At the Costain Skanska Joint Venture (CSjv) we are marking a significant milestone. By the end of 2020, we will have employed over 200 previously unemployed people on the HS2 Enabling Works Programme and reached over 11,000 young people in schools.

Balfour Beatty, the international infrastructure group, officially welcomes a number of changes to its Group Executive Committee this week.

Costain, the smart infrastructure solutions company, announces the appointment of Helen Willis to the Board as chief financial officer with effect from 30 November 2020. She will join Costain on 23 November to commence a handover prior to taking up her position.

Costain, the smart infrastructure solutions company, in collaboration with the gas networks, has produced a feasibility study that will contribute to the ongoing assessments of the ability to use the existing UK gas transmission and distribution networks to transport hydrogen. The project is the first to bring together all the gas distribution networks, working collaboratively to develop an innovative hydrogen solution that could be an answer to decarbonised energy for heat, transport, industry and power generation, helping the UK meets its target to be net zero carbon by 2050.

•  Valuing Thiess at AUD 4.3 billion (100% enterprise value)
•  Realizing cash proceeds of AUD 1.7 billion to AUD 1.9 billion to Cimic

The Environment Agency has completed repairs to a 40 m slip on a flood defence embankment in Doncaster, to repair and improve defences for winter.

Costain announces that Tony Bickerstaff, chief financial officer, after 14 years in the role will be stepping down from his position and as a director of the Company.

Crossrail Ltd plans to bring the Elizabeth line into passenger service as soon as practically possibly in the first half of 2022.

• Major milestone for Europe’s largest infrastructure project as it moves from enabling works to full construction following Government’s approval for Notice to Proceed in April
• HS2 Ltd and its Tier One contractors expect to recruit for around 22,000 roles in the coming years to build the Phase One route – offering people a path back into work after the pandemic
• HS2 Ltd CEO Mark Thurston: “the reality of high speed journeys joining up Britain’s biggest cities in the North and Midlands and using that connectivity to help level up the country has just moved a step closer”
• NEW HS2 animations, infographics, drone footage and more available at this link: https://visual.library.hs2.org.uk/p/share/HoMPX6th7pT2

Fugro has completed a contract for Nexans to provide remotely operated vehicle (ROV) survey and monitoring support services to lay the North Sea Link cable through a mountain and along a lakebed in Norway. National Grid NSN Link Ltd and Statnett SF are building an electricity interconnector between Kvilldal in Norway and Blyth in the UK which, on completion, will be the longest subsea interconnector in the world. Fugro’s innovative survey and monitoring solutions supported the installation of two cables through the mountain between Hylsfjorden and Lake Suldalsvatnet, and along the lakebed at a depth of 210 m.

Mott MacDonald is undertaking its first piece of work for the new Network Rail Design Services Framework. The project is supporting the development of a new system to support degraded mode working on the railway during signalling system failures. The DMWS project is part of Network Rail’s Research & Development Portfolio – it’s £245M investment programme over CP6 to drive improvements to the safety, performance and efficiency of Britain’s railway infrastructure.

Digital connectivity and data in transportation infrastructure

• World’s number 2 in offshore wind further strengthens its renewables business in the UK
• GE Renewable Energy’s Grid Solutions and Sembcorp Marine chosen as preferred suppliers for the project’s high voltage direct current transmission system
• Offshore construction works expected to start in 2023 / More than 50 % of the system components will be manufactured in local UK facilities

The super sewer became one step closer to cleaning up the River Thames as tunnelling machine Charlotte completed her journey to Fulham, finishing a vital connection tunnel beneath the river.

In an innovative and skills-focused partnership, Balfour Beatty Vinci (BBV) and Walsall College, will offer young people in the West Midlands a part to play in the delivery of High Speed Two, Britain’s brand-new low carbon, high speed railway.

Fugro is one of the successful companies to win innovation funding from Innovate UK’s ‘First of a Kind’ (FOAK2020) competition under the theme of optimised and cost-effective rail maintenance.

Costain, the smart infrastructure solutions company, has been appointed onto Anglian Water's over £350 million new Strategic Pipeline Alliance.

Skanska signed Contracts with Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water and Anglian Water in UK

Network Rail has awarded Fugro a contract for a RILA survey of a major part the rail network on the Western Route in England.

UK Research and Innovation recently announced funding for the first phases of the Deployment and Roadmap programme for industrial decarbonisation strategies, run on behalf of the UK government.