Month: December 2022

The Competition and Markets Authority said it was concerned that the deal will reduce much-needed additional competition for rail signalling supply just as major contracts are coming up for tender.

On HS2, the firms make up two of the four shortlisted bidders for the £540m job to design and buildsignalling systems that will control trains travelling at speeds of up to 360km/h and up to 25 years of technical support.

It added that the loss of competition across both mainline and urban signalling markets could increase costs for Network Rail and TfL and have an adverse knock-on effect on taxpayers and passengers.

Colin Raftery, Senior Mergers Director at the CMA, said: “Network Rail currently spends close to £1bn annually on mainline rail signalling – and this is expected to increase in future, as equipment needs to be replaced and the UK transitions to digital signalling.

“The cost of signalling, and

The latest bellwether S&PGlobal/CIPS UK Construction Purchasing Managers’ Index shows expectations for business activity growth during the year ahead dropped to the lowest level since May 2020.

That previous low was back in the days of the start of the pandemic and those times aside the degree of positive sentiment was the joint-weakest since December 2008.

The activity Index recorded 50.4 in November down from 53.2 in October but still above the crucial 50 no-change threshold.

Commercial work was the only sector to record a rise as house building stalled and civil engineering drooped.

Tim Moore, Economics Director at S&P Global Market Intelligence, which compiles the survey said: “Stalling house building activity contributed to the weakest UK construction sector performance for three months in November.

“Survey respondents noted that new residential building projects had been curtailed in response to rising interest rates, cancelled sales and worries about the economic

The 348 new homes project is being developed by Transport for London’s commercial arm along with housing association A2Dominion are developing the near 350-homes project around the Picadilly Line tube station.

The homes, delivered across four buildings, will be a mixture of one, two and three and four-bedroom properties, providing options for all types of households.

They will be a mixture of shared ownership, which offers an affordable route into homeownership, and London Affordable Rent, the level of which is set by the Mayor of London and is substantially below open market rents, helping to provide low-cost rented homes to support low-income households.

Plans also involve a new public square, improved pedestrian routes

There will also be 950 sqm of retail space, which will help support the wider local economy.

Steven Waite, Director of Technical and Commercial at A2Dominion said: “Our relationship with Transport for London is bringing a fresh