Re:Construction

Bishop & Taylor discuss the increasing difficulties endured by mobile crane hire companies faced with road embargos. They celebrate the completion of construction of the Thames Tideway tunnel (and hope it stops rowers vomiting).  And they wonder what housing minister Lee Rowley’s MMC policy review might throw up.

In an unusually wide ranging episode, Bishop & Taylor cover crystalline silica, plastic pipes, the Lower Thames Crossing, the A66, the Daily Telegraph (is it really more important to national security than nuclear power?) and stress-inducing questions.

Bishop & Taylor are joined by Dr David Crosthwaite, chief economist of the Building Cost Information Service (BCIS), to discuss Jeremy Hunt’s spring 2024 budget statement.

Bishop & Taylor are joined by L Lynch Plant Hire joint managing director Merrill Lynch to discuss reducing construction’s diesel consumption.

Bishop & Taylor explore the disconnect between attempts to remove red tape for house-builders while simultaneously burdening them with ever-greater levels of bureacracy. They also discuss news from a couple of regulatory authorities: the Office of Rail & Road is investigating the deteriorating performance of National Highways; and the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) is on EDF’s case after a series of safety failings at its power plants.

In this episode, Bishop & Taylor hear from Bob Weston about why he had to scrap his £300m Anglia Square development in Norwich. They also discuss a House of Lords report that damns government’s lack of strategy for prefab housing. And they ask whether carbon measuring rules need to be dictated by government, as proposed by a coalition of industry institutions. Finally, they pay tribute to Jim Stockoll, founder of Dyno-Rod and daddy of UK franchising.

Bishop & Taylor are re-joined by Rudi Klein, perhaps the construction industry’s most seasoned campaigner for change. He shares his opinions on the need for industry reform and encourages listeners to take the opportunity of this year’s general election to lobby their local candidates.

Bishop & Taylor kick off 2024 mourning the demise of Stewart Milne Group. They also consider the apparent preponderence of neurodiversity within construction project management and discuss the rebranding of Artex.

As the end of the year approaches, Bishop & Taylor look back on some of the highs and lows on which they reported in 2023.

Bishop & Taylor chew over the autumn statement and late paying clients, discuss why Grenfell Tower still stands, and question whether state aid should go to a company owned by Persimmon and Goldman Sachs.