The government has confirmed Roads Investment Strategy 3 (RIS3), a £27 billion programme covering England’s motorway and A-road network through to 2031.
A record £8.4 billion has been directed at renewals. That includes the resurfacing of more than 9,000 kilometres of motorway and A-road lanes, close to a quarter of the entire strategic road network.
The most significant opportunity for the sector lies in structural and reconstruction contracts. Confirmed projects include concrete road rebuilds on the M180 and A180, and bridge renewals on the M6 Lune Gorge and the M32 Eastville Viaduct.
These schemes typically require falsework, propping and specialist access, work that falls within the civil engineering offer of most established contractors.
Five major enhancement projects are due to start within the RIS3 period. They include the A66 Northern Trans-Pennine dualling and the Lower Thames Crossing.
A further 16 local authority-led road schemes have also been confirmed, covering bypasses, junction upgrades and new links across England.
National Highways Executive Director Elliot Shaw said the renewals focus “will keep people connected to their loved ones, support the delivery of new homes and jobs, and give industry the confidence to plan and invest in the UK.”
What this means for contractors
Unlike previous strategies, RIS3 shifts emphasis away from large new builds and towards maintenance and targeted upgrades. For contractors with civil engineering experience, the procurement window is opening now.
National Highways procurement channels and Tier 1 supply chain frameworks are the routes to watch as schemes progress to tender stage.
The National Access and Scaffolding Confederation (NASC) has announced a series of new regional chair and vice chair appointments as part of a wider expansion of its regional network.
The move follows significant growth in membership, with the organisation reporting a 40% increase in its core membership since 2023.
NASC said the expansion is aimed at strengthening local representation and ensuring members have a stronger voice at regional level. Regional meetings are now attracting more than 100 delegates, reflecting increased engagement across the industry.
The trade body said its regional structure plays a central role in shaping guidance, policy and best practice, alongside the Construction Industry Scaffolders Record Scheme (CISRS).
New appointments
The latest appointments include:
London and South-East Chair: David Evans (MR Scaffolding) Vice Chair: Martin George (CCS Scaffolding)
West Midlands Chair: Steve Fellows (Malvern Scaffolding) Vice Chair: Sam McSpadden (Phoenix Group)
East Midlands Vice Chair: Jay Love (Access 2)
North-East Vice Chair: Luis McCarthy (JMAC Industrial and Access Group)
Wales Chair: David Anderson (Allen and Foxworthy) Vice Chair: Kate Thomson (Thomson Scaffolding)
Ireland Chair: Robert Andrews (Advanced NI Scaffolding)
They join existing regional leaders, including East Midlands Chair Lisa Rooney, North-East Chair Darren Maratty, South-West Chair Dave Battison, and Scotland Chair Ronnie Charters.
NASC also confirmed that Michael Lloyd of LTC Scaffolding has stepped down as South-East regional chair after eight years in the role.
Industry voice
Clive Dickin, chief executive of NASC and CISRS, said regional representatives remain central to how the organisation supports its members.
He said: “Our regions are at the heart of NASC and what it does and the regional chairs and vice chairs are fundamental to how we serve members on the ground.
“They are the connection between NASC and the businesses and people that make up our membership, and I am delighted to welcome this new group into their roles.”
NASC said members can attend regional meetings through its events calendar, with sessions continuing to focus on knowledge sharing, industry input and collaboration.
Layher UK has announced a series of open morning events aimed at giving customers and partners direct access to its latest systems, product developments and digital tools.
Branded as “Sizzle & Learn” sessions, the events will run from 10:00 to 13:00 and combine live demonstrations with informal networking, alongside refreshments including tea, coffee and breakfast rolls
The first session will take place on 31 March in Letchworth, focusing on event structures. The day will include demonstrations of Layher’s SIM2Field digital tool, alongside a promotional offer on event decks and transoms for orders placed on the day.
A second event is scheduled for 24 June in Livingston, with a focus on formwork solutions. Attendees will be able to see the FW system in action, with a related on-the-day offer available.
The final open morning will be held on 21 July at Eggborough. This session will centre on the launch of Layher’s Flex Beam, alongside demonstrations of Twix Beam solutions. Both product lines will be included in event-specific offers.
Layher said the sessions are designed to give attendees a practical understanding of how its systems can be applied on site, while also offering early access to new products and technical support.
The programme reflects a wider push by the company to engage directly with contractors through hands-on learning and live demonstrations, rather than traditional presentations.
Two people have been taken to hospital after a building partially collapsed in Oldham town centre.
Emergency services were called to King Street at about 12:40 GMT on Tuesday after the front of a terraced property gave way. The building had been surrounded by scaffolding at the time of the incident.
Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service said five people were inside the property but all managed to escape.
North West Ambulance Service confirmed that two casualties were taken to hospital. Their injuries are not believed to be serious.
A large emergency response was deployed, including three ambulances, an air ambulance and a hazardous area response team. Police and fire crews established a cordon, with several roads closed.
Engineers from Cadent Gas were called to the scene after a gas main was damaged during the collapse.
Chris Campbell, operations manager at Cadent, said engineers were working to secure the supply.
“Our engineers are currently on site securing a damaged gas main, caused by the collapse of a nearby building earlier today,” he said.
“We are working closely with the emergency services and are awaiting confirmation that the site is safe for our teams to access the gas pipe and isolate the supply to the affected property.”
Witnesses described a significant emergency presence in the area. Local businessman Kwok Wong said the scene was already attended by emergency services when he arrived.
“The building was a mess,” he said. “Air ambulances landed on top of the Mecca Bingo roof.”
The property, previously home to a Euro King Mini Market, is owned by Oldham councillor Kamran Ghafoor, who declined to comment.
Authorities have urged the public to avoid the area while investigations continue.
In the heart of Manchester’s financial district, a major high-rise development is setting new benchmarks for construction scaffolding in the UK. For this complex inner-city project, Prime Scaffold Design engineered the hoist tower, while Scafom-rux supplied the RINGSCAFF modular scaffolding system to build the 140-metre-high structure – the tallest ground-based scaffold ever erected in Manchester.
20,000 modular scaffolding components in action
Construction on the site began in September 2023 with demolition and enabling works. Since then, the project has steadily gathered momentum. Within 26 months, work progressed to level 14 of the above-ground structure, while a three-storey basement and extensive internal fit-outs up to level 12 took shape below.
With the concrete frame advancing floor by floor, the 140-metre hoist tower is already playing a central role by providing vital access for both personnel and materials as the building rises.
“The hoist tower is a critical element of the project,” explains Mark Gaffney of Kinlan Scaffolding. “It will service all floors and has been designed to safely carry loads of up to 10?kN per square metre. With over 20,000 RINGSCAFF components totalling around 100 tonnes, the structure demonstrates the versatility and strength of modular scaffolding systems.”
Perfecting the scaffold design off-site
The scaffold design had to meet demanding technical requirements, from its self-weight and live loads to anchoring in tight urban spaces with challenging ground conditions. Early-stage collaboration between Scafom-rux and Kinlan Scaffolding allowed a trial section of the tower to be built off-site to refine the design and ensuring seamless integration with the trades on-site.
“Material delivery and logistics posed significant challenges due to the restricted city-centre site,” adds Andrew Gee from Scafom-rux. “By staging deliveries via Kinlan’s yard on the outskirts of Manchester and lifting materials with tower cranes, we ensured efficiency while meeting all project deadlines.”
Project partners on site: Andrew Gee of Scafom-rux and Mark Gaffney of Kinlan Scaffolding in front of the 140-metre-high RINGSCAFF hoist tower in Manchester’s financial district.
How to anchor a 140 meter high hoist tower
The scaffold assembly required a small dedicated team on-site, typically two to four scaffolders, supported by engineers and site personnel. The hoist tower reaches an impressive 140?metres, making it the tallest ground-based scaffold ever erected in Manchester. Achieving this height posed particular challenges, as the scaffold had to be carefully anchored with pre-installed ties to ensure stability while safely carrying materials and personnel throughout the building.
David Rogerson from Prime Scaffold Design, responsible for the scaffold engineering, explains: “The ties were a little bit out of the ordinary, so we worked with the concrete contractor to look at casting anchors. The solution was to install the ties ahead of the scaffold, so when Kinlan and the team progressed with the scaffold, the anchor point is right where we need it.“
Despite the complexity, early milestones, such as completing the basement deck and installing the hoist, were achieved on schedule. Project Manager John Holden of Domis Construction highlights the building’s distinctive design: “The building will be one of the most striking glass façades in Manchester. Incorporating the historic Sir Ralph Abercromby Pub into the scheme added complexity, but we managed to progress without delays.”
“The monster of Manchester”: Tackling one of the UK’s most challenging urban construction sites
Looking ahead, the project aims for completion of the concrete frame by December 2026, with overall delivery scheduled for September 2027. “Manchester’s tallest ground-based scaffold shows what careful planning and close collaboration can achieve,” concludes Andrew Gee.
“It’s a high-profile, technically challenging project, and we are proud to be part of it. The monster of Manchester, as we call it.”
As the building continues to rise, it stands not only as a record-breaking structure but also as a showcase of technical expertise and teamwork in one of the UK’s most challenging urban construction sites.
Project Key Facts
Hoist tower height: 140?metres
Total scaffold components: 20,000 parts of RINGSCAFF modular scaffolding
Total scaffold weight: ca. 100?tonnes
Safety design load: 10?kN/m² on scaffold platforms
Anchoring system: Pre-installed ties integrated with concrete frame
Project timeline: Concrete frame completion by Dec 2026, overall delivery Sep 2027
A construction company has been fined after a teenage scaffolding labourer died in a fall from height on a London building site.
Renols Lleshi, 19, was helping to dismantle scaffolding on the 12th-floor roof garden of a block of flats at the Ark Soane Academy site in Acton on 5 July 2023.
He stepped onto a ventilation shaft that had been covered with a sheet of plasterboard and roofing foam. The covering gave way, and he fell six floors.
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found the shaft covering was inadequate and had not been identified during routine inspections. The roof garden area had not been included in inspection checks, and no warning had been given to the scaffolding team.
Mr Lleshi’s family said his death was “entirely avoidable”. “My family and I are devastated by the loss of Renols,” his father said.
“To know that his death was caused by an accident which was entirely avoidable only makes our loss even harder to cope with.
“Nothing anybody can do can bring our loved one back or lessen our grief in any way.”
The HSE said employers must ensure work at height is properly planned, supervised, and carried out safely, with suitable and secure coverings in place over openings.
Jerram Falkus Construction Limited pleaded guilty to breaching the Work at Height Regulations 2005.
The company was fined £42,200, ordered to pay a £2,000 surcharge and £5,000 in costs at City of London Magistrates’ Court on 18 March 2026.
HSE inspector Natalie Prince said the incident was preventable.
“Falls from height are one of the biggest causes of workplace fatalities and major injuries,” she said.
“This was a wholly avoidable incident that led to the death of a young man.”
The case highlights ongoing risks associated with working at height, particularly during scaffolding dismantling activities, where unprotected openings and inadequate controls can have fatal consequences.
The UK government has launched a consultation on proposals to merge the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) and the Engineering Construction Industry Training Board (ECITB) into a single organisation.
The consultation opened today (23 March) and will run until 14 June 2026, covering England, Scotland and Wales. If approved, the move would create one Industry Training Board responsible for skills, training and workforce planning across both construction and engineering construction.
Ministers say the current system is not keeping pace with demand. Both sectors are facing long-term skills shortages, an ageing workforce and growing pressure from major housing, infrastructure and energy programmes.
Construction alone employs around 2.6 million people across Great Britain, but demand for labour is expected to rise significantly over the coming years. At the same time, many employers continue to report difficulties recruiting workers with the right skills.
The proposal would bring the two existing training boards together under a single structure. The new body would manage levy funding, oversee training provision and work more closely with employers on workforce planning. It would also take on a broader role in analysing labour market data and forecasting future skills needs.
The government says combining the two organisations would reduce duplication and allow resources to be used more efficiently. It also believes a unified board could improve access to training, support the transfer of skills between sectors and give the industry a stronger voice in discussions with government.
Under the plans, CITB and ECITB would continue to operate as normal during any transition. Existing levy arrangements and training support would remain in place until a new structure is agreed.
If the proposal goes ahead, the new body is expected to be established in early 2028.
The consultation also acknowledges potential risks. These include the cost of merging the organisations, the possibility that some sectors may have less influence than they do under the current system, and the challenge of balancing different priorities within a single strategy.
Industry stakeholders are now being asked whether they support the creation of a single training board and what the potential benefits and risks could be. The consultation also seeks views on whether the scope of levy-paying employers should be expanded and whether the current three-year levy cycle should be extended.
The proposal follows a wider review of Industry Training Boards, which concluded that while both CITB and ECITB deliver value, the current model is not achieving the level of impact needed to meet future workforce demands.
KEWAZO, a robotics company focused on heavy industry, has raised $35m in funding to accelerate the rollout of its lifting robot across global industrial sites.
The Munich and Houston-based firm said the investment is backed by Chevron Technology Ventures, Asahi Kasei, Schooner Capital and several existing investors. The funding will be used to increase deployment capacity and expand into additional workflows.
KEWAZO’s flagship product, LIFTBOT, is designed to automate vertical material movement on site. The system is already in operation at more than 20 industrial locations across Europe and North America, including refineries, petrochemical plants and power facilities.
The company said the technology is being used to replace cranes and manual handling during maintenance and capital projects, with the aim of improving safety, reducing labour intensity and shortening project timelines.
Chief executive Artem Kuchukov said demand is being driven by the need for practical automation that can operate in live industrial environments.
“Clients hear about robotics, but they rarely see robots operating at their plants,” he said. “We deliver immediate value in vertical material movement, and many are now asking us to expand into additional workflows.”
The company is also developing a wider data platform based on its deployments. KEWAZO said its systems collect structured operational data from industrial sites, which will be used to improve transparency and support further automation over time.
Investors said the technology reflects a broader shift towards automation in heavy industry, particularly in energy and materials sectors where safety and efficiency remain key priorities.
Chevron Technology Ventures said the system offers an approach to improving operational performance, while Asahi Kasei said it could help shorten maintenance periods and reduce risk in complex environments.
KEWAZO said it will use the new funding to scale deployments, expand into new use cases and deepen integration with existing customers.
For the scaffolding and access sector, the use of robotics in lifting and logistics points to a gradual shift in how materials are handled on site, particularly on large industrial projects.
Construction firms in New Zealand are facing a growing shortage of scaffolders as experienced workers move to Australia in search of higher wages and better conditions.
More than 250 scaffolding jobs are currently unfilled across the country, according to Te Waha Nui reporting. Contractors are struggling to find experienced people, and many of those people have already left.
Almost one in five scaffolders working in Australia originally came from New Zealand, according to labour market data compiled by migration researcher Francis Collins. He says it is not hard to see why.
“Workers in Australia get higher wages and labour-market benefits,” he said. “That includes higher overtime rates and better pay for weekend or non-standard shifts.”
The numbers back that up. Scaffolders in New Zealand typically earn between NZ$60,000 and NZ$90,000 a year. In Australia, the same work pays between NZ$80,000 and NZ$130,000 — more than 30% higher.
For Allan Gillego, a 55-year-old scaffolder with 11 years in the trade, the move from New Zealand to Perth has been life-changing.
“In New Zealand I earned around $1,200 per week, which was not enough to cover rent and bills,” he said. “In Australia I earn about $2,700 per week, which has allowed my family to save and buy a house.”
The pension gap adds to the picture. Australian employers contribute around 12% into workers’ retirement funds. In New Zealand, the equivalent averages just 3%.
Massey University sociologist Paul Spoonley says the wider economy is pushing people out.
“The New Zealand labour market is currently soft, with relatively high unemployment and government budget cuts,” he said.
Construction recruiter Troy Scott has seen the effects first hand. He says the pool of available scaffolders has become noticeably thinner as experienced workers leave the country or move into other industries.
“Many skilled professionals have moved offshore or transitioned out of the industry,” he wrote in an industry blog. “When the project pipeline dries up, experienced construction staff leave. Once they’ve headed offshore it can be difficult to attract them back.”
Scott says higher wages alone will not be enough to stop the flow. Workers are also looking at job security, the chance to progress, and a steady pipeline of work before deciding where to base themselves.
“Job seekers weigh career pathways, leadership opportunities, lifestyle and workplace culture just as heavily,” he said.
Revised outline plans for the Barking Riverside development in east London have been approved by the London Borough of Barking & Dagenham, enabling a major expansion of what is already one of the UK’s largest regeneration schemes.
The approval allows the development to grow from the previously consented 10,800 homes to up to 20,000 homes across the 443-acre site.
Master developer Barking Riverside Limited (BRL) submitted the revised proposals in 2024 in what was described as the largest planning application ever made for a single site in the UK.
More than 3,000 homes have already been completed at Barking Riverside, with several hundred additional properties currently under construction.
The new consent marks a shift from the project’s early delivery phase into what developers describe as a long-term accelerated build-out.
When complete, the development is expected to provide more than 4,000 affordable homes along with extensive community infrastructure and green space.
The revised plans also include:
Two new public parks
An additional health facility
Up to three new schools
Two community centres
Commercial space and local amenities
Improved walking and cycling routes
Enhanced access to the River Thames waterfront
Homes England has already supported the scheme with more than £170m in loan and grant funding over the past five years to help deliver enabling infrastructure.
Barking Riverside is being delivered by Barking Riverside Limited, a joint venture between housing association L&Q and the Mayor of London.
Deputy mayor for housing and residential development Tom Copley said the project represented one of the most significant housing developments currently under way in the UK.
“Barking Riverside is one of the most significant and exciting housing developments not just in London but anywhere in the UK,” he said.
“It is a fantastic example of a major brownfield regeneration supported by City Hall and partners, which is delivering for the local community.”
Leigh Johnson, managing director of Barking Riverside Limited, said the approval marked a “step change” for the project.
“This successful planning consent marks a genuine step change for Barking Riverside and for the role it can play in London’s growth,” he said.
“Yes, in relation to housing numbers, but also regarding place creation and the pace of delivery.”
The expanded plans are expected to shape development in east London for decades as the scheme moves into its next phase.
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