Weekly round-up - 29 May 2015

HS2 may not go to Scotland, artificial intelligence could replace consultants and lawyers, young losing out in apprenticeship competition and road traffic figures at a high.

Jackie Whitelaw
28 May 2015

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1. HS2 Ltd is not convinced the business case is strong enough for line to go to Scotland, according to the Independent on Sunday. The railway promoter is instead reported to be considering “enhancements” of existing lines. 

2. Areva, the French firm charged with designing Britain's Hinkley Point, has received a €2bn approach for its reactor business from EDF. The French government owns 84pc of EDF and 87 per cent of Areva and will have the final say on whether any deal will pass.

3. Motor vehicle traffic is the highest it has been since 2008 according to the latest Department for Transport statistics. In 2014 all motor vehicle traffic in Great Britain was 311 billion vehicle miles, 2.4% higher than in 2013. This is 2.4% higher than 2013, and represents the fastest annual growth since 1996.

4. More than 50 business leaders from the construction industry have written an open letter to Chancellor George Osborne, highlighting the 'major economic opportunity' offered by cutting emissions from the built environment. The letter, published in Monday's Daily Telegraph, says there is a "remarkable degree of consensus" around the business case for tackling emissions.

5. Consulting engineers, lawyers, accountants and actuaries could be replaced by artificial intelligence by as early a 2025 according to futurologist Graeme Codrington of TomorrowTodayGlobal. "Any professional that is mainly involved in dealing with information is going to be replaced by algorithms and AI," he said. He also predicted that private bankers and wealth managers will be replaced with algorithms. More here

6. There were 1.8 million applications for apprenticeships, but there were just 166,000 apprenticeship vacancies advertised last year, according to the Local Government Association. Two thirds (67 per cent) of intermediate or advanced level (Level 2 or 3) apprentices were already employed by their company. This means that instead of helping young people from unemployment into work, current apprenticeships policy is often enabling companies to train their established, older workforce. Since 2010, 42 per cent of apprenticeship starts have been over the age of 25 rather than young people entering work. In 2013/14 under 19s made up 56 per cent of applications but only 27 per cent of starts, whereas people aged over 25 made up 7 per cent of applications, but accounted for 37 per cent of starts, the LGA said. See more 

7. Laing O’Rourke has been named as preferred bidder for the £200M contract to deliver Swansea Bay Tidal Lagoon’s 410 metre turbine house and sluice structure block.  Arup is the contractor’s lead design and engineering partner for the contract.

8. The Institution of Mechanical Engineers is calling for Government and industry to ensure major infrastructure projects and more household products are designed to cater for older users. The new report 21st Century Engineering for an Ageing Population makes five key recommendations about how engineering and engineers could play a role in meeting the needs of the increasing number of older people in the UK. Prof Garth Johnson, Author of the report and ageing expert at the Institution of Mechanical Engineers’ Biomedical Engineering Association, said: “All major contracts for public infrastructure should have an earmarked budget to cater for older users

9. FIDIC has backed calls to international policy makers to reach a climate deal that achieves zero net emissions at the upcoming Paris COP21 meeting.   FIDIC says business is calling on policymakers to leverage public funds and private sector finance towards low-carbon assets; to introduce carefully designed, robust and predictable carbon pricing; and to eliminate fossil fuel subsidies.