Articles by Date : December 05 2005 - December 11 2005

Eastern promise
After an eternity of waiting, the East London Line extension finally got the green light earlier this year. Taylor Woodrow was awarded the first.... more
(09 December 2005 17:12)

Cheap labour directive failing, claim employers and unions
The European Posted Workers Directive, which aims to create a level playing field by curbing the use of cut-price imported labour, is not proving.... more
(09 December 2005 17:11)

Merseyside merger
Nuttall and HBG Construction are working together on a new transport hub on the West Coast Main Line near Liverpool's John Lennon Airport. The £18m.... more
(09 December 2005 17:11)

Single status
The decision to break its ties with Mouchel Parkman in the highways market leaves Amey fighting its own corner for new roads work. Ross Pearman.... more
(09 December 2005 17:09)

Plant hirers risk insurance liability claims
The Construction Plant-hire Association (CPA) has warned its members against becoming involved in projects as subcontractors, as it could see hire.... more
(09 December 2005 17:08)

Firms rubbish rules on plasterboard disposal
Demolition firms will be left stranded if the Environment Agency (EA) swoops to enforce plasterboard disposal rules, claim landfill operators. more
(09 December 2005 17:05)

Play safe or pay up, contractors warned
Contractors will need to pay greater attention to site conditions following a recent case in which a firm failed to prove negligence on the part of a.... more
(09 December 2005 17:04)

Laing's portfolio rises to £340m
The total value of John Laing's PFI/PPP investments rose by 9% to £340m in the first six months of 2005. more
(09 December 2005 17:04)

Smart card roll-out possible by spring
Biometric readers and Smart cards could replace traditional Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) cards on site by as early as next.... more
(09 December 2005 17:03)

Corus thrives - but steel prices still set to rise
Steel buyers are facing further price rises this year, despite record profits from main UK supplier Corus. more
(09 December 2005 16:58)

Bovis lands £80m Glasgow windfall
Bovis Lend Lease is understood to have held off two rivals to clinch the main contractor's role on a major redevelopment deal just outside Glasgow. more
(09 December 2005 16:57)

14 contractors to share £58m bonanza in Leeds
A total of 14 contractors are set to share £58m worth of window and re-roofing work in Leeds. more
(09 December 2005 16:56)

£350m NW housing deal split four ways
Four contractors have the key to £350m-worth of housing new build and refurbishment work in the North West. more
(09 December 2005 16:55)

Industry rounds on cancer liability directive
Proposed EU legislation will make building bosses liable for all skin cancers suffered by their workers, no matter what their cause, the Federation.... more
(09 December 2005 16:53)

Five chase £28m Essex college deal
Five contractors have made it to the next stage of the contest for a £28m education scheme in Essex. more
(09 December 2005 16:52)

Duo to sue Stephenson
RMC Readymix and RMC Logistics Scotland are suing civil engineering firm Stephenson in a £400,000 row over the supply of concrete. more
(09 December 2005 16:51)

Time pressures hit safety standards
Pressure from clients for swift contract completions and a lack of authority given to health and safety are still affecting safety standards across.... more
(09 December 2005 16:50)

Laing Homes in Cambridge land use row
Laing Homes stands accused of unreasonable behaviour towards a homeowner in a dispute over the use of land in Cambridge. more
(09 December 2005 16:49)

Staffordshire Council roots out culprits
Wrekin Construction is to be investigated by Staffordshire County Council (SCC), following an incident in which it accidentally destroyed seven.... more
(09 December 2005 16:48)

Jarvis chief ready to move after mission impossible
Alan Lovell, chief executive of Jarvis, is getting ready to move on from the company, but not before March 2006. more
(09 December 2005 16:48)

Fraser banks on mini JCB
Lanarkshire-based Fraser Tool Hire is the first Scottish company to purchase one of JCB's new 8014 mini excavators. more
(09 December 2005 16:47)

Remote air compressor
Drillcorp has introduced Air-Cat, a self-propelled, track-mounted air compressor designed to overcome access problems on confined sites or where.... more
(09 December 2005 16:46)

Derailed?
The decision by Network Rail to take rail maintenance in-house will have a significant impact on the procurement of road-rail plant. Paul Howard.... more
(09 December 2005 16:46)

On track for growth
Birse Rail is combining its sector expertise and its relationships with the rest of the Birse empire to expand beyond Network Rail framework.... more
(09 December 2005 16:44)

Funds boost for Worcester library
Plans for a £43m library and history centre in Worcester have taken a big step forward with the news that £33m has been made available for the.... more
(09 December 2005 16:43)

CITB plans apprentice qualification scheme
A number of leading construction employers have expressed interest in a new scheme aiming to qualify the workforce. It will be piloted by.... more
(09 December 2005 16:37)

HBG construction arm bailed out by property
HBG's UK construction division suffered a dip in its profit margin to 1.7% last year, after running at 2.1% in 2003. more
(09 December 2005 16:36)

Quarry death prompts HSA investigation
The Health and Safety Authority (HSA) has begun an investigation into the death of a nine-year-old boy who was killed in a quarry accident in Donegal.... more
(09 December 2005 16:36)

Six to share workload on £45m HM Revenue & Customs contract
Six firms are to share out £45m worth of work refurbishing HM Revenue & Customs properties throughout the UK under framework deals with property.... more
(09 December 2005 16:35)

Two remain in Peterborough schools deal
Only two groups are now on the roll-call for a £64m PFI schools deal in Peterborough. more
(09 December 2005 16:34)

Bickerton two may face disqualification
Two of the so-called 'Bickerton seven' are facing civil proceedings, despite the collapse of the Serious Fraud Office's investigation earlier this.... more
(09 December 2005 16:34)

Sports centres and libraries win PFI credits
Six privately financed local authority projects to build library and sports centres have been given the green light by the Department for Culture.... more
(09 December 2005 16:33)

HSS aims to expand further despite buying Laois chain
HSS said it is still looking for further Irish acquisition opportunities following the purchase of Laois Hire Services, one of the Republic of.... more
(09 December 2005 16:32)

Payment of adjudication costs
Neither the 1996 Construction Act nor the Scheme for Construction Contracts, which contains model terms for adjudication, provide for the payment of.... more
(09 December 2005 16:31)

Fitzpatrick in a jam with Blackwall tunnel delays
Fitzpatrick has missed a fourth completion date on its £15.5m refurbishment contract of east London's Blackwall tunnel. more
(09 December 2005 16:30)

Ausa makes 6t UK debut
The UK's first 6t Ausa dumper has been delivered to Plant & Engineering Services of Exeter. more
(09 December 2005 16:29)

£2.5m jackpot for Cemex
Cemex had a lively month in August, winning £2.5m of contracts for regeneration schemes in Sheffield and Glasgow. more
(09 December 2005 16:28)

Supervisor role threatened by CDM update
The Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) has welcomed proposals for updating the Construction Design and Management (CDM) safety regulations. more
(09 December 2005 16:26)

Construction rates poorly in UK health statistics
Updated statistics from the Health & Safety Executive confirm that construction has one of the worst occupational health records of any industrial.... more
(09 December 2005 16:25)

Carillion, Taywood, Balfour face chop
Plans to ditch three of the 11 NHS ProCure 21 contractors are in the pipeline. more
(09 December 2005 16:25)

Retrofit DPFs won't affect CE certficates
CE certification will not be compromised by retrofitting a particulate filter (DPF), as it certifies conformity only when a machine is first sold in.... more
(09 December 2005 16:24)

New clients boost NMC's turnover by 50%
North Midland Construction (NMC) has enjoyed a surge in turnover of almost 50% this year, largely as a result of winning work with new clients. more
(09 December 2005 16:23)

CIS system will bring 'bedlam' without Revenue compromise
A specially configured Terex-Atlas loader has been purchased by Stonegrave Aggregates for its recycling facility at Aycliffe Quarry in County Durham..... more
(09 December 2005 16:22)

Stonegrave orders Terex hybrid loader
A specially configured Terex-Atlas loader has been purchased by Stonegrave Aggregates for its recycling facility at Aycliffe Quarry in County Durham..... more
(09 December 2005 16:21)

Healthier profit for Michelmersh
Michelmersh, the specialist producer of handmade-specification bricks, enjoyed a more comfortable interim pre-tax profit of £210,000. In the same.... more
(09 December 2005 16:21)

Play safe or pay up, contractors warned
Contractors will need to pay greater attention to site conditions following a recent case in which a firm failed to prove negligence on the part of a.... more
(09 December 2005 16:20)

Galliford Try wins £5.5m infrastructure contract
Galliford Try has been awarded a £5.5m infrastructure contract to build a new bypass for Warwickshire County Council. more
(09 December 2005 16:04)

Adjudication and insolvency
The recent case of Wimbledon Construction Co -v- Derek Vago considered the circumstances in which the court might refuse to enforce the decision of.... more
(09 December 2005 16:00)

Unfit for purpose
The fit-out trades that come on site towards the end of a project are often forced to cope with some of the tightest schedules and toughest working.... more
(09 December 2005 15:58)

Kia makes debut in commercial market
Kia has launched its first commercial vehicle for the UK market - a five-door load carrier based on its 4x4 Sorento. more
(09 December 2005 15:53)