Senior leadership changes in UK infrastructure this month include new appointments at Kier, Costain and the Sizewell C nuclear project, signalling continued boardroom churn despite a seasonal slowdown. Moves at Kier and Costain affect major highways and rail frameworks, where both contractors hold multi‑year NEC contracts with National Highways and Network Rail worth hundreds of millions of pounds. Governance and delivery capability at Sizewell C are also in focus as the project advances enabling works for the twin EPR units and associated marine and civils packages.

HS2 Ltd reports steady 2025 build progress, with major earthworks, tunnelling and viaduct construction advancing on Britain’s largest live infrastructure scheme despite a leadership-led operational reset of the programme. Updated delivery plans are being phased in while maintaining work on key civil assets such as long-section bored tunnels and multi-span high-speed rail viaducts, rather than pausing site activity. For contractors and designers, the message is continuity of core geotechnical and structural work under revised governance and sequencing, not a wholesale slowdown.

Network Rail is delivering £160M of works over Christmas and New Year across England, Wales and Scotland, combining large-scale renewals of ageing track, structures and overhead line equipment with installation of modern digital signalling. Possessions will concentrate on key main line bottlenecks and junctions, with multi-day blockades used to replace life-expired assets and reconfigure layouts for higher line speeds and more reliable timetabling. Contractors will need to manage intensive access windows, complex isolations and winter working risks while handing back routes for the post-holiday peak.