Tag Archive: transport

1. Radical rail reforms launched by the government

   24th August 2021 9:21 am Comments Off on Radical rail reforms launched by the government

   The Railway sector is on track for the biggest shake-up to its model since the 90s after Whitehall recognised the need for a complete overhaul. After years of anticipation, challenges and delays, it pledges to ‘fix the system’ and deliver a better service for passengers across the country. The government’s white paper presents a brand new vision for the country’s rail network.

   Key takeaways from the white paper included the creation of a new body, Great British Railways (GBR). This is set to absorb existing organisations like Network Rail and bring the entire system together, similar to the Transport for London model in the capital. Bringing everything under one umbrella is ambitious but welcome, various elements such as timetables and fares are vastly different wherever you are in the country and this will help improve the system and provide consistency for passengers. 

   Speaking of fares, they’re set to be ‘simplified’ and designed for ‘for the passenger’. Prices are constantly rising and private franchises have failed for a number of years in delivering efficiency. New plans will see fares being set centrally and getting rid of thousands of existing, and somewhat complex pricing combinations. However, the problem is that there’s no guarantee this change will be cheaper. 

   Coinciding with a change in the way people work following the pandemic, one of the biggest changes will be flexible tickets for those who are moving to hybrid working. This will be a welcome change for those making the switch to this new way of working. 

   Breaking away from rail franchising, the government outlined that the new system will be run by GBR who will then pay each operator to run their services. So passengers won’t see any name changes but they will hopefully see an improvement in service. Bonuses will be given to companies who fulfil certain criteria such as punctuality and cleanliness. 

   Finally, aligning to the UK’s climate targets, the government plans to decarbonise the rail network over the next 30 years. A bigger, more detailed ‘environmental plan’ will be published in 2022 highlighting how it plans to set out this change. These changes will be welcome news to commuters across the country, who have been dealing with delays, price increases and overcrowding for years. Hopefully with a more central body holding companies to account, services will improve significantly. 

   We’re able to provide a vast range of services for this sector, from modular and portable staff buildings through to equipment stores.

   Want to see our past case studies? Head over to our case studies page.

2. Thurston Group Project Highlights

   4th October 2019 3:40 pm Comments Off on Thurston Group Project Highlights

   This month, we’ve been busy working on some really exciting modular building projects. From education to commercial and industrial units, here are our October project win highlights:

   Rolls Royce

   We’ve recently completed a full turnkey package to Rolls Royce Motor Cars Limited. From design through to delivery, the project included a reconfiguration of one of their existing warehouse and logistics buildings. It accommodated two bespoke units – a production office block and amenity block. These were lifted onto an existing structure by crane to the first-floor mezzanine area. Avoiding minimal disruption to the operational function of the site, units were installed over a weekend. Providing employees with better amenities and increased office space.

   Aldi

   We’re delighted to be working alongside ALDI to deliver a gatehouse to the £25m expanding Regional Office and Distribution Centre in Bathgate to upgrade their logistics operations. Having worked with ALDI over the last few years, we knew exactly what the client required and are delighted to be working the team again.

   Sandy Upper School

   Our most recent win is on a short time scale. Modular buildings meet the demand for schools that need to be built in a short period of time. As part of the ESPO Framework, we’ve started building a seven-bay double modular classroom with a turnaround time of just eight weeks. In partnership with Central Bedfordshire Council, the modular building will be made from our lightweight steel frame system.

   Business Growth

   After a 40% sales increase, we’ve appointed six new employees to support the business and meet market demand as we continue to grow. Keep checking our blog and follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter for regular updates and more modular building projects.