Northern Ireland). In England, working in the construction industry remained a reasonable excuse for employees to leave their home for work purposes and allowed construction sites to stay open.
The government s
COVID-19 Response – spring 2021 (22 February 2021) introduced the government s roadmap out of the third lockdown, explaining how restrictions will be lifted over time.
Industry and government guidance
Industry bodies continue to publish useful guidance to assist businesses dealing with the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The seventh version of the
Site Operating Procedures (SOP) was published by the Construction Leadership Council (CLC) on 7 January 2021. The SOP provides guidance on how to protect your workforce and operate sites during COVID-19. The changes are minor according to the CLC, including updated guidance on self-isolation and shielding and the removal of the requirement to display a QR code in site canteens .
A LONG-awaited station will move a one step closer to reality after £200 million of grant funding is approved. Essex County Council is set to approve the station for Beaulieu Park Station between Hatfield Peverel and Chelmsford. Witham MP, Priti Patel welcomed the news saying it will give a real boost as the county recovers from the pandemic. The station will have three platforms and aim to ease some of the congestion on the Great Eastern Mainline, a campaign spearheaded by Ms Patel for a number of years. Ms Patel said: Bringing new infrastructure to this part of Essex benefits the wider area and supports investment in housing, jobs and growth.
Development of the eastern section of East West Rail is key to improving connectivity across the UK, according to Transport East.
In its entirety, the East West Rail project will provide a link between Oxford and Cambridge.
According to Transport East, the eastern section would complement the rest of the project and “enhance connectivity from the East of England across the UK to Wales and interchange with new connections to Scotland”.
The project is being built in phases and the western section between Oxford and Bicester – phase 1 – was completed in December 2016. A £760M funding boost from the government - announced last month - means “further vital construction work can begin” on the next phase between Bicester and Bletchley. It is expected to be up and running by 2025.
Network Rail engineers are working over the weekend to repair a landslip at Ingatestone.
- Credit: Network Rail
Engineers are working around the clock to ensure the main line between London and East Anglia can reopen on Monday after more than a week of repairs.
One of the two tracks on the Great Eastern Main Line has been closed since January 22, after a landslip caused a dip in the track on an embankment.
All trains have had to use the single track and this has caused serious delays and cancellations.
The effect on travellers has not been as great as usual, because there are fewer trains in the timetable because government restrictions on travelling means people can only use public transport for essential journeys.
EMERGENCY railway works to repair a crumbling embankment will be completed this weekend, with lines set to reopen fully on Monday. Network Rail has been completing repairs to part of the Great Eastern Main Line at Ingatestone since last Friday when part of the embankment became unstable. It caused a dip in the tracks on one of the lines. Engineers have been working around the clock to repair the issue but a reduced timetable has been in place this week. Emergency works to stabilise the embankment at Ingatestone on the Great Eastern Main Line. Picture: Network Rail
Works to repair the embankment started last Friday