bd263484

New York's Penn Station upgrade

Thu, 30 Apr 2026 19:41:05 GMT

New York, New York…. what a pleasure to sit down with Andy Byford, Special Adviser to the Amtrak Board of Directors (and former London Transport Commissioner) to find out what will make the multi-billion dollar transformation of Manhattan’s Penn Station world class.

The episode of The Infrastructure Podcast was record live at the recent Transforming Infrastructure Performance Summit in New York hosted by Bentley Systems and the UK Government. Have a listen here or find the episode wherever you get your podcasts - search “The Infrastructure Podcast” on Spotify, Apple, Google or watch the video version on YouTube.

Penn Station sits at the heart of Manhattan, serving hundreds of thousands of daily passengers. For decades, it has worked hard, but not well enough. Now, a massive transformation is underway to move past chronic underinvestment and create a customer-focused icon for the region.

Key takeaways from our conversation:
- how to move from aging assets to modern efficiency.
- the power of communication and “British charm” to bring stakeholders together
- the challenge of navigating a highly political mega-projects.
- lessons from London, Toronto, Sydney and New York on global best practices.

Infrastructure resilience

Thu, 23 Apr 2026 20:02:22 GMT

So is the era of steady state, risk-based asset management officially over? Well according to speakers at the recent Chartered Institution of Highways & Transportation (CIHT) annual conference, the answer is absolutely yes; we need to shift our thinking from risk to resilience when it comes to managing our transport networks.

I sat down with Sue Percy, chief executive of the CIHT to record the latest episode of The Infrastructure Podcast to discuss why we need this fundamental pivot.

Have a listen here or find the episode wherever you get your podcasts - search “The Infrastructure Podcast” on Spotify, Apple, Google or YouTube.

For decades, we’ve managed our transport networks by calculating known variables. We looked at the data, managed the risk, and moved on. But in an age of deep uncertainty where climate change, population growth, and shrinking budgets are shifting the debate, that logic is no longer enough.

Instead we need to consider:
· Infrastructure as a system; why we must stop viewing assets in isolation.
· Building networks that don't just withstand flooding or funding gaps, but adapt to them.
· Embracing digital twins and predictive maintenance to move from theory to delivery.
· Improving technical leadership to help close the widening skills gap.

Women in Property

Thu, 16 Apr 2026 19:54:22 GMT

I n the latest episode of The Infrastructure Podcast I am joined by Samantha McCabe, the National Chair of Women in Property, who previews and expands upon the discussion planned for WiP’s breakfast meeting at next month’s UKREiiF event in Leeds.

Have a listen here or find the episode wherever you get your podcasts - search “The Infrastructure Podcast” on Spotify, Apple, Google or YouTube.

In this wide-ranging conversation, Sam isn't just talking about diversity. As UK Passive House Lead and Sustainable Buildings Lead for Scotland at WSP, she is equally passionate about the challenge of decarbonising our infrastructure and ensuring that good design is not “value engineered” out of every project.

A bunch of tough briefs for sure. Have a listen as we get stuck into:
✅ “Building more with less” – why efficiency is the ultimate sustainability tool.
✅ Inclusive leadership – how diverse perspectives lead to better, more profitable decision-making.
✅ Breaking the silos - ending the systemic inefficiencies that plague our infrastructure.
✅ Why growing up in Queensland’s harsh environment shaped Sam’s passion and career in low carbon design.

Check out this conversation. And if you are heading to UKREiiF 19-21st May bag yourself a ticket to the Harvey Nichols breakfast on 19th May to see how WIP is bridging the gap between diversity and industry performance.

This is the first in a mini-series of interviews I am running to pick out some interesting infrastructure folk speaking at this year's UKREiiF event in Leeds - keep an eye out for them and see you there 10-21 May.

Nuclear powered sustainable aviation

Thu, 09 Apr 2026 19:31:59 GMT

Can nuclear energy drive the future of sustainable air travel? Well according to Caroline Longman and Hannah Vickers of nuclear consultant Equilibrion the answer is absolutely yes – and pretty soon too!.

Have a listen here or find it wherever you get your podcasts - search “The Infrastructure Podcast” on Spotify, Apple, Google or YouTube.

War in Iran has seen the price of aviation fuel double over the last few week. Yet the world’s hunger for air travel isn’t slowing down, our window for decarbonisation is closing fast and the UK/EU mandates for airlines to use up to 22% Sustainable Aviation Fuel by 2030 are closing in rapidly. And while road transport has shifted toward batteries, long-haul aviation faces a much steeper climb. You can’t exactly plug a 747 into a wall.

In this week’s episode, we hear how nuclear technology is being leveraged to create e-SAF (synthetic Sustainable Aviation Fuel) - a potential game-changer for a Net Zero future.

· Why "bio-only" SAF strategies won't meet global demand.
· The role of Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) in fuel production.
· How Equilibrion is building a "trusted, outcome-focused" supply chain.
· Why the current geopolitical climate is accelerating the need for fuel sovereignty.

Systems Stewardship: managing evolving risk

Thu, 09 Apr 2026 19:28:55 GMT

I first met Donna Lopata, PhD , my latest guest on The Infrastructure Podcast , at the recent Transforming Infrastructure Performance Summit in Melbourne where she presented something of a wake-up call for the global investment industry when it comes to the management of evolving risk.

Have a listen here or find it wherever you get your podcasts - search “The Infrastructure Podcast” on Spotify, Apple, Google or YouTube.

At the TIP summit, Donna was joined by Alison Atherton of the UTS Institute for Sustainable Futures at the University of Technology Sydney as they presented the Investor Group on Climate Change (IGCC) latest research, "Systems Stewardship: Managing Interconnected Climate Risks for Lasting Value",

This report reveals, while the industry is waking up to systemic risk, our current investment models are still stuck rewarding short-term wins rather than long-term, economy-wide stability.

In this episode we flesh out the report's finding and its recommendations for action, tackling tricky issues such as:
· How to ensure systems thinking become real in practice.
· Why traditional asset performance approach to investment risk management is over.
· The impact of climate change, population growth and social inequality on the real performance of our pension investments
· Why rethinking procurement and carbon assessment is vital for today’s risk management.

Water for public benefit

Fri, 27 Mar 2026 06:54:58 GMT

My guest on The Infrastructure Podcast this week is Mark Thurston, Chief Executive of Anglian Water Services and former boss of the HS2 (High Speed Two) Ltd project. It’s certainly an interesting time to be joining the water industry – he has just secured £11bn to spend at Anglian over the next five years and is now preparing for some of the biggest sector reforms since privatisation 30 years ago.

Have a listen here or find it wherever you get your podcasts - search “The Infrastructure Podcast” on Spotify, Apple, Google or YouTube.

Mark joined Anglian Water in July 2024. Last summer Sir John Cunliffe delivered his tough recommendations for water sector reform and then Ofwat set out its new AMP8 determination seeking a step-change in resilience and the public demanding accountability. Lots to discuss:

✅ Cunliffe’s recommendations for sweeping sector reform.
✅ Unlocking delivery for major new reservoirs needed to meet growing demand.
✅ How to balance water finances - investment needs versus affordability.
✅ Why the water sector needs "mega-project" experience right now.

Anglian Water has long been cited as one of the UK’s most innovative water companies. But as the industry faces a massive "reckoning," the challenge is to accelerate investment while maintain the public’s trust in the firm’s ability to deliver

Mark first joined me on the podcast back in 2023 in Episode 6 when we discussed his challenges at HS2 - check that out here: https://lnkd.in/eYc4pNRC

RAF’s professional engineering flight plan

Fri, 20 Mar 2026 06:54:55 GMT

I’m joined on The Infrastructure Podcast this week by Squadron Leader David Littlemore CEng FICE, Executive Officer at the Cyber and Specialist Operations Command, Infrastructure – and the only Chartered Civil Engineer in the Royal Air Force (RAF) – to discuss how the UK Armed Services is undergoing a radical shift in developing its professional engineering talent.

Have a listen here or find all episodes wherever you get your podcasts - search “The Infrastructure Podcast” on Spotify, Apple, Google or YouTube.

David’s career proves that "military" and "professional civilian standards" aren't just compatible, they are a powerful combination. In our discussion he brings a unique perspective on:
✅ Merging military precision with civilian consultancy standards to create future fit engineering talent.
✅ Managing high-stakes infrastructure from the UK to the Middle East.
✅ Why professional recognition (like Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) Fellowship) is vital for the next generation.
✅ How the RAF has "upped its game" in professional career support.
✅ Why mentoring the next generation of engineers and technicians is crucial
✅ Whether studying for A levels is not necessarily the only route to an engineering career.

Transforming Infrastructure Performance

Fri, 13 Mar 2026 00:18:58 GMT

Let’s face it, we’ve been talking about modernising, digitising and decarbonising infrastructure for years. So in the latest episode of The Infrastructure Podcast, I sit down with Mark Coates FCIHT, FCInstCES, VP of Infrastructure Policy Advancement at Bentley Systems , to chew over how the global Transforming Infrastructure Performance (TIP) movement is actually starting to move the dial towards change.

Have a listen here or find it wherever you get your podcasts - search “The Infrastructure Podcast” on Spotify, Apple, Google or YouTube.

As we heard at the latest TIP summit in Melbourne, the "old way" of delivering projects - siloed data, stagnant productivity, and resource-heavy construction - is broken. Having worked with Mark on TIP summits from London and Singapore to our most recent stop in Melbourne, we’ve seen the same failings across the delivery chain - but also a wealth of positive lessons.

For details of past and future TIP summits check out the Infrastructure Policy Advancement website here: https://lnkd.in/gEKmAjry

Have a listen as we dive into:
· How TIP evolved from a UK policy framework into a global movement.
· Why we must shift from "building things" to "outcomes for people and the planet."
· The roadmap for the future of infrastructure is being written now - how do you get on board?

Listen to episode 154 to hear how industry change really is just around the corner!

Global investment ambition

Thu, 05 Mar 2026 19:06:38 GMT

I have just got back from the excellent Transforming Infrastructure Performance Summit in Melbourne where I caught up with Jon Phillips , chief executive of the Global Infrastructure Investor Association (GIIA) for a fascinating chat about the current state of the global infrastructure investment market.

Have a listen to the latest episode of @the infrastructure Podcast here or find it wherever you get your podcasts — search “The Infrastructure Podcast” on Spotify, Apple, Google or YouTube.

GIIA represents institutional investors managing over US$2.2 trillion in assets and as Jon points out, 2025 was a record-breaking fundraising year underlining the continued global hunger for bankable projects. And, as he also points out, the market is underpinned by the "4 Ds" currently reshaping our world – where significant challenges exist:
· Digitalisation: But is the AI-driven data boom cooling off?
· Decarbonisation: Can the relentless push toward net zero continue?
· Deglobalisation: Navigating new geopolitical shifts and the "Trump effect."
· Defence: Why national security is now an infrastructure priority.

The Transforming Infrastructure Performance (TIP) Summit was hosted by Bentley Systems and the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) in Melbourne and explored the huge opportunities and challenges in the Australian infrastructure market. Check it out at https://lnkd.in/gEKmAjry

Canada's housing-enabled infrastructure

Tue, 17 Feb 2026 13:56:19 GMT

This week's 151st episode of The Infrastructure Podcast was recorded live in Toronto with the brilliant Peter Weltman, chairman of the Canadian Infrastructure Council and explores what can be learned from Canada’s radical approach to kickstarting its much-needed housing sector.

The episode was record at last year’s Transforming Infrastructure Performance Summit Toronto, hosted by Bentley Systems and the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE). The TIP Live summit travels next week to Melbourne as we continue to share global ideas about how to boost the effectiveness of our infrastructure delivery

Have a listen here or find all 151 episodes wherever you get your podcasts - search “The Infrastructure Podcast” on Spotify, Apple, Google or YouTube (and there’s a video version available too this week).

CIC has just produced a report outlining the future challenges and needs around so-called housing-enable infrastructure - definitely valuable global learning and worth a read. Peter brings some fascinating insights and learning around how Canada is aligning its investment in housing with investment in transport, energy and communication - bringing together public and private cash - to accelerate to delivery for real communities.

Because the global infrastructure needs to learn – and share - as many infrastructure delivery lessons as possible. As population growth accelerates, climate shocks intensify and affordability pressures mount, the key question is still whether we can deliver and maintain infrastructure fast enough and efficiently enough to support our society needs.

And that’s what TIP is all about – learning and sharing knowledge.
Right. I’m off to Melbourne – see you there!

A mission for skills

Wed, 11 Feb 2026 21:59:59 GMT

This week I am celebrating the 150th episode of The Infrastructure Podcast (yes doesn’t time fly!!) by chatting to Mark Reynolds CBE, executive chair of global construction giant Mace and co-chair of the Construction Leadership Council about the skills challenge – still one of the biggest constraints on the UK’s £725bn+ infrastructure ambition.

Have a listen here or find all 149 episodes wherever you get your podcasts - search “The Infrastructure Podcast” on Spotify, Apple, Google or YouTube.

Alongside his ongoing work to restructure the Mace business (interesting changes going on there for sure) Mark now also chairs the new Construction Skills Mission Board. This bring together senior industry leaders, educators, training bodies, government ministers and unions to ensure the sector can recruit, train and retain and extra 100,000 workers a year - creating the workforce it needs to meet the demands of the decade ahead.

So big ambition. Big investment. Now the big question: can we create the jobs to meet the training and build the workforce to match that ambition? Mark says yes, we can.

Parliamentary progress update

Thu, 05 Feb 2026 21:55:26 GMT

Eighteen months into his new job as Member of Parliament for Northampton South, Mike Reader , my guest on this week’s episode of The Infrastructure Podcast , has pretty much completed the transition from Mace work winning director to fully fledged politician.

And that makes him hugely qualified to provide us with a progress report on the government’s much discussed ambition to back infrastructure investment as the key to driving economic growth and raising living standards across the UK.

Have a listen here or find all 149 episodes wherever you get your podcasts - search “The Infrastructure Podcast” on Spotify, Apple, Google or YouTube.

Mike’s straight-talking update from the heart of Parliament unpacks what’s actually moving and what’s stuck and discusses whether, for all the policy talk, the UK is finally turning its infrastructure ambition into real-world delivery. Enjoy!

UK's nuclear Geological Disposal Facility

Fri, 30 Jan 2026 10:50:31 GMT

There are some infrastructure projects that leave you literally gasping and grappling with the scale of ambition and complexity. The UK’s Geological Disposal Facility is one such project – and one we explore on The Infrastructure Podcast this week.

My guests are Neil Hyatt, chief scientific advisor and Malcolm Orford, Head of Major Permissions at Nuclear Waste Services. They explain the hugely ambitious plan to build a vast underground vault system designed to protect future generations for literally tens of thousands of years into the future.

Have a listen here or find all 145 episodes wherever you get your podcasts - search “The Infrastructure Podcast” on Spotify, Apple, Google or YouTube.

We dive into one of the toughest long-term challenges of safely managing and disposing of the UK’s nuclear waste. Because for 70+ years, nuclear has powered our homes, advanced medicine and strengthened national security.
Some of its most hazardous wastes will remain radioactive for thousands of years and so surface storage isn’t the permanent answer. A new underground facility, most likely in Cumbria, is the preferred option.

Building a skilled workforce

Thu, 22 Jan 2026 17:53:26 GMT

My guest on this week’s episode of the The Infrastructure Podcast is Matthew Cannon, chief executive of The Clancy Group - and a former international pro rugby player - as we tackle the tricky issues of building and retaining high performance teams in infrastructure.

Have a listen here - or find all 147 episodes wherever you get your podcasts - search “The Infrastructure Podcast” on Spotify, Apple, Google or YouTube.

Alongside Matt’s hugely insightful take on the current challenge facing the UK contracting market, I found it really insightful to chat to a former high performing sportsman (Matt played at London Irish and London Welsh and was a member of England’s successful 2003 Hong Kong Rugby 7s squad) about the way his sports team experiences crossed over into the world of work.

While I have never personally been involved in high performance of elite sports, I have witnessed close up the absolute power of sports teams working together to, literally “make the boat go faster”. And given that we talk so much about collaboration and leadership as being key to successful infrastructure project delivery, there is surely much to learn from those experiences.

Explaining infrastructure value

Mon, 19 Jan 2026 08:04:48 GMT

It was so great to finally sit down with David Porter, the recently installed 161st President of the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) , to record this week’s episode of the The Infrastructure Podcast.

Have a listen here - https://lnkd.in/eFB_Pzwd or find all 146 episodes wherever you get your podcasts - search “The Infrastructure Podcast” on Spotify, Apple, Google or YouTube.

Over the last couple of years I have had the pleasure of spending time with David as we both helped deliver the Transforming Infrastructure Performance Summit series with ICE and Bentley Systems in various locations around the world. As you will hear in this week’s podcast, David’s absolute passion for engineering and infrastructure as a route to public service is truly inspirational.

And as David makes clear, infrastructure professionals have to work much harder to convince the public of the value of investment. Because while we all depend on infrastructure - the roads railways, power water and communications of everyday life - most people barely notice it until it fails.

So how do we make infrastructure personal again? Check out this episode as we discuss trust, long-term investment, public value, skills, AI, and why engineers must rethink how they communicate the impact of their work on everyday lives. I hope you enjoy listening to David as much as I did!

Rolls Royce SMR realities

Fri, 09 Jan 2026 12:28:09 GMT

New year; new energy. We kick off The Infrastructure Podcast for 2026 by tackling one of the UK’s biggest and potentially most exciting infrastructure challenges: the future for Small Modular Reactors.

My guest is Ruth Todd CBE, Operations and Supply Chain Director at Rolls-Royce SMR - the person tasked with turning a long-held nuclear ambition into a lower cost, deliverable reality. With experience spanning the Covid 19 Vaccine Task Force and HS2 (High Speed Two) Ltd, she knows what it takes to lead at moments of national importance.

Have a listen here - https://lnkd.in/ef_AXvZR or find all 145 episodes wherever you get your podcasts - search “The Infrastructure Podcast” on Spotify, Apple, Google or YouTube.

The latest Fingleton Review of UK’s nuclear sector described it as facing “strategic failure”. The government has responded with one of the most ambitious energy interventions in decades - including £2.5bn to accelerate SMRs.

At the centre of it all sits Rolls-Royce SMR: factory-built, standardised, and designed to overcome the cost and delivery pitfalls that have plagued nuclear for years. Plans are underway to deploy at Wylfa with each SMR capable of powering a million homes. And the ambition is to export the technology around the world.

So is this the start of a new golden age for UK nuclear?

Canada's infrastructure ambitions

Fri, 09 Jan 2026 12:25:40 GMT

It’s the last episode of The Infrastructure Podcast for 2025 this week and to close out the year I’m joined by Canadian Member of Parliament Jennifer McKelvie to see what the UK can learn from the way Canada is ambitiously reshaping its approach to infrastructure as key to nation building.

Thanks for your support in 2025. Have a listen here - https://lnkd.in/ectKZhJD or find all 144 episodes wherever you get your podcasts - search “The Infrastructure Podcast” on Spotify, Apple, Google or YouTube.

Canada’s infrastructure moment is certainly right now as - like the UK - the nation wrestles with housing shortages, congested transport links, climate pressure and the need for increased economic growth. Add in the complexity of geopolitics and the on-going tariff war with the US Trump administration …

As Jennifer pointed out to the recent Bentley Systems-backed Transforming Infrastructure Performance Summit in Toronto last October, Canada is certainly reacting to the challenge with investment at scale and with speed. It has a renewed nation-building ambition and a transformation in the way it plans, funds and delivers major infrastructure - from new federal delivery agencies to the expanding role of the Canada Infrastructure Bank/ Banque de l'infrastructure du Canada.

The UK and Europe could maybe learn from Canada’s approach?

Hospital 2.0

Thu, 18 Dec 2025 15:47:40 GMT

The NHS New Hospital Programme is one of the most ambitious pieces of public infrastructure in a generation. In the latest episode of The Infrastructure Podcast , I explore Hospital 2.0: a standardised, industrialised approach to hospital design and delivery that aims to bring certainty on cost, quality and pace — while strengthening UK supply chains and capability.

I’m joined by Emily King , Director of Industrialisation and Doug Baldock , Technical Servies Director who brilliantly explain this vast and transformational programme. Have a listen here or find it wherever you get your podcasts — search “The Infrastructure Podcast” on Spotify, Apple, Google or YouTube.

With a 12-year, £37bn pipeline, rolling five-year funding and urgent RAAC rebuilds to tackle, this conversation gets into what it will actually take to turn policy into delivery — and whether this model can reset how we build complex social infrastructure at scale. And perhaps also finally turn the manufacturing ambitions of the Latham and Egan reviews 30 plus years ago into reality.

�� Listen now and join the debate on what Hospital 2.0 means in reality.

Infrastructure's digital transformation

Thu, 11 Dec 2025 18:29:59 GMT

This week’s episode of The Infrastructure Podcast was recorded last month at global infrastructure giant Bentley Systems’ annual Year in Infrastructure gathering in Amsterdam with Senior VP for the EMEA region Nathan Marsh and focuses on the challenges of digitising global infrastructure.

I loved this conversation – grabbed in between conference sessions - have a listen here - or find it wherever you get your podcasts — search “The Infrastructure Podcast” on Spotify, Apple, Google or YouTube.

After a career on all sides of the infrastructure fence – client, contractor, consultant and investor - Nathan shares his perspective on the challenges and opportunities ahead for the secort as it embraces digital tech and the power of AI.

Oh, and Nathan also reflects on his two previous careers:
- As a soldier in the British Army with the 1st Battalion Welsh Guards
- As a professional rugby play er with Birmingham Birmingham Moseley Rugby Club and at London Welsh Rugby Football Club

Ground monitoring technology

Thu, 04 Dec 2025 16:33:25 GMT

Ground movement: invisible perhaps but crucial to understand! This week on The Infrastructure Podcast , we dive into the fast-evolving world of digital ground movement monitoring with Daniel Scott , CTO and co-founder of Osprey Measurement Systems . a UCL spin-out bringing new levels of precision, speed and insight to how we measure the world beneath our feet.

�� Have a listen here - or find it wherever you get your podcasts - search “The Infrastructure Podcast” on Spotify, Apple, Amazon or on Youtube.

The conversation explores Daniel’s career journey and how cutting-edge tech is transforming the way we protect and future-proof our railways, tunnels, utilities and cities and finds out about his spare time role as a special reservist with 507 Royal Engineers Squadron specialising in protecting (and disrupting) rail infrastructure.

Have a listen as we get into:
�� The journey from university lab to real-world deployment
�� Digital tools that deliver smarter, safer infrastructure
�� What it takes to disrupt a traditionally risk-averse sector
�� How to balance being an engineering entrepreneur with being a Royal Engineers Specialist military reservist
Enjoy!

Canadian investment innovation

Thu, 27 Nov 2025 17:51:20 GMT

I had the pleasure of recording a live episode of The Infrastructure Podcast at the recent Transforming Infrastructure Performance Summit in Toronto, hosted by Bentley Systems , with Divya Shah, CFA , Managing Director of Trade & Transportation at the Canada Infrastructure Bank/ Banque de l'infrastructure du Canada (CIB) to talk about Canada’s infrastructure challenge: building faster, smarter, and greener.

�� Have a listen here - or find it wherever you get your podcasts - search “The Infrastructure Podcast” on Spotify, Apple, Amazon or Youtube.

With over $16.8 billion invested across 102 projects, Canada is reshaping the way it builds. The conversation explores how the CIB is acting as a catalyst for nation-building, unsticking private capital and supporting transformative projects - from clean power and green infrastructure to transit, broadband, and trade corridors.

Canada’s challenges, to be honest, mirror those faced in the UK: geopolitical shifts, climate targets, rising costs, and the need for better federal, provincial, and Indigenous coordination. There is much to learn on this side of the Atlantic.

Luton's community-led airport

Thu, 20 Nov 2025 16:11:01 GMT

So what will £2.4bn buy London Luton Airport ? "More than just a terminal, I'm pleased to say," Nick Platts , managing director of Luton Rising , the community led owner of the airport tells The Infrastructure Podcast .

Luton Rising is the owner of London Luton Airport , the UK’s only 100% community owned airport. Managing Director Nick Platts joins me on The Infrastructure Podcast this week to explain the £2.4bn plus expansion plans that he reckons will radically improve not only the airport’s function but also the local community that it supports.

�� Have a listen here - or find it wherever you get your podcasts — search “The Infrastructure Podcast” on Spotify, Apple or Amazon.

Expansion is set to boost capacity from 19 to 32 million passengers a year and recently secured its Development Consent Order. It’s a story that’s bigger than just infrastructure. Luton Rising has already returned £500m+ to local services and community projects — and its expansion could contribute £1.5bn annually to the regional economy.

Thinking neighbourhoods

Thu, 13 Nov 2025 18:01:33 GMT

This week’s special episode was recorded live at The Building Centre in central London and takes us right to the heart of one of the biggest – and too often overlooked – questions in public policy:
�� How do we re-establish the concept of decent neighbourhoods as a means to renew the country from the ground up?

To help answer this I’m joined on The Infrastructure Podcast this week by Baroness Hilary Armstrong, Chair of the Independent Commission on Neighbourhoods (ICON) and a lifelong advocate for communities and regeneration.

�� Have a listen here

From her early days as a social worker in Sunderland, to shaping the New Deal for Communities as a Cabinet Minister in the Blair government, Hilary has spent her career at the intersection of politics, policy and place. We talk about what’s gone wrong, what’s working, and what can be done now to bring new hope to Britain’s neighbourhoods.

And with the Government’s 1.5 million homes target and the New Towns Task Force plans for new communities pushing ahead, this is a conversation that couldn’t be more timely!!

New towns: laying the foundations

Thu, 06 Nov 2025 21:13:38 GMT

What a pleasure to chat to Lord Ben Gascoigne on The Infrastructure Podcast this week about the UK House of Lords Built Environment Committee’s work on New Towns - and the UK Government’s ambition to tackle the housing crisis through a new generation of well-planned, infrastructure-led communities.

I t’s a lively conversation that covers a lot of ground – have a listen here - or find it wherever you get your podcasts — search “The Infrastructure Podcast” on Spotify, Apple or Google.

As Chair of the House of Lords Built Environment Committee, Ben talks us through the findings of the Committee’s latest report New Towns: Laying the Foundations — which calls for decisive national leadership, a dedicated cabinet minister, and a new national delivery agency to drive progress.

With a target of 1.5 million homes over the next Parliament, the challenge is not just about numbers, but about creating thriving, sustainable places where people want to live and work.

It’s clear that successful delivery the next generation of New Towns will need vision, coordination, and long-term commitment — the question is, does the government have the patience and time required to make it happen?

Listen on Apple:
Listen on Spotify:
Liston on Amazon:

Data transforming infrastructure

Thu, 30 Oct 2025 22:11:29 GMT

The body content of your post goes here. To edit this text, click on it and delete this default text and start typing your own or paste your own from a different source.

Architecture for public good

Thu, 23 Oct 2025 13:47:03 GMT

This week’s episode of The Infrastructure Podcast is with Chris Williamson , the new President of RIBA - the Royal Institute of British Architects – and a man on a mission to revamp and renew the two centuries old institute to meet the challenges of today’s society.

We recorded the episode in a quiet corner of the Building Centre in London - have a listen here - or find it wherever you get your podcasts — search “The Infrastructure Podcast” on Spotify, Apple or Google.

Chris has built a career on designing spaces that connect people — from the Jubilee Line Extension to the Elizabeth Line and Melbourne Metro — and now he’s turning his attention to reconnecting the architectural profession itself.

I really enjoyed chatting to Chris as we chewed over a huge range of issues:
· his route to founding Weston Williamson and becoming a world leading architect
· the role of architecture in shaping our buildings and infrastructure and the society, environment and communities we live in
· the way RIBA can regain its relevance, lead on sustainability, embrace diversity, and rebuild public trust.
Have a listen and let me know what you think?

Sizewell C investment insights with Jamie Hossain

Thu, 16 Oct 2025 20:43:54 GMT

This week I speak to Jamie Hossain , Senior Investment Director at Amber Infrastructure and Lead Portfolio Manager at International Public Partnerships Ltd (INPP) — fresh from leading Amber’s 7.6% investment in Sizewell C , one of the most significant energy projects in a generation.

Have a listen here - or find it wherever you get your podcasts — search “The Infrastructure Podcast” on Spotify, Apple or Google.

With Sizewell C’s Final Investment Decision now secured, the project marks a major moment for the UK’s net zero transition — a £38 billion twin to Hinkley Point C that will deliver reliable, low-carbon electricity for six million homes.

For the first time, the British public will be co-owners of a nuclear power station, alongside EDF , Centrica , La Caisse and Amber Infrastructure. Around 70% of construction spend will flow to UK businesses, supporting tens of thousands of jobs and, all going well, saving the electricity system £2 billion a year.

It’s a fascinating look at how institutional investors are shaping the future of UK infrastructure — and why projects like Sizewell C signal a new era for long-term, responsible investment.

Reducing unproductive variability with Peter Jones

Thu, 09 Oct 2025 20:37:39 GMT

In the latest episode of The Infrastructure Podcast , I speak with Peter Jones PhD CEng FICE , Operations Director at Skanska and Visiting Professor at Loughborough University , about the new Improving Construction Productivity report from the Construction Productivity Taskforce — and why tackling unproductive variability could be the single biggest opportunity to transform how we build.

It’s here: - or find it wherever you get your podcasts — search “The Infrastructure Podcast” on Spotify , Apple or Google.

From digital tools and design for productivity to better data, training, and supply chain collaboration, this report moves beyond theory — showing how practical, proven interventions are already driving measurable gains on real projects.

Have a listen – let me know what you think.

Bioenergy with carbon capture

Thu, 02 Oct 2025 15:15:30 GMT

In this week’s episode of The Infrastructure Podcast we dive into one of the most promising technologies in the UK’s net zero transition: Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS).

What’s that then? Well listen in to my conversation with Alex Young , head of development at Evero Energy as we talk about plans to transform the Ince bioenergy plant in Cheshire.
It’s here - or find it wherever you get your podcasts — search “The Infrastructure Podcast” on Spotify, Apple or Google.

In short, BECCS combines renewable power generation with the permanent removal of CO₂ — turning a challenge into an opportunity.

Energy firm Evero is at the heart of this story is, the low-carbon energy-from-wastewood company which is transforming its Ince Biomass Plant into the UK’s first large-scale BECCS facility — InBECCS.
· Capturing 217,000 tonnes of CO₂ annually
· Generating clean electricity for 100,000+ homes
· Creating skilled green jobs while diverting waste wood from landfill

It’s a fascinating conversation as we unpack the promise, pitfalls and potential of BECCS, and ask: How will the project be delivered; what role will InBECCS play in Britain’s carbon removal leadership; and how might it connect with the UK’s growing hydrogen economy?

British Steel - a new future

Thu, 25 Sep 2025 11:49:06 GMT

Rethinking steel: From high-cost high-carbon industrial burden to a become the UK’s net zero catalyst for social and economic growth.

In the latest episode of The Infrastructure Podcast , I speak to Ben Holmes , Head of Sustainability at Elliott Wood , about the challenge and opportunity facing UK steel production and how the approach on GPE 's 30 Duke Street project in London – the UK’s largest steel reuse project – can shift thinking.

Listen in as Ben talks us through his five provocative “what if” scenarios here - or find it wherever you get your podcasts — search “The Infrastructure Podcast” on Spotify, Apple or Google.

�� What if… we thought generationally, not electorally: established a Steel Futures Fund with cross-party commitment, protected by statute?
�� What if… we created centres of excellence beyond production : if steel communities became Steel Innovation Districts?
�� What if… we made green steel the standard, not the exception?
�� What if… we connected steel to communities in new ways: if each steel facility had a Community Steel Trust with local ownership stakes?
�� What if… former steelworks became vibrant mixed-use districts?

Steel is foundational to our modern world — yet it remains one of the most carbon-intensive materials we produce. With British Steel’s public sector rescue, we face a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reimagine how we make, use, and value steel in the UK.

Have a listen and let me know what you think?

Private capital for public assets

Thu, 18 Sep 2025 22:05:30 GMT

Private infrastructure investment was once the preserve of pension funds and specialist investors; today it has moved to the centre of global capital markets with sovereign wealth funds, institutional investors, private equity houses, and even retail capital all piling in.

Why? Well listen to my latest episode of The Infrastructure Podcast with Charlotte Madden , partner and co-head of infrastructure at global law firm Clifford Chance to hear what ius driving her deals - it's here- or find it wherever you get your podcasts — search “The Infrastructure Podcast” on Spotify, Apple or Google.

Infrastructure offers the promise of long-term, stable returns — while underpinning the physical and digital systems our economies depend upon. And in the UK, the stakes are particularly high.

With an ambitious £725 billion infrastructure pipeline, more than half of which relies on private investment, questions remain:
· How do we balance private capital with public service delivery?
· What are the risks and opportunities for investors?
· And how do we make sure these projects deliver real value for society?

Tune in as we unpack the profound shifts reshaping infrastructure investment — and why they matter for all of us.

Cement - a critical UK resource

Thu, 11 Sep 2025 22:24:33 GMT

Cement is the backbone of UK infrastructure – but do we actually have the cement we need?

In the latest episode of The Infrastructure Podcast , I speak with Diana Casey , Executive Director for Cement, Energy & Climate at the Mineral Products Association — the voice of UK cement producers.

Listen in here - or find it wherever you get your podcasts — search “The Infrastructure Podcast” on Spotify, Apple or Google.

The reality is that without cement, the UK’s roads, railways, schools, hospitals, bridges, and homes would quite literally crumble. Yet as the Labour government drives forward with 1.5 million homes in 5 years and a £725bn infrastructure pipeline, there’s a pressing question…

In this episode I chat to Diana Casey as we explore:
�� Why domestic manufacturing is becoming uncompetitive
�� The risks of relying on imports in a volatile global market
�� What a watertight Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism could deliver
�� How carbon capture and a clearer industrial strategy can secure supply
�� Why this is as much about jobs, security and resilience as it is about decarbonisation

This is a conversation about the material that quietly underpins every major infrastructure ambition — and what’s at stake if we get it wrong.

HS2 - Off the Rails

Thu, 04 Sep 2025 21:20:58 GMT

HS2 – what went wrong? The Infrastructure Podcast is back after the summer break — and we’re starting with a big one as I speak to author Sally Gimson about her new book Off the Rail – the inside story of HS2 (High Speed Two) Ltd .

Listen in here or find it wherever you get your podcasts — search “The Infrastructure Podcast” on Spotify, Apple or Google.

HS2 has been called many things: for some it's infrastructure’s poster child for delay and cost overrun; to others it's a truly game-changing investment to transform UK connectivity,

Certainly few projects in British history have generated such fierce debate — or exposed so much about our ability (or inability) to deliver major infrastructure. From the spiralling costs and shifting political priorities to the sheer engineering complexity, HS2 has been a lightning rod for wider questions - all of which I tackle with Sally:
· Was it doomed from day one?
· Was it a bold vision stifled by politics?
· Is the UK capable of delivering such bold and ambitious projects?

Sally has spent years unpicking the web of decisions, personalities, and compromises that shaped the project — and what her excellent new book uncovers says as much about our national approach to infrastructure as it does about a single railway.

Have a listen and let me know what you think!

Commissioning is not testing

Fri, 22 Aug 2025 08:04:49 GMT

Infrastructure project commissioning is not testing. And according to Paul Turner , my guest on this week’s episode, failure to grasp this concept too often sees major projects treat commissioning as a last-minute hurdle to clear before opening day rather than the fundamental process of preparing an asset from day one to operate as intended.

Listen in here - or find it wherever you get your podcasts — search “The Infrastructure Podcast” on Spotify, Apple or Google.

Paul is Chief Executive of the Institute of Commissioning & Assurance (ICxA). He explains that, in reality, commissioning is the vital process required at the start of a project - not the end. And when projects go wrong, the results can be disastrous – from delayed openings and cost overruns to failures that undermine public trust – and usually linked directoy to poor commissioning at the start.

When we spoke last year in episode 82, Paul had just launched what was then the Industrial Commissioning Association. In just twelve months, the organisation has:
✅ Grown to over 4,300 members across 27 local chapters
✅ Formed a Board of Directors and Advisory Council
✅ Rebranded as ICxA to reflect its broader global mission
✅ Launched two new global standards – one on commissioning, one on outcome assurance
✅ Introduced a certification framework and career pathway for the next generation of project leaders

We dig into what these developments mean for infrastructure and industrial projects worldwide, why commissioning needs to be treated with the same seriousness as design and construction, and how ICxA’s standards can help transform outcomes across the sector.
Enjoy the episode.

Nuclear waste solutions with Mike Pigott

Thu, 07 Aug 2025 23:45:36 GMT

Nuclear waste: never out of mind? Well in the latest episode of The Infrastructure Podcast we dig into nuclear waste management, one of the most complex, long-term, and often misunderstood challenges in the UK’s energy future.

And I’m joined by the man who knows - Mike Pigott , Director of Waste Operations and Sites at Nuclear Waste Services is a leader with decades of experience and a deep operational, regulatory and international experience across the full lifecycle of the nuclear industry.

�� Listen in here - or find it wherever you get your podcasts — search “The Infrastructure Podcast” on Spotify, Apple or Google.

Because nuclear power is making a comeback as a key pillar of the UK’s low-carbon energy strategy — backed by tens of billions in new public investment. The question remains: what do we do with the waste it leaves behind?

At the centre of this national challenge is Nuclear Waste Services, tasked with safely managing everything from today’s operational low-level waste to the deeply complex legacy materials from decades of civil and defence-related activity.

From managing the UK’s Low Level Waste Repository, where more than 750,000 cubic metres of radioactive material has already been safely disposed of, to planning the UK’s future approach to long-term disposal and public engagement, Mike offers an expert perspective on the infrastructure, innovation, and trust needed to get it right.

So if you want to understand where the UK really stands on managing its nuclear legacy — and what comes next — this episode is a must-listen.

Water sector reset with Blair Mitchell

Thu, 31 Jul 2025 15:33:20 GMT

The Independent Water Commission, chaired by Sir Jon Cunliffe, as left the water sector at a critical crossroads – and left no one in the sector smelling of roses. As Sir Jon puts it: “This sector requires fundamental reform on all sides.”

So in the latest episode of The Infrastructure Podcast , I speak to Blair Mitchell , Managing Director for Water at WSP in the UK & Ireland – a Scot with three decades working across all corners of the sector – and 20 years in the Scottish water sector - to dive headfirst into the report’s findings and ask what can be learnt and what needs to change.

�� Listen in here - or find it wherever you get your podcasts — search “The Infrastructure Podcast” on Spotify, Apple or Google.

After years of public anger over sewage pollution, rising bills, and service failures, Sir Jon’s long-awaited report has produced 464 pages and 88 recommendations that could fundamentally reshape how water is regulated, governed and delivered in England and Wales. Highlights include:
�� A new, integrated regulator to replace Ofwat
�� Regional water planning authorities
�� Compulsory metering
�� Tougher rules on company ownership and resilience
�� A new “public benefit” duty at the heart of water company licences

At the same time, Ofwat ’s PR24 price review sets a 21% investment uplift over AMP8 – while demanding affordability, efficiency, and trust from a sector in crisis.
This is a pivotal moment for the future of UK water – and this episode cuts through the noise to explore what real reform could (and should) look like.

Infrastructure investment strategies

Thu, 24 Jul 2025 10:30:15 GMT

With the UK’s ambitious £725bn 10-year infrastructure strategy and project delivery pipeline now in motion, private investment has never been more critical to turning bold public plans into real-world impact. But where is the smart money going in infrastructure?

In the latest episode of The Infrastructure Podcast , I speak to Mark Gilligan , Head of AXA Investment Managers Alts’ €4bn and growing infrastructure equity platform, to explore where, why and how institutional capital is being deployed — and what that tells us about the future of infrastructure delivery across Europe and the UK.

�� Listen in here - or find it wherever you get your podcasts — search “The Infrastructure Podcast” on Spotify, Apple or Google.

From energy storage and digital networks to green locomotives and district heating, AXA’s investments offer a window into the evolving priorities of infrastructure investors: decarbonisation, electrification, and digitalisation.

�� Just last month, AXA IM Alts backed a major battery project in Scotland and a pan-European solar platform.
�� And yes — they own Europe’s only green freight train fleet.

➡️ If you're involved in infrastructure planning, delivery or financing, this is a must-listen. But I would say that, wouldn’t I…!

A 10-year infrastructure strategy

Thu, 17 Jul 2025 17:13:17 GMT

After years of underinvestment and piecemeal planning, the UK government has finally unveiled what could be the most comprehensive infrastructure strategy in a generation — a 10-year plan backed by at least £725 billion of public investment.

�� But what does it actually mean in practice?

In this episode, I’m joined by James Corrigan , Managing Director for Infrastructure at Turner & Townsend , to unpack the ambition behind this milestone strategy — and the hard realities of turning it into delivery on the ground.

�� Listen in here - or find it wherever you get your podcasts — search “The Infrastructure Podcast” on Spotify, Apple or Google.

��️ We discuss:
- How this new approach could reshape UK infrastructure planning and delivery
- The challenges of aligning long-term policy with political cycles
- The role of digital, climate resilience, and regional regeneration
- What this all means for investors, local authorities and communities alike
It’s a timely and vital conversation for anyone involved in the built environment.

Sizewell C nuclear realities

Wed, 09 Jul 2025 20:30:19 GMT

How real is the UK’s nuclear “golden age”? Well with the Sizewell C sitting at its core I thought it best to find out what was happening by chatting to Julia Pyke FEI, HonFNucl , Managing Director of the project on The Infrastructure Podcast .

�� Listen in here - or find it wherever you get your podcasts — search “The Infrastructure Podcast” on Spotify, Apple or Google.

The episode explores what the government’s latest landmark £14.2 billion investment in the project really means — for clean energy, investor confidence, UK supply chains, and the communities that will host this next-generation infrastructure – when open in the mid-2030s it will power six million homes for over 60 years, become the UK’s first fully British-owned nuclear power station in decades.

But turning that ambition into reality is a massive challenge. Our discussion covers a lot of ground including:
➡️ Is the project still on track for Final Investment Decision in 2025?
➡️ How public funding is unlocking long-term investor confidence
➡️ What’s being done to learn lessons from Hinkley Point C
➡️ The critical role of community engagement
➡️ And why strengthening the UK’s nuclear supply chain is now essential

�� It’s a wide-ranging and fascinating conversation with someone right at the centre of one of the UK’s most important new energy projects. Enjoy!

Lessons from HS2

Thu, 03 Jul 2025 19:45:02 GMT

“Projects don’t go wrong — they start wrong.” That’s one of the stark messages from James Stewart , author of the Stewart Review into the troubled HS2 (High Speed Two) Ltd project and my guest on this week’s episode of The Infrastructure Podcast .

�� Listen here - or find it wherever you get your podcasts — search “The Infrastructure Podcast” on Spotify, Apple or Google.

As we know, HS2 was meant to be the crown jewel of UK infrastructure — boosting connectivity, unlocking capacity, and driving long-term growth. Instead, it's become a cautionary tale of runaway costs, shrinking scope, and delayed delivery.

In this candid conversation, James (- who now chairs Agilia Infrastructure Partners but has spent a career helping to bring public and private infrastructure projects over the line) pulls no punches as he outlines:
· Was HS2 simply too big to succeed?
· Why the project lacked a protective “buffer” from political interference
· The impact of the UK’s “culture of gold-plating” in design
· And why our major project supply chain is no longer fit for purpose

His verdict is clear: HS2 didn’t just fall apart — it was flawed from the start. But perhaps more importantly, in his lessons learnt report, James sets out how we can stop making the same mistakes in future infrastructure projects.

It’s a must-listen for anyone who cares about how the UK delivers its biggest ambitions.

Grading US infrastructure

Thu, 26 Jun 2025 13:58:10 GMT

The United States' infrastructure has scored a grade C – that’s “mediocre, requires attention”.

Every four years, the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) releases a document that quietly shapes the nation’s future — the Report Card for America’s Infrastructure. It’s been called “the most important report you’ve probably never heard of.”

In the latest episode of @The Infrastructure Podcast, I’m joined by @Tom Smith ASCE, Executive Director of ASCE, to unpack what that grade really means — why it matters to every American and how the $3.7 trillion funding gap must be filled over the next 10 years.

�� Listen here or find it wherever you get your podcasts — search “The Infrastructure Podcast” on Spotify, Apple or Google.

The interview builds on a presentation made by Tom at the recent Bentley Systems Transforming Infrastructure Performance Summit in New York ( https://lnkd.in/e94bKW96 ).

From bridges and broadband to potholes and power grids, this latest conversation dives into:
�� Where progress is being made – why 8 of 18 categories saw improvement
⚠️ Where we’re still falling behind - why energy and rail were downgraded
�� What it’ll take to turn short-term fixes into long-term solutions
��️ How infrastructure decisions directly affect the daily lives of millions

Getting the infrastructure investment right is about more than roads and pipes — it’s about the resilience of our communities, the strength of our economy, and the choices we make to shape the future. Listen in to find out why now is the time to move from crisis response to proactive planning.

The new nuclear "golden age"

Thu, 19 Jun 2025 22:07:11 GMT

A new nuclear "golden age"?

Well it’s certainly an exciting time in the nuclear energy sector right now as the UK government commits £2.5bn to Small Modular Reactors, £14.2bn to Sizewell C , and £2.5bn to fusion R&D – the biggest nuclear investment in a generation. But what does this bold vision really mean? Can we build this new nuclear future on time, on budget, and with the skills we need?

In this week's episode of The Infrastructure Podcast , I’m joined by Tim Stone CBE , independent non-executive director of Great British Nuclear and former Chair of the Nuclear Industry Association to unpack the opportunity, challenge – and reality – of the UK’s nuclear renaissance.

Listen here - or find it on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, et al, of course!

I certainly loved this conversation with Tim – his return to the podcast of course (see also episode 53!) as we chewed over a huge number of issues including:
➡️ is the really a new "golden age” of nuclear?
➡️ What exactly are SMRs – and why do they matter?
➡️ How do they compare to mega-projects like Sizewell C or Hinkley Point C?
➡️ Are we ready to deliver – with the right sites, skills, and supply chains?
➡️ Can Britain really lead the global race on next-gen nuclear?

Given the scale of the government’s nuclear ambition, this is a must-listen for anyone interested in clean energy, industrial revival, or how infrastructure policy turns into national progress.

Rebuilding the Francis Scott Kay Bridge

Thu, 12 Jun 2025 18:47:04 GMT

In this week’s special live episode of The Infrastructure Podcast , I sit down with Aruna Miller , Lieutenant Governor of the State of Maryland and a civil engineer by training, to talk about one of the most devastating infrastructure failures in recent U.S. history: the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore – and how the State is working to replace the transport link.

Recorded at the excellent Transforming Infrastructure Performance Summit hosted by the Bentley Systems ’ team in New York, this conversation opens the event with a sobering reminder: when infrastructure fails, it’s not just concrete and steel — it’s lives, livelihoods, and entire economies.

Listen here- or find it on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, et al, of course!

Some background: On 26 March 2024, the container ship Dali struck a pier of the Key Bridge, sending the structure crashing into the river within seconds. Six construction workers lost their lives. Baltimore’s transport network and port operations were paralysed.

As a leader and engineer, Aruna Miller brings a rare perspective on:
�� The immediate crisis response and leadership in chaos
�� The public service parallels between life in politics and civil engineering
�� How you begin rebuilding public trust as well as the bridge
�� The role of infrastructure in community identity and resilience
�� Why investing in safety, technology, and readiness is not optional

This is about more than a $1.7bn bridge rebuild — it’s about rebuilding confidence in the systems we rely on every day.
And for details of the Transforming Infrastructure Performance Summit visit: https://infrastructurepolicyadvancement.com/tip-nyc-2025-register/

The future of precision technology

Thu, 05 Jun 2025 23:09:59 GMT

Infrastructure and agriculture are undergoing a seismic shift driven by AI, automation, and precision positioning. In this week’s episode of The Infrastructure Podcast , I sit down with Ivan Di Federico , the new President & CEO of Topcon Positioning Systems , recorded live at the spectacular bauma construction tech event in Munich.

Listen in here - or find it on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, et al, of course !

Topcon is a driving force behind the digital transformation of our built environment. From smart machines to sustainable job sites, its tech is shaping how we design, build, and maintain infrastructure.

Ivan steps into the top job at a pivotal time — and in this fascinating conversation, we explore:
�� What it takes to lead in a fast-evolving tech landscape
�� The growing intersection of construction, agriculture & automation
�� How Topcon is navigating complexity while pushing innovation forward

�� Don’t miss this latest, hugely insightful episode — especially if you're watching how AI and automation are redefining infrastructure.

Engineering leadership

Fri, 30 May 2025 06:46:32 GMT

How do you build a structural engineering career that not only shapes skylines — but communities, cultures, and futures? This week on The Infrastructure Podcast , I’m joined by the brilliant Claire Gott MBE FICE , Head of Structures at WSP . Claire’s journey is one of technical excellence, inspiring leadership, and deep social impact — and it was a privilege to dig into her story.

Listen here - or find it on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, et al, of course!

I first met Claire in 2011 when she was crowned New Civil Engineer Graduate of the Year. It was clear then — and even clearer now — she’s a force of nature in our industry.

From 40 Leadenhall to Eden Project North, London Bridge Station, HS2 (High Speed Two) Ltd , and (perhaps soon) 1 Undershaft, Claire has been at the heart of some of the UK’s most ambitious and high-profile developments. But what makes her stand out isn’t just the scale of the work — it’s the vision behind it.

We talk about:
�� Designing for people and planet, not just performance
�� Navigating the evolving challenges of structural engineering
�� Why diversity, mentoring and social value must be part of the job
�� Her work with Cameroon Catalyst and the The Circle Partnership
�� And yes… even building a LEGO bridge with school kids!

Whether you're an engineer, leader, or just curious about how great infrastructure gets made (and who makes it), this is an episode you won’t want to miss.

Decommissioning for the future

Wed, 21 May 2025 19:54:56 GMT

Nuclear power has shaped the UK’s energy landscape for over 60 years — decommissioning our old assets is one of the most complex and critical infrastructure challenges of our time.
I n this latest episode of The Infrastructure Podcast , I’m joined by Stuart Miller , Programme Director at the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA), to explore how the NDA is transforming its business and boosting outcomes from the multi-billion pound investment programme to tackle the UK’s civil nuclear legacy — and what that means for our future.

Tune in here - or find it on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, et al, of course!

And it’s clear that this complex work isn’t just about dismantling old infrastructure. It’s about:
⚙️ Rethinking how we manage hazardous assets
⚙️ Using digital tools to improve safety, speed, and decision-making
⚙️ Engaging communities in the investment programme
⚙️ Embedding sustainability into long-term strategy
⚙️ Driving cultural transformation in a risk-averse, highly regulated sector

We dive into the opportunities and obstacles behind one of Europe’s largest environmental remediation missions — and why getting it right matters for generations to come.

So if you’re interested in infrastructure, energy transition, systems thinking or leadership under pressure, this one’s for you.

The water investment challenge

Fri, 16 May 2025 20:00:21 GMT

With over £48 billion in capital investment planned, the latest PR24 programme mark's a watershed moment for the future of our national water infrastructure. But how do we deliver at speed, scale, and with public trust?

My guest on The Infrastructure Podcast this week is Siân Thomas , Director of Strategic Asset Management at Anglian Water Services - the UK’s largest geographic water company - discusses the challenge; what it takes to deliver AMP8, the largest investment programme in the company’s history, build water resilience and help the sector to secure supply for future generations.

Tune in here - or find it on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, et al, of course!

We dig into:

�� The race to plug a 5-billion-litre-a-day water deficit
�� Why new reservoirs, recycling and transfer schemes are critical
�� What the Cunliffe Review must deliver
�� How public perception and political pressure are reshaping the sector
�� And what the future of water infrastructure really looks like

This is a must-listen for anyone working in infrastructure, utilities, sustainability, or policy.

Zero-carbon buildings

Thu, 08 May 2025 20:03:52 GMT

Bank Holiday special! And it was a real thrill to welcome Lord Adair Turner, titan of industry and finance, to @The Infrastructure Podcast this week to talk about the challenge of decarbonising our buildings - critical to meeting our vital climate change stemming targets.

As chair of the Energy Transitions Commission, Lord Turner has just revealed the findings of a bold new report: Achieving Zero-Carbon Buildings: Electric, Efficient and Flexible. This report highlights the huge role that buildings must play in the global fight against climate change - and crucially how little we actually understand about this role today.

�� Tune in here - or find it on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, et al, of course!

The reality is that the buildings sector is responsible for a staggering one-third of global greenhouse gas emissions — more than transport or industry. And as global demand for energy-intensive services like heating, cooling, and lighting continues to rise, the urgency to act is only growing.

�� In this episode of the podcast we explore the findings of ETC’s new report and discuss:
✅ Why buildings matter more than ever in the race to net zero
✅ The impact of the Trump administration on the pace of tackling climate change
✅ The technologies and strategies that can cut emissions and reduce energy bills
✅ The policy, finance, and industry shifts needed to unlock progress at speed and scale
✅ What the UK must do — and how global leadership can emerge

The good news? The solutions are here.
The challenge? Turning strategy into action — fast.
�� If you care about the future of our cities, energy, and climate, this is a must-listen conversation. And a must read report.

Infrastructure's AI reality

Fri, 02 May 2025 08:11:28 GMT

So - does Artificial Intelligence hold the key to the future management of Infrastructure? Are we talking revolution; or is it just a new layer of risk? In today’s episode of The Infrastructure Podcast I am joined by Tom Bartley , Director of Civil Infrastructure at AI scale-up Mind Foundry who is certain that AI hold the key to a future of better, faster decision leading to smarter, safer and lower cost infrastructure .

�� Tune in here to have a listen- or find it on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, et al, of course! - to hear why the quiet AI revolution might be the most important thing happening in infrastructure today.

Well, the fact is, our infrastructure is creaking under the strain of age, under-investment, and rising demands. Roads, railways, bridges, and public assets are showing their wear. Traditional maintenance just isn’t keeping up. So what if AI could change that? Well the team at Mind Foundry think it absolutely can.

And as Mind Foundry was spun out of University of Oxford , it is clearly packed with all the biggest thinkers like Tom who probably know! Tom brings deep experience across engineering and technology from a career with WSP and Jacobs , and he's now helping asset owners like HS2 (High Speed Two) Ltd predict risks, extend asset life, and make better decisions through responsible AI.

In the conversation we explore one of the biggest and most urgent challenges facing the built environment: how we manage and maintain critical infrastructure in a smarter, faster, and more sustainable way. We dive into:
�� Why human-AI collaboration, not replacement, is the real future of engineering
�� How AI is reshaping inspection, maintenance, and risk management
�� What's holding the sector back from fully embracing innovation
�� The opportunities AI unlocks to create smarter, safer, more resilient systems

Interested in the future of infrastructure and the reality of AI beyond the hype; in how we can solve today’s toughest challenges? Well if so this is an episode you don't want to miss.

UK's hydrogen future

Fri, 25 Apr 2025 08:00:27 GMT

Your bank holiday Monday question: Hydrogen - is it our zero carbon energy hero or just a costly distraction on the journey to net zero?
To help find an answer, I’m joined on The Infrastructure Podcast this week by Brett Ryan , Head of Policy and Analysis at Hydrogen UK , the industry’s leading trade body who helps explain how close we are to turning hype into hard reality.

Have a listen the latest episode here - or find it on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, et al, of course!

As the UK doubles down on its net zero ambitions, hydrogen is stepping into the spotlight. Touted as a clean, versatile fuel with huge potential across industry, construction and transport — hydrogen could be a game-changer.

Brett certainly brings expert insight into the commercial and policy shifts shaping the future of hydrogen in the UK. Despite bold government targets and the recent HAR2 shortlist of 27 projects, delivery is lagging and major questions remain:
⚡️ Can we build the infrastructure fast enough?
�� Are the right market signals and policy frameworks in place?
�� And where does hydrogen really make sense – versus where it doesn't?

�� Tune in for a deep dive into the promise, the pitfalls, and the pathway forward – enjoy!

Global Project Delivery

Thu, 17 Apr 2025 11:48:37 GMT

This week, we’re going global. I’m joined by Jacob Mumm , General Manager for Public Infrastructure at Bechtel Corporation , to explore one of the most pressing questions of our time: how can the UK accelerate economic growth through smarter infrastructure investment?

Have a listen here or find it on Apple, Spotify and Amazon et al of course!

Jake brings three decades of frontline experience on complex, high-stakes projects around the world. From ageing transport systems to climate-resilient design, we dig into the real-world challenges that governments everywhere are facing - and the bold strategies that could turn them into opportunities.

Issues discussed include:
�� The infrastructure funding gap
�� Political hurdles and project delays
�� Smart cities, green energy, and the digital future
�� How do we build faster, smarter, greener?
�� How do we cut through bureaucracy and actually deliver?
�� How can private sector players like Bechtel drive change

If you're interested in the future of infrastructure - and what it will take to deliver systems that are resilient, sustainable, and future-proof - this is an episode you don’t want to miss.

Building tall

Thu, 10 Apr 2025 18:16:56 GMT

What does it really take to design the world’s tallest, most iconic buildings - and what challenges lie ahead as cities grow ever taller? Well, engineering legend Kamran Moazami , Managing Director of Property & Buildings at WSP joins me on the latest episode of The Infrastructure Podcast , and he sure knows a thing or two!

�� Have a listen here: - or find it on Apple an Spotify et al, of course!

With nearly 50 years of experience and landmark projects like The Shard, 22 Bishopsgate, and One Blackfriars under his belt, Kamran offers an unmatched perspective on the evolution of high-rise design. After all, he’s a Fellow of both the American Society of Civil Engineers and The Institution of Structural Engineers in London, and was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Association for Consultancy and Engineering (ACE) in January!

From London to Dubai, New York to Shanghai, city skylines are rising fast. But height brings complexity—wind loading, vertical transportation, fire safety, and, critically, carbon and climate resilience.

We also dig into how global events—from earthquakes in Southeast Asia to the legacy of Grenfell - are shaping public trust in high-rise development and impacting our ability to build.

So whether you're an engineer, architect, planner, or simply fascinated by the future of our cities, this is one conversation you don’t want to miss.

Sponge cities to tackle urban flooding

Thu, 03 Apr 2025 18:46:31 GMT

Tackling Urban Flooding: The Case for Sponge Cities - excited to share the latest episode of The Infrastructure Podcast - this time with Lee Pitcher MP , Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Water, recorded live at the latest Twin Talks breakfast with Bentley Systems .

Check it out here- or find it on Apple an Spotify et al, of course!

The conversation dives into the urgent challenge of urban flooding and discuss the findings of a new white paper, "Creating Sponge Cities to Tackle Surface Water Flooding," produced by Bentley Systems and Aqua Consultants with support from British Water and, as a former water engineer with Jacobs and Yorkshire Water , Lee Pitcher, MP

�� What’s the issue?
As climate change intensifies and urbanisation accelerates, our outdated drainage systems are struggling to cope with extreme rainfall. The result? More frequent and severe pluvial flooding.
�� What’s the solution?
The white paper outlines a bold strategy to rethink water management through sustainable drainage systems (SuDS), green infrastructure, and smart design - helping cities absorb, store, and manage water like a sponge.

But if the solutions exist, why aren’t we embracing change faster? And how do we turn policy into action?

Lee Pitcher has the answers. Catch the full conversation and feed your comments back to Lee and the APPG as he prepares to respond - and input to - the ongoing The Independent Water Commission, chaired by Sir Jon Cunliffe.

ALARM25: the local roads crisis

Thu, 27 Mar 2025 21:12:40 GMT

Potholes, potholes, potholes. Are we stuck in a never-ending cycle of road repairs? Or is a more fundamental solution required?

As the 30th Annual ALARM Survey reveals, the state of local roads across England and Wales is worse than ever—with a staggering £16.81 billion backlog and over 34,600 miles in poor condition.

Some shocking stats – so I spoke to David Giles , chair of the Asphalt Industry Alliance and director of Continental Bitumen to dig into the key findings of this year’s report and find out what’s stopping progress? Have a listen to the episode here .

Once again, the ALARM survey begs the question - after 30 years what needs to change if we are to transform the condition of our vital local roads? Despite government pledges to fix millions of potholes each year, the reality is that short-term cash injections aren’t enough to halt the decline.

But with local roads forming 97% of the UK’s network, isn’t it surely time for a long-term, sustainable investment strategy? A strategy that might help shift us from reactive patchwork fixes to a resilient, future-proofed road network.

Planning: decoding the Bill

Thu, 20 Mar 2025 19:27:02 GMT

The government published its long-awaited Planning and Infrastructure Bill last week – so who better to bring back to chat about it on The Infrastructure Podcast than UK infrastructure planning guru Robbie Owen , partner and head of infrastructure planning and government affairs at law firm Pinsent Masons .

The Bill was heralded by government as providing “transformative reforms to get Britain building, tackle blockers and unleash billions in economic growth”. But will it really bring about that scale of change? Well to be honest, Robbie’s not totally convinced it goes far enough! Have a listen here .

Lot’s to chew over - changes to infrastructure planning, environmental impact assessments, compulsory purchase powers; how can the planning system ensure that infrastructure projects not only proceed faster but also deliver better outcomes for communities and the environment? … and, as discussed with Robbie on the podcast before Christmas, new limits on the role of Judicial Reviews.

But can these changes truly unlock growth, or are deeper structural issues being overlooked?

Having interrupted Robbie’s visit to the MIPIM property event in the South of France sunshine last week, we cover a lot of ground. It’s a vitally important stuff and Robbie certainly, as always, brings it to life. Enjoy the episode.

Embodied carbon assessment

Thu, 13 Mar 2025 19:27:54 GMT

I chose a quiet corner of the Royal Festival Hall to talk about embodied carbon with Adrian Campbell , founder of the Change Building consultancy and my go-to expert when it comes to reducing carbon across the infrastructure lifecycle.

At least it was quiet when we started to record this week’s episode of The Infrastructure Podcast ! Apparently, weekday concerts are popular with schoolkids! Who’d have thought!

No worries, any corner of this fabulous, brutalist concrete masterpiece on the South Bank is a great place to chat to Adrian about the need to understand, to think hard and to take action to reduce the embodied carbon in our modern infrastructure.

It’s big and important stuff. Have a listen here and on Apple, Spotify, Amazon and all your favourite podcast hosts.

As Adrian points out, the reality is that building fabric performance, building management systems and energy sources have all become much less carbon intensive over time as we have understood and assessed the carbon challenge. But less so for embodied carbon, meaning that is now the dominant source of emissions over the infrastructure life-cycle and to the obvious focus for designers’ attention.

That starts with getting the next generation of engineers both fired up and informed. Hence Adrian’s new guide to assessing embodied carbon which he has just rolled out to his students at the University of Southampton . And a very useful and helpful little guide it has proved to be.

Which got me thinking. Why shouldn’t every student have a look at it – every infrastructure professional for that matter? Well, to be honest, Adrian hasn’t actually published it formally yet. (But why not have a chat with him if you can help?)

But he does explain it well in the podcast. So have a listen.

Retrofitting: the future of housing

Thu, 06 Mar 2025 21:10:59 GMT

Two years ago, my guest on The Infrastructure Podcast this week quit her successful career as a partner at global consultant McKinsey & Company to launch a fledgling business aimed at tackling the UK’s woefully underperforming housing retrofit market.

A bold move! Yet two years later @Anna Moore, co-founder and chief executive of Domna (formerly Hestia) has just secured a new £70M tranche of funding which should accelerate the business' ability to access this potential £500bn retrofit market and truly transform homes and lives by making tens of thousands of homes across the UK warmer, more energy efficient and healthier places to live.

Have a listen at here and on Apple, Spotify, Amazon and all your favourite podcast hosts.

Anna works with me as a Trustee of the Built Environment Trust and Building Centre , and as our recent New Homes in New Ways event demonstrated, giving families decent warm safe places to live is one the biggest challenges facing the UK right now.

It's a tough market. Because, as Anna knows I am sure, while the government’s commitment to building 1.5 million new homes continues to grab the headlines as the key to driving up living standards and revitalising communities, the need to retrofit our huge existing stock has been left somewhat overlooked as a means to press decent housing back into the market.

But Anna and Domna are on a roll and now retrofit over 15,000 homes a year on behalf of local authorities, housing associations and private landlords. And it’s an approach which is changing lives.
Have a listen.

The affordable housing crisis

Thu, 27 Feb 2025 21:41:13 GMT

The UK government has set out bold and ambition plans to tackle the nation’s housing crisis. And as my guest on the The Infrastructure Podcast this week Anette Simpson , director of development and partnerships at Legal & General Affordable Homes points out, it needs them. Now!

Have a listen here and on Apple, Spotify, Amazon and all your favourite podcast hosts.

Because despite current targets to deliver 1.5 million new homes over the next five years, the reality is that we are still only seeing 50,000 to 60,000 affordable homes being built each year - far short of the estimated 145,000 required. That leaves a shortfall of over 1.3 million households on waiting lists, while rising costs, planning delays, and economic uncertainty continue to challenge the sector’s ability to tackle the crisis.

Anette has passion and a plan to start to change all that. Her business is levering in private capital to support public cash and has a target to have more than 10,000 homes under management this year.

Essentially, she aims to prove that, alongside the tradition public sector social housing providers, for-profit providers can – and must - play a crucial role in tackling the crisis.

Have a listen. Creating homes for families is certainly up there as one the biggest infrastructure challenges facing the UK right now.

Beyond academic

Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:02:09 GMT

Seriously, I don’t know where the time has gone! But it’s the second anniversary of the The Infrastructure Podcast this week and my guest on episode 102 takes me back thirty years to the University of Southampton where I studied for my Degree in Civil Engineering.

In this landmark episode I talk to the ever-fascinating Prof. Jeni Giambona, Associate Dean of Knowledge Exchange and Enterprise and a Member of the Centre for Resilient Socio-Technical Systems at the University of Southampton Business School.

Jeni has worked at the sharp end of higher education and research for the last two decades and specialises in helping to link academia with industry and so drive investment in innovation as a key part of boosting the sector’s productivity and outcomes.

Episode 102 is now live here and on Apple, Spotify, Amazon and all your favourite podcast hosts. Have a listen as we discuss:
⭐ Why embracing a systems approach is crucial;
⭐ The need to double down on collaboration and supply chain engagement;
⭐ Why investing in new data and digital technologies can help us to truly understand how infrastructure works.

�� And, of course, we hear why owning and training two 70kg Newfoundland dogs is a recommended, life changing experience.

Enjoy the episode - and if you like the podcast please do subscribe leave a review to encourage others to join in!

Parliament's infrastructure insider

Fri, 14 Feb 2025 17:01:15 GMT

Seven months ago, my guest on this week’s episode of The Infrastructure Podcast was working for construction giant Mace as a work winning director. Today Mike Reader is MP for Northampton South and chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Infrastructure.

That’s quite a change! Episode 101 is now live here and on Apple, Spotify, Amazon and all your favourite podcast hosts.

As Mike explains, the government’s current focus on infrastructure delivery as the route to economic growth and improved living standards across the UK, makes Parliament and exciting place for a former civil engineer to be right now.

And after last week’s conversation with Construction Minister Sarah Jones, this week’s episode provides an opportunity to hear the back bench viewpoint on the challenge of delivering the government’s bold infrastructure ambition. Quite often that means understanding how to realistically balance local community and constituency needs with the national priorities – not always easy but certainly doable, according to Mike.

Have a listen as we discuss a range of issues including:
⭐ Dealing with the realities of life as MP
⭐ The role of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Infrastructure
⭐ The supply chain’s role in supporting government’s growth ambition
⭐ Can the Planning and Infrastructure Bill transform our approach to delivery?
⭐ Is building 1.5M new homes in 5 years possible?
⭐ How can infrastructure professionals better understand politics?
⭐ What exactly is a Jack Tzu?

Enjoy the episode - and if you like the podcast please do subscribe leave a review to encourage others to join in!

Episode 100 with Sarah Jones MP, Minister of State for Construction, Industry and Net Zero

Fri, 07 Feb 2025 17:31:44 GMT

Well can you believe it! We have reached Episode 100 of The Infrastructure Podcast! And it’s a special one as we head to the heart of the UK government to hear first-hand from Construction Minister Sarah Jones MP about how she hopes to accelerate infrastructure investment to deliver the government’s overarching mission for economic growth.

Episode 100 is now live on my website here and on Apple, Spotify, Amazon and all your favourite podcast hosts.

The podcast was recorded live in front of an invited audience of professionals at last week’s Twin Talks breakfast meeting hosted by Bentley Systems on the 43rd floor of their London office – just before the Chancellor Rachel Reeves set out her plans to cut through the planning and environmental blockers and accelerate a rake of nationally significant infrastructure projects such as the much discussed Heathrow third runway, East West Rail and the Oxford Cambridge Arc, Lower Thames Crossing, a raft of new reservoirs and a splurge of national wealth fund cash to underpin electric vehicle charging.

And as Sarah Jones pointed out, we need a long term strategy that cuts through the planning delays, works with the private sector to boost delivery efficiency, and, of course, brings the public on board - “the answer can't always be no; but it's got to be the right thing in the right place for a purpose people understand."

Have a listen – and if you like the podcast please do subscribe leave a review to encourage others to join in!

Modern contracting

Fri, 31 Jan 2025 10:48:04 GMT

With the Chancellor Rachel Reeves this week backing infrastructure as the driver for UK growth this week it is fitting that my guest on the Infrastructure Podcast this week is Katrina Dowding , president and chief executive of the UK arm of Skanska , one the world’s biggest and most innovative contracting businesses.

Have a listen here and on Apple, Spotify, Amazon and all your favourite podcast hosts.

Infrastructure is without question back in fashion and politicians across the UK and around the world are falling over themselves to ease the delivery of the vital assets needed to drive growth. Not an easy task…

As Katy makes clear, the modern contracting business has to be in shape to meet this future opportunity. And it is getting there. That means having the right skills and the innovative mindset and the ability to help clients think about wider outcomes rather than simply chase lower costs.

To do this it is vital for modern contractors to generate sufficient profits to invest in the future- to invest in training, in technology, in the supply chain and in the communities that they serve.

And having worked in the business for 36 year, Katy underlines the passion and single minded commitment needed to succeed in a difficult business.
Enjoy the episode.

LA wildfires and Trump's America

Thu, 23 Jan 2025 12:52:59 GMT

It’s a big week in the USA as Donald Trump is sworn in for his second presidential term while firefighters and communities continue to battle wildfires in California – a great moment for The Infrastructure Podcast to go Stateside to chat to Steve Burrows CBE, Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) representative for the US West Coast.

Have a listen here and on Apple, Spotify, Amazon and all your favourite podcast hosts.

As a world leading stadium designer with Arup, then AECOM, then WSP, Steve has spent most of the last 40 years working in and around California and the San Francisco Bay area so is acutely aware of the political, social and environmental challenges facing the US right now. His perspective from on the ground in California provide great insight into how the next four years under President Trump might pan out and, crucially, how infrastructure professionals can meet the challenges that lie ahead.

And in particular, his first-hand view and experience of wildfires and the tragedy unfolding in Los Angeles is illuminating – an area that of course in no stranger to fire risk but that is without question now dealing with an unprecedented combination of climatic impacts – heat, drought and high winds.

It’s a challenging moment for a politically divided US, now led by a climate change sceptical administration with a buoyant but debt-laden economy.

Have a listen - I think you’ll gain some interesting take-aways – and I have no doubt we will be returning to the US on the podcast pretty soon to hear more.

Infrastructure for a sustainable future

Thu, 16 Jan 2025 14:33:53 GMT

The shocking pictures of wildfires bringing devastation across huge swathes of Los Angeles is a graphic reminder that the infrastructure profession must accelerate its work to plan for and adapt to a very definitely changing climate.

My guest this week on The Infrastructure Podcast is Jim Hall, the 160th President of the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) and a lifelong advocate for embracing a more sustainable approach to infrastructure design and management. He explains why our current “underperforming, over-expensive infrastructure”, is failing to create the infrastructure systems needed for a sustainable future.

Have a listen here or via Apple Spotify or any of your favourite podcast providers.

As professor of climate and environmental risks at the University of Oxford, Jim’s research has specialises on risk analysis for infrastructure systems and adaptation to climate change. As a member of the UK independent Committee on Climate Change Adaptation from 2009 to 2019 and a contributing author to the Nobel Prize-winning Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change he is without question and authority on what needed to secure the future for the planet.

And as a commissioner for the soon to be wound down National Infrastructure Commission since 2022, and the founder and chair of DAFNI: Data & Analytics Facility for National Infrastructure, Jim has been working to ensure that the sector is fit for the challenges ahead.

Enjoy the episode – please do subscribe, like, share and leave a comment – it all helps to spread the infrastructure word!

The critical role of open data

Thu, 09 Jan 2025 17:43:44 GMT

The Infrastructure Podcast is back for 2025 and kicks off this morning with an interview with Nicholas Cumins the new chief executive of infrastructure software giant Bentley Systems – a business at the heart of the sector’s vital data and digital transformation.

More than ever, the government is banking on infrastructure investment to help drive the economy in the new year and beyond. It is clear that the power of technology and, in particular, the need for the infrastructure sector to embrace the accelerating power of open data and new AI driven tools is a critical step in helping to accelerate delivery of this investment ambition.

Have a listen at here or via Apple Spotify or any of your favourite podcast providers where Nicholas set out how this now public business is investing to ensure it is best placed to help the global sector deliver better outcomes, faster and with less impact on the planet.

Nicholas stepped into the hot seat six months ago when former ceo, founder and driving mind for the business Greg Bentley moved up to chair the now public company, ending three decades of family control. In the episode we drill into his challenges and passions including:
⭐ The power of open data
⭐ The role of Artificial Intelligence
⭐ Bentley’s new deal to work with Google
⭐ Why investment in maintaining existing infrastructure is crucial

Enjoy the episode – please do subscribe, like, share and leave a comment – it all helps to spread the infrastructure word!

Turning policy into delivery

Tue, 17 Dec 2024 18:00:35 GMT

What better way to round off The Infrastructure Podcast’s 2024 than with a special two-part interview with infrastructure legend Sir John Armitt, Chairman of the National Infrastructure Commission!

Part 1 is now live at here and on Apple, Spotify and all your favourite podcast hosts. Part two will follow just before Christmas.

Sir John steps down from the NIC in the Spring after nearly seven years as chairman and as the organisation joins with the Infrastructure and Projects Authority (IPA) to form NISTA – the all-new National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority.

To be honest, having known Sir John for more than a couple of decades, I always find a conversation with him to be both an education and a privilege. His clarity of thinking and depth of knowledge across a vast range of sectors is captivating and a real pleasure to witness. As is his passion for ensuring that infrastructure truly acts as a catalyst for improving lives and creating a better world – he is the modern-day exponent of Tredgold’s ambition for “directing the great sources of power in nature”; the genuine expert voice of experience, calm and common sense.

The podcast is an opportunity for him to discuss the challenges that face NISTA as the UK attempts to accelerate investment in the vital infrastructure needed to drive economic growth, adapt to a changing climate and improve the lives of communities. And it also presents an moment to reflect on the successes and work still to do since Sir John helped bring the NIC to life in 2015.

The issue is hot! Barely a day goes by without a new announcement it seems. I sat down with Sir John just before Prime Minister Sir Kier Starmer announced his “measurable milestone” to fast-track planning decisions on at least 150 major economic infrastructure and couple of days before Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner announced plans to accelerate planning decisions on housing. As he points out, infrastructure is an exciting and fast moving place right now as the government presses hard to accelerate delivery of its £40bn plus pipeline of ambition.

So enjoy part 1 of this conversation as Sir John sets out his thinking on infrastructure strategy, planning reform, boosting productivity and turning policy into consistent delivery.

I think you’ll gain some interesting take-aways – I certainly did! Enjoy the episode.

Planning: making the case for reform

Thu, 12 Dec 2024 21:45:51 GMT

You may have noticed that Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer highlighted the “measurable milestone” to fast-track planning decisions on at least 150 major economic infrastructure projects in his latest "plan for change" last week. You may also have been scratching you head wondering how that might actually be achievable.

Well as luck would have it, I sat down a couple of days earlier to record this week’s episode of The Infrastructure Podcast with UK infrastructure planning guru Robbie Owen, partner and head of infrastructure planning and government affairs at law firm Pinsent Masons
.
Robbie makes a great case for reform – certainly action – if we are to get anywhere near these milestones! Have a listen here

In particular, we discuss the recommendations of the recent Banner Review into the Judicial Review process that has for too long bedevilled the progress of Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects and the likely impact and opportunities of the forthcoming Planning and Infrastructure Bill becoming law (some time in 2025 probably?!).

And as we move towards 2025 we also chew over the likely impact of the merger of the National Infrastructure Commission with the Infrastructure and Projects Authority (IPA) to create the new NISTA – the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority – and of course the reality of a promised ten-year infrastructure strategy.

We cover a lot of ground. It’s vitally important stuff and Robbie certainly, as always, brings it to life. So enjoy the episode.

Courage to transform

Mon, 02 Dec 2024 09:13:51 GMT

Courage. The word came up rather a lot when I met Hannah Pathak, international managing director at Forum for the Future at the recent FM Conway Ltd Collaborative Sustainability event at which she was the keynote speaker.

Hannah made a powerful impression on those in the room and underlined that when it comes to tackling climate change and achieving our net-zero emissions goals, the decisions we make in this decade will affect the trajectory of the next century. We are at a critical “choice point” for humanity facing decisions that are not easy – so, as she put it, we need the courage to transform; together, collaboratively.

Hannah is my guest on The Infrastructure Podcast is and a long-standing champion for driving action across business to help accelerate the change needed to transform our approach to sustainable infrastructure. Have a listen at here - Hannah explains the challenges and opportunities so clearly.

Certainly we need to apply our technical minds but, as Hannah pointed out at the FM Conway Ltd event, the Latin root of the word “courage” links it to the idea of “heart” and passion for a cause. True change, especially in the face of climate change, requires not only intellectual and technical understanding but also emotional investment.

Ultimately it just makes good sense for investment in our infrastructure to generate more sustainable economic, social and environmental outcomes. And that usually means thinking harder rather than working harder. But is also means having the courage and passion to do thing differently. And that’s not easy.

Enjoy the episode. Hannah is an inspiration for sure.

Creative solutions to global challenges

Fri, 29 Nov 2024 00:09:36 GMT

I first met and interviewed this week's guest on The Infrastructure Podcast back in 2007 for a short article in New Civil Engineer about her “glittering career” as a graduate with Hyder Consulting - as it was then.

Fabulous therefore to catch up again with Paula Gough, Buro Happold’s newly installed UK Development Director for Infrastructure and to hear about her career progression from Hyder then Arcadis after the takeover then into contracting with Costain and back into consultancy with Buro Happold.

Have a listen here :

It was really interesting to hear how Paula’s career was really shaped and influenced after entering and winning a House of Commons SET award for her research project while at University of Surrey and being thrust into the limelight in front of senior politicians and industry grandees at the Parliamentary reception that followed.

Which of course got me thinking about the recent podcast with Alison Watson MBE and the Class Of Your Own “Design a Jamie Oliver restaurant” challenge and the similar impact that this had on the careers of John Haylett and Sam Boone, former Clacton Coastal Academy students eight years ago – inspiration really works!

Well, as you’ll hear, it’s full steam ahead now for Paula as she attempts to build on the legacy of the great Sir Ted Happold and bring “some exciting new thinking into the UK infrastructure market” en-route to delivering the government’s £40bn budget investment aspiration. No pressure there then! Enjoy the podcast!

Oh.. and it’s also good to hear that Paula still enjoys an evening out at the Comedy Club and a sushi bento box with tuna for lunch!

New homes in new ways - tackling the UK's housing emergency

Fri, 22 Nov 2024 05:42:17 GMT

I first met Jeremy Sweetland when he gave an opening address to the launch of the Building Centre’s New Homes in New Ways exhibition a couple of weeks ago. I knew I had to get him on The Infrastructure Podcast to share his thinking.

Jez is founder of the Housing Festival and a passionate advocate for changing the way we deliver housing in the UK. Housing, he explained, is the very fabric of what combines us as a society and makes us human, underpinning our communities, well-being, health and resilience.

But it needs, he said, a major rethink – “can we just be very, very clear; we're not talking about a tweak to a system.” Despite housing's vital importance, as a society and as an industry we are still currently working to support a failure.

It’s episode 90 this week and one of the thing I’ve thing I loved about recording The Infrastructure Podcast each week is meeting new people in the infrastructure sector and being about to share their thinking and perspective. Jez is another brilliant guest.

Have a listen HERE - it’s powerful stuff.

Because yes, the government has plans to build 1.5 million homes in the next five years; yes, it has committed another £3.1bn to affordable housing in the budget; and yes, it has plans to reform planning. But decent, affordable housing is fundamental to life and too many people are being let down – are we really making it the priority it is deserves to be?

And once you've listened, please also visit the Building Centre's #NewHomesInNewWays exhibition in Store Street, London.

She Leads; Step Into Your Value

Mon, 11 Nov 2024 13:52:23 GMT

It’s a high stakes interview on The Infrastructure Podcast this week as I chat about that challenges of leadership for women with Alex Oliver, executive coach, strategy consultant – and also my wife!

Have a listen - it's here:

I am biased, of course, but I think Alex is rather brilliant! So sitting down for half an hour to record the podcast and to really find out about what she is up to with her work to help women (and men) truly understand how to be better leaders and really discover their best selves was a genuine thrill, an absolute pleasure and, yes,(!) really interesting.

It’s a very important topic and I hope you find it a useful listen. Alex has just launched “She Leads; Step Into Your Value” her new programme that takes female leaders on, as she puts it, “a journey of self-discovery and growth” that explores leadership and what it might mean for each participant. It is a recognition that overcoming the challenges of leadership comes first from within but is best tackled with support from others.

We cover a huge amount of ground – and, to be honest, 30 minutes is not enough time to cover the depth of the issues raised.

Leadership in infrastructure is hard. But for women in particular, the challenges are acute, stemming from the continuing lack of gender diversity in the sector, exacerbated by traditional leadership cultures, and underpinned by a failure to appreciate the specific blockers and barriers faced by women in infrastructure.
But it’s a hot topic and comes in a week that the Association for Consultancy and Engineering (ACE) is hosting its own Female Leadership seminar tomorrow.

And while She Leads is specifically targeted at women, I hope that this podcast helps everyone to identify the challenges you face as leaders and inspires you to take action to tackle them.

Budget aspiration to infrastructure reality

Thu, 07 Nov 2024 20:47:58 GMT

As the dust settles on Labour’s first Budget for 14 years and we digest the potential impact of such large tax and spending plans, it is clear that infrastructure investment must play a key role in driving the vital growth needed to make the sums add up. But can the sector deliver?

Precisely the question I asked Hannah Vickers, Global Head of Advisory at construction and consulting giant Mace on The Infrastructure Podcast this week. Having worked in project delivery at the Environment Agency, at the HM Treasury, in government relations with the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) and Association for Consultancy and Engineering, the Construction Leadership Council and now at one of the UK most forward thinking construction businesses, she’s knows a thing or two!

Have a listen - here where we chew over a range of post Budget issues such as:

�� can a £40bn infrastructure spend actually be delivered and boost economic growth by 1.4%?
�� is a £3.1bn investment in affordable housing enough to meet the government’s 1.5M new homes target.
�� can more promises for schemes like Trans-Pennine Express, East West Rail, and HS2 move the UK transport dial?
�� what's the role for modern methods of construction when it comes to transforming out schools and hospital buildings?
�� is now the moment for a return to the Private Finance Initiative?
�� do infrastructure professionals have the right entrepreneurial approach needed to improve productivity and meet out net-zero ambitions?

Huge challenges ahead – but no shortage of opportunities. That makes it exciting – Hannah certainly thinks so.

My mind-blowing i-Lab 3D experience

Wed, 30 Oct 2024 16:31:18 GMT

Full disclosure – I really love a bit of 3D visualisation, immersive tech that puts you up close and personal with infrastructure! And I have to say that Bentley Systems ’ new i-Lab experience was pretty mind-blowing when it was demonstrated to me at the recent Year in Infrastructure event in Vancouver!

So buckle up! My guest this week on The Infrastructure Podcast is Bentley Systems Vice President for Emerging Technologies Greg Demchak . He gave me that guided tour of the extraordinary jaw dropping visualisation tech on show in the i-Lab the other week - and then sat down with me to try to create an audio picture of how this technology is set to impact the sector.

A tough brief - seeing is, after all, believing - but I think Greg delivers!

Have a listen at here or wherever you normally listen to your podcasts. As you can probably tell from the recording, I’m pretty excited about this tech and the possibilities it brings!

Enjoy this episode! There is no question that this tech, coupled with AI tools and the ability to collect – and use - more and more data from the design, construction and operation of our existing and planned infrastructure, is truly set to transform the sector. And probably blow you mind along the way!
But frankly, I’m pretty excited by the prospect of what’s ahead!

Who will design Jamie Oliver's next restaurant?

Sun, 20 Oct 2024 15:50:53 GMT

Listen to this episode

Before you ask: No – I’m not related (!) but….. this week’s special episode of The Infrastructure Podcast was recorded live at Jamie Oliver’s new restaurant in Covent Garden, London during the launch of the new “Design a Jamie Oliver Restaurant” schools design programme organised by Class Of Your Own and Jamie Oliver Restaurants .

My guest is Alison Watson MBE , president of Chartered Institution of Civil Engineering Surveyors (CICES) and founder of Class Of Your Own who is without doubt, one of the most passionate and inspiring people in the industry right now.

Have a listen here.

The episode also includes a chat with RIBA president-elect Chris Williamson (his design-a-restaurant advice – “listen your clients”) and past winners of the original Design a Restaurant competition John Haylett BSc (Hons) NECReg and Sam Boone who both underline the value of schools/industry competitions when it came to shaping and driving their own careers in the built environment.

In short, the message is simple:
�� We need a more joined-up approach from institutions and the industry to support education and career guidance for young people.
�� The whole industry should get involved with this new design programme and make sure schools have the support to embed it into their design agenda
�� Reach out to Class of Your Own to support their efforts to make space for education – and make it fun.
�� The is a huge potential for the industry to make a real impact on the next generation and support their growth and development – this kind of programme supported by big names like Jamie Oliver is critical.

Have a listen - get involved

Artificial Intelligence - infrastructure's salvation?

Mon, 14 Oct 2024 16:32:24 GMT

Artificial Intelligence is a powerful, exciting and hugely daunting technological which is set to revolutionise the design and management of infrastructure (and every part of life btw). But how, where, why and when?

To find out more I sat down with Bentley Systems chief technology officer Julien Moutte to record the latest episode of TheInfrastructure Podcast in Vancouver last week (yep! I’m still in Canada!) at the close of Bentley’s impressive Year in Infrastructure event where a dizzying number of new products and ideas were revealed, all with AI interaction embedded to the core.

Have a listen here - or wherever you normally listen to your podcasts. It’s a fascinating journey and a glimpse into the future covering:
�� The power of AI to underpin digital twin tech,
�� The opportunity of iTwin and digital twin native software,
�� 4D visualisation advances through Bentley’s acquisition of Cesium and its 4D Tile tech,
�� The Bentley/Google partnership to drive geospatial modelling,
�� Bread making and the joy of mending stuff!

Enjoy this episode – I think it will challenge and expand your thinking about the future possibilities for infrastructure.

Championing Toronto's transit transformation

Mon, 07 Oct 2024 16:37:59 GMT

I’m in Canada this week checking out the infrastructure scene (– highly recommended by the way!) and so my guest on The Infrastructure Podcast is Kirsten Watson , Toronto-based Vice President of Government Relations and Transit Market Sector Leader at AECOM .

Kirsten is former deputy CEO at Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) and has just been chairing the Transforming Infrastructure Performance Summit in Toronto, the latest in a series of global summits hosted by infrastructure software business Bentley Systems , which, once again, I had the pleasure of helping to deliver.

So why Toronto? Well the city - and Ontario Province in which is sits - has ambitious plans, led by Infrastructure Ontario and supported by the Canada Infrastructure Bank/ Banque de l'infrastructure du Canada , to invest over Can$185 billion in the next 10 years to upgrade and modernise its roads, transit and hospitals. And the use of data, digital twins and new technology to boost efficiency and outcomes sits at the heart of this public-private delivery.

It's a fascinating example of bold public private partnerships. Have a listen at here .

As a long-standing resident of City of Toronto , Kirsten certainly knows first-hand the impact that this infrastructure investment will have on the city but also the challenge and opportunity of upgrading the city’s vital infrastructure - from financing and project preparation to project delivery and O&M.

Inspiring inclusion across infrastructure

Mon, 30 Sep 2024 16:47:57 GMT

Making infrastructure more accessibility to a wider range of society is not merely a problem to be solved, but “a commitment to ensuring independence and dignity for all” - the words of Meg Ginsberg , my guest on The Infrastructure Podcast this week.

Meg is truly an inspiration - an assistant project manager at South West Water , a charity founder and a disabled mum to toddler Olive. As a wheelchair user who switched life track aged 18 from nursing aspirations to forge a career infrastructure just four years ago, Meg knows first-hand the challenge of both improving accessibility for disabled professionals in the industry but also the vital difference that her perspective brings to decision making.

And now she is launching the Construct Ability charity to help refocus those attitudes and provide the tools to create a society where infrastructure is not a barrier to, but a facilitator of equal opportunities for all.

Have a listen at here.

And get involved by reaching out to either help with Meg’s new charity Construct Ability or by supporting her as she takes on the @Bath & Bristol Railway Marathon on the 20 October raising cash for the ICE Benevolent Fund .

Commissioning infrastructure - so often overlooked

Sun, 22 Sep 2024 16:59:54 GMT

“Start with the end in mind” – it’s the title of a new report by my guest this week on The Infrastructure Podcast which underlines the vital importance of getting project commissioning right when it comes to delivering infrastructure investment outcomes.

Paul Turner, P.Eng, PMP is founder and chief executive of the Industrial Commissioning Association . Based in Winnipeg in Canada, Paul draws on a career spent delivering projects in aerospace, oil and gas and power distribution to explains why project commissioning must be central to project planning from day one – not just an afterthought at the end.

Have a listen here. Essentially the message is that the more people working on projects understand the importance of commissioning and the value it provides, the more successful projects will be in meeting cost, schedule, and quality objectives.

Sounds like a pretty attractive proposition, to be honest!

What can HS2 teach us about progressing projects

Mon, 16 Sep 2024 17:06:00 GMT

It’s almost a year since then-Prime Minister Rishi Sunak stood up at the Tory Party conference in Manchester and cancelled the northern section of the HS2 (High Speed Two) Ltd project and replaced it with “Network North”, a £36bn hotch-potch of transport projects.

It was quite a moment. But it was not the first example of politically driven descoping as politicians run out of patience waiting for a ribbon to cut. Think Channel Tunnel in the 1970s, Crossrail in the late 1980s, Advanced Passenger Train in the 1990s, numerous tram projects in the noughties.

So what have we learnt from this cancellation? Well Kay Hughes , former HS2 (High Speed Two) Ltd design director and Andy Murray , executive director at the Major Projects Association have just produced a new report looking into the lessons from project cancellation based on the HS2 experience and join me this week on The Infrastructure Podcast to discuss their findings.

Have a listen here to hear their thoughts on why this was as much a failure of political process and governance as it was failure of project set-up and delivery.

Housing - still a case of modernise of die

Mon, 09 Sep 2024 17:11:28 GMT

When it comes to tackling the UK housing crisis, the new Labour government has been bold and ambitious. But is the plan over-ambitious; can we really build 1.5 million new homes over the next five years?

Well according to Mark Farmer , founder of Cast Consultancy and my guest on The Infrastructure Podcast this week, the answer, sadly, is probably no.

The reality is that new house building numbers have rarely nudged over 200,000 a year in the last 40 years. So having been immersed in the housing and construction business for decades - author of the seminal Modernise or Die report in 2018 and former government advisor on modern methods of construction - Mark reckons that, for all the reports, reforms and ambition, we are still far from being in shape to deliver the 300,000+ new homes a year required.

Have a listen at https://lnkd.in/erxm5Mpz to hear Mark’s thoughts on:
�� what really has to happen to move the UK housing dial.
�� how we can invest to upgrade and make safe the existing housing stock
�� the post Grenfell building standards challenge.
�� he role of modular construction techniques in modern housebuilding
�� why planning reform is just one step towards transforming UK housebuilding.

New thinking for infrastructure delivery

Tue, 30 Jul 2024 20:15:14 GMT

New government, new thinking, new challenges? Kier Starmer’s new Labour government certainly has infrastructure investment high on the priority list for driving growth and prosperity across the UK? But how will this be delivered?

I discuss the challenges ahead with Andrew Beard, new managing director for infrastructure at global consultancy and construction firm Mace on The Infrastructure Podcast this week and he reckons it is quite clear:

⚡First, cut through the debate and delays seen over the last few years to enable plans to be delivered at pace.

⚡Seek clarity with an agreed and funded pipeline of economic and social infrastructure projects over the next ten years.

⚡Build consistency with a funded, regularly reviewed and regularly updated investment plan.

Then, of course, the industry can – and has to – get in shape, modernise and boost its productivity to deliver effective economic social and environment outcomes required.....

Have a listen at here to find out more.

Retrofitting our built environment

Tue, 16 Jul 2024 19:56:33 GMT

Be honest…. who doesn’t love spending a few hours on a Sunday morning wandering around the aisles of a DIY superstore, gazing at the array of home-transforming products?

Well my guest on The Infrastructure Podcast this week is Sara Edmonds, co-director of the National Retrofit Hub and she reckons that by tapping into this public passion for our homes and living spaces , we could accelerate the UK’s retrofit journey and quickly see dramatic improvements in the performance of our building stock.

OK, actual delivery is a bit more complicated. But her point is that making our homes and offices perform better – use less energy and be nicer, healthier places to live - is not so much a technical or financial problem, but a cultural one. We need to be switched on and enthused to act.

So if you yearn to install solar panels on the roof and a battery under the stairs or covet your neighbour’s double glazed windows and draught-free hallway, have a listen here - I think you’ll be inspired.

One year in – and going nuclear

Wed, 28 Feb 2024 16:47:39 GMT

I measure time by episodes nowadays. A bit weird perhaps, but such is the all-consuming return to a weekly deadline ritual – albeit (as my wife reminds me often) something of a self-imposed ritual.

That said, in a world of constantly updated news and posts beaming into your life through multiple devices, there is something quite nostalgic about a single weekly product landing on the same day each week. Anticipate it; consume it; reflect on it; move on to other stuff. I like that.

Episode 53, my first anniversary episode, with Tim Stone , chairman of the Nuclear Industry Association, took me back 30 years to when I first jumped ship from a career in civil engineering to my new life and weekly deadline routine as a journalist with New Civil Engineer.

It was quite a shock. And without wishing to stretch an analogy too far, I’d say the UK’s energy transition policy could do with a serious dose of weekly deadline ritual to get it back on track.

Back then the magazine was gearing up to celebrate the Sizewell B project which was being commissioned as the first of a new breed of UK nuclear power stations albeit somewhat over-budget.

And as I reflected on the podcast with Tim, last month’s announcement by French power firm EdF that the new Hinkley Point C reactor in Somerset will now not open before 2029 – possibly not until 2031 - and could see costs spiralling again to perhaps £46bn against an £18bn original budget, certainly puts Sizewell B’s project delivery achievement into context.

While 30 years ago Sizewell B also saw costs inflate by 135% above its original budget, on the positive side, it’s now producing around 3% of the UK power needs and only took it only took seven years to build. Meanwhile, Hinkley Point C looks to be heading towards 12 to 14 years to construct.

Remember, Sizewell was intended to be the first in a fleet – a series of four identical new power stations, a plan soon killed off by the high cost and potential public sector burden that emerged. Yet as Tim points out on the Infrastructure Podcast, learning from Hinkley Point C requires exactly that - a fleet mentally and a production line to embed the efficiencies.

All of which begs the question – what on earth is going on with our nuclear and low carbon transition energy policy? We were supposed to be entering a new era of nuclear power investment to underpin the UK’s net zero carbon energy transition.

Stepping back 30 years to my switch from engineering to journalism, the sudden weekly deadline mentally was, as I say, something of a shock. In my past life there were deadlines of course, but in reality they could be pushed – there was no printing machine ready to roll with or without your words.

It is perhaps this regular deadline mentality that has been missing in our energy transition policy. There has always been a reason to delay, even in the face of impending climate meltdown.

As a result, we haven’t been able to anticipate the opportunity; we haven’t been able to consume the benefit of new projects; we haven’t been able to reflect and learn along the way; and we haven’t been able to move on to other stuff.

OK, the government – and Tim - may rightly point out that, as a private project, this latest EdF cost overrun will not cost the UK tax-payer any more. And besides, given the long lifespan and energy production potential, a small delay and cost hike will mean nothing in 30 years’ time.

But that surely overlooks the reality of market confidence and the likely additional subsidies that will be required before any future privately backed projects are agreed. And that we will not have the low carbon power generation to offset our use of gas for another few years.

Add to this the other insane reality that regardless of this ambition to add low carbon and renewable generation capacity, the ability of the grid to manage this increase will remain a limiting factor. To the extent that if the government’s laudable ambition to develop up to 50GW of new offshore wind by 2030 and to take solar capacity from 15GW to around 70GW by 2035 is achieved, we will all, most likely, be paying an annual bill of around £3bn to the developers not to generate that power.

Now I am sure that there are many very reasonable and logical reason why we find ourselves in this situation – and to be honest Tim Stone explains the situation well on The Infrastructure Podcast. Planning confusion and delay is one obvious one.

But in reality, right now I just don’t get it. In 30 years we seem to have gone backwards in terms of our long term energy strategy. We have dipped in and dipped out as was politically expedient rather than for the national good without any meaningful or regular deadlines. As a result, the entire UK plan for a decarbonised energy transition future just seems to be somewhat lost in the global supermarket of opportunity.

Homo Transporticus? No - we are almost certainly not nearly there yet

Mon, 15 Jan 2024 18:26:22 GMT

Best buckle up for this week’s interview on @The Infrastructure Podcast…… it’s pretty hectic! ��

Rory Sutherland , vice chairman of Ogilvy UK , transport planning guru and co-author of the fantastic Transport for Humans book, joins me on The Infrastructure Podcast this week and puts a very entertaining - and well-deserved - rocket up the whole of the UK’s transport planning, operations and management system.

Have a listen here where you’ll here answers to questions such as:
�� Who is Homo Transporticus?
�� Why should we measure passenger joy not speed?
�� What question did HS2’s planners fail to ask?
�� How can phycologists help engineers?
�� Why do we need the GigaBest – a new SI unit for regret?
�� How come the best train route to Cornwall is kept secret?
…….and more!

Hold tight – we’re in a General Election year.

Thu, 11 Jan 2024 22:07:57 GMT

Really interesting times ahead for infrastructure and that’s for sure....

And most likely really challenging times as well as we continue to balance the aspiration of investment to drive growth with the reality of actual delivery.

As my first Infrastructure Podcast guest of 2024 Gill Plimmer explained this week, a General Election year is sure to make the policy commitment that sits behind desired delivery even harder.

“It's hard for the government to keep focused and it is likely that the decision to give the go ahead or not may get derailed and shunted forward to become the problem of the next government,” she said. And as infrastructure correspondent at the Financial Times for more than a few election cycles she should know.

While there is much to do to transform infrastructure delivery, there are three key issues on my mind that really need to get resolved in 2024 if we are to make progress and deliver the promised £805bn infrastructure pipeline of projects destined to transform our energy, transport, water, housing and communications landscape.

1. Sort out the UK’s planning quagmire: we have a process to accelerate Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs) but it relies on government updating the National Policy Statements that underpin the process to take account of new policies around net zero and the environment. It is bonkers that, for example, planning delays for grid connection mean we are all paying renewable generators not to generate; that congestion busting public transport projects, new social housing projects or new low carbon electricity generation is being delayed.

2. Create policy clarity and consistency: while the private sectors investment community has plenty of money available to invest in infrastructure – the so-called dry powder – the global competition is huge, not least from the US where policies such as the Inflation Reduction Act are offering attractive subsidies to investors. The UK cannot afford to miss out on this investment.

3. Embrace new technology and modern methods: the industry has been talking about change for decades. Perhaps as we approach the 30 ^th anniversary of the Latham Report it is finally time for the whole supply chain – from client down – to truly “construct the team” and embrace collaboration and the new technologies and techniques that have been threatening to transform the sector ever since.

We know that infrastructure investment has the power to transform the UK and the world in the face of massive societal challenges such as climate change, pollution, the cost of living crisis, housing shortages and social injustice. And it seems that never before has there been such support for investment by the public and private sector.

Now is therefore the moment to accelerate the change that will make it happen. We have to make sure that out politicians, industry leaders and grass roots delivery teams recognised that, for all the reasons to delay, this moment has arrived in 2024.

A passion for infrastructure

Thu, 13 Jul 2023 11:11:56 GMT

Welcome to the first Infrastructure Newsletter.

As the heading suggests it is born, along with the Infrastructure Podcast, out of my absolute passion for infrastructure and for the people behind this huge and varied sector

When I started the podcast it was really an excuse for a chat - to reconnect with old friends and contacts and, of course, to meet more of the talented people driving the sector forwards. Now 28 episodes in, it is certainly achieving those objectives!

Over the last six months a number of recurring ideas have emerged from the conversations, not least the universal acceptance that infrastructure changes lives; improving the way we live, the way we travel, communicate and relax; ensuring that our built environment is sustainable and that the decisions made today underpin the future being inherited by our children and grandchildren.

I set out to have conversations that help create that change. A bold ambition perhaps. But as this newsletter evolves, I hope that it will give you a short reminder of the wisdom and passion expressed in the podcasts by some of the most talented people shaping modern infrastructure.

My aim is to nudge you to take their words as a springboard to find out more - and then act to create that change. And if we can entertain you along the way then all the better!