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

The water industry isn't just changing; it's being completely reorganise and redrawn. Between the Cunliffe Report and the landmark "A New Vision for Water" White Paper which was published by government in January, we are witnessing a once-in-a-generation reckoning for the sector. In the latest episode of The Infrastructure Podcast I sat down with Chris Taylor-Dawson, Senior Director for Major Water Infrastructure at Ofwat , to discuss the implementation, impact and implications of the change. Have a listen here or find the episode wherever you get your podcasts - search “The Infrastructure Podcast” on Spotify, Apple, Google or YouTube. We covered a lot of ground in the conversation, talking about: · The merger of Ofwat, the Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI) plus elements of the Environment Agency and Natural England. · The Major Water Infrastructure Programme - delivering a £50 billion pipeline of work with at least 30 major infrastructure projects, including 9 new reservoirs. · Tackling water scarcity; not just an environmental issue but also a direct threat to UK economic growth. · How can Ofwat can smooth procurement to help the supply chain boost productivity?

Is infrastructure really ready for the Gen Z revolution? With the next generation’s thinking and approach to work already radically reshaped by Artificial Intelligence and digital transformation, how do we bridge the gap between traditional risk-averse methods and the new digital world? In the latest episode of The Infrastructure Podcast, I’m joined by Kirsty Ingleson, Head of Digital Innovation and AI at Leeds College of Building. Have a listen here or find the episode wherever you get your podcasts - search “The Infrastructure Podcast” on Spotify, Apple, Google or YouTube. Key talking points include: - Reverse Mentoring: Why a 19-year-old apprentice might be the best person to teach a Site Manager about the latest tech. - Unlearning legacy habits: Moving teachers from "sources of knowledge" to "curators of judgment." - How to maintain the "human-in-the-loop" when AI starts assisting in structural design. - Avoiding innovation for innovation’s sake and focusing on tools that actually work on-site. Kirsty will also be expanding on these themes in a series of workshops at the UKREiiF event in Leeds on 19-21 May. Check out this conversation. And if you are heading to UKREiiF 19-21st May hop along to see Kirsty and join her workshops.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.