The Enquirer is putting out its last daily newsletter of the year today as the industry winds-down for its traditional Christmas break.

The website will be updated with any major breaking stories during the holiday season with the full daily news service returning on January 4.

It has been an eventful 12 months and a busy news year for construction as the Enquirer keeps the industry up to date with what is really going on.

These were the best read stories during the year:

Our most popular stories in 2021

(Number of times they were read)

Mass brawl breaks out on London site – (65,706 page views)

Nmcn goes into administration – (53,228 page views)

Timber and steel shortages set to intensify – (46,462 page views)

Scaffold brought down on City of London site – (41,727 page views)

Six planned skyscrapers to change London city skyline– (41,340 page views)

Timber batten prices go through the roof – (35,604 page views)

Facebook site flooded by burst pipe– (31,793 page views)

Gove declares war on construction companies – (30,675 page views)

British Steel stops taking orders in face of ‘extreme’ demand – (30,558 page views)

National highways halts first smart motorway job– (30,015 page views)

The Enquirer enjoyed another year of growth as busy professionals turn to us for a fast and insightful news fix.

Our daily newsletter now has more than 49,000 subscribers.

Google Analytics show the Enquirer enjoyed more than 19.6 million page views this year from more than 4.3 million users – numbers which dwarf any of our traditional construction media rivals.

Our growing band of advertisers enjoy industry leading response rates and all the details about booking a campaign for 2022 can be found here.

Display adverts were clicked on more than 120,000 times during the year generating a staggering 3,500 hours – or 145 days – viewing time of our advertisers’ websites by Enquirer readers.

Our recruitment pages are thriving thanks to our unrivaled reach into construction companies while our Suppliers and Buyers Directory has already signed-up more than 4,700 firms from across the supply chain.

We’d like to wish all our readers a very Merry Christmas and here’s to a happy New Year after a well deserved break.

Did you miss our previous article…
https://www.thegraduatemag.com/?p=1840

Network Rail’s southern region has alerted firms to a forthecomming bid race to find two partners for a new 10-year-plus deal to deliver signalling and track across the territory.

The region is hoping for step-change in the way renewals are delivered on its network, making the most of modern methods of working and technology, collaboration and relationship-focused contracting.

The fresh delivery approach known as the Southern Integrated Delivery model will involve a switch to integrated and collaborative Project 13 principals of delivery for an estimated work total work programme of up to £9.6bn over Control Periods 7 and 8.

This partnership approach will be used to deliver all categories of railway asset work including signalling & telecoms, track, buildings & civils, electrification and plant and minor works.

Building and civils is already out to tender with the search for separate signalling and track business partners on Kent Sussex and Wessex routes completing the shake-up.

Buildings and civils will account for 30% – 45% of spend, track 15% – 25%, signalling 5% – 15%, electrification and plant 5% -10% while minor works will constitute 20%- 30% of the overall estimated value.

Works programme

Lot 3: The Signalling Integrator Business Partner

• Early-stage development including all work types (renewals and refurbishment) typically GRIP 1 to 3

• Detailed design, construction and commissioning of all work types (GRIP 4 to 8) including targeted Interventions, Level Crossings and telecommunications associated with the signalling works, with the exception of major renewals

• Manage, coordinate and oversee the delivery for all appointed Eco-System OEM providers – who will be remitted to undertake major Signalling renewals

• Self-delivery of mid-size schemes/asset-life extension works.

Lot 4: Track business partner

Site investigation, survey, design, planning and installation of track works, including renewal, removal, refurbishment or new installation of plain line track, track drainage or switches and crossings by whatever means.

This includes re-alignment, lifting and lowering of track, 3rd Rail, remote condition monitoring, removal, replacement or new installation of lineside plant such as rail lubricators, fencing and rail crossings

Successful bidders will initially sign into a development phase agreement, scheduled to commence in January 2023 and run up until April 2024.

Following this, the partners will sign into a multi-party SID Agreement based on an Network Rail’s alliance form of contract.

Network Rail will host a virtual market briefing event on Thursday 20 January 2022, from 10.00 to 12:00 to brief interested firms.

To register for the event email the attendee’s name, organisation and contact number no later than 13 January. Title email “Southern Integrated Delivery (SID) – Market Briefing – Signalling & Track”.

 

Did you miss our previous article…
https://www.thegraduatemag.com/?p=1833

Building services specialist Ameon has landed a £10m mechanical and electrical contract from John Sisk & Son at Latitude Purple – the Hub Group’s twin-tower residential development in Leeds city centre.

Ameon will start on its 72-week phase of the contract next November and will deploy up to 80 operatives at peak on the projec.

Work will involve design and installation of the services infrastructure serving 463 residential apartments and communal areas in the 17 and 21-storey towers and the single-storey podium deck, linking the taller structures.

Ameon contracts director, Rod Bunce said: “We’ve demonstrated our capabilities on many high-rise residential tower blocks, particularly in the development hotspots of Manchester, Liverpool and Leeds in recent years; therefore I believe we’re a perfect fit for Latitude Purple, which will be a fantastic addition to the skyline of city centre Leeds.

“We’re also delighted to be working again with Sisk, with whom we have enjoyed excellent working relationships on previous projects and look forward to helping to bring Latitude Purple to life.”

Alan Rodger, Managing Director for UK North, John Sisk & Son, added: “I am delighted that we will be working with Ameon on this prestigious development for Hub Group, which will expand the city centre, and provide hundreds of quality homes for the local community.

“We have a brilliant working relationship with the company, forged on previous high-quality projects, and I am excited that we will get to strengthen that relationship further on Latitude Purple.”

To promote your latest contract package wins and your company products and services join the Enquirer Suppliers and Buyers directory here.

Did you miss our previous article…
https://www.thegraduatemag.com/?p=1825