New submarine test fires torpedo using £50M UK-made combat system

The Royal Navy’s newest and most advanced sub, Artful, test fires torpedo using £50M UK-made advanced Combat System.

The firing of the torpedo tested the BAE Systems designed Common Combat System (CCS) on board, which functions the digital “brain” of the boat.

Using the torpedo test, the advanced system was able to interpret sonar readings and attack a moving target with a practice weapon.

The CCS was completed ahead of schedule and was ready for the third Astute submarine, using the latest technology to collect and process large amounts of data from sensors such as sonar, providing key information to help inform important command decisions.

The system can also process information fed back from the world-leading Sonar 2076, which allows the Royal Navy to detect and track the quietest of adversaries.

Developed through the Astute Build Programme, the Common Combat System is a collaborative industry effort.

Managed through a £50M contract with BAE Systems, the CCS hosts sonar processing capability developed by Thales UK, and was also worked on by global hardware provider Dell; Poole-based systems designers Aish Technologies; and cloud computing company VMWare, which employs UK workers in Staines-upon-Thames and Milton Keynes.

Installation work is being undertaken by BAE Systems at Barrow-in-Furness and Babcock Marine at HMNB Devonport and HMNB Faslane. In total, CCS is sustaining around 146 jobs across the UK.

Minister for Defence Procurement Philip Dunne said: “This command and control system, designed as part of an innovative partnership between Defence and UK industry, will allow British submarines to adapt more quickly to changing mission requirements, making operations even safer and more efficient.

“It is a next generation system, both highly capable and cost-effective, which can be installed right across the Royal Navy’s submarine fleets, thereby guaranteeing the best capability for the Royal Navy and the best value for money for the taxpayer. It is also yet another example of how our £178 billion investment in equipment is giving our Armed Forces the best possible kit.”

The system will be rolled out across all Vanguard and current and future Astute class submarines, allowing the applications of several different systems which would previously have needed their own controls, to be brought together in a single computer environment, saving space and allowing the Control Room to be used with greater flexibility.

Rear Admiral Submarines, John Weale said: “We are seeing the resurgence of the Submarine Service with the introduction of new submarines, a clear direction and motivated personnel. The Common Combat System in Artful is a strong demonstration of this and helps to deliver my vision for the Service as the UK’s elite underwater force.

“The unique fighting power of the Royal Navy’s Submarine force, boat for boat and crew for crew, is second to none.”

Artful was handed over to the Royal Navy in mid-December 2015 and is now undergoing her first combat capability trials which will be completed by July 2016. This will be followed by a period of maintenance and training to prepare for operations.

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Scottish Power to double the size of hydro-electric power plant through water

Scottish Power is planning to double the size of its hydro-electric power plant by building a new dam.

The Cruachan in Scotland which creates and stores energy, will be doubled in size according to Scottish Power, who are planning to build a new dam in front of the existing dam, saying that the UK will need much more energy storage capacity as renewables increase on the National Grid.

It says it can add 400 megawatts (MW) of on-demand electricity by building the new dam. Scottish Power will spend £300-£400M on the new project, but says it is prohibitive unless it can get a guaranteed floor price for its use from the government.

In return, Scottish Power says it will accept a cap on profits.

The Cruachan plant near Oban in Scotland pumps water 400m uphill at night when energy prices from wind farms are cheap. In the daytime, it then lets the water flow downhill to generate electricity when demand peaks and power prices are expensive.

Scottish Power’s Neil Clitheroe said: “Pumped hydro is ideal because it’s relatively cheap, it’s virtually instant, and it provides power at scale. We will need much more of this sort of thing when we get more wind power on the system.”

With renewables producing much more power, Ministers have recognised that energy storage in the UK needs to be radically improved.

Scottish Power calculates that its pumped hydro system stores the same amount of energy as seven million car batteries.

The Chancellor George Osborne’s National Infrastructure Commission will soon offer its recommendations on the issue.

A Department of Energy & Climate Change (DECC) spokesperson said: “We recognise the potential for storage technologies, including pumped hydro storage, to help us use energy flexibly. Our priority is providing clean, secure energy at the lowest possible price for families and businesses.”

Cruachan is the second biggest of four pumped hydro systems in the UK, generating a full load for 14.5 hours, capable of reaching full power in less than a minute.

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Homebuyers save hundreds of millions from stamp duty reform

Homebuyers have saved £657M on Stamp Duty Land Tax in the year since the tax was reformed.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne announced yesterday that over 780,000 homebuyers saved an estimated £657M on Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT).

In December 2014 the government reformed the residential stamp duty system, changing it from a “slab” to a “slice” structure and reducing stamp duty for 98% of people who pay it. Under the new regime, transactions levels at the top end of the market remained constant, and stamp duty receipts from homes costing more than £1M went up by 15% across the year.

The benefits of the reform can be felt across the country, with homebuyers saving an estimated total of £24M in the North East, £90M in the North West, £74M in the East Midlands, £131M in the South West and £38M in Wales.

The Chancellor George Osborne said: “In 2014 I cut stamp duty and already three-quarters of a million home-buyers across the country have benefitted. The overwhelming number of home-buyers – 98% – are saving money thanks to our reform, which has done away with the unfair old system that meant increases being imposed on those paying just a pound over the threshold.

“These figures show that the benefits are being felt across the country. It’s a fair, workable, lasting reform to the taxation of housing.

“I am determined that this Government will continue to take bold action to support a home-owning democracy.”

The new system allows homebuyers to only pay the rate of tax on part of the property price within each tax band, moving on from the old slab system where homebuyers would have paid stamp duty at a single rate on the entire property price.

The news coincides with new analysis from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), finding that the reform has “reduced distortions and is a step in the right direction.”

The IMF commented on the impact of the Stamp Duty reforms as part of its annual Article IV consultation with the UK.

From 1 April 2015, SDLT in Scotland was replaced by the devolved Land and Buildings Transaction Tax system. The reduction in SDLT liabilities covers Scotland for the period that SDLT remained liable between 4 December to 2014 and 31 March 2015.

 

 

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New digital road signs to issue flood warning

Four new digital road signs are to be installed in Hunstanton, Heacham and Snettisham this week to warn people of tidal flooding.

The new signs will replace the four manually updated signs that were installed in 2005.

The Environment Agency has been working in collaboration with the Borough Council of King’s Lynn and West Norfolk and the Norfolk Local Resilience Forum to improve how the public can be warned of tidal flooding.

Sadia Moeed, Operations Manager of the Environment Agency, said: “The new signs are a great addition to our flood warning service and how we warn and inform members of the public to potential tidal flooding.

“The up to date information and improved visibility is a great benefit for the local community and visitors to the area who may not be aware of the flood risk.”

During tidal flood alerts and flood warnings the signs will be illuminated and will give information on high water time and when evacuation is necessary.

The signs will run alongside existing free Environment Agency flood-warning services such as the regional Twitter accounts, Flood Alert App, which is downloadable on smart phones.

People who are at risk of flooding can also register for the flood warning service via the government website.

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Are Pre-Fabricated homes the answer to the million homes conundrum?

In September of last year, the Government announced headline-grabbing, but ultimately ambitious, plans to build a million new homes in England by 2020. The National Housing Federation revealed the extent of the housing crisis, suggesting that only half of the required new homes are currently being built.

With an estimated 245,000 new homes necessitated every year, the current model is leading to many families struggling to afford a permanent home – especially first time buyers. This has led to speculation that adopting the German model of increased reliance upon pre-fabricated homes could help the Government achieve their 2020 target, and help redress England’s housing crisis.

The quicker build time and lower construction costs of developing and installing pre-fabricated homes can help house the families currently crying out for new family homes.

The Government are currently working on a number of schemes to encourage first time buyers to take their first steps onto the property ladder. Initiatives such as lower deposits programmes and the Help-to-Buy ISAs are intended to make buying a property more affordable – however a shortage of available homes could prove to be a stumbling block.

Government schemes and grants could increase demand for homes, but if the supply does not grow in tandem, it could effectively lead to developers continuing to hike up house prices – leaving even more first time buyers without the opportunity to invest.

The German construction industry is perhaps better suited to an influx of first time buyers thanks to their advanced adoption of pre-fabricated homes. Often considered to be a leader in innovating comfortable, attractive and efficient pre-fabricated houses; the technology and number of dedicated factories are far greater in Germany than the UK.

Throughout the country, firms have set up to create robust, stylish, safe and warm pre-fabricated homes which can be used to house the growing German population.

This gap between German and UK pre-fab construction industries is perhaps best exemplified in the Channel 4 show, Grand Designs, wherein presenter Kevin McCloud always seems to be jetting off to Germany when the episode features a pre-fabricated house. This demonstrates an insufficient supply of pre-fabricated housing currently available in the UK.

Joerg Bauer is chief of Bauer Holzbausysteme, a small family-run business specialising in building pre-fabricated homes on a site close to the borders of Austria and Switzerland. He explains how increasing demand for pre-fab homes is affecting his business:

“We are about to introduce a double-shift at our plant in Neukirch, open a bigger factory building in nearby Lindau and increase our staff from 40 currently to 60.”

An effective increase in the number of homes in England will undoubtedly have additional knock-on effects for the construction industry – with greater need for increased infrastructure and support.

Paul Manchester, Director of Manchester Safety Services, suggests: “With an increasing population, there will be additional need for improved infrastructure around towns and satellite settlements in which new home owners will reside. With hundreds of miles of roadworks on UK roads, there is already the need to improve the nation’s roads and this will only intensify as the population grows.”

But the first step for accommodating a rapidly growing population is ensuring that everyone has a roof over their head.

 

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Knocking down walls

How to successfully market a mixed tenure property development

By Natasha Anslow, Director at Philosophy Design

Effective brands tell a clear story to a well-defined audience, and property projects are no different. Developers will typically design their marketing and sales strategies around the needs of their target customer base, developing tailored materials, communications and marketing campaigns to appeal directly to these groups.

However, what do you do when the audience is split very clearly in two? This is the challenge facing many developers, especially housing providers that market properties on the same site to both affordable and private audiences.

In reality, this issue is not as big a problem as many might think. Philosophy worked with leading housing provider Catalyst to create branding and marketing for its mixed tenure flagship Portobello Square development, and this work is testament to the fact that a clear focus on building a strong brand identity based on firm values can appeal to and even bring together very different audience groups.

This approach certainly worked: apart from the initial launch campaign and recent activity to promote the new townhouses, no advertising at all was needed or used throughout the four-year first phase of the project.

Joining forces

There’s no denying that private sale and affordable housing are worlds apart. From the way sales and rentals are handled to the requirements and priorities of the customer base in each sector. Indeed, the affordable rental aspect of such projects is often seen as the ‘poor relation’, resulting in communications which lack creativity, sophistication, and excitement.

In turn, shared ownership properties are almost always included in the affordable bracket alongside affordable rentals when it comes to marketing, branding and language, but actually, in terms of the target audience – young professionals who aspire to own property but cannot afford to without assistance – it makes much more sense to treat to this group in the same way as the private sales audience. Let’s not forget that current London prices mean that for most London boroughs, the cut off for joining a shared ownership scheme is a household income of £71,000.

With such marked differences in audiences, you’d be forgiven for thinking that the best marketing approach would be to develop two distinct strategies, each homing in on the very distinct needs of each group. However, Catalyst turned this concept on its head for the Portobello Square branding and marketing.

A famously diverse and inclusive neighbourhood which is home to the legendary street market, various celebrity residents and of course the renowned Carnival this corner of London has long been known for its community feel, with inhabitants of all backgrounds and means living happily alongside each other.

Philosophy devised a strategy for the branding of the project and the resulting communications activity which reflected this sense of unity and togetherness. By creating one name, one communication plan and one visual identity, it established a consistent brand that avoided dividing the two groups but instead presented a unifying message that was distributed across all target audiences.

In addition, the community engagement activity ensured that affordable tenants, the private development audience and the wider local community were actively involved with the project, giving them the chance to contribute ideas and have their say.

Karen Lee-Brindle, Head of Sales and Marketing at Catalyst, says: “We’re really proud of the bold approach we took with marketing this project. It not only allowed us to present a united proposition to all of our audiences, but it also strengthened our brand, bringing a consistency and depth to the marketing collateral that would not have been possible had the campaign been split across tenures.”

Going ‘tenure blind’

This example gives weight to the argument that the property sector is ready for a change in how it markets new developments. The ‘tenure blind’ approach is a refreshing step for developers who want to maximise the impact and return on investment of their marketing activity, allowing them to reach wider audiences and have a cleaner, more consistent brand identity that in turn becomes more memorable and long-lasting.

Once the step has been taken to develop a joint marketing strategy, it’s vital that time and care is taken to create an identity and messages that support all audiences. There’s no merit in having a united brand that only caters for one target group, and ignores the needs of the other. Similarly, avoid the trap of opting for style over substance. Research, planning and attention to detail are all vital in ensuring that the brand is a true reflection of not only the project itself but also the community and people it’s trying to target.

It’s also crucial to carry the chosen design and identity across as many channels and touchpoints as possible, especially when you are targeting two very different audience groups. Don’t stop at marketing collateral either: think about every available medium you can use to communicate your message, from the fit-out of the marketing suite to the site hoardings. The more you can get your branding out there, remembered and talked about, the better.

Reaping the rewards

Get it right and this approach can be very effective: after the official launch of Philosophy’s work for Catalyst on Portobello Square demand was so high that advertising was put on hold in order for the sales team to cope with the levels of interest. Sales targets were reached far earlier than originally estimated.

The consistent brand design and the core messaging that was carried throughout the marketing activity ensured that all audiences, regardless of whether they were affordable tenants, existing residents, sales targets or local community stakeholders, had a crystal clear understanding of the project and its vision, and were able to add their own contributions to its progress.

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New report says HS2 is already changing Britain

The Chairman of HS2 has said that it is already changing Britain and the way we plan for the future.

David Higgins has said that HS2 is already changing the way private investors, as well as local and central government plan for the future in Britain. But he has also said HS2 must help change the way that infrastructure is delivered, so that the country can benefit from future projects such as Hinckley Point.

The potential for the transformation is outlined in a report published yesterday – HS2: Changing Britain.

The Chairman made his comments in a speech in Manchester, marking the second anniversary of the launch of his first report in the city.

In that two years, he said, not only had the concept of re-balancing the British economy taken root, people were beginning the process of making it a reality, helped by the moves towards devolution.

Local authorities and enterprise partnerships in Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds, the North West, the East and West Midlands and Yorkshire were using HS2 not just to rethink their transport systems, but also how they attract private investment to their areas – and business has responded.

Companies such as Burberry in Leeds, HSBC in Birmingham, Interserve in Solihull are beginning to recognise the benefits of the extra connectivity and capacity that HS2 will deliver – as are potential investors elsewhere.

The report also outlines how HS2 is changing the perceptions and ambitions of the next generation quoting Cheshire East councillor, Rachel Bailey, as saying that it is already having a tangible effect in Crewe.

“That difference is being felt in schools because it is helping to lift pupils’ horizons, particularly on skills.”

Sir David said that a series of factors make the UK industry less cost effective with a history of stop/go which prevented firms investing in skills, innovation and technology: fragmentation leading to multiple overhead costs plus a lack of co-ordination between design and construction.

He went on to say that HS2 was determined to adopt a new approach which would bear down on those factors and transform the way we deliver infrastructure in this country, without compromising HS2’s strategic objective to re-balance the British economy.

The approach would include earlier contractor involvement to drive innovation and efficiencies in design and methodology, and adopting enabling works contracts to clear the line of route ahead of the main civils works. There would also be incentives for companies to out-perfom, and techniques new to the country such as linear construction, which uses the newly constructed route as a supply chain access.

Sir David said the lessons learnt from applying this approach to Phase One would be then be transferred to Phase Two.

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Scottish Apprenticeship Week launched

150 new apprentices will begin work at a Clyde shipyard the Cabinet Secretary for Fair Work has announced to mark the start of Scottish Apprenticeship Week.

Roseanna Cunningham made the announcement to launch the weeklong event, which will run form 29 February to 4 March.

Ferguson Marine Engineering, known for shipbuilding and engineering, will take on 150 new apprentices as part of the company’s growth strategy.

Ferguson Marine Managing Director, Liam Campbell, said: “Apprenticeships are extremely important to us and our business, forming the backbone of our future growth.”

Ms Cunningham said that companies employing apprentices would enable the Scottish economy to “thrive”.

She commented: “This announcement of 150 new apprentices at the Fergusons shipyard on the Clyde is great news not only for Ferguson Marine, and the young people that will benefit, but also for Scotland as a whole.”

Scottish Apprenticeship Week 2016 is organised by Skills Development Scotland and is an opportunity to showcase the benefits of apprenticeships to employers and encourage them to take on young people.

The Secretary said: The announcement kicks off a week-long of events and engagements that will showcase the positive impact apprenticeships have on businesses and industry, and the value they bring to employers and to their job prospects.

“Modern Apprentices are key to delivering economic development and essential in providing our young people with opportunities to develop skills and gain employment.

“Since this Government came into office in 2007 more than 190,000 MA starts have been delivered and this Government is committed to supporting young people towards jobs and apprenticeships, with an aim to have 30,000 new opportunities each year by 2020.”

Louise Larkin, a current Ferguson Marine apprentice, said: “I am proud to be a female Engineering apprentice.

“It is refreshing to be treated the same as the guys and I would like to encourage more girls to go for a career in engineering, especially when it is such an exciting time for Ferguson Marine and the Inverclyde.”

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Minister announces new digital partnership in Wales

The Minister for the Cabinet Office visited South Wales to announce a new partnership for the next digital talent.

Matthew Hancock, Minister for the Cabinet Office, visited Wales yesterday to announce a new partnership between the Office for National Statistics (ONS) and Newport educational charity Alacrity.

The new partnership will bring the digital expertise of Alacrity to the ONS, one of Newport’s biggest employers, as it develops and modernises the UK’s key economic statistics.

Alacrity is the UK’s only charity tech incubator, with the mission to mentor the brightest graduates in Wales to create a new generation of British digital workers. On the visit, the Minister saw for himself the Welsh Digital revolution taking place.

He met students who were participating in their Graduate Entrepreneurship programme as well as companies who have completed it. He also visited the Office for National Statistics headquarters in Newport.

Matthew Hancock, Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General, said: “Digital technology has the potential to revitalise government and business, supporting the economy and the UK.

“The potential to revolutionise and build organisations through high quality digital skills should not be underestimated, and businesses such as Alacrity are changing the digital landscape of Wales through training and developing skills.”

Professor Simon Gibson, Chair of the Alacrity Foundation’s trustees, said: “We are proud of our unique status as a charitable tech incubator, providing access to seasoned world class mentors and creating the next generation of British tech companies in Wales. For this reason it seems entirely appropriate we should forge a relationship with a world class body like the ONS.”

John Pullinger, National Statistician from the Office of National Statistics, said: “As the home of the UK’s economic statistics, it is vitally important that ONS Newport fully embraces the current revolution in data technology.

“It offers the ability to produce important economic indicators like employment, prices and GDP faster and more reliably than ever before. To do so we need to develop new skills and new ways of doing things. We will be looking to work closely with impressive local initiatives such as the Alacrity Foundation and the National Software Academy to help make it happen.”

The minister also met with a range of digital innovators and entrepreneurs in Cardiff which, alongside Newport, is the fastest growing tech cluster in the UK.

 

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First images of £13M investment to restore hospital into new homes

Robertson Homes has released to first CSI images of the restoration of Victorian hospital into 56 luxury homes.

Robertson Homes has released the first CGI images of the completed restoration of Gleann Mor House, a Victorian hospital that was damaged by fire in 2007 and will be converted into 56 new luxury homes.

The £13M proposal presents the vision to rebuild the 19^th century Victorian hospital, and will be discussed by Highland Council’s planning permission committee next week.

Gleann Mor House sits within the 120 acre Westercraigs development just outside Inverness city centre. Robertson Homes has built a significant number of homes to suit a range of modern lifestyles elsewhere on the site, which features woodlands, green space and the world-famous Great Glen Way footpath.

The project will create around 100 new jobs including senior managers and experienced tradesmen.

John Murphy, Managing Director of Robertson Homes, said: “We are really pleased to release these images, which clearly show our dedication to maintaining the integrity of this beautiful building, believed to be one of the biggest structures in the north of Scotland.

“The luxury homes in Gleann Mor House, with an abundance of bay windows, turrets and a raft of unique features, will offer something new in the Inverness market and will complement the modern, spacious family homes we are building elsewhere on the site.”

The first phase of the restoration project, 12 luxury apartments, was completed in 2011, and Robertson Homes have since reconfigured its place to replace many apartments with townhouses, maximising open space and landscaped gardens.

If plans are approved, the first of 26 luxury townhouses and 30 executive apartments will be ready to move into next year.

The Chief Executive of Inverness Chamber of Commerce, Stewart Nicol said: “After many years of a slow housing market and a lack of jobs in the construction sector we are starting to see major projects get underway, which I believe shows a real confidence in Inverness and the surrounding area as well as a boost to local businesses.

“Westercraigs has become known locally as a ‘village in the city’. Our intention is to create a sustainable semi-rural community at Westercraigs, including play facilities, green space and a community. We are also moving forward with plans to upgrade the link road to the A82.”

With the near completion of the West Link Road which will improve road connectivity to the area, the homes are expected to be in significant demand.

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Starts and completions on new build homes highest level since 2008

New figures show that the number of starts and completions on new build homes continued to rise last year to highest level since 2008.

More than 143,500 new build homes were started up to December 2015, rising by 23% on the same quarter a year earlier and up to 91% when compared to the low point of the year up to June 2009, according to new figures released today.

The House Building: December quarter 2015 also showed that the number of new build homes completed were up 21% on the previous year.

Starts and completions of new build homes are at their highest level since 2008, with more than 700,000 new build homes started since April 2010.

The new figures show that reforms to the planning system are delivering the permissions needed, with schemes like Help to Buy, which have given builders the confidence to invest and built, with starts and completions now at their highest since 2008.

Housing Minister Brandon Lewis said: “We’ve got the country building again with starts nearly double the low point of 2009 and along with completions hitting a 7-year high.

“However we’re not complacent. That’s why we’ve set out the most ambitious housing vision for more than a generation, doubling the housing budget so we can meet our ambition of delivering a million new homes.”

Figures published today from the Home Builders Federation show a 12% rise in planning permission on the same quarter last year. Planning permission for 59,875 homes was granted in England during the third quarter of last year, up 12% from 53,409 permissions in the corresponding quarter of the previous year.

The Housing Minister added: “Our planning reforms are helping to get spades in the ground with a quarter of a million planning permissions granted up to September last year – higher than the pre-recession peak in 2007.

“And we want to go even further. That is why just last week we set out ambitious proposals that will speed up the planning process, including offering dedicated fast-track application services.”

The government is committed to delivering on its ambition to build a million more homes. Measures include new affordable Starter Homes, permission in principle for sites identified in plans and brownfield registers and planning reforms to support small builders – requiring councils to ensure they have permission shovel ready plots to match the local demand for custom build.

Figures from the English Housing Survey showing that more than a decade-long decline, which started in 2003 for the amount of people owning their own home, has now turned around with more than 14 million owner occupiers in the country last year.

Lending to first-time buyers is also at its highest since 2007.

 

 

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Get ready for the SOLAS amendment of IMO on mandatory container weight verification

On November 26 2014 the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) announced the adoption of amendments to the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) Chapter VI, Part A, Regulation, for the mandatory verification of container weight.

On July 1^st 2016, the SOLAS amendment of IMO on mandatory container weight verification will come into force for packed containers being loaded for transportation.

From this date, no container will be allowed on to a vessel unless its weight has been verified beforehand.

The shipper of the packed container, regardless of who packed it, will be responsible for verifying and provide the container’s gross weight to the ocean carrier and port terminal representative before to it is loaded for transport onto a vessel.

The amendments are an effort to address safety concerns both on shore and at sea concerning container shipments with inaccurate declarations of weight.

All regulated parties need to be ready to implement and abide by the container weight verification requirements by 1 July 2016, with industry being in a period of transition since the IMO announced SOLAS amendment.

Compliance with the new rules will require those within the industry’s supply chain, in particularly terminal operators, shippers and carriers, to create and implement a process to make sure that verified container weights are given to all relevant parties within an appropriate time frame and used in the ship’s container stowage plan.

Should a container arrive at a port for export without a verified gross weight, it will be prevented from being loaded until it is provided.

The SOLAS regulations prescribe two methods by which the shipper may obtain the verified gross mass of a packed container:

Method No.1: Upon the conclusion of packing and sealing a container, the shipper may weigh, or have arranged that a third party weighs, the packed container. This particular method is suitable for all containers and any kind of goods.

Method No.2: The shipper (or, by arrangement of the shipper, a third party), may weigh all packages and cargo items, including the mass of pallets, dunnage and other packing and securing material to be packed in the container, and add the tare mass of the container to the sum of the single masses of the contents of the container.

Any third party that has carried out some or all of the packing of the container should notify the shipper of the mass of the cargo items and packing and securing material that the party has packed into the container in order to facilitate the shipper’s verification of the gross mass of the packed container under Method No.2.

For some types of cargo that would present difficulties in being measured individually such as scrap metal, unbagged grain and other bulk cargo, Method No.2 would not be suitable.

For both methods, the equipment used to determine the weight of the container must meet the required accuracy standards and requirements of the State in which the equipment is being used.

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Ofcom tells BT they must open up cable network to rivals

Communications watchdog Ofcom has said BT must open up its cable network to improve UK internet connections.

Ofcom has said that BT must open up its cable network, stopping short of demanding a complete break-up of BT, however this is still an option.

BT welcomes the report and said it was happy to let other companies use its network, if they were keen to invest.

Ofcom also reported that there was a digital divide in the UK between those with the latest technologies, and those without, proposing that a decent, affordable broadband should be a universal right.

Rivals had called for a split between BT and its Openreach operation, which runs its cables, fibre and network infrastructure.

It is said by companies such as Sky, Vodafone and TalkTalk who pay to use the network, that BT underinvested in Openreach, which has led to poor service with interruptions and slow speeds.

BT will be told to allow easier access for rivals to lay their own fibre cables along Openreach’s telegraph poles and in its underground cable ducts, with Ofcom intending to introduce tougher rules on BT’s faults, repairs and installations.

It says Openreach should be governed at arm’s length from BT, with greater independence in taking its own decisions on budget, investment and strategy. A complete split between Openreach and BT “remains an option”.

The Chief Executive of Ofcom, Sharon White said: “Openreach does need major reform and the key thing is that it’s independent, so that it responds to all its customers, not just BT.

“If we cannot get the responsiveness to customers that we’re seeking, then…we reserve the right, formally, to separate [BT and Openreach].”

According to Ofcom’s report, evidence shows Openreach still has an incentive to make decisions in the interests of BT, rather than BT’s competitors.

A spokesperson for Vodafone said: “BT still remains a monopoly provider with a regulated business running at a 28% profit margin.

“We urge Ofcom to ensure BT reinvests the £4bn in excess profits Openreach has generated over the last decade in bringing fibre to millions of premises across the country, and not just make half-promises to spend an unsubstantiated amount on more old copper cable”.

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Transport Minister promotes UK transport infrastructure and industry

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon visits Singapore and Burma to promote UK companies and transport expertise.

Transport Minister Lord Tariq Ahmad visited Singapore and Burma this month, to promote UK transport expertise and identify business opportunities for British companies in the transport and infrastructure sector.

Lord Ahmad said: “I was delighted to represent the UK in Singapore and Burma, showcasing the government’s massive investment in UK transport infrastructure while promoting our expertise to an international market.

“We want to make it clear to the world that the UK is open for business, with the skills and expertise that can be of real value to others like Singapore and Burma.”

Lord Ahmad represented the UK government in a panel discussion on the future of global air hubs, at the Singapore Aviation Leadership summit and Singapore Airshow, which is the largest in Asia, attracting ministers and delegates from over 76 countries.

Over the four day period, Lord Ahmad met Singapore’s Coordinating Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Minister Mr Khaw Boon Wan, Senior Minister of State for Transport Mrs Josephine Tea, and held meetings with transport ministers representing 15 other countries at the airshow.

The visit provided the opportunity to showcase British consultancy, technical, financial and construction expertise in delivering such projects in the UK and Singapore, along with exchanging views and experience about transport infrastructure development projects. These engagements included a rail sector business roundtable with the Land Transport Authority, meetings with Changi Airport Ground and the Maritime and Port Authority and maritime businesses.

The Transport Minister also saw innovative driverless car trials taking place and met members of the British Chamber of Commerce.

He had a two day visit Rangoon, meeting the Mayor, U Hla Myint, and discussed the development of Rangoon. He also met the local and international business community, and development partners engaged in infrastructure development.

Lord Ahmed spoke at an event hosted by Rolls Royce Plc and UK Trade Investment (UKTI), which highlighted Rolls-Royce’s ability to deliver excellence to Burmese companies and at a seminar jointly hosted by UKTI, the Union of Myanmar FEDERATION OF Chambers of Commerce and Industry (UMFCCI) and BLP Law.

During the seminar, Lord Ahmad set out the UK’s expertise in the transport infrastructure sector and some of the steps the UK government has made in terms of prioritisation and long-term planning.

During the visit Lord Ahmad announced US$300 million UK Export Finance (UKEF) cover to help UK companies export to Burma.

 

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Carillion launches new LGBT network

Carillion has launched a new Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) network in an effort to create a more inclusive work environment for people regardless of their sexuality.

Named ‘Connect’, the new network will provide LGBT employees at Carillion with the opportunity to get together to share information and support and to provide the company with advice on relevant issues.

Carillion have also teamed up with leading LGBT equality charity, Stonewall, as a Diversity Champion.

To celebrate the creation of Connect during LGBT History Month in February, the rainbow flag has been flying at the company’s head office in Wolverhampton and other branches across the country.

Janet Dawson, Carillion Group HR Director said: “There is a genuine belief in diversity and inclusion at Carillion and in creating a welcoming workplace where people can give their best because they can be themselves.

“An accepting and supportive work environment is a hallmark of Carillion and we are delighted to launch our Connect network and partnership with Stonewall today during LGBT History Month.”

Connect follows in the steps of Carillion’s other initiatives for employees to including the Working Mums and Working Dads networks.

Last year, UK Construction Media reported on a study that found that 85% of LGBT workers in the construction industry have experienced derogatory remarks.

Client Account Manager for Stonewall, Matteo Lissana said: ‘The construction and built environment sectors are historically very traditional, and changes in the industry take a long time to implement.

‘The industry is still struggling with gender equality, which has remained for years the main focus of the sector.’

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Scottish housing policy response

Government responds to independent housing report.

Following the publishing of an independent report on national housing policy by The Housing and Wellbeing Commission, the Scottish Government has responded to guidance.

The Housing and Wellbeing Commission, set up with the support of charity Shelter Scotland, was chaired by Robert Black, the former Auditor General of Scotland.

Social Justice Secretary Alex Neil has responded to the report, pointing to steps taken by the government, which will boost housing supply and protect social and private tenants. He said: “We recognise the critical role that housing plays in promoting social justice, strengthening communities and tackling inequalities.

“We have invested £1.7Bn in affordable housing over the lifetime of this Parliament and have met and exceeded our target to deliver 30,000 affordable homes, including our 20,000 social rented homes target and within that our 5,000 council homes target.

“We are determined to increase housing supply across all tenures, which is why we have set a target of delivering at least 50,000 affordable homes over the next five years.

“We also want to protect and promote the interests of tenants in the social and private rented sectors. We introduced the first Scottish Social Housing Charter, which set out standards that all social landlords should be achieving.

“The Private Housing Tenancy Bill will enshrine in law measures to provide security and stability for hundreds of thousands of tenants

“We will also abolish the bedroom tax as soon as possible by making use of the devolved powers to vary the under occupancy charge within the housing element of Universal Credit. At the same time, for those remaining on Housing Benefit, we will continue to mitigate the bedroom tax fully, through Discretionary Housing Payments.”

The full response from the Scottish Government can be found here.

 

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Robertson to build iconic new road-bridge in the heart of Scotland

Robertson has secured the contract to engineer and build an iconic road-bridge for Chivas Brothers Distillery.

Civil Engineering group Robertson was awarded the contract by the Chivas Brothers, the Scotch whiskey and premium gin business of Pernod Ricard, for work at The Glenlivet Distillery following the successful build of its Dalmunach Distillery in Glen Carron on the banks in the Spey in 2015.

A team of 17 expert engineers, surveyors and tradesman will work in collaboration with architects Archial Norr, in erecting the structure of the three-arch bridge, over a 20 week work programme and will be fit for purpose by mid-summer 2016.

Robertson Civil Engineering Managing Director Tony Fry said: “We are now in the advanced planning stages with the architect and Chivas Brothers and anticipate breaking ground on the 29 February.

“It is a privilege to have been selected to work on the landscape of The Glenlivet Distillery. Not only because it is an iconic malt whisky brand, but also because I know the bridge will be enjoyed by people from all across the world when they come to visit.”

The Speyside landscape is home to the world’s number one single malt, The Glenivet, and so the bridge will be built in the style of The Glenivet signifier – the pack horse bridge – and will form the entrance to the Visitor Centre.

Gordon Buist, Production Director at Chivas Brothers said: “The Bridge is part of wider works that are taking place at The Glenlivet distillery which will enhance our production facilities. We are committed to operational excellence at our Scottish sites and are delighted to be working with Robertson Civil Engineering again following a successful partnership last year culminating in our Dalmunach Distillery.”

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Barratt profits boom

Strong performance for house builder in this half

Barratt Homes has released its figures for the last six months, showing a 40% surge in pre-tax profits for the house builder.

Commenting on the results David Thomas, Chief Executive of Barratt Developments PLC said: “In line with our strategy, we have stepped up the number of completions in the first half and we did this in a disciplined way, both financially and operationally, without compromising on the quality of the homes we’re building.

“We will continue to grow in a way that delivers for the needs of homebuyers and shareholders alike.” David Thomas, Chief Executive of Barratt Developments PLC

“In the past five years we have increased our annual output by more than 53%, built more than 71,7001 homes and approved the investment of over £4.4Bn in new land for housing. The market remains strong as a result of improved mortgage availability and Government support for first time buyers and we will continue to grow in a way that delivers for the needs of homebuyers and shareholders alike.”

Pleased with the strong market, which has been backed by Government support for first time home buyers, the results show a pre-tax profit of £295M, an increase from £210.2M the previous year. The Group believes that the pleased to extension of the UK government’s Help to Buy programme until 2021 will prove an important boost to the housebuilding sector. It also welcomes the government’s separate equity loan scheme for London, which helps those buying a new build property in the capital.

“Both changes will be important for our customers, particularly in helping buyers into the market,” Barratt said in a statement.

“We remain supportive of the government’s Starter Homes Scheme, which is aimed at providing 200,000 homes for first time buyers by 2020.”

The Group has completed 7,626 homes so far this year, a nine per cent increase from the half year ending December 2014.

This strong start to the year is reflected with an expected net cash balance in excess of £250M come June.

Trading on the London stock market this morning shows shares in Barratt were up by 1.16% at 569.50 pence.

 

 

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Aston Martin drives into Wales

St Athan chosen for new DBX Concept car factory

Some 750 highly-skilled jobs will be created in South Wales with the development of a new manufacturing centre for Aston Martin.

The site, in the Vale of Glamorgan, beat off competition from 20 other locations worldwide, including sites in North America and the Middle East.

The facility reinforces Wales’ position as an innovator and leader in the automotive sector.
©Welsh Government

Currently being used by the MOD, the new facility will transform three existing super hangars into a bespoke manufacturing centre for the new car. Construction work at the 90 acre site is due to commence in 2017, with cars due to roll off the production line in 2020.

The investment by Aston Martin shows confidence in Wales and the British car making industry, as it will be the sole facility for the production of the DBX. The DBX is a concept crossover vehicle first mooted in 2015 to show Aston Martin’s intention to push into this fast growing sector of the luxury car market.

There is growing demand for this type of luxury car in China and the US, and it is expected that 90% of the cars produced at St Athan will be exported.

Aston Martin CEO Dr Andrew Palmer made the announcement at an event at the Welsh Government Headquarters at Cathays Park, Cardiff, with First Minister Carwyn Jones and Minister for Economy Edwina Hart, a prototype of the new DBX vehicle was unveiled outside the landmark offices.

Minister for Economy Edwina Hart said: “We are committed to working in partnership with Aston Martin to ensure the site, right in the heart of our Cardiff Airport and St Athan Enterprise Zone, continues to match the company’s aspiration for any future growth and provides highly-skilled employment and world-class apprenticeship opportunities in the automotive sector in for many generations to come.”

Dr. Andrew Palmer, CEO of Aston Martin said: “During our 103-year history, Aston Martin has become famous for making beautiful hand-crafted cars in England. Through a detailed evaluation of over 20 potential global locations for this new manufacturing facility, we were consistently impressed with the focus on quality, cost and speed from the Welsh Government team. As a great British company, we look forward to St Athan joining Gaydon as our second center of hand-crafted manufacturing excellence,” continued Palmer.

Welcoming the announcement, Secretary of State for Wales Stephen Crabb said: “Today’s announcement is an enormous boost for St Athan, for Wales and for the British car industry. It is a genuine example of a ‘one nation’ achievement, with both the UK and Welsh Governments working together to attract this prestige manufacturer to Welsh shores.

“This decision has reinforced Wales’ position as an innovator and leader in the automotive sector. It also shows the strength and competitiveness of our manufacturing sector, and the high-end skills base that is driving our economy forward.

“St Athan will present a wealth of opportunities to Aston Martin. I look forward to seeing the Super Hangar transformed into a major manufacturing base, and seeing Wales underlining its important contribution to the renaissance of the UK automotive industry.”

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Scotland’s industries support students and tackle skills shortage

Scotland’s leading science and technologies industries offer increased support for students, targeting sectors with skills shortages.

The Youth Employment Minister, Annabelle Ewing, today visited a college which supports students and addresses skills shortages in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) sectors.

Dundee and Angus College has worked with major employees and designed programmes in the energy sector, including micro-renewables and oil services. The college has seen impressive results, with 100% of those studying biofuels, going onto further study, training or work.

The college provides tailored programmes to meet industry needs and introduce students to a variety of different careers in specialist industries, including the creative and digital industries.

The ICT and digital skills industries are worth around £4.5Bn annually to the economy, with more than 84,000 people employed in jobs connected to it in 2014 alone.

Ms Ewing said: “This poses incredible opportunities for students and D&A College has been among the first to use this knowledge to create better opportunities for its graduates and build links with the sector.

“If we are to meet the need for an additional 11,000 new entrants every year and keep the workforce level with the demand, we are going to need innovative approaches like the work here at D&A College. I am keen to hear about the incredible success these new programmes for the STEM sectors are having. I am also looking forward to discussing how the college is improving the gender balance in these courses and continuing to see the number of graduates coming from our most disadvantaged communities grow to almost 10 per cent above the national average.”

The Minister met Sandra Cormack and Razwana Yousaf, who have launched start-up businesses from the college’s £1.6 million Enterprise Incubator. There they have access to support, networking and facilities for the first year.

D&A College Principal Grant Ritchie said: “Staff at D&A College understand our primary task is to ensure the right skills are available to help companies in our region compete effectively and flourish. To achieve this we talk to employers about how to fill skills gaps and we make sure that programmes are adjusted accordingly.

“Skills in energy and engineering along with digital skills are critical in ensuring our young people are resourceful and independent and are prepared for the modern workplace.”

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100 new plans for coastal communities across the UK

Coastal communities unveil 100 radical plans in a drive to boost growth, jobs and prosperity.

Over 100 economic plans have been submitted from coastal areas across the country today, from building a new history centre in Plymouth to redesigning the high street in Scarborough.

The plans submitted to the government by the teams include housing, business opportunities, jobs and skills, health and civic pride.

Over 11 million people live in coastal communities, from major cities to seaside villages. Across 150 seaside resorts, the tourism industry alone accounts for the employment of 250,000 people.

The industry contributes £4Bn to the UK economy. The government is supporting local coastal community teams to help revive towns and deliver their plans for future economic growth.

A total of 118 Coastal Community teams were created last year, given a share of £1.18M to help drive forward coastal areas growth.

Communities Secretary Greg Clark said: “Our Great British Coast has enormous economic potential and we are determined to see it thrive all year round – not just in the summer months.

“The huge number of plans submitted, demonstrate the wave of optimism, and wealth of creative and practical ideas to boost the economic lift-off.

“I now want to see their hard work and enthusiasm come to fruition by helping to deliver their ideas through the Coastal Community teams.”

Economic plans submitted include a brand new history centre in Plymouth to mark the 400^th anniversary of the Mayflower’s voyage. They will also secure investment for a number of new projects, including new digital hotspots across the city, restructuring the waterfront and encouraging a cycling culture.

Locals in Folkestone will give their views and work with marketing specialists in developing a new town brand. A new business hub will support start-ups and the living environment will be enhanced through public art and green space landscaping.

Scarborough have submitted new plans to restructure their high street, redeveloping derelict floor space and bringing good-quality new homes into the city centre.

The £120M Coastal Communities fund was established in 2012 and so far has created nearly 14,000 new jobs and over 10,000 training places.

 

 

 

 

 

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Big companies warn against leaving European Union

Leaders of some of Britain’s biggest businesses have warned against leaving the European Union, saying it would hit the UK’s economy and put jobs under threat.

Industry leaders from such companies as BT, Marks & Spencer, ASDA, and Vodafone have given their support to a letter to The Times claiming that a ‘Brexit’ would see investment in the UK fall.

There were notable absentees from the letter, however, with Tesco, Sainsburys, Morrisons and Barclays declining to back the stay campaign.

In a statement Tesco commented: The referendum on European Union membership is a decision for the people of Britain. Whatever that decision is, our focus will continue to be on serving customers.”

Bosses of 36 FTSE 100 companies help to make up a total of 198 signatories supporting the stay campaign.

However, almost two-thirds of the biggest publically listed companies in the UK didn’t back the campaign.

The news has been used to support both stances on Britain’s future, with the government using the letter as evidence of the risks involved in an exit.

Those in favour of leaving have claimed that the number of those who failed to sign the letter show that the business is world is split on the issue and is not necessarily representive of the feelings of the UK SMEs.

The referendum on the UK future in the European Union will be held on 23 June and was announced following the Prime Minister David Cameron’s new deal with the other 27 member countries.

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Scottish Water appoints JV for major contract

Atkins/RPS joint venture awarded £120M contract

ARC, the Atkins and RPS Consultancy joint venture, along with one other partnership, has been appointed by Scottish Water for its technical consultancy support contract. The contract will run throughout Scottish Water’s SR15 business plan period (2015-2021), with a possible extension to 2027.

Worth approximately £120M, the JV contract will assist Scottish Water by delivering a variety of technical consultancy services associated with water and wastewater assets. Works involved in the contract are wide and varied, encompassing modelling and identification of water and wastewater service related performance improvement requirements; the development of traditional and innovative asset and operational based solutions; feasibility studies; investment appraisals; and the design and development of solutions.

Paul Aitken, Chief Operating Officer of ARC, said: “Our mission is to support Scottish Water improve its service to customers and communities across Scotland by promoting more effective, resilient and efficient asset and operational solutions. Our ‘Strategy to Operations’ delivery model will provide an exceptional platform for effective totex-driven decision making.”

Scottish Water has a clear directive to improve its service to customer, ensuring high quality drinking water and the safe collection and treatment of waster water. This contract will support Scottish Water, allowing them to call on a vast range of expertise across the JV consortia.

Richard Whale, Client Director, Atkins, said: “The direction that Scottish Water wants to take up to 2021 is clear – to continue to provide the people of Scotland with high quality drinking water and to protect and enhance the environment.”

He continued: “With decades of experience of working for water utility companies and with a team who are in their element mastering complexity, we will be able to work with Scottish Water to provide forward-thinking practical solutions that deliver lasting value.”

Scottish Water has a healthy working relationship with both Atkins and RPS, having worked together throughout the 2006 to 2010 investment periods.

 

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DONG Energy confirm world first bio plant for household waste

Ground-breaking waste technology for Cheshire

​The UK will see the world’s first bio plant for handling unsorted household waste confirmed DONG Energy yesterday.

Announcing the development, Brent Cheshire, DONG Energy’s UK Country Chairman, said: “It’s fantastic to see the world’s first bio plant of this type being built in Northwich, underlining the UK is once again leading the way in renewable energy. This new plant also highlights our commitment to investing in the Northern Powerhouse.

“REnescience is a brilliant new technology and generates as many resources as possible from everyday household waste. This new bio plant will see us handling waste in a much smarter way”.

The plant will be capable of handling unsorted household waste, without prior treatment, using enzymes. This ground-breaking technology – REnescience – developed by Dong, has been undergoing testing in Copenhagen since 2009.

It’s success will see the first commercial full-scale plant built in Northwich and will see a more of the UK household waste being recycled and converted into biogas energy. With an annual capacity of 120,000 tonnes of waste, equivalent to the waste from almost 110,000 UK households, the plant will use waste collected from Northwich households.

Planning permission for the works has been granted with the plant financed, built and operated by DONG Energy, construction is expected to begin this month, with the plant commissioned in early 2017.

Around 150 people will be involved during the peak phase of construction, with an average of 75 at any given time. The plant will also require around 24 full-time local employees to operate it.

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3.5 mile South Devon Highway costing £110M opens today

Road Minister Andrew Jones has today opened a 3.5 mile South Devon Highway expected to carry 35,000 vehicles a day.

A new highway costing £110M has today been opened between Torbay and Newton Abbot, delivering better journeys for road users in the south west.

The new highway is expected to create hundreds of jobs and benefit the tourism industry, giving a major boost to the local economy.

Completed on budget and on time, the project is expected to deliver a near £1Bn return on the £110M investment.

A total of 2,600 workers, half of which were from the local area, spent almost 1.5 million hours working on the project over the 42 month building period that finished last December.

Chancellor George Osborne said: “Better infrastructure is vital to improve people’s lives in the south west, and this new link road is doing exactly that by making local journeys quicker and easier.

“After a tireless local campaign we pledged new funding to make this important project a reality, and today’s announcement shows we have delivered on our promise.”

The road bypasses the village of Kingskerswell, moving congestion away from the area, which previously saw an estimated 1 million vehicles per month moving through it.

Along the route, there are nine bridges, 4000 metres of retaining walls and nine major culverts. A 270 metre long railway tunnel was built as part of the project.

The new South Devon Highway is expected to save local residents and businesses up to 15 minutes each day, removing the concerns of having to travel through congested local villages.

The cost was split between the Department of Transport who payed £76M, Torbay Council and Devon County Council, with Teignbridge District Council making a £500,000 contribution.

The new highway hopes to connect communities, improving the economic outlook for the whole of south Devon.

Peter Truscott, Chief Executive of Galliford Try, the company that built the road said: “Galliford Try is proud to have been a part of this prestigious project which will make such a difference to the people of south Devon.

“We thank all the stakeholders for their collaborative approach, without which it would not have been possible to deliver this challenging project successfully.”

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New campaign launched to boost construction apprenticeships

A new resource has been created to help promote the benefit of apprenticeships to the construction industry.

Created with the help of the National Careers Service, the resource is designed to raise the profile of the apprenticeship scheme to both young people and employers.

The construction industry is looking for young people to take up the estimated 230,000 new jobs to be created over the next four years and it is envisaged that the resource will make this process easier.

To make the information easily shareable it has been displayed in two infographics, which are to be promoted across the construction sector and to websites aimed at young people about to start their careers.

The ‘Kick-starting your Career in Construction’ infographic features all of the relevant information someone would need before deciding on a career in construction, advice from the National Careers Service and links to useful websites.

Tom Laws, from the National Careers Service, commented: “Aside from the range of qualifications and experience you can gain through a role in construction, seeing a project develop from beginning to end, and having a tangible result to show for it can be very rewarding; people moving into a house or apartment block, or driving over a bridge you built is something you can take pride in every day.”

The other infographic, “Why you should hire an apprentice” has been created to show potential employers the success of the apprenticeship scheme, what advantages it can bring employers, the funding available to them and how they can start hiring an apprentice.

Chris Guy, Managing Director of Powertool World, said the company decided to create the resource “because we realise how important apprenticeships are too many of our customers, the construction industry and the UK economy in general.

“We’re taking any opportunity to do our bit to promote the scheme and educate young people and employers on the many benefits of apprenticeships. We plan to keep building on the resource going forward.”

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TfL and famous faces team up to walk the line for Sport Relief

Famous Londoners have recorded podcasts of their favourite places to walk along the Circle Link, to promote TfL special free led walk for Sport Relief.

Well-known Londoners including film-maker DJ Don Letts, TV and radio presenter Zoe Hardman, former Made in Chelsea’s Caggie Dunlop and Gavin and Stacey star Larry Lamb, have recorded podcasts of their favourite walk along the Circle Tube line, to promote Transport for London’s special free led walk on Sunday 13 March for Sport Relief.

The 14 mile route passes through some of the historical landmarks and hidden gems of London’s only circular Tube Line. The walk will be split into four difference sections at four different locations around the link – Fitzroy Square Gardens, St Botolph-without-Bishopgate Gardens, Christchurch Gardens and Kensington Gardens.

The “My London on foot” podcasts include the BBC radio presenters Robert Elms and Nick Bright celebrating the Capital’s history, culture and landscape over time, from the famous Baker Street, home of Sherlock Holmes, to the rich musical heritage of Ladbroke Grove and East London.

The event raises money for Sport Relief, to help people who are living in some of the poorest communities across the UK.

Leon Daniels, Managing Director for Surface Transport at TfL, said: “It’s fantastic that a variety of well-known Londoners have joined forces with TfL and Sport Relief to promote some of what London has to offer on foot. The special walk around the Circle line is a great opportunity for Londoners to raise money for disadvantaged people with Sport Relief, while seeing London’s rich history and getting active.”

TV and radio presenter, Zoe Hardman, said: “I love walking and cycling around London. It is a great way of getting to really know the city you live in, and gives you the opportunity to explore all the Capital has to offer in terms of architecture and history, as well as being a healthy way to get around town. I hope that my podcast inspires people to take part in TfL’s Circle line walk for Sport Relief.”

The event comes before the flagship Sainsbury’s Sport Relief Games event, taking place between 18-20 March at Queens Elizabeth Olympic Park and at locations across the Capital. The Games will give people the chance to take part in one the three events: Sport Relief Mile, Swimathon at the London Aquatics Centre or a cycle ride finishing at Lee Valley Velopark.

Transport for London’s “Time to Cycle” hub will be at the Olympic Park, offering an opportunity to learn more about cycling in London.

 

 

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New freight to cut congestion and improve safety around the The Shard

TfL has introduced new vehicle holding areas for freight and construction vehicles around The Shard, to relieve congestion and prevent illegal stopping.

Transport for London are working with London Bridge Working Group, and have introduced long-term, congestion easing measures to relieve traffic obstructions and illegal stopping around The Shard Development.

New holding areas for freight and construction vehicles have been created on Great Dover Street and St Thomas Street, which allow these vehicles to park and wait until they have clear access to the buildings or sites.

Previously, whilst working in the area, vehicles servicing The Shard or other nearby developments had been illegally stopping and obstructing roads, which was exacerbated when a number of vehicles were trying to access the site at the same time.

TfL have been visiting the sites to ensure that drivers are using the new facility – engaging with companies and moving on illegally parked vehicles to prevent unnecessary congestion in the area.

Garrett Emmerson, TfL’s Chief Operating Officer of Surface Transport, said: “We are committed to any initiative that helps to ease congestion and create a safer environment for all road users. London’s boom in construction and population means we have to find new ways to accommodate the increasing numbers of freight and delivery vehicles. Areas such as around The Shard can become congested quite easily unless we do something straight away.

“The solution that was found – providing nearby space for vehicles to park up and wait – was fairly straight-forward and yet invaluably effective in addressing congestion and safety in the area.”

Further temporary improvements around The Shard have included a relocation of the taxi rank at Fielden House to the opposite side of the road, which predominantly serves as a feeder to the rank opposite The Shard on St Thomas Street and the relocation of the pedestrian crossing to the east side of the site on St Thomas Street. There are also additional red lines to prevent stopping in the street and suspension of the loading bay outside The Shard to discourage vehicles stopping.

The works come as part of the Mayor’s £4Bn Road Modernisation Plan which is the largest investment in the Capital’s roads in a generation.

 

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Forth Road Bridge fully reopens to HGVs

The Forth Road Bridge reopened over the weekend after repairs to the managed main span truss end links were completed.

Improved weather conditions have allowed bridge operator Amey to finish this phase of the works ahead of schedule. Another factor has been the decision to re-engineer the construction phase to enable the majority of the steelwork fabrication to be done offsite thus minimising the impact of the weather.

The bridge has open to 99% of road users since the 23 December, with Amey striving to complete the strengthening programme to allow classes of vehicles to be able to use the bridge again.

A phased introduction for HGVs has been in operation over the past two weeks, with around 1600 HGVs utilising the night time operating hours.

Transport Minister Derek Mackay welcomed the news of the Forth Road Bridge fully reopening, commenting: “I know that this is something that will be welcomed by the tens of thousands of drivers who use the bridge on a daily basis, especially the heavy goods vehicle drivers who have had to observe restricted crossing times in the past few weeks. I would like to thank them for their patience during this time and stress again that safety and the long-term integrity of the bridge had to be our main considerations. We did all we could to assist the HGV community on an operational level and they have shown great forbearance.

“Tribute should be paid to the engineering team that has been relentless in its commitment to getting this structure reopened. The team has worked tirelessly throughout despite very challenging weather conditions, employing innovative approaches to the repairs and putting in place very effective solutions to complex problems.

“The sophisticated monitoring systems that have been installed on the bridge will remain. The operators Amey have also taken the opportunity to give the Forth Road Bridge a full structural a health check and undertaken routine maintenance lessening the need for further closures.”

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The end of retentions?

Don’t hold your breath!

Laurance Sheppard, Senior Associate, Thomas Eggar (recently merged with Irwin Mitchell LLP), gives his opinion on the abolition of retentions.

In April 2014 the Government launched its Construction Supply Chain Payment Charter. A central plank of the Charter was the abolition of retentions by 2025. Now the Government has announced that it will start a review of the practice of retentions. The review will deal with current practice and its impact on all parties involved, before suggesting alternatives to the practice of retentions.

Everyone in the construction industry, whether they be clients, main contractors or subcontractors, are acutely aware of retentions and the need for them (or some alternative) but they are very divisive and cause many conflicts in the industry.

Take, as an example, an amended JCT 2011 Design and Build Contract. Retentions are (predominantly) dealt with by clause 4.16 and 4.18. The retention percentage is 3% unless (which is usual) the contract is amended to say 5%.

Pursuant to clause 4.16 (and I paraphrase) the retention that is deducted from each interim payment under clause 4.7.2.1 is to be held by the employer as a fiduciary trustee. If the main contractor so requests, then the retention money must be placed into a separate bank account and held by the employer on trust.

If all runs smoothly then half the retention is released back to the contractor on practical completion and the other half is released back on the making good of defects. For me here is the nub of the issue. I have never, in over 20 years of working in the construction industry, seen these clauses (and their predecessors) un-amended.

The simple reason for this is that the employer wants to use the retention to help their own cash flow and to feel they have some stick with which to beat the contractor. So the employer holds retention and then in turn the main contractor holds retention against his sub-contractors.

Debate has raged for years about the pros and cons of retention. Employers like it as it will force the main contractor to come back and finish any outstanding or defective work. On the other hand, the main contractor sees a retention as unfairly withholding money for the work they have carried out and this money could be used to aid their cash flow.

Further, in the event of a main contractor insolvency (and let’s be honest) the employer gets a windfall and generally keeps the retention. The knock on effect of a main contractor insolvency tends to be massive, leaving a trail of destruction with many sub-contractors “high and dry” when it comes to getting their own retentions back.

The consultancy firm appointed by the Government to come up with alternatives to retentions have their “hands full”. It will be incredibly difficult to find a universally acceptable solution. Retention provisions are embedded in the construction industry, they are familiar to all (and begrudgingly accepted?) and they are a contractual provision in ever major contract.

I have mentioned trust accounts above (from the un-amended JCT contract) – I have never seen one. There is the possibility of the main contractor and subcontractor providing a retention bond. These should be an on demand bond to the value of the retention held. The retention is then released back to the contractor. The beneficiary can call on the bond should the contractor not complete his work, or if he does not come back to rectify defects.

A solution? Perhaps, but having worked for a main contractor for years we would always offer a retention bond to an employer so we would get our retention back to help our cash flow. However, we never allowed a subcontractor to provide a retention bond because we used the subcontractor’s retention to aid our own cash flow.

For me retentions will always remain in some form or other in the industry, but perhaps we should revert to an un-amended form of main contract and sub-contract. Then at least contractors would know their money is safe, even though they cannot access it.

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Cycles vs Large Vehicles

Vaccinate your Operation or you may be told to “Get on your Bike”!

Cycle safety is now a critical issue particularly in London, where cyclists are at an all time high with over 600,000 cycle journeys a day in the capital. Every cyclist is in a very vulnerable position when using our road network. Cyclists and large vehicles are not easily compatible on the typical crowded, narrow winding and cluttered roads in our towns and cities. However like it or not, for the foreseeable future we are all going to have to share this ever more crowded space.

Then comes the word “blame”. As a solicitor who has represented operators and drivers for 20 years in all sorts of cases involving investigations into serious road traffic accidents, blame is always a key factor. For serious road traffic incidents, as they are now called, the driver does not necessarily have to be wholly to blame to be guilty of offences such as dangerous driving or careless driving. When there is a death involved, causing that death becomes part of the offence and the sentencing involves almost inevitable imprisonment. As long as the inappropriate driving was part of the cause of the death then these offences can be made out.

Having dealt with a large number of cyclist related accidents over the years, it is fair to say in the vast majority of instances the person at fault was in fact the cyclist. Usually by failure to follow the Highway Code and on the face of it not obeying common sense. In other words they put themselves in harms way.

From a criminal perspective that may mean you can run a good argument to get an acquittal for the driver involved, although even if the cyclist has done something stupid, that does not automatically provide a defence if the manner of driving still fell below the standard expected.

In any event whilst these points matter to the driver in an investigation, no one wants to be in that driver’s position if they can possibly avoid it! Prevention is certainly better than cure. Drivers involved in a fatal road traffic incident may find themselves arrested, their fingerprints, photograph and DNA taken and held at a police station in a cell, which is not a pleasant experience for the uninitiated. This will often be shortly after the incident itself and the driver may well be very upset and shocked as the whole process is extremely stressful. The investigation may well take months with a number of police PACE interviews where the driver is reminded of the events time and time again, whilst it is crawled over looking for any element of failure by the driver. It is obvious how much stress this puts on not only the driver, but his family and friends also. This can all happen and often does, even if the driver has no criminal responsibility at all in the end.

All this does not end with the driver, the employer may well be visited and asked to assist in the investigation. Sometimes this may include the seizure of their documents including the maintenance records, training records and driver’s hours records. The police will be looking to see if the employer “aided and abetted” the incident by failing in their management obligations, which could result in the arrest and detention of the directors and / or transport manager.

In essence, one significant incident may well create a lot of major business and personal upset for both the driver and the business employees. In my experience, more often than not there is ultimately nothing wrong with the driving or operation.

So for all concerned prevention is better than cure.

In this case therefore what is the vaccine?

The primary vaccine is constant vigilance. By reminding drivers through documented training to remain constantly aware of the unseen, who may be in the blind spots on their vehicles. There are schemes out there now putting drivers on bikes to demonstrate what it is actually like when cycling, i.e. seeing it from the other perspective.

Secondly fitting the vehicles with equipment designed to assist the drivers in identifying those vulnerable people that may be hidden at first glance.

Thirdly, assisting the cycling community in its awareness of the issues of manoeuvring large vehicles in the busy streets. This can be done by contacting cycling clubs and inviting them to visit the yard and see for themselves what the blind spots are actually like, encouraging them through experience to keep clear. Remember many cyclists may never drive nor have a licence, they do not necessarily know the Highway Code nor do they have to pass any test. What may be obvious common sense to you and the driver may in fact be completely alien to the cyclist who has no real knowledge of the issues.

In essence no right thinking person wants to seriously injure or kill another person, so the main objective is to develop systems and training to prevent as far as possible, this ever effecting your lives and businesses.

TfL’s Safer Lorry Scheme in London are now dictating the equipment you will be expected to have on your vehicles, which is over and above that required by the European legislation. Whilst no one likes to have more costs and regulatory burdens put on their business, you may well find you cannot obtain work in London without meeting the requirements. Non-compliance ranking may work against you in tendering rounds, if not ruling you out altogether as with the FORS accreditation. Remember the objective is to save lives which must be in the interests of us all.

Submitted by Backhouse Jones Solicitors

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To the best of my knowledge…

Barry Ashmore, MD and co-founder of StreetwiseSubbie.com, tells us about the importance of ‘real knowledge’.

You may (or may not!) be interested to know that I received a few new business books over the festive period, so I’ve been doing a spot of reading.

I’ve just finished the million-copy best seller by Rolf Dobelli entitled ‘The Art of Thinking Clearly’ and I’d like to share with you details of just one of the chapters that really struck a chord.

‘Don’t Take News Anchors Seriously’ – Chauffeur Knowledge is the title of chapter 16 of the book. In it, Dobelli outlines the two types of knowledge that we are exposed to on a daily basis.

The first is ‘real knowledge’ and “can be seen in people who have committed a large amount of time and effort in understanding a topic”.

The second is what Dobelli refers to as ‘chauffeur knowledge’ after eloquently outlining how Nobel Prize winner, Max Planck, reportedly took up his chauffeur’s offer to deliver a lecture on quantum mechanics during a tour across Germany in 1918. The chauffeur in question had listened to Planck’s speech so many times he felt he knew if off by heart.

So, one night in Munich, Planck donned his chauffeur’s cap and took a seat in the front row and listened to his driver give a long lecture to a distinguished audience. After finishing the speech, a physics professor asked a question and the chauffeur recoiled and responded: “Never would I have thought that someone from such an advanced city as Munich would ask such a simple question! My chauffeur will answer it.”

‘Chauffeur knowledge’ is the second type of knowledge that essentially comes from people who have learned to put on a show. The knowledge isn’t their own, they reel it off as though they were reading from a script; just like Planck’s chauffeur.

This brings me nicely to the premise of this article: don’t believe all you see, hear or read in the media. It goes without saying that most of us are familiar with being wary about what the mainstream press writes and reports. I also think, rightly or wrongly, we should exercise the same caution with construction media.

Dare I use the ‘P’ word at this stage? How do we differentiate between ‘real knowledge’ and ‘chauffeur knowledge’ especially when it comes to articles on major projects, how things are improving in our sector and all the new houses the Government is building? What’s true and what isn’t?

What about Build UK’s widely publicised (by key trade and national press) claim that it will provide, “for the first time, a single voice for the whole of the contracting supply chain” and the idea that it is “ideally positioned to promote collaboration and provide industry-wide solutions for the benefit of everyone”?

Both statements are extremely hard to swallow because how can 67 separate businesses and associations with such diverse interests speak with one single voice? It’s impossible. Could it be that such pronouncements are based on ‘chauffeur knowledge’. Time will tell, and you can make your own mind up. And what about the Government and politicians of all denominations? Possibly the worst ‘chauffeurs’ of them all. None of them can ever give a straight answer and every single Government scheme devised to tackle Fair Payment in our industry has been wholly ineffective. Is it because they simply have ‘chauffeur knowledge’ of the issues? Or is it that they simply don’t care?

The lack of training and apprentices, dithering around with the CITB, the withdrawal of funding for the Growth Accelerator Scheme and the abuse of the supply chain by cash-strapped main contractors in the form of late or non-payment and spurious contra-charges continues to result in good, experienced, ‘real knowledge’ Specialist Contractors going to the wall.

Maybe we need to challenge the so-called key influencers and certain journalists, because we might find that they are only ‘chauffeurs’ after all… When the vast majority of UK businesses employ very few people, why is there not more genuine support and ‘real knowledge’ of those firms that are the very backbone of the industry? To the best of my knowledge, both sides have work to do to tackle this but until the propaganda – there I said it – ceases, or we learn to ignore it, the shape and health of our industry will only worsen.

Barry Ashmore is MD and co-founder of StreetwiseSubbie.com which provides business solutions for Specialist Contractors throughout the UK.

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Railway work to be carried out 3,600ft up Glencoe mountain

Engineers to upgrade Britain’s highest railway signalling equipment 3,600ft up a mountain in Glencoe.

This weekend, engineers will have the grand task of upgrading Britain’s highest railway signalling equipment on a site near the summit of Meall a’ Bhuiridh above the Glencoe Mountain ski area.

They have had to battle snowdrifts and temperatures of -15C during the work to keep trains running on the world’s most scenic line. Network Rail and specialist contractors Telent Techology Services have had to use a snow tractor, mountain guide and skiers’ chairlift to help reach the site.

Ageing radio equipment which controls the West Highland line between Glasgow, Fort William and Mallaig needs replacing after their frequencies were relocated.

The site is one of 23 hilltop locations for signalling masts along both that route and two lines north of Inverness.

Stephen Pears, Telent’s Rail Managing Director said: “We have engaged the assistance of a local Glencoe Mountain guide to allow us to safely access the summit of White Corries under expert supervision.

“Teams also carry personal protector beacons to alert the mountain rescue in case of emergency when working at remote hilltop locations.”

Unlike the rest of the Scottish network, where signalling is sent via lineside colour light signals, these rail lines are based on radio links between signallers and train drivers. Known as a Radio Electronic Token Block (RETB), it involves giving drivers a virtual “token” which let them proceed safely along sections of the single-track routes.

Since the installation of the system 30 years ago, the radio frequencies it uses are now needed for digital radio and television.

Friends of The West Highland Lines Chairman Doug Carmichael said: “RETB signalling, which commenced in the 1980s, has always brought a new dimension to operating Scotland’s rural railways, especially through the glens and on the West Highland lines.

“Once, trackmen battled through snowdrifts to free signals and their wires to remote signal boxes. Now, engineers climb mountains to obtain the best possible transmissions for train safety – still battling snow!”

The last of the equipment will be moved from the old base station to the new one this weekend.

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HS2 consultation on Phase 2a about to close

The HS2 consultation on Phase 2a property compensation and assistance proposals is due end shortly and those wishing to make their thoughts known have until Thursday 25^th February to submit their views.

Seven consultation events were held during January and gave people the opportunity to speak to property, environment and engineering specialists about the specifics of the government proposals for compensation and support for those property owners who live along this section.

Despite the consultation not being a statutory requirement, the government will undertake the process in an effort to ensure on-going engagement with the scheme.

The responses to the consultation will be examined independently over the coming months and be used to help the government to decide on introducing a package of long-term assistance and compensation schmes for Phase 2a in spring.

HS2 Ltd’s Head of Community and Stakeholder engagement for Phase Two, Stephen McFarlane said: “These events gave people the opportunity to find out more about the Government’s proposals for compensation and assistance for Phase 2a of HS2, between the West Midlands and Crewe.

“We were delighted with the attendance and the public’s willingness to engage with us at the events. However, I’d like to encourage as many people as possible to have their voices heard through responding formally to this consultation.

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Jacobs awarded contract for Manchester Airport transformation

Jacobs Engineering Group has been awarded a contract to provide engineering services for the £1Bn Manchester Airport overhaul.

Jacobs Engineering Group Inc. (NYSE:JEC) announced today it was awarded a contract to provide multidisciplinary engineering and selected service to Manchester Airports Group (M.A.G), to support the development of the Manchester Airport Transformation Programme in the United Kingdom.

The ten year investment programme of over $1.4Bn (£1Bn) includes the delivery of 60 enhancements, as well as significant airside and landside development, expected to position the airport to play an even greater role as the UK’s global gateway to the north.

The core of the major modernisation programme is the Terminal 2 upgrade, which involves new baggage handling facilities, alterations and extension for the existing terminal, new piers and multi-storey car parks. Contractors are being shortlisted for the bidding process.

Under the terms of the contract, Jacobs is providing multidisciplinary engineering and selected architectural services for new and upgraded facilities including terminal, piers, airfield, multi-level car parks and surface access facilities.

M.A.G Chief Executive Charlie Cornish said, “Manchester Airport is thriving as a national asset, forming a key component of the UK’s aviation infrastructure at a time when airport capacity in the United Kingdom is at a premium.

“At Manchester, we have invested heavily in meeting the needs of our airlines, passengers and local communities, and we recognize now is the right time to deliver a transformation program that will meet the needs of all our customers and drive further economic growth for both the region and the country.”

The programme aims to ensure minimum disruption to airport operations and the surrounding area, with programme benefits expected including smoother journeys, quicker connections and greater punctuality for customers.

Jacobs supported M.A.G in delivering its transformational projects at Stansted Airport, delivering asset upgrades across Manchester Airport and M.A.G’s other UK airports for the past six years. M.A.G serves 50 million passengers per annum, and handles almost half a million tonnes of freight every year through its ownership and operation of the airports of London Stansted, Manchester, East Midlands and Bournemouth airports

 

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