The Midlands Rail Hub project would deliver 20 million extra seats a year for businesses, residents and commuters. The Midlands Rail Hub proposes building two ‘chords’ and over 10 further engineering interventions throughout the region to deliver a massive step change in rail transport in the Midlands. This will see up to 300 extra trains traveling into or out of Birmingham every single day and will help create a ‘turn up and go’ service on the busy Cross City line. Birmingham Moor Street will see 14.2 million extra seats and Birmingham New Street will gain an extra 5.4 million seats. The Cross City line will see two extra trains, in each direction, per hour, which will create 5.4 million new seats each year. Redditch, Alvechurch and Barnt Green will see one extra train, in each direction, per hour and 2.7 million new seats for passengers, whilst Bromsgrove will see 4.7 million new seats. Lichfield will gain 5.4 million seats. Nottingham, Hereford, Coleshill Parkway, Worcester, Hinckley, South Wigston, Droitwich Spa and Worcestershire Parkway will see at least 2 million new seats. Derby will see 4.1 million new seats. Andy Clark, Head of Rail at Midlands Connect, said: “The benefits of the Midlands Rail Hub will be felt by millions of people across the Midlands and beyond. “Being able to run faster, more frequent services and deliver 20 million extra seats is the definition of a win-win project. The Midlands Rail Hub is our flagship project at Midlands Connect, and we are working to deliver massive benefits to all corners of the Midlands.” The Midlands Rail Hub project is co-sponsored by Midlands Connect, the Department for Transport and West Midlands Rail Executive. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) has submitted a planning application for a new Travel Hub in Tyldesley to help more people access the Bee Network and boost the numbers of people using public transport by providing improved park and ride facilities. The proposed new Travel Hub will create 99 additional parking spaces – including electric vehicle (EV) charging stations and accessible spaces – and will be built on Astley Street, south of the Leigh Guided Busway to meet increased demand for spaces at the existing park and ride nearby. Improved pedestrian access to the guided busway will also be provided as part of the plans alongside new street lighting and CCTV to help people feel safer when using the site at all times of day.  The existing Astley Street Park and Ride – which provides 46 spaces and three disabled bays – will also be given a new designated pick up and drop off area, two extra accessible car parking spaces, covered cycle parking, delivery lockers, and a new office for staff working on the Guided Busway. Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester, said: “Park and Rides play a vital role within the Bee Network by encouraging more people to use our integrated public transport system, while also reducing congestion on our roads and improving air quality. “The success of the Leigh Guided Busway, including the trial of night buses, has seen demand for parking increase at Tyldesley Park and Ride. This expansion will improve access to bus services and provide the capacity needed to encourage more people to travel more sustainably. We listened to a strong call from the community on this, they asked and we have responded.” In total 148 car parking spaces would be provided at the proposed Travel Hub, including accessible bays and EV charging parking spaces. Following planning approval, work is expected to start on site in early 2026 and complete by the summer. Jo Platt, MP for Leigh and Atherton, said: “It’s fantastic to see things progress to the next stage with the Tyldesley Park and Ride and the Travel Hub. “With more than three times the current parking capacity, this new provision will improve access to public transport and help to alleviate the existing parking pressures in Tyldesley town centre. “Better connectivity is key to reducing congestion on our roads, supporting local growth and encouraging more people to use public transport. I look forward to seeing work begin in early 2026.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

Huddersfield station will be closed from Saturday 30 August until Monday 29 September 2025 to enable major Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU) engineering work.  The ongoing upgrade of the Grade I listed station – which began over a year ago – is key to unlocking the benefits of improved rail travel across the North, and this marks the most significant stage of the programme to date.  The work set for the back end of summer includes major track and platform remodelling, which once the wider rail upgrades are complete in Huddersfield, will transform the layout of the station and enable more trains with more seats to run through the area on a greener, more reliable railway.   These upgrades will pave the way for further infrastructure improvements in the near future, with the installation of a new, accessible footbridge and the restoration of the historic Grade II listed tearooms, which were carefully dismantled in 8,000 different pieces last year so they can be repainted and relocated to a new location on the platform.  The restoration of the iconic station roof canopy continues, with the scaffolding and coverings of one section to be removed in the coming weeks. The renovation of one of the country’s remaining few ‘Euston style’ roofs has been meticulously planned with engineers preserving the canopy’s historic features whilst enhancing its durability for future generations.  During this 30-day closure, no trains will run through the station, with diversionary routes and rail replacement buses in operation to keep customers on the move. Following the 30-day closure, only three platforms will be in operation on a temporary basis. Gareth Hope, TRU Sponsor, said:  “Our upgrade of Huddersfield station is one of the most important projects across the entire TRU programme, and this 30-day closure will allow us to take a giant leap towards giving the station a deserved makeover without harming its heritage.  “Ultimately, the work in Huddersfield is key to improving the journeys of millions of people across the North – increasing the number of tracks through the station and remodelling its platforms means we will will be able to run faster, more frequent trains with enhanced capacity in the future.  “We’re pleased with the recent programme milestones in Huddersfield and are excited for these to progress further in the summer.”  Chris Nutton, Major Projects and TRU Director at TransPennine Express, said:  “The 30-day closure is a milestone in the history of Huddersfield railway station that will pave the way for the future benefits of the TRU programme to be unlocked and I’d like to thank everyone who’s working hard in the background to turn this into a major success.  “During the closure, TPE won’t be able to run trains through the station for 30 days, with Brighouse functioning as the gateway to Huddersfield in those weeks. We’ll have more information on how our customers can travel across the Pennines in June, but for now, we encourage you to put these dates in your diaries.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

London Gatwick Airport has taken a significant step in advancing its long-term growth plans by appointing 16 expert design firms to a refreshed design services framework, marking the start of a new chapter in its capital investment strategy. The newly established framework is designed to accelerate the delivery of design work across the airport’s upcoming projects by enabling faster engagement of consultants under pre-agreed terms. It spans a broad range of specialisms including architecture, civil and structural engineering, baggage handling systems, and fire safety engineering. Structured across five key lots, the framework includes both large and small multi-disciplinary teams to ensure flexibility and expertise across every scale of project. The selected firms include a mix of global engineering giants and innovative SMEs, reflecting Gatwick’s ambition to blend experience with agility. Firms appointed under the Large Multi-Disciplinary lot include Arcadis, AtkinsRealis, Baker Hicks, Jacobs UK, Ramboll, and WSP UK. The Airfield category sees AtkinsRealis, Jacobs UK, Ramboll and WSP UK return, while the Baggage lot welcomes IDOM, Principal Projx, Typsa, and Vlogix. Supporting innovation and diversity, the Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) Multi-Disciplinary lot brings together Hulley & Kirkwood, Lyndon Goode Architects, Pascall & Watson, Pellings, Pod Architects, and Webb Yates. Meanwhile, Jacobs UK and WSP UK have also been appointed under the Fire Engineering lot. Alasdair Scobie, Capital Programmes Director at London Gatwick, commented:“This refreshed design framework is a key enabler for delivering London Gatwick’s ambitious capital investment plan, ensuring high quality design incorporating more sustainable solutions delivered through a capable and competitive supply chain. “This is the first step in a broader construction supply chain strategy as we bring in the best designers, consultants and contractors to support the airport’s growth. It’s a crucial time for us, and we’re excited to begin this next phase in partnership with such a strong and diverse team.” The announcement underlines Gatwick’s commitment to sustainability, smart design, and inclusive development as the airport continues to evolve to meet future travel demands and customer expectations. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

Contractors building HS2 have completed work on a pair of innovative extensions to the southern portal of its longest tunnel to eliminate the possibility of ‘sonic boom’ being created by high-speed trains entering at 200mph.  The structures, built at the southern end of the railway’s 10-mile Chiltern Tunnel to the north-west of London, are near identical to those now under construction at its northern portal in Buckinghamshire.  All trains entering tunnels anywhere in the world force air forward, creating pulses of energy that roll along the tunnel causing a small release of air pressure into the outside world at the far end. Known scientifically as ‘micro pressure waves’, they are inaudible on conventional railways. But in high-speed rail tunnels, air shoved forward without escape routes can create powerful pressure waves that emerge as an audible ‘thud’ or ‘sonic boom’. In a first for the UK rail network, HS2’s design includes extensions on all eight tunnels where trains enter at speeds above 140mph.  However, the length, physical setting and aesthetic of those at each end of the line’s tunnel beneath the Chiltern Hills mark them out as unique even to HS2. HS2 Ltd chief engineer, Mark Howard explains, “The maximum speed of HS2 varies along the route. But where the train is entering a tunnel travelling above 140mph we are building portal extensions to prevent ‘sonic boom’ occurring.  Although there are several tunnels on the line where train speed will be higher than in the Chiltern Tunnel, no other combines speeds of 200mph with length of 10 miles.  Its these unique physical characteristics that demand unique structures at each end.” First identified in 1974 during train testing on Japan’s then new 187mph ‘Sanyo’ shinkansen line, when people nearby noticed ‘booms’ near tunnel exits, the problem was solved by the invention of perforated portals extending from the tunnel entrance. Later, as train speeds gradually increased and further slight improvements in the control of micro-pressure waves were required, the solution was to radically enhance the train’s aerodynamics rather than retrospectively adding the pressure-dissipating portal extensions to tunnels that had already been built. The famous super-sleek, elongated aerodynamic snouts of Japanese high-speed trains cause the pressure to build up more gradually when the train enters a tunnel.   Building on over 40 years of research by the international rail community, the engineering team from HS2 Ltd, engineering consultancy Arup together with the University of Birmingham and Dundee Tunnel Research, developed and laboratory-tested HS2’s tunnel portal design. To mitigate against ‘sonic boom’ HS2’s tunnel beneath the Chiltern Hills requires bespoke portal extensions. Protruding up to 220 metres – around the length of two full-size football pitches – from a chalky cutting near the M25 motorway, they are each punctuated along one side with ventilation portholes. These enable some air pushed forward by the train to escape, making the pressure increase more gradual so that the micro-pressure wave emitted from the other end of the tunnel is undetectable. The basic design can be adapted to different lengths: the longer the extension, the weaker the micro pressure wave. In order to decide how long each extension needed to be for every HS2 tunnel, the team used micro-pressure wave measurements from Britain’s first high speed line between London and the Channel Tunnel, HS1 as the benchmark. The line’s tunnels do not experience sonic boom because the micro pressure waves are too weak. Therefore HS2’s research team used it as the basis to develop anti-sonic boom porous tunnel extensions for the new London-West Midlands high speed line. Mark added, “HS2 was designed from the ground up as an entirely new and complete rail system. This enabled us to develop all its constituent parts e.g. trains, tunnels, stations, power systems to complement each other and operate as intended. “In the case of avoiding sonic boom at tunnel portals, we used already-established key criteria including train speed, tunnel diameter and length to develop tunnel portal extensions that would prevent sonic boom occurring.” Commenting, Arup Fellow Richard Sturt said, “Arup is proud to have helped create a new international benchmark for the suppression of sonic booms with the HS2 tunnel portals. They are longer than any existing portals anywhere else in the world as we have prioritized seating capacity on the train, avoiding the need for a long nose section on the train like the Japanese shinkansen.  The portals’ unique tapered design combined with the precision-sized holes provide an incredibly smooth build-up of pressure as the train enters the tunnel. As a result, there won’t be any audible noises from micro pressure waves, despite the extremely high train speeds.” Construction of the Chilterns Tunnel, and its portal extensions was led by HS2’s main works contractor Align JV – that includes Bouygues Travaux Publics, Sir Robert McAlpine and Volker Fitzpatrick. The group finished building those at the southern end in January 2025, with the northern pair following in the autumn of this year. Once operational passenger trains will travel through HS2’s 10-mile Chiltern Tunnel in three minutes Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

The UK’s largest road infrastructure project in a generation has been given the green light, as the Secretary of State for Transport grants development consent for the Lower Thames Crossing. The ambitious scheme, connecting Kent, Thurrock, and Essex, is set to ease congestion at the heavily burdened Dartford Crossing. A Game-Changer for UK Roads Spanning 23km, the project includes twin tunnels stretching 4.2km beneath the River Thames, providing a vital new link between the A2/M2 and the M25. Designed to tackle severe congestion at Dartford—the busiest river crossing in the country—the Lower Thames Crossing is expected to improve traffic flow and unlock economic growth across the South East. The estimated cost of the scheme is £9.4bn, with the government exploring private finance options that could push the total to £10.2bn. Already, £1.2bn has been invested, with much of it allocated to the project’s extensive planning and approval process—the largest development consent order (DCO) application ever submitted in the UK. Following its initial submission in October 2022, the project underwent an exhaustive public examination before receiving approval on 20 March 2024. The decision, which had been delayed multiple times, marks a major milestone in one of the UK’s most complex infrastructure projects. Construction could begin as early as 2026, with completion expected in the early 2030s. In the meantime, project teams will work closely with local authorities and stakeholders to refine design elements and minimise community and environmental disruption. A Sustainable Approach to Infrastructure The Lower Thames Crossing is being positioned as a carbon-neutral construction “pathfinder” project. National Highways aims to significantly cut emissions by up to 70% through the use of low-carbon materials and alternative fuels, such as hydrogen. These sustainability efforts are expected to set a benchmark for future large-scale infrastructure developments, with potential applications in sectors like rail and nuclear energy. Beyond its transport benefits, the scheme includes major environmental commitments. Plans include the creation of six times more green space than the road itself, planting one million trees, establishing a community woodland, and developing two new public parks with Thames views. Nearly 5km of new and upgraded pathways will also be introduced for walkers, cyclists, and horse riders. Designed with extensive public consultation, several adjustments have been made to mitigate the impact on local communities and ancient woodlands. These include increasing lane capacity to three in each direction and extending the tunnel length. Creating Jobs and Boosting the Economy The project is expected to generate thousands of jobs within the construction sector, with a commitment to recruiting nearly half of the workforce locally. Skills training and employment opportunities will be a key focus, ensuring long-term benefits for communities in the region. To deliver the project, three main works contracts have been awarded: Industry leaders have widely welcomed the approval, calling it a transformative investment in the UK’s infrastructure. Balfour Beatty’s divisional CEO for major projects, highways and ground engineering, Phil Clifton, stated that the project would “unlock capacity, capability, and careers.” Skanska UK’s executive vice president Andrew English added that it would relieve congestion while showcasing innovations in low-carbon construction. Calls for Funding Clarity Despite the approval, there are concerns over the project’s funding. The Civil Engineering Contractors Association (CECA) has urged the government to make a swift decision on financing to ensure work can begin without further delays. However, not everyone supports the scheme. Green Alliance policy adviser Rosie Allen has criticised the government’s approach, arguing that investing in public transport and freight solutions would be a more effective long-term strategy. Campaign group Transport Action Network has described the decision as “economic madness,” questioning the viability of spending up to £16bn on a single road project at a time of budget constraints. As debates continue, the Lower Thames Crossing remains a landmark infrastructure project with the potential to reshape transport in the South East while setting new standards for sustainability in construction. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals