Advance TRS’s Rail & Infrastructure Director, Mick, and our Principal BD Consultant Andy, were pleased to attend the Welsh Transport Conference which was held at the Mercure Cardiff Holland House Hotel & Spa on Thursday 29th November 2018.

This one day conference brought the leaders from the region together to discuss devolution, new technology and innovation, funding and investment, the skills shortage and how we are going to align apprenticeship programmes to fit the needs of the sector, electrification, smart ticketing and much more.

There were some brilliant talks and speeches, one held Brian Meechan, BBC Wales Today Business Correspondent, followed by a Keynote Address by Simon Jones, Director of Transport for the Welsh Government. He spoke about the challenges and opportunities for Transport for Wales across all transport modes.

Attendees also heard from representatives from Siemens, Network Rail, Balfour Beatty, Keltbrayn, Wifi Spark, and there were talks from many other speakers. The conference also offered technical seminars from Furrer+Frey, ABB Ltd, AD Comms, TfW, SPL Powerlines, Centregreat and Atkins.

“This event proved to be a brilliant Networking opportunity, as well as a great way to find out what is happening in the Industry and specifically, what is happening with Transport in Wales. I am always looking for new opportunities to connect with people so this was a great new event to attend” Explains our Principal BD Consultant, Andy, who specialises in recruiting for OLE and Civils.

To view the latest jobs we are recruiting for in the Rail industry, click here!

At this year’s British Water International Reception, keynote speaker Peter Simpson gave an engaging summary of successes and lessons learned in the water sector, in what has been another ‘exceptional year’ for the water network.

From the bitter weather with the ‘beast from the east’ at the start of the year, sending the UK into its coldest period for 27 years, followed by some of the hottest and driest months since records began in 1910, in addition to increasingly frequent and severe flooding the UK, water network has faced significant challenges.

Yet in the face of such extreme challenges, the Water industry is amongst one of the most trusted industries in the UK. 63% of household customers trust their water company, in comparison to 52% for the energy sector. (CCWater Water Matters Annual Tracking Survey, 5,110 total customers surveyed)

With a sector-wide focus on driving innovation and improved efficiency to ensure real benefit and cost savings can be delivered to the consumer, 2 litres of tap water is now 270 times cheaper than a 2-litre premium branded bottle of water, costing less than 1/3p. (CCWater; England and Wales, Apr 2016 – Mar 2017)

In real terms for the consumer, this means the average annual water and sewerage charges across England and Wales households stands at £405, compared to the average annual dual fuel (gas and electricity) bill of £1,066. (Source: Water UK; England and Wales, Apr 2018 – Mar 2019)

Peter also shared a brief insight into the preparatory work being done by water companies in the face of Brexit negotiations, emphasising the need for a continued focus on environmental and outcome-based measures, for success across the sector post-Brexit and touching on some of the contingency forecasting completed for all different Brexit negotiation eventualities.  

The event, hosted at the Institute of Directors in London, proved a fantastic opportunity to showcase the British Water Industry to support international trade. As proud members of British Water, Advance TRS were delighted to support the event as Silver Sponsors.

As a niche recruitment consultancy specialising in the provision of highly-skilled technical professionals, our specialist Water and Utilities consultants supply permanent, contract and temporary recruitment solutions to clients across the UK.

Operating as a trusted adviser to our clients, Advance TRS deliver an end-to-end recruitment service that provides complete peace of mind. From meter readers to senior managers on AMP6 framework projects and Thames Tideway, our specialist industry knowledge enables us to deliver expert, hard-to-find candidates for your business.

 

Get ahead of the January rush and view the latest opportunities in the Water sector here or call 01483 361 061 to speak to our expert Water & Utilities Consultants.

The latest news this week in the Rail Industry

 

Jones in as rail minister following Johnson’s resignation over Brexit plans

Andrew Jones has been announced as the new rail minister following Jo Johnson’s resignation. Read more…

Grayling ‘sees no reason’ to follow European standards in post-Brexit rolling stock regulation

The transport secretary has categorically opposed the following of European Union rail standards when Britain leaves the EU, arguing he can see ‘absolutely no reason’ to follow the regulations. Read more…

Branson exports Virgin Trains brand to US

Last year Richard Branson visited Brightline, the USA’s first privately-owned passenger train service since the 1980s, and following discussions, is set to make a minority investment in the company. Read more…

HS2 kicks off the bid race to build Curzon Street station

HS2 has announced the start of its search for contractors to build its new £435m Curzon Street station. Around four contractors will be shortlisted for the design and build deal ahead of the arrival of HS2 in Birmingham in 2026. Read more…

Network Rail: Preventing suicides on the railway

Gillian, from Hertfordshire, intervened when she saw a man in distress while walking her dog with her husband. Read more…

Commute times surge by five minutes in past 10 years, with Wales and North East suffering most

Travel times to and from work now take an extra five minutes longer, with rail commuters facing the longest journeys, new analysis shows. Read more…

 

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