reports that local authorities in Great Britain are at risk of losing central government road maintenance grants unless they adopt the Traffic Asset Management Plans (TAMPs). TAMPs aim to aid local authorities by providing consistent assessments of assets to allow central government to match grants to need. The need for TAMPs as a way to justify road maintenance expenditure is expected to increase as local authorities will have to provide new and more detailed data to value infrastructure.

The article reports on the errors found in the flood model of the river Nene in Upton, England. Residents of Northampton said that the inaccuracies in the model mean that the town is at greater risk of flooding than what the Environment Agency has predicted. The agency has denied that there were errors in the data. According to Ben Smith, deputy leader of the Northamptonshire County Council, the agency's data gave an expert assessment but there is no audit of the agency.

The article reports on the refusal of the British government to reconsider the plan to build a crossrail station in Woolwich, England. The government has accepted most of the recommendations by the Crossrail Bill select committee on the Crossrail project except for the construction of a station in Woolwich. A proposal demanding that Woolwich station be reinstated has been tabled by Nick Raynsford, Labor Member of the Parliament for Woolwich and Greenwich. It cites the stance of London Mayor Ken Livingstone on the issue.

The article discusses the trip made by Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) president Gordon Masterton to Sri Lanka to pay tribute to the Sri Lankan ICE and check on the progress of rebuilding work following the 2004 tsunami. The trip coincides with the release of the American Society of Civil Engineers' (ASCE) report on the effects of the tsunami, based on evidence gathered during the ASCE/ICE joint visit one month after the tsunami hit.

The article presents the British government's decision to reject the Commons Crossrail Bill select committee's call to build a Crossrail station at Woolwich in South London due to the project's cost, in October 2006. The select committee said the Woolwich station would provide exceptional value for money. It will link Central London with Heathrow and Maidenhead in the West and Shenfield and Abbey Wood in the East. The government accepted the bulk of the remaining recommendations.

Provides information on the operations and management of British music store Coda Records. Estimated prices of music recordings as of May 2002; Discussion on the albums sold by record companies; Information on the sales of single recordings.

Focuses on the records and video store Kavern. Origin; Description of the store; Significance of back catalogues to the store.