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www.nce.co.uk¹ 20-27.08.09 NEWCIVil ENGINEER

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CONTENTS 20-27.08.09 Thenext issueof NCEwill be 03.09.09

NewCivilEngineer

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New CivilEngineer lstFloor,GreaterLondonHous HampsteadRoad,LondonNWlt'EJ EDITORIALINQUIRIES Tel: (020) 77284544 (fax4666) Email: prefixplus@emap,com

EDiTOR1Antony Oliver (020) 7728 4541antony.oliver DEPUTYEDITOR1JackieWhitelaw (020) 7728 4542 jackie.whitelaw

CONTENTEDITOR1Mark Hansford (020) 77284543 mark.hansford

CHIEFSUB EDITOR1Andrew Bolton (020) 7728 4537 andy,bolton FEATURESEDITOR1AlexandraWynne (020) 77284540 alexandra.wynne SENIORREPORTER1EdOwen (020) 7728 4545 ed,owen TECHNICALREPORTER1JessicaRowson (020) 7728 4546 jessica.rowson

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DISPLAYADVERTISING1JohnCoates

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RECRUITMENT1MichaelMaunsell (020) 7728 3824

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NEWS

Recession bites

Consultant Halcrow announces cuts, and contractors workload continues to decline.

18

COVERSTORY

Welshtransport

The Welsh may be rejecting public transport in favour of their cars - but should they think again?

20

ENVIRONMENT Roadto Copenhagen

NCE looks at how the Climate Change Act will effect the industry.

Aisein thisissue

06 News

Graduates still struggling to find placements

07 News

Humber Bridge - the next to use dehumidification?

08 SpecialReport

AMPs efficiency targets

14 Awards

The 2009 BCIA small building project shortlist

Letters

Energy, aviation, business profession, structures

16

24 ICENews

ICE infrastructure baTIkproposai

Comment

JackieWhitelaw

"The queues now snake back for 40 minutes and there is growing agitation for things to improve"

Managed motorwa,s need a Iree flowing Dartlord

Our cover story this week is all about the chal- lenges of travelling around wales on public transport and why, therefore, the car is still growing in popularity. So l make no apologies for going alllocal and writing here about the trials of driving a private car in the south east, specifically over the river Thames between Kent and Essex on the M2S.

Why is that remotely relevant to the wider world of civil engineering? Well, NCE is just embarking on an in depth pieGe of work with the Highways Agency looking at the next phase in the development of our motorways.

We'll be reporting on how, with innovative thinking and up to date technology, rather than a lot of new construction, our existing stock will be transformed and cleverly worked to reduce congestion and improve safety.

The idea ofhard shoulder running, now renamed as managed motorways, has improved the journeys of the West Midlands, and is about to be rolled out to the test of us.

But the issue that still needs to be addressed is that, when you look at a map of the motorway network, an awfullot of roads lead to London. A sigrrificant proportion of the 30% extra capacity that should result frOIDthe managed motorway network will be cars and trucks on their way frOIDor around the capital.

But their effortless journeys will be brought to a juddering hait at the biggest bottleneck in Britain- the Dartford Crossing.

That's why my trips are relevant. Because Dartford is a shocker right now, even before any capacity enhancements. And the question has to be what's going to be clone about it? At least there are discussions about a new crossing

- although the chances of opening something within the next decade have to be pretty slim - unlike when the M2S fust opened.

At that stage the govermnent of the clay was in complete denial as to the necessity for a new river crossing to join the existing two tunnels.

As the queues snakeEl back for an hour each

side of the river, the privately financed Queen Elizabeth II bridge was, finally,born.

The queues now snake back for 40 minutes and longer, even at 3pm on a Saturday and Sunday aftemoon, and there is growing agita- tion for things to improve. The Highways Agency says it is considering "options", so perhaps now is the rime to suggest your Owll.

Mine WOuldstart with a speedy replacement of the ancient toll collection system. The toll rose frOIDf1 to f1.so a few months aga and it now takes twice as long for the old machines to take the money and open the barrier.

More excitingwould be to adopt a number plate recognition charging scheme that WOuld allow much of the traffic to flow freely over and under the river and tum Dartford froIDthe problem relative of our brave new managed motorway farnily into the star performer.

Can't wait to find out what the Agency has up its sleeve.Just bring it on soon.

. Jackie Whitelaw is NCEs deputy editor

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