Build UK has released the sixth update of its Common Assessment Standard, tightening Building Safety, Quality and Information Security requirements for the 26,000+ certified companies. Scaffolding and temporary works are now explicitly out of scope of Building Regulations unless they form part of the permanent structure, the Building Safety section has switched from ‘opt in’ to ‘opt out’, and competence questions have moved into a mandatory Quality section. Cyber Essentials Plus no longer grants exemption from Information Security questions, which now require ISO 27001, while fraud prevention, a named quality lead, and a Drugs and Alcohol Policy are compulsory for all suppliers.

UK Government plans to invest £14bn in rail upgrades nationwide have drawn criticism from the Welsh government, which says Wales is receiving a substantially smaller allocation than implied by the commitment. Ministers in Cardiff argue the shortfall will stall long‑planned electrification, capacity increases and resilience works on key corridors such as the South Wales Main Line and Valleys routes. For civil and rail engineers, the dispute raises uncertainty over funding timelines for track renewals, signalling upgrades and station accessibility schemes across the Welsh network.

Transfer of the UK’s Historical Railways Estate from National Highways and the Department for Transport to Great British Railways has secured backing in the House of Lords, confirming a major shift in who manages more than 3,000 legacy rail structures. The estate includes disused tunnels, masonry and brick-arch overbridges, and former trackbed earthworks that frequently interact with local highway networks and development sites. Moving the asset base into GBR’s remit is likely to change inspection, load assessment and infilling/demolition decision-making, with closer integration to future rail reopenings.