Weekly news round up 3 September 2014

Network Rail back in arms of DfT, Arcadis set to buy Hyder by 16 October and water bills to fall 5%.

  1. Network Rail became a public sector arm’s-length body of the Department for Transport on 1 September. DfT says it plans to allow Network Rail to continue to manage its business “with appropriate commercial freedom, within effective regulatory and control frameworks”. The framework agreement is here. DfT will appoint future chairs and approve remuneration policy and pay for executive directors

  2. Hyder has told shareholders that its takeover by Arcadis will be complete by 16 October. The timetable will stand unless there is a counter offer from Nippon Koei.

  3. The Chancellor has announced the Autumn Statement will take place on 3 December. Expect an update of the National Infrastructure Plan at the same time.

  4. Network Rail opened two new platforms at London Bridge station on time on Monday after a nine-day part closure of the railway for the Thameslink programme was successfully completed. 1200 engineers layed new track and installed a complex, state-of-the-art signalling system. At the same time a triple-track Victorian bridge on the approach to the station was rebuilt, and a new connection to the east coast mainline to the north of Kings Cross  brought a step closer. For timelapse video go here 

  5. Recruitment business Hays has reported a 368% rise in UK operating profit for the year to June 30 of £26.2M compared to £5.6M last time. Net fees were up to £246M from £222M and Hays took on an extra 228 recruiters. Construction and property was the best performing sector in the UK with an annual growth of 21% during the year. 

  6. Liverpool City Region has revealed more about its 30 year rail plan with with Network Rail to improve passenger and freight rail links.The Long Term Rail Strategy outlines 12 high-priority rail projects for the city and surrounding area designed to improve both suburban and intercity rail services. Schemes include replacing Merseyrail’s fleet for higher capacity vehicles, increasing the frequency of services between Liverpool and London, introducing new direct services to Scotland and South Wales, and upgrading the North Mersey and Bootle branch lines for passenger service.

  7. England’s core cities have called for decade-long public service funding settlements to form part of Chancellor George Osborne’s devolution plan for the North. Nick Forbes, the leader of Newcastle City Council and Core Cities Cabinet member for reform, said 10-year funding deals in the areas of skills, transport and adult social care would help boost the growth potential of cities. Forbes said the group – which includes the five northern cities of Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle and Sheffield – wanted place-based settlements to form part of Osborne’s ‘Northern economic powerhouse’.

  8. Atkins, in partnership with Hyder, have been awarded a three-year contract by the Highways Agency  to deliver specialist technical support to the seven Regional Control Centres (RCCs) across England. 

  9. A new right could allow local residents or local firms to raise a petition that will require a council review of the use of yellow lines and unfair parking charges, Local Government Secretary Eric Pickles has announced.

  10. Ofwat's draft determination suggests water bills are set to fall by around 5% in real terms in the next Amp period between 2015 and 2020. Investment of £43bn is included in the determination.

If you would like to contact Jackie Whitelaw about this, or any other story, please email jackie.whitelaw@infrastructure-intelligence.com.