The Infrastructure Podcast

In today's podcast we ask how designing better infrastructure can help to really grow the UK economy. Now we hear constantly about the vital role that investment in infrastructure projects must play in driving economic growth across the nation and across the regions of the UK – be that investment in transport; in energy systems; in water treatment and supply; and in communic

In today's podcast we are talking about digital twins and the challenge of digitalising the infrastructure sector in our bid to increase efficiency and boost outcomes from every pound of investment. There is certainly no shortage of talk nowadays about transforming productivity and the way that the use of digital technology and data can help improve the sector. And to date, th

In today's podcast we delve into the complex world or railway ticketing.I say complex but what I really mean is complicated, confusing, and frustrating. Who hasn’t spent time pondering over the multitude of options thrust upon us when buying a rail ticket and mulled over the permutations and consequences of advanced, off peak, super off peak day return, open return…. Who h

In this podcast we ask what, if anything, UK construction can learn from the automotive sector.A quarter of a century ago, Sir John Egan’s Review of the industry drew on the successes and lessons from car manufacturing as a guide for how the construction sector might be transformed. Rethinking Construction highlighted the use of standardisation, computer aided design, lean produc

In today’s podcast we will be finding out just how much we still have to do as nation and as a planet to hit our net zero carbon emission targets and really start to reverse the clearly catastrophic impacts of a changing climate.My guest today is the Rt Hon Chris Skidmore, former MP for Kingswood in South Gloucestershire and the man who, as interim Minister of State for Energy an

Today we are talking once again about building circular economies and in particular the role and challenge facing the infrastructure sector as it tackles this issue as part of the journey towards a net zero carbon emission future. My guest today has just been nominated for the prestigious Earthshot Prize – a prize launched by Prince William in 2020 to search for and scale the mos

In this podcast we are talk about road transport and take a quick look into the crystal ball to see what lies around the corner for this vital mode of transport. Despite the volume and frequency of discussion about the UK’s approach to public transport – and specifically rail travel which continues to absorb huge amounts of public cash – the reality is that, rightly or wrongl

In today’s podcast we will delve into the knotty and, it seems, unending challenge of controlling and reducing the cost and the time spent delivering our major infrastructure projects. As we a constantly reminded by politicians, the public and our colleagues, the track record of global major project delivery is not good. I have referenced the findings of Oxford University profess

In today's podcast we spend a delightful 30 minutes or so discussing what drives successful careers in engineering and infrastructure.I say delightful because my guest today is Dervilla Mitchell CBE, deputy chair at world renowned design practice Arup, someone who, over the last few decades, I have never tired of talking to!As she prepares to step down from the Arup board - a

In today's podcast we talk about design – specifically the need to embed good design at the heart of infrastructure investment.To help us to unpack and explore this issue my guest today is Harbinder Birdi, architect and founder of the Birdi and Partners practice. Loyal listeners may well remember that Harbinder was a guest on the podcast last April, just after he took on a t