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Towards net zero p21 Low carbon tunnel p26 Jumping factory moves on p30
New Civil Engineer
F E B R U A R Y 2020
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New Civil Engineer
NEW DECADE,
NEW OPPORTUNITIES
CLAIRE SMITH
EDITOR
he more observant of those among you may have industry. In this issue’s Big Interview, Emily Ashwell spoke to Transport
T
noticed that I am not Mark Hansford – Mark is leaving for NSW senior executive Paul McCormick who recently emigrated to
New Civil Engineer this month to join the ICE as Australia to help deliver the huge infrastructure projects planned there.
director of engineering knowledge. For the last eight Australia has been in the news almost daily so far this year as a result
years I have been editor of New Civil Engineer’s sister of the devastating bush fires there, and this brings me to the critical
“
title Ground Engineering but New Civil Engineer has played a key part challenge of the next decade: tackling climate change.
of my career since I first joined the ICE as a student member in 1995.
Now New Civil Engineer is the focus of my career.
So, new decade, new editor but will there be new opportunities Insight I have gained in recent
for the sector? I do believe that there will be, but there are also
challenges ahead which must be tackled. months means I believe that a
While the conclusion of the withdrawal from the European Union
(EU) at the end of January is not welcome to all, many will be relieved return to growth is coming: my contacts
that decisions are finally being made. With a line drawn in the sand,
we can move on from the political turmoil of the last three years.
in the ground investigation industry tell
And it is not a moment too soon – the Construction Purchasing
Managers Index, which gives a guide to whether the construction
me that the market is booming
industry is growing or contracting, has been hovering at low levels
not seen since the height of the 2008 recession. The index has shown This issue also contains a focus on the drive to reduce greenhouse gas
a steady fall since the 2016 EU referendum – a clear barometer of emissions to net zero and the key role the civil engineering industry has
falling confidence in the market. to play dealing with the climate crisis that few now deny exists.
However, the industry insight I have gained in recent months The UK was the first major economy to take on legally binding
through my role on Ground Engineering means that I believe that a commitments to reduce greenhouse gas output with the target of
return to growth is coming: my contacts in the ground investigation reducing emissions by at least 100% of 1990 levels – net zero – by
industry tell me that the market is booming. Ground investigation is 2050. Promises are easy to make but putting policies in place and
always the first to suffer in a downturn as clients pull back from new putting them into action is critical.
projects, but it is always the first to recover too when confidence returns. In this issue’s lead feature, WSP executive director and UK head
Within weeks we can expect a decision on High Speed 2, which, if of transport Rachel Skinner, who will be inaugurated as the next
the rumours started by Lord Berkeley’s dissenting report are true, is President of the ICE this autumn, hits the nail on the head when
expected to come out in support of the project. This is in addition to she says: “The nature of what we do has the potential to be part of
the ramping up this year of Network Rail’s Control Period 6, the start the problem; now we have to demonstrate we can be part of the
of the water industry’s Asset Management Period 7 and Highways solution.”
England’s second Road Investment Strategy. What are you going to do to today to make sure you play your role
But the UK is only part of the opportunity – the growth in in being part of the solution?
international sectors creates huge potential for the civil engineering l Claire Smith is New Civil Engineer’s editor
F E B R U A R Y 2 02 0 | NEW CIVIL ENGINEER 3
Contents NEW CIVIL ENGINEER FEBRUARY 2020
MAGAZINE OF THE INSTITUTION OF CIVIL ENGINEERS
08 News, Comment 21 Towards
& Analysis Net Zero
08 The Edit: Crossrail is now running
two and a half years late
08 The Edit: New editor for
New Civil Engineer announced
11 Inside Track: Battle over
need for HS2 erupts
12 Inside Track: Heathrow access row
13 Inside Track: Bakerloo Extension
to be funded by property levy
14 Inside Track: Power cut report
triggers resilience move
16 Big Interview: Paul McCormick,
Transport for NSW
18 Your View: Florida collapse; PI costs
46 ICE
Record
Engineers are part of the solution to the climate crisis,
in particular the global effort to cut carbon emissions.
Some construction firms are already building
carbon reduction into their business plans and into their
projects. Here we look at what is being done
22 With governments around 26 Skanska UK is using a tunnelling
46 ICE pass list the world declaring a climate project on Humberside to develop
emergency, it is time act on carbon low carbon solutions
4 NEW CIVIL ENGINEER | F E B R U A R Y 2 02 0
We want your feedback!
Have your say on New Civil Engineer’s
magazine and online content in our annual
readers survey. Deadline 7 February.
Visit www.research.net/r/RHRLFZH
29 Innovative
Thinking Live! EDITORIAL TEAM
EDITORIAL ENQUIRIES
Email: nceedit@emap.com
Editor
Claire Smith
(020) 3953 2818 claire.smith
Deputy Editor
Alexandra Wynne
(020) 3953 2822 alexandra.wynne
Associate Editor
Emily Ashwell
(020) 3953 2094 emily.ashwell
LISTEN: THE ENGINEERS COLLECTIVE News Editor
30 Mace is building on its jumping This month we interview Heathrow Rob Horgan
(020) 3953 2087 rob.horgan
factory concept at a housing expansion director Phil Wilbraham
development in east London newcivilengineer.com/podcast Features Reporter
Catherine Kennedy
(020) 3953 2095 catherine.kennedy
32 Cover: Bam Nuttall is using new
technology to predict when concrete News Reporter
Joshua Stein
will cure, speeding up London City (020) 3953 2088 joshua.stein
Airport’s expansion (above)
Chief Sub Editor
36 Innovation showcase Andy Bolton
(020) 3953 2823 | andy.bolton
35 Innovative Designer
James McCarthy
Thinker james.mccarthy@emap.com
BOOK NOW Graphic Artist
New Civil Engineer’s Future of Airports conference Anthea Carter
ben.anth@lunestudio.co.uk
is back in 2020. Visit airports.newcivilengineer.com
to see the speaker line up Technical Editor Emeritus
Dave Parker
dave.parker
COMING SOON CUSTOMER SERVICES
(020) 3953 2152
NCE100 awards help@subscribe.newcivilengineer.com
https://100awards.newcivilengineer.com
DISPLAY ADVERTISING
Future of Rail Francis Barham
35 WSP’s Giles Perkins on new https://rail.newcivilengineer.com (020) 953 2912 francis.barham
approaches to transport
infrastructure
F E B R U A R Y 2 02 0 | NEW CIVIL ENGINEER 5
Lighthouse
ICE VIEWPOINT
Delivering net
zero emissions
by 2050
“
he start of 2020 consciousness. Every nation
T
brings with it a An Ipsos Mori poll carried out last
majority government year found that 85% of British adults has a role to
for the first time since now express concern about climate
2017. change. play in mitigating the
impacts of climate
Coupled with the UK’s exit date The outlook could not be any
from the European Union at the end clearer. If global average temperatures
of January, there is now, at least,
some optimism. BY ART WE
rise above 2°C, then catastrophic
damage will be done to the planet.
change
With the parliamentary deadlock MASTER The resulting change in weather
lifted, progress can be made in W H AT W O U L D patterns will cause widespread
taking forward much needed MASTER US drought and unprecedented flooding The ICE will dedicate this
public policy programmes across events. Both will have irreversible year’s State of the Nation report
all Whitehall departments. This impacts on all life that exists on our to identifying actionable policy
includes those departments allied planet. solutions so that policymakers and
to infrastructure and the natural Every nation has a role to play in industry stakeholders can work
environment. mitigating the impacts of climate collaboratively towards achieving
If this government is serious change. For its part, the UK has the target.
about the environment – which it legislated to reach a net zero Some of the specific questions
should be – then now is the time greenhouse gas emissions target by that the project will tackle include:
for making rapid progress on the 2050. l What are the practical, technical
climate change agenda. Since doing so in July of last year, and financial interventions required
The need to do so is demonstrated a flurry of research, insight and to meet the target?
by all of the leading science and is solutions have been put forward l What lessons can be learned
“
fast becoming a fixture in the public for meeting the UK target from from international approaches to
organisations representing many reducing or offsetting greenhouse
different parts of the economy. After gas emissions?
If this all, it is hard to think of a single
economic activity that does not
l What steps should be taken to
ensure that consideration of the
government carry an emissions footprint. target is embedded in all major
So what about the infrastructure planning and procurement decisions
is serious about the sector and its contribution to the relating to infrastructure delivery?
environment, then target?
This is an extremely important
The conclusions of the State
of the Nation report will help the
now is the time for place to focus given that the sector
is one of the biggest contributors to
government in its deliberations
about how best to start laying the
making rapid progress the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions.
In 2018, through transport,
groundwork to ensure that the
target becomes a reality by 2050, if
on the climate electricity generation and the supply not sooner. It will be published in
of gas for heating, the sector either June.
change agenda directly or in-directly contributed to l Comments about the Lighthouse
69% of all CO2₂emissions. Column to policy@ice.org.uk
6 N E W C I V I L E N G I N E E R | F E B R U A R Y 2 020
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The Edit
NEWS NEW CIVIL ENGINEER
NEW EDITOR CL AIRE
Sign up for S M I T H TA K E S
New Civil OVER FROM MARK
THE BIGGEST STORIES OF THE MONTH Engineer’s HANSFORD
F R O M N E W C I V I L E N G I N E E R .C O M Breaking,
Daily and New Civil Engineer’s publisher Emap
has announced that Ground
Weekly news Engineering editor Claire Smith is
alerts at taking over from Mark Hansford as
newcivil editor of New Civil Engineer. Hansford
leaves New Civil Engineer after 19 years
engineer. – five as editor – to become ICE director
com/ of engineering knowledge. Smith has a
BEng in engineering geology and
newsletters geotechnics and became a construction
journalist 20 years ago. Her first byline
– under the name of Claire Symes –
was in the news section of New Civil
Engineer’s 20 January 2000 issue. She
trained with former New Civil Engineer
editor Ty Byrd and worked on
numerous international construction
magazines before joining Ground
Engineering.
TUNNELLING
KEY STATS S E C T O R HEAVYWEIGHT
BACKS LINK UNDER
Further Crossrail delays mean 2.5 years IRISH SEA
the project is now scheduled to
Current A proposed 19km high-speed rail
level of tunnel linking Britain and Northern
Ireland could be completed in five
open two and a half years late delay to
Crossrail
years, according to tunnelling expert
Bill Grose. A report to be published by
the British Tunnelling Society is to say
that falling tunnel construction costs
CROSSRAIL 2018. Crossrail Ltd said: “This latest will make building the tunnel more
Crossrail now expects Elizabeth line forecast is based on the current feasible. Speaking to New Civil
services to start running through progress with completing software Engineer, Grose, who is lead author of
central London between Paddington development for the signalling and the report and a former BTS chairman,
and Abbey Wood in summer 2021 – train systems along with safety said: “With several machines starting
two and a half years late. Full services assurance for the railway so that from England, Northern Ireland and
on the Elizabeth line route from intensive operational testing can begin the Isle of Man, and some productivity
Reading and Heathrow west of the in 2020.” Before the announcement improvements, the tunnelling could
capital to Abbey Wood and Shenfield Transport for London bosses revealed be done in five years.” Suggested
in the east will not start until they were working towards an autumn route options include a link between
mid-2022. The delivery body said the 2021 opening date. London Assembly Scotland’s Mull of Kintyre and the
key focus for this year is to start Transport Committee chair Navin County Antrim coast in Northern
operational testing as soon as Shah said he welcomed the news but Ireland, although both locations lack
possible, now that tunnel and track said there were still questions about ports and roads. Another option would
works are complete and most stations the length of time the project has be an 80km route from Holyhead to
are nearly finished. There is still no taken. “We want to be sure it [the Dublin. This would include the
confirmation that the Bond Street schedule] is realistic and that it won’t political challenge of linking the UK to
Crossrail station will open with the slip again,” he said. “We also want the Republic of Ireland. Grose
rest of the line. The latest opening assurance that there will be no further estimated the cost of a tunnel to be
forecast means the project has been increase in the final cost. Crossrail will the same as prime minister Boris
delayed by two and a half years from be a huge benefit to Londoners when Johnson’s widely-£15bn Northern
the original opening date of December it finally opens in 2021.” Ireland to Scotland bridge proposal.
8 NEW CIVIL ENGINEER | F E B R U A R Y 2 02 0
STADIUMS
NEW
EVERTON
STADIUM
Everton Football Club
has published final
designs for its new
52,000 seater stadium, in
support of a planning
application submitted
to Liverpool City
Council. The stadium is
designed by MEIS
architects with engineers
BuroHappold and will be
located at Bramley-Moore
Dock on Liverpool’s
waterfront. The stadium
comprises four distinct
stands including a 13,000
capacity stand for home
supporters.
TRANSPORT STRUCTURES TUNNELLING
NETWORK RAIL B A L F O U R B E AT T Y PHA SE 2 LO NDO N
NAMES DESIGN SACKED FROM MI6 P OWER TU N NE L S
F RA ME WOR K JOB AFTER LOSING CO N TR ACT G O E S TO
WINNERS SECRET PL ANS HO CHTI EF-M UR PH Y
Network Rail has awarded 82 design Balfour Beatty has been sacked from National Grid has awarded Hochtief-
services framework contracts. MI6 renovation works after plans of Murphy joint venture the six year
Aecom, Mott MacDonald, WSP and the Secret Intelligence Service London contract for tunnels and shafts
Jacobs are among the winners, with headquarters were lost. The on phase 2 of the London Power
Amey, Arcadis and Balfour Beatty also contractor produced the plans as part Tunnels project. The £400M contract
picking up contracts. The design of the renovation project. They is scheduled to start in March
services framework comprises four reportedly went missing around two next year. The eight year, £1bn
multi-discipline and 78 single weeks before Christmas. The Secret London Power Tunnels project will
discipline frameworks. The initial Intelligence Service could now be create a 32.5km tunnel to house
contracts are worth £400M and are forced to change the layout of its electricity transmission cables, 30m
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F E B R U A R Y 2 02 0 | NEW CIVIL ENGINEER 9
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NCE Advert.indd 1 09/01/2020 15:35Inside Track
THE BIGGEST ISSUES OF THE MONTH EXPLORED
when the company itself admits that no
other such high speed line is able to run
more than 12 to 14.”
Alternatively, Berkeley recommends
upgrading the existing Network Rail
network by four tracking routes to
increase capacity.
In response, McNaughton told New
Civil Engineer that Berkeley’s alternative
suggestions are “impossible”.
“Since its inception, HS2 has been based
on three things; to provide a high speed
service, to provide a high capacity service
and to provide a highly reliable service,”
McNaughton said. “The point of HS2 is not
to build like we always have done for 200
years but to do something different that
will improve the whole network for 100
plus years to come.
“If it was possible to achieve the same
benefits at a lower cost by upgrading the
existing network then it would have been
HIGH SPEED 2
done already.”
HS2 row erupts after ‘dissenting report’ He added: “The truth is, it is impossible
to four-track most of the existing network
as houses are built right up to the tracks
Project’s chief designer hits out at claims that HS2 is ‘unachievable’ in a lot of urban and suburban areas.”
McNaughton added that Berkeley’s
suggestion that it is “unachievable” to run
BY ROB HORGAN, CL AIRE SMITH AND MARK HANSFORD
18 trains an hour is unfounded.
“Berkeley has based his assessment on
A
the fact that no other high speed rail line
row has broken out between Department for Transport (DfT) officials in runs 18 trains an hour. To put it simply,
senior figures appointed to the review and suggested that costs could that is because they are not designed to.
review High Speed 2 (HS2) and be cut by up to £20bn by reducing the “He claims that the signalling systems
the project’s original designer. “unnecessarily high specification”. don’t allow for 18 trains per hour but that
It comes after deputy chairman of the However, HS2 Ltd officials have hit back. is not the case. To run 18 trains an hour
government-ordered Oakervee review, Former HS2 Ltd technical director Andrew you have to free up the bottlenecks at
Lord Berkeley published his “dissenting McNaughton has claimed that Berkeley’s junctions and stations and that is how HS2
report” into the project. report is “completely and factually wrong” has been designed differently from other
Lord Berkeley described HS2 as a and “founded on untruths”. high speed lines.”
“wrong and expensive solution” and McNaughton – who still acts as an Members of the Oakervee review
questioned the competence of government advisor to HS2 Ltd – contested Berkeley’s team have also spoken out against
officials. Berkeley stepped down from the conclusions that the project is designed to Berkeley’s report. Review team member
review team on 31 October last year. His “an unnecessarily high” specification, that and vociferous HS2 backer, West Midlands
comments appear in a self-published costs could be brought down by lowering mayor Andy Street has weighed in, urging
“dissenting report” on the project, and the line speed and that running 18 trains MPs and peers to dismiss Berkeley’s views
were welcomed by environmentalists, per hour is “unachievable”. and claiming that all nine other review
but criticised the rail industry and fellow In his report, Berkeley concludes: “HS2 panel members are “fully supportive” of
review panel members. has been planned around a specification the scheme.
Berkeley claimed that review chairman which is unnecessarily high and expensive “It is very odd that we have heard from
Doug Oakervee’s report (which has for the services needed and for a country one of the review panel but not the other
yet to be published) is biased towards much smaller geographically than France, nine,” he said. “I know that every other
accepting HS2 Ltd’s evidence, leading him Germany or Italy. member is supportive of the scheme and
to expect that the review will “HS2 Ltd has designed the scheme for [Berkeley’s] minority report, in my view, is
recommend that the project goes ahead. 360km/h to 400km/h – higher than any very bad form.”
He also criticised the involvement – other high-speed line in Europe or Japan, Street’s statement on behalf of the other
and lack of scrutiny – of Treasury and and for 18 trains an hour in each direction, panel members comes despite the fact
F E B R U A R Y 2 02 0 | NEW CIVIL ENGINEER 11Inside Track
Xxxxx xxxx xxxxx
that several of the panel have publicly AV I AT I O N
questioned need for the megaproject in
the past. Heathrow access row
Other review panel members include
London School of Economics academic
Tony Travers who in the past has said that Airport operator’s delivery plan
it is “hard to believe” that the same money
wouldn’t be better used for public trans-
criticised for lacking ambition
port in cities such as London, Birmingham
BY ROB HORGAN
and Manchester. Another panel member,
H
former chair of the Office of Rail and Road
Stephen Glaister has previously said that eathrow Airport Ltd (HAL) has
without a “big-picture analysis” of HS2 “we outlined alternative expansion
just don’t know” whether there is better delivery schedules and costs.
way of spending the money. HAL’s Initial Business Plan reveals
Street’s claim of near-full panel support detailed costings for its third runway
for the scheme does tally with a leaked proposal for the first time, including plans
draft of Oakervee’s report published by for rail links from the west and the south
The Times in December. It suggested of the airport.
Oakervee was set to recommend The plan submitted to the Civil Aviation
proceeding with the project in full. Authority (CAA) outlines two possible
But rail minister Chris Heaton-Harris delivery schedules. One focuses on cost
sounded a cautionary note, stating that savings and the other prioritises services
many press reports that appeared after and would require additional investment.
the Times article “were not entirely In December, HAL announced that it was
accurate”. He added that transport pushing back the completion of the third
secretary Grant Shapps had spoken to runway from 2026 to “early 2028 or late
Oakervee and asked him to rework the 2029”, after the CAA ruled that Heathrow’s
document, focusing particularly on “facts timeline should be adjusted to allow for
around costs and deliverables”. the Planning Inspectorate to rule on its
Oakervee’s final report is now expected development consent order application. creating two new junctions on the M25 as
to be made public in the coming weeks The first plan would allow Heathrow’s well as constructing the Southern Road
and it is understood that prime minister third runway to open in 2028. The second Tunnel to connect the airport’s central
Boris Johnson will make a final decision would bring the runway into service in 2029. terminal with M25 traffic travelling from
on the project at the same time as the HAL claims the first delivery schedule the south. Changes to the airport’s
review is published. can still be delivered within the original infrastructure including car parks and
It had previously been suggested that £14bn price tag given in 2014. access roads are also included as part of
the Oakervee report would be made The second, more expensive, schedule both delivery schedules.
public ahead of a final decision from the involves spending an additional £3bn HAL chief executive John Holland-Kaye
government. over the first 15 years including investing said: “This plan ticks all the boxes. New
But rail industry sources have told £750M each in western and southern rail capacity at Heathrow will help drive down
New Civil Engineer that Johnson is keen links. Under this proposal a western rail air fares, attract up to 40 new long haul as
to detail the project’s future as quickly as link would be completed in the mid-2020s well as more domestic routes and connect
possible. before the third runway opens, with a all of Britain to global growth.”
“Once the Brexit deadline [31 January] southern link scheduled for completion in Despite HAL’s commitment to address-
is out the way, the government is keen to the mid-2030s. ing surface access challenges, Heathrow
move the agenda on quickly,” one rail pro- The plan states: “We are working with Southern Railway chief executive Chris
fessional said. “HS2 is front of the queue of DfT to create new airport rail links. A Stokes has criticised the airport operator
things to clear and to clear quickly. western rail link to Reading would allow for “lacking ambition”.
“A decision on whether to proceed or passengers to travel to the airport from Stokes told New Civil Engineer that he
how to proceed is now extremely likely to the South coast, South West, South Wales was “very disappointed” by HAL’s delivery
come at the same time that the report is and the West Midlands without going into schedule, which proposes opening a
made public.” London. southern rail link in the mid-2030s.
Oakervee submitted the first draft “In the 2030s a southern rail link Heathrow Southern Railway is a privately
of his overarching review to the DfT in connecting the South West and Waterloo financed proposal for a southern rail link
November, when it was put under wraps to Heathrow is also planned.” to Heathrow Airport. It will connect into
until after the General Election. Shapps It adds: “We assume building western High Speed 2 at Old Oak Common and
had previously pledged to make the report rail in both options, but our contribution run through to Waterloo station via
public “as soon as [he] had it”. varies. Investment in any southern rail link Clapham Junction.
But election campaign rules – and the also varies by option.” “We are very disappointed at the lack of
need to “get Brexit done” – have so far Both delivery schedules include ambition in HAL’s business plan, especially
prevented him from doing so. improving road links to the airport and on the timeline for opening a southern
12 NEW CIVIL ENGINEER | F E B R U A R Y 2 02 0MORE NEWS
NEWCIVILENGINEER.COM
RAIL extension of the Bakerloo line beyond
Bakerloo extension levy
Heathrow’s proposed Elephant & Castle to Lewisham and
third runway layout even further but l also think we need
to upgrade the whole of the Bakerloo
line and fund the project with a levy on
TfL could charge property owners surrounding land of the extension, as it’s
along line extension route unlikely to attract grants from central
government in the political climate for
up to the next 10 years,” Qureshi wrote
BY ROB HORGAN
on his website.
T
“It appears the priority for the new
ransport for London (TfL) is government on infrastructural investment
exploring the possibility of taxing will be for connecting up the Northern
landowners along the proposed towns to the nearest cities. So we will
Bakerloo line extension route to fund the have to show other means of funding the
£3.1bn project, New Civil Engineer can extension proposed.”
reveal. He added: “Assuming the enhanced
TfL is carrying out a land value exercise land value is greater than the build cost
to determine how much landowners of the Bakerloo extension, a land levy
along the route stand to benefit from the should be introduced and be applied
extension. to the whole of the catchment area of
This will enable it to calculate the size the new extension with no need for
of levy it could impose on property own- contributions from existing taxpayers.”
ers along the route. TfL has previously used levies to
TfL wants to extend the Bakerloo line fund projects, such as the £4.1bn raised
in south London from Elephant & Castle through its supplementary business rate
to Lewisham via Old Kent Road and on large commercial properties within the
New Cross Gate. A possible further Greater London area, which went towards
extension beyond Lewisham to Hayes funding Crossrail.
and Beckenham Junction has also been The Adam Smith Institute think tank
link,” Stokes told New Civil Engineer. included in previous consultations. believes that the Bakerloo line landowner
“It is especially disappointing consider- As part of the project the existing levy would work.
ing HAL has pushed back the opening of Elephant & Castle station will have to be Adam Smith Institute research associate
the third runway by up to three years. expanded to accommodate more ticket Charlie Paice said: “Rather than relying
“We are in no doubt that we could have barriers and a larger ticket hall. on central government handouts for
a southern railway to Heathrow opened Two new stations would also be built infrastructure investment, this land levy
by the late 2020s, but we would have to along the Old Kent Road as well as a new will mean that those paying are the ones
get on with it now.” station underground at New Cross Gate, who stand to benefit as the value of their
Stokes added: “We don’t want to providing connections to national rail properties go up.
leapfrog the western scheme but we services, London Overground and buses. “If land owners aren’t prepared to pay
believe they should and could go Work to improve the interchange at Lew- for a project which will further increase
through at the same time. isham is also included in the proposal to their property values – then why should
“That would allow for synergies create better links with rail services and they expect taxpayers from the rest of the
between the two projects in terms of the DLR. country to stump up their cash?”
construction; areas of the airport would But with no government cash available If given approval the new Bakerloo line
need to be closed off once rather than to fund the project, TfL is exploring extension work could begin in 2023 and
twice; perhaps there would be overlap alternative funding options. the line could be operating by 2029.
to share tunnel boring machines. These A TfL spokesperson said: “We are work-
kinds of synergies could be explored in a ing with the mayor to make the case for
more ambitious plan.” steady and sustained investment in vital
The CAA has confirmed that it will transport projects in London, such as the
detail its “thinking” and rule on outlined Bakerloo Line Extension and Upgrade.
expansion costs in April or May. “We are exploring all options in order
to fund infrastructure projects to support
the growth of London, including capturing
a proportion of the land value that those
£14bn
Original price tag for
projects would generate.”
Former Greater London Assembly
Labour member Murad Qureshi believes
Heathrow expansion set a levy on local landowners is the only
in 2014 feasible way to fund the project.
“I am completely signed up to the Bakerloo line: South London extension plan
F E B R U A R Y 2 02 0 | N E W C I V I L E N G I N E E R 13Inside Track
voltage after the lightning strike but then
Electricity network: New began to respond “unexpectedly”. This led
measures are being put in to to a depression of the voltage, and
prevent sudden power cuts the subsequent activation of protection
systems, resulting in Hornsea One’s overall
output falling from 799MW to 62MW.
A separate Ofgem report concluded that
a lack of back-up generators at Hornsea
One and Little Barford meant the power
system was unable to cope with the
lightning strike.
Both operators agreed to make
voluntary payments of £4.5M each
into Ofgem’s redress fund, which is used
to fund charity-led energy schemes.
A Hornsea One spokesperson said
the company had offered to make the
voluntary contribution “in recognition of
[its] role in the outage”.
UK Power Networks agreed to pay £1.5M
into the redress fund, after Ofgem found
that it began reconnecting customers
ENERGY without a formal request from the National
Government acts to improve electricity supply Grid ESO as required. The premature
action “did not impact the recovery of
resilience in response to 2019 power cuts the system”, according to UK Power
Networks director of asset management
Barry Hatton, however it could have led
Utilities and infrastructure operators commit to greater supply security to another power outage.
While National Grid ESO escaped
B Y C AT H E R I N E K E N N E D Y blame for the power outage, Ofgem
executive director Jonathan Brearley said
R
the investigation “raised important ques-
ail companies, energy utilities and the Business and energy secretary Andrea tions about National Grid’s ESO” including
National Grid have vowed to improve Leadsom described the August disruption its structure.
their power resilience following last as “unacceptable” and said the report will However, Energy and Climate Intelligence
summer’s blackout. help reduce the risks of a repeat. Unit head of analysis Jonathan Marshall
A rogue lightning strike left 1M people August’s strike in Cambridge, on an believes “National Grid did a lot of things
without power when it hit an electricity overhead transmission line, was followed wrong, particularly in terms of their position
cable in August last year. by at least 2,000MW of power losses. This in the system and communication with
A government-backed report affected Little Barford, a gas fired power people involved in the system”, but he
published in January has outlined 10 station operated by RWE; Hornsea One, an added that “to point the finger is something
recommendations to improve the UK’s offshore windfarm co-owned by Orsted; [the reports have] not done”.
power resilience and prevent a similar and several smaller generators connected The Office of Rail and Road also
event happening again. to the distribution network. published its findings into rail companies’
Published by the Energy Emergencies Power at Little Barford was lost in roles in the disruption. It said that software
Executive Committee (E3C), the report three stages over 90 seconds. The first flaws on some trains caused extended
details what happened during the blackout. gas turbine tripped out because of delays for commuters – 29 Class 700
It recommends the development of discrepancies in turbine shaft speed and Class 717 trains, operated by Govia
clearer response protocols during power readings; the second was caused by a Thameslink Railway, were shut down by
cuts; measures to ensure generators build-up of steam pressure in the pipework; on-board safety systems. Several routes
comply with industry standards and a and the third was due to a manual shut were affected, including the Sussex, Kent
review of testing procedures for new and down by the plant operator when safety and London North Eastern and East
modified electricity generators. valves opened after a continued build-up of Midlands lines. Across all affected routes,
The committee comprises officials steam pressure. delays totalled 14,428 minutes.
from the Department for Business, Operator RWE has since committed to Engineering and incident response
Energy and Industrial Strategy, regulator identifying measurement system tolerances solutions are now being tested, with
Ofgem, National Grid and suppliers. and balancing steam flows between the two Siemens due to implement a software patch
Along with the National Grid Electricity boilers that feed the steam turbine. to stop all the Class 700 and Class 717
System Operator (ESO), it will implement Meanwhile, the overall voltage control trains going into permanent lock-out in the
the recommendations in full. system at Hornsea One corrected the event of a frequency drop.
14 NEW CIVIL ENGINEER | F E B R U A R Y 2 02 0President’s View
WHY IMPLEMENTING
GOVERNANCE REVIEW BRINGS
GREAT OPPORTUNITIES
“
In December last year ICE To implement the
past president David Orr present-
ed to Council the final report of findings in full we need
review into the
ICE’s governance, a review
to make changes to the
commissioned by Council after a Institution’s by-laws, and we can
Special General Meeting in 2018,
Paul called in the wake of governance only do this if we, the membership,
Sheffield changes that led to the creation
of a Trustee Board with Council agree to the changes
becoming an advisory body.
Council and the Trustee Board have agreed the
findings in full and the Trustees have directed that those the Nomination Committee. But to address
findings which do not affect the Institution’s concerns raised, the Trustees have asked ICE Audit Com-
by-laws should be implemented as fast as possible. mittee chair David Porter, working with past
As a consequence, ICE Council has already chair of ICE Scotland Lawrence Shackman and Council
reshaped its agenda to be much more outward facing, member Kate Cairns, to oversee the production of
looking at how civil engineers can address the issues about new procedures whereby the Trustees, Nomination
which society cares passionately. Council has set in train Committee, Council and the membership work together to
work around sustainability, the route to net zero, and to select the ICE trustees.
investigate what will be needed of the civil engineer of the But to implement the findings in full we need to make
future. changes to the Institution’s by-laws, and we can only do this
It will discuss all of this in April and will also host a if we, the membership, agree to the changes.
series of talks which will be open to the membership and Therefore, we shall hold a ballot in June 2020 to seek
interested parties to attend, debate and discuss. I think this agreement to the changes. If the membership agrees, and
is a huge and exciting step forward and I strongly commend the way ahead recommended by the
I would hope that we can replicate this approach wherever Commission, I shall seek to implement the
ICE members meet. changes by November 2020. I, Trustees and Council
Similarly, the Trustees are very conscious of the need members shall be meeting many of you over the next few
to engage with our membership, wherever they may be, months and we will be happy to explain the
and also to ensure that the processes used to run the ICE opportunities we believe these change will bring.
in this modern age must be even more transparent and in- The Institution owes David Orr a huge debt of
clusive than in the past. We never communicate as well as gratitude for such a detailed, measured and wise report.
we think we do and it is really important that we raise our With skill and forbearing, he has set the Institution up
game with this across all channels, to suit all members. I perfectly to look now at the real global challenges of
have asked Liz Waugh, a trustee and a professional commu- population growth, climate change and delivering the UN
nications expert, to lead a new ICE Communications Com- Sustainability Goals. These must be our focus in the future
mittee to do just this and her team will start this month. and for that to be the case we must be outward facing and
The way in which we select our trustees provoked the unified.
most comment during the Commission’s hearings. The
Commission was impressed by the evidence of the chair of l Paul Sheffield is President of the ICE
F E B R U A R Y 2 02 0 | NEW CIVIL ENGINEER 15Paul McCormick
The Interview SENIOR EXECUTIVE, TRANSPORT FOR NSW
BY EMILY ASHWELL
Getting ready to
deliver Australia’s
infrastructure boom
ustralia is very few people have run billion
A in the middle of an
infrastructure
boom, driven by
dollar projects, so it (Australia) is
attracting key talent,” he explains.
“There are a lot of senior
mega-projects worth opportunities, because to get
billions of pounds. your head around these projects
Alongside private investment, takes a few years of experience
the government has plans to spend and bruising.”
more than A$100bn (£53bn) over So, what is behind the boom?
the next decade alone, with spend McCormick says it is a combination
expected to peak between 2022 and of population growth, historic
2025. underspending on infrastructure
The planned mega-projects and a minerals export boom which
include an 80km, £1bn fast rail line earned the country £95bn in 2017.
between Melbourne and Geelong in Australia has an estimated
Victoria and 15km extension of the McCormick senior believes resident population of around 25.3M
M1 Pacific Motorway in New South Australia has great opportunities for people, but this could reach almost
Wales (NSW). The latest plans are both of them. 50M in the next 45 years. Most
in addition to huge projects already Although there are many very growth is expected in its major
underway or about to start. skilled engineers in Australia, cities, where many infrastructure
They include Western Sydney the country needs more with plans are currently focused.
International (Nancy-Bird Walton) megaproject experience. Transport for NSW has a range of
Airport, the Inland Rail freight “Look at the scale of the projects. big schemes to deliver. They include
scheme and the Melbourne Airport These are billion-dollar projects and McCormick’s projects as well as the
“
Rail link. £10.5bn Sydney Metro programme,
Paul McCormick, has 30 years’ UK headed by former Transport for
transportation experience, latterly Greater Manchester chief executive
with Aecom as managing director of There are a Jon Lamonte.
lot of senior
highways and bridges. He relocated McCormick is part of the team
to Australia a year ago to work as delivering the Sydney Gateway, a
a senior executive for Transport
for NSW which is responsible for opportunities, because £1.4bn road project which will
improve journeys to the city’s
delivering a significant pipeline of
infrastructure projects. Not only
to get your head airport and port area. It includes a
direct, traffic light free, link from the
has McCormick, a senior engineer, around these projects motorway network, as well as add-
relocated, but so has his son, ing another lane to a key two-lane
Dominik, who recently started a takes a few years of passenger route into the airport.
experience
career in civil engineering as an It is currently involved in an
apprentice. “interactive tender process’,
16 NEW CIVIL ENGINEER | F E B R U A R Y 2 020The Sydney
Gateway is one of
Australia’s many
major infrastructure
projects
“
working with three bid teams. We are looking technology,” he says.
“When I worked in consultancy, “And boosting safety – which, in
often a client would issue all the
KEY FACTS for people to particular, is a key concern with con-
bring innovation from
bid documents – sometimes 10,000 struction workers in tunnels. We want
documents – into a bid portal and you £1.4bn international contractors to bring
had to go through huge data rooms
with all the geotechnical information Value of both wider Australia their experience and the best they
have seen to Sydney.”
and traffic engineering etcetera. From
a client perspective we thought ‘how
Sydney and around the world It is summer in Australia now, and
the authorities are focusing on the
can we get our bidders up to speed
Gateway road devastating bushfire crisis, where
with these projects?’” he says. project more than 2,000 people have lost
So, the team has been running electrical engineering as the other homes and at least 27 people have
workshops with bidders, talking skills required to deliver the projects died. McCormick’s family is thankfully a
through the scale of the project. £1.4bn which will leave Sydney with more safely away from the most serious fires.
Feedback from bidders says this Value of M6 road tunnels than any other city in He decided to make the move to
approach has saved them around the world in 10 years’ time. Australia after taking time with his
eight to 10 weeks of bid preparation.
motorway The size of the projects also means wife to reflect on his career prospects
His other big project is the £1.4bn stage one the door is open to overseas firms and what opportunities there were.
first stage of the M6 motorway, usually via joint ventures with local “We woke up in late 2016 and
comprising 4km of twin tunnels, businesses. “In the last 12 months I thought ‘how can we de-risk my
linking the M5 motorway to a major have had lots of cups of coffee with career for the future?’ And actually,
street in the south Sydney suburb new, international entrants, wanting when you looked at the pipeline of
of Kogarah. It has just closed its to enter the marketplace here and opportunities, the Middle East was
call for expressions of interest, and understand how they can position for really strong, and Australia was really
submissions are now being evaluated. bids,” says McCormick. strong. I started connecting with
Like the Sydney Gateway project, the So, as a client, what is McCormick recruiters here, building relationships
tender process will be interactive and looking for? and talking to them,” he explains.
collaborative. “We are looking for people to bring McCormick says he enjoys the
Projects like these mean while innovation from both wider Australia family-orientated laid-back
Australia’s skilled pool of senior and around the world. It needs to be atmosphere, where there is a good
engineers is running low, engineers proven innovation that can reduce work-life balance. Pay for senior
with specific skills are needed too. cost, drive programme certainty and executives is comparable for the
Engineers are flying in to work on improve safety. UK, and pay for younger engineers
specific projects but then leaving “At present, on two of my with around five years’ experience is
when they are finished. Some work megaprojects, we are particularly generally higher - although so is the
is being outsourced to places such focused on driving new bridge cost of living.
as Hong Kong. In particular with innovation, improving management Now he has made the move,
tunnelling, there is a need for skills in of contaminated material and McCormick says he has only one regret
disciplines such as tunnel ventilation, introducing new tunnelling – that he did not do it years earlier. N
F E B R U A R Y 2 02 0 | NEW CIVIL ENGINEER 17Newcastle-Edinburgh-Glasgow?
Through trains from Glasgow to
Your View
Paris might even stymie another
independence referendum!
Tom Lloyd (M retd),
tomcolloy@gmail.com
WATER
LET TERS TO THE EDITOR
GRAPPLING WITH WATER
AND COMMENTS ONLINE
SUPPLY COMPLEXITY
Last month David Evans wrote about
the arbitrary views expressed by the
NET ZERO themselves with practical solutions National Infrastructure Commission
@
PI COSTS HINDER to the problem. This demonstrates (NIC) about how we should address
our collective failing as engineers water supply security (Your view
LEAN DESIGN and why we are so poor at last month). He points out that
influencing public life. I suggest the authors of the NIC’s Preparing
Reducing the embedded carbon in that there is hardly an engineer for a Drier Future have not taken
our projects is crucial to tackling reading this who cannot make some into account that almost all of
the climate emergency. This carbon practical suggestion which would domestic water usage and water
saving does not just come from improve the situation, but that is not mains leakage is non-consumptive
future technologies, new/expensive the point: it is implementation that because most is returned to the
materials or future research and is the problem. environment. He goes on to describe
development. It is as simple as re- If criticised, the water companies the irrefutable logic of storing
use/refurbishment, green material would say that they have no control winter water as the more effective
replacements (timber, cement over what housebuilders create. approach to addressing water
replacements, recycled steel Similarly the builders would say
etcetera) and lean design. that they have complied with the
But when design is driven by fear Building Regulations. Presumably
of litigation, and fees are limited due Building Regulations writers have
to increased overheads associated other priorities to concern them
with professional indemnity (PI) than this minor detail. Ofwat might
insurance hikes we lose this absolve itself by pointing out that
ability. We cannot take the time the Building Regulations are not its
to interrogate the client’s brief, responsibility. They would be wrong.
nor challenge the efficiency of our Ofwat should investigate the best
designs – and so we risk adding solution to this and other similar
our own factors to cover ourselves problems and pressure the minister
and cut down our project time to for change to the regulations. Water: New priorities needed
preserve fee. Ken Bowman,
I am not suggesting we cut kandmbowman6@gmail.com security, versus the illusory benefits
corners and take risks. All I am of demand and leakage reduction,
suggesting is that if we regulate not least because of the additional
the cost of PI and recognise that TRANSPORT benefits to agriculture and the
by allowing us the fees to refine TIME TO GET RID OF environment from using stored
our designs and properly resource winter water.
additional checking we can deliver RAILWAY TERMINUSES Meanwhile we have water
huge carbon reductions. regulator Ofwat announcing that
Stephen Smalley (M), Buro Happold’s plan to tunnel High it is forcing water companies to
stephen.smalley@designid.co.uk Speed 2 through Waterloo to link reduce annual water charges by an
with HS1 is exactly what our new average of £50 per household. This
WATER
government should be championing. in the face of recognition by NIC and
The North needs links to Europe the Environment Agency that we
ENGINEERS’ GOOD IDEAS as much as London, and we should will struggle to endure the next and
FAIL TO REACH DECISION The Editor, have learned the dead-end nature inevitable severe drought without
New Civil of railway termini by now. Ask the imposing restrictions on water use.
MAKERS citizens of Florence if you don’t It is regrettable that those who
Engineer,
believe me. are in senior positions in these and
Telephone
In a recent letter to New Civil I suspect it is too late to stop the other institutions, who can and do
House,
Engineer I wrote that I run to waste Birmingham dead-end, but could influence national strategies, lack
2.5 litres of previously heated 69-77 Paul we scrap the Manchester and knowledge of the complexity of
(now cold) water before receiving Street, London, Leeds ones with a single “Northern water resources management.
hot water at the kitchen sink. The EC2A 4NQ Powerhouse- friendly” line running Michael Norton (F), former
response in the magazine and Email: nceedit@ through Crewe-Manchester Airport- chair ICE water expert panel,
those I received directly, concerned emap.com Manchester- Leeds-Teesside- michael.norton@nortonwater.com
18 NEW CIVIL ENGINEER | F E B R U A R Y 2 02 0MAIN POINT
STILL LEARNING FROM DISASTER
YOUR VIEWS AND OPINIONS
Mark Hansford’s editorial last month raised issues which (New Civil Engineer last month) the lessons, which Mark
unfortunately will be very difficult to deal with as they are so Hansford discusses, were learned almost 50 years ago after
deeply rooted in our education system and modern lifestyle. various failures.
Retiring now after 45 years of a thoroughly enjoyable career The Merrison Report, the Royal Commission into the
I look back at the way I was taught in school, at university and West Gate Bridge (Yarra) collapse and the Bragg Report
at work and know that learning the fundamentals has been an identified similar failings. Similar lessons were learnt more
essential process in decision-making throughout my life. recently in projects like the Nicoll Highway collapse
Modern education has left many people without in 2004. In 2007 Ian Firth, of Flint & Neil, in his
the concept of either learning understanding or paper to the International Association for
questioning and their reliance on information Bridge and Structural Engineering symposium
placed in front of them by the computer is was prophetic in stating “some of these
frightening. lessons (from Milford Haven and West Gate,
I recently read that 20% of teenagers Melbourne) are in danger of being forgotten
cannot read an analogue clock, a process by a new generation of engineers”.
that demands basic observation, visual It is not sufficient to provide these
apportioning and mental calculation. They lessons in a library, on the Internet or other
live in a personal world of thinking in precise, knowledge bank.
digitised, given, steps without having to make To quote Donald Rumsfeld: “those who don’t
any simple value judgements. know, don’t know they don’t know”, so will not
Some time ago I questioned a senior design search out these lessons. We, who learned these
engineer’s view that a stanchion baseplate he had lessons first time around, should be teaching those
designed required an epoxy bedding. The stress was a mere coming into the profession so that in another 50 years we do not
5N/mm2 but he refused to accept that his design was wrong have another headline saying these lessons apply to us all.
because a well-known anchor manufacturer’s free software It is time to include, in the final year of MEng degrees,
had apparently specified it. It transpired that because the compulsory modules covering failures. These modules should
manufacturer did not sell cement-based grouts in the UK, the include discussion of the procedures in BS5975:2019, which
programme defaulted to their epoxy. now includes a definition that temporary works include
Equally worryingly I had painful arguments with designers temporary states of the permanent works and procedures
from our nuclear industry who were unable to appreciate that for clients and designers (despite objections from some) in
individual pull-out tests for structure baseplate bolts were addition to those for construction organisations.
academic when their design uplift forces could not be resisted by In addition the ICE review for CEng should ensure
the unreinforced 150mm base slab the bolts were attached to. candidates are aware of the reasons behind historical failures
Today we will still receive designs that look great on and potential failure modes during construction and use.
building information modelling or CAD but can’t be Frank Marples, frank.marples@gmail.com
constructed in a sensible way. A lack of understanding by
designers on how their output will be built still exists, and I Since the failure of the Florida International University bridge
quite recently heard the statement “the contractor will sort I have been following how the tragedy unfolded and read
that out”. We can waste huge amounts of money collating “big with interest Mark Hansford’s editorial and the article in last
data” when the solution is blatantly obvious to an experienced month’s issue.
engineer. In many respects the root is the behaviour of the people
We also now lack intelligent clients and are being given a involved against the backdrop of the commercial landscape
new strain of project managers who have no idea of how to in which their respective companies and organisations operate.
build anything except a mountain of paperwork. The silo mindset encouraged by the way many projects
I imagine all the management paperwork on the Florida are set up and managed, with so many parties each with
International University bridge was in place, but no single specific tasks does not in itself promote intelligent debate and
person appears to have been following and managing the discussion across a project team. It is all too easy for discussion
actual project processes and interfaces. We have, as you say in to be dominated by the loudest voices and often the quietest
the Editorial, moved too far away from the basics. voice can be that of engineering.
I regret that I and many of my age can see that it is not a We need to break the silo effect and perhaps this is as
question of “if’” we have another major failure but “when”. much about educating clients, project, legal and commercial
Mike Vitkovitch, mikevitko@outlook.com managers about the relevance of the engineering aspects of the
project and for engineers to become better at communicating
In relation both to Mark Hansford’s editorial and the crux of their subject.
article on the Florida International University bridge collapse Richard Henley (M), rahenley@me.com
F E B R U A R Y 2 02 0 | NEW CIVIL ENGINEER 19You can also read
