Prioritising transport will preserve the environment

Troublesome transport: The civils sector is reeling from the news of huge cuts in the roads programme and the extraordinary notion that we are no longer required to have a transport minister at cabinet level. How downgrading transport can assist towards prioritising the protection of the 'green' environment is difficult to envisage but that, we are told, is what lies behind the decision. One would have thought it rather more logical to prioritise transport as the most direct means of preservation.

Stormy weather: I do hope Costain successfully weather the latest storm to hit them. We have worked with them on numerous occasions and I know their staff are highly regarded in the industry. They seem to have had more than their fair share of problems. Perhaps Intria's troubles will enable Skanska to take control thus giving the firm the strong and secure European base it so badly needs.

Medical madness: Further major incursions by Government into PFI relate to returning the running of hospitals to the public sector. Whether the idea was as a result of the BMA and healthcare unions' opposition to PFI is not entirely clear. There appear to be mixed feelings about the decision to run trials at two hospitals, with an admission by some consortia members that there is a shortage of the right kind of facilities management provider. If we are not careful it would seem we could be moving full circle towards the return of the closed shop. Surely, the only safe and healthy way of operating any system where the maxims of public accountability and budgetary control allied to a value for money scenario are to be in place is via open competition to all-comers, and not by a dubious screening process via vested in-house union representation.

American friend?: Regardless of whether or not there are sufficient grounds to bring in an outside team to investigate the Jubilee Line debacle, what we should be asking ourselves is why is it an American company. Are Bechtel seen as more 'independent' or are they really the only rational choice? Surely there are many other UK companies who could equally carry out the task. Suffice to say that the adage that their charges will be ... "whatever it costs" ... could well end up applying to the project itself!