Opinion | New Civil Engineer https://www.newcivilengineer.com Civil engineering and construction news and jobs from New Civil Engineer Wed, 25 Sep 2024 11:05:43 +0000 en-GB hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.0 https://emap-romulus-prod.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2023/07/favicon-nce192x-70x70.png Opinion | New Civil Engineer https://www.newcivilengineer.com 32 32 https://www.newcivilengineer.com/wp-content/themes/mbm-mops-2017/images/logo.gif New Civil Engineer https://www.newcivilengineer.com 125 75 Civil engineering and construction news and jobs from New Civil Engineer Can road pricing replace fuel duty? https://www.newcivilengineer.com/opinion/can-road-pricing-replace-fuel-duty-25-09-2024/ https://www.newcivilengineer.com/opinion/can-road-pricing-replace-fuel-duty-25-09-2024/#respond Wed, 25 Sep 2024 11:01:33 +0000 https://www.newcivilengineer.com/?p=284064 With the new government now in place, there is regular conversation in the media regarding the £22bn budget deficit and the steadily declining revenues from fuel duty. For 2022/23 the fuel duty generated £25bn of revenue, or around 2.5% of total revenues collected. According to…

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]]> https://www.newcivilengineer.com/opinion/can-road-pricing-replace-fuel-duty-25-09-2024/feed/ 0 Inadequate oversight of land rights threatens grid connection progress https://www.newcivilengineer.com/opinion/inadequate-oversight-of-land-rights-threatens-grid-connection-progress-23-09-2024/ https://www.newcivilengineer.com/opinion/inadequate-oversight-of-land-rights-threatens-grid-connection-progress-23-09-2024/#respond Mon, 23 Sep 2024 10:38:35 +0000 https://www.newcivilengineer.com/?p=283944 Delays to grid connections are a significant drag on the UK’s infrastructure ambitions, impacting new clean energy schemes and high energy users such as battery gigafactories and data centres. However, there are significant threats to progress in this sphere, not least the question of land…

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]]> https://www.newcivilengineer.com/opinion/inadequate-oversight-of-land-rights-threatens-grid-connection-progress-23-09-2024/feed/ 0 Why infrastructure investment decision making needs to consider generational impacts https://www.newcivilengineer.com/latest/why-infrastructure-investment-decision-making-needs-to-consider-generational-impacts-20-09-2024/ https://www.newcivilengineer.com/latest/why-infrastructure-investment-decision-making-needs-to-consider-generational-impacts-20-09-2024/#respond Fri, 20 Sep 2024 11:34:44 +0000 https://www.newcivilengineer.com/?p=283856 Spending cuts announced by chancellor Rachel Reeves in July and prime minister Kier Starmer’s warning on “unpopular decisions” in the Autumn Budget suggest infrastructure investment could be in for a rough ride.

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]]> https://www.newcivilengineer.com/latest/why-infrastructure-investment-decision-making-needs-to-consider-generational-impacts-20-09-2024/feed/ 0 The HS2 northern leg decision shows why clear strategic thinking is vital https://www.newcivilengineer.com/latest/the-hs2-northern-leg-decision-shows-why-clear-strategic-thinking-is-vital-19-09-2024/ https://www.newcivilengineer.com/latest/the-hs2-northern-leg-decision-shows-why-clear-strategic-thinking-is-vital-19-09-2024/#respond Thu, 19 Sep 2024 16:30:42 +0000 https://www.newcivilengineer.com/?p=283844 It’s almost a year since the Birmingham-Manchester section of High Speed 2 was cancelled. The decision left a gap in the UK’s transport network and raised questions about the country’s ability to deliver major infrastructure projects.

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]]> https://www.newcivilengineer.com/latest/the-hs2-northern-leg-decision-shows-why-clear-strategic-thinking-is-vital-19-09-2024/feed/ 0 Apprenticeships may be what the engineering sector needs to solve its worker shortage https://www.newcivilengineer.com/opinion/apprenticeships-may-be-what-the-engineering-sector-needs-to-solve-its-worker-shortage-06-09-2024/ https://www.newcivilengineer.com/opinion/apprenticeships-may-be-what-the-engineering-sector-needs-to-solve-its-worker-shortage-06-09-2024/#respond Fri, 06 Sep 2024 10:39:09 +0000 https://www.newcivilengineer.com/?p=283252 The UK construction sector recently received some good news, with S&P Global recently unveiling that it has seen its fastest pace of activity in over two years.

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]]> https://www.newcivilengineer.com/opinion/apprenticeships-may-be-what-the-engineering-sector-needs-to-solve-its-worker-shortage-06-09-2024/feed/ 0 Collaborating to deliver innovative research on Scotland’s roads https://www.newcivilengineer.com/opinion/collaborating-to-deliver-innovative-research-on-scotlands-roads-04-09-2024/ https://www.newcivilengineer.com/opinion/collaborating-to-deliver-innovative-research-on-scotlands-roads-04-09-2024/#respond Wed, 04 Sep 2024 11:14:15 +0000 https://www.newcivilengineer.com/?p=283173 The Scottish Road Research Board (SRRB) is a partnership between Transport Scotland, the Office of the Scottish Road Works Commissioner and the Society of Chief Officers of Transportation in Scotland who represent the 32 local road authorities across Scotland. The Board comprises of senior roads…

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]]> https://www.newcivilengineer.com/opinion/collaborating-to-deliver-innovative-research-on-scotlands-roads-04-09-2024/feed/ 0 Navigating European construction’s ‘perfect storm’ of challenges https://www.newcivilengineer.com/opinion/navigating-european-constructions-perfect-storm-of-challenges-03-09-2024/ https://www.newcivilengineer.com/opinion/navigating-european-constructions-perfect-storm-of-challenges-03-09-2024/#respond Tue, 03 Sep 2024 10:02:45 +0000 https://www.newcivilengineer.com/?p=283131 The European construction sector is grappling with highly challenging trading conditions. Project managers are navigating a perfect storm of rising costs and higher interest rates, alongside acute material and worker shortages. These pressures threaten to curtail future sector activity, amplifying the trend of low productivity…

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]]> https://www.newcivilengineer.com/opinion/navigating-european-constructions-perfect-storm-of-challenges-03-09-2024/feed/ 0 Setting goals and standards on the journey to sustainability https://www.newcivilengineer.com/opinion/setting-goals-and-standards-on-the-journey-to-sustainability-02-09-2024/ https://www.newcivilengineer.com/opinion/setting-goals-and-standards-on-the-journey-to-sustainability-02-09-2024/#respond Mon, 02 Sep 2024 13:43:54 +0000 https://www.newcivilengineer.com/?p=283071 Setting specific environmental targets is not merely a corporate trend but an environmental and strategic imperative. Setting measurable targets and embracing transparent reporting are the twin pillars of corporate environmental responsibility.

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]]> https://www.newcivilengineer.com/opinion/setting-goals-and-standards-on-the-journey-to-sustainability-02-09-2024/feed/ 0 How ESG factors can create sustainable outcomes for the public sector and communities https://www.newcivilengineer.com/opinion/how-esg-factors-can-create-sustainable-outcomes-for-the-public-sector-and-communities-30-08-2024/ https://www.newcivilengineer.com/opinion/how-esg-factors-can-create-sustainable-outcomes-for-the-public-sector-and-communities-30-08-2024/#respond Fri, 30 Aug 2024 12:03:24 +0000 https://www.newcivilengineer.com/?p=283017 Environmental, social and governance (ESG) is no longer viewed as a box-ticking exercise for companies and private organisations, but fundamental in the management of public services. The term has matured to become a mainstream priority - from initially helping to manage risks or improve efficiencies,…

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]]> https://www.newcivilengineer.com/opinion/how-esg-factors-can-create-sustainable-outcomes-for-the-public-sector-and-communities-30-08-2024/feed/ 0 Coastal Defence: working with history, not against it https://www.newcivilengineer.com/opinion/coastal-defence-working-with-history-not-against-it-29-08-2024/ https://www.newcivilengineer.com/opinion/coastal-defence-working-with-history-not-against-it-29-08-2024/#respond Thu, 29 Aug 2024 12:33:32 +0000 https://www.newcivilengineer.com/?p=282945 An innovative coastal defence project in Southsea, Hampshire, could provide a useful template for similar projects across the UK. The Southsea Coastal Defence Scheme, which recently won a top prize at the Environment Agency’s Flood & Coast Excellence Awards 2024, rips up the age-old confrontational…

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