Podcast
The Infrastructure Podcast
Hosted by Antony Oliver · EN
A new regular podcast series which features conversations with some of the key leaders and influencers from across UK infrastructure sector.
19episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
The Tideway Tunnel with Roger Bailey and Tom Kinnear
6d ago00:43:50Tap to summarizeIn this special episode we take a look at the recently completed Tideway Tunnel project now operating beneath London’s River Thames.Joining me today are two of the minds behind the delivery of this ground breaking project – Roger Bailey, Chief Technical Officer at Tideway and Amey director Tom Kinnear who has been leading the Systems Integrator role on the project for the last few years. Lots to talk about because the £4.5 billion tunnel has certainly been turning programme delivery heads as a rare project that has been delivered pretty much on time, to budget and is now operating to expectation. And it’s a project that’s not before time,…. because for over 150 years, London’s subterranean drainage and flood management pulse was maintained by the Victorian genius of Sir Joseph Bazalgette. His sprawling underground brickwork was a masterpiece of public health, keeping sewage off the streets and out of the Thames. Yet as the city’s population has swelled and rain intensity increased, his system had reached its limit, leaving the River Thames to bear the brunt as overflows from the combined sewage and rain water system regularly overflowed in the river.The Tideway Tunnel, AKA London’s "Super Sewer", has changed all that and is now fully operational. Stretching 25 kilometers west to east and up to 66 meters beneath the city, it has already prevented some 19.7 million tonnes of sewage from reaching the river. Which makes it more than just a tunnel. As former chief executive and project guiding mind Andy Mitchell put it, the project rekindles Londoners love affair with the River Thames. Cleaner water plus new areas of quality riverside public space mean that the public can now embrace the Thames as a positive part of city life. But beyond that, the project’s success perhaps represents a revolution in how we deliver national infrastructure, from its pioneering funding model, to the sophisticated digital nervous system that monitors every drop of flow.The reality is that the project is talked about around the world as having set a new global benchmark for delivery, funding and social impact, with the Tideway company recently recognized by TIME Magazine as one of the world’s most influential businesses. So lets hear more ….ResourcesTideway Tunnel websiteAmey Advisory websiteBackground to the Tideway projectBazelgette's sewer systemTime Magazine most influential businessesThames Water and the Tideway Tunnel
Transcribe →Brick innovation to boost growth with Andrew Shepherd
2w ago00:36:59Tap to summarizeIn this episode we focus literally on the bricks and mortar of the construction sector’s battle to boost productivity, embrace new methods of delivery and hit its housing and infrastructure ambitions and targets.My guest today is Andrew Shepherd, Managing Director of Growth & Innovation at Ibstock Plc the UK's largest manufacturer of clay bricks and a leading provider of concrete building products. Andrew has spent his career trying to rethink products and create a manufacturing revolution that genuinely transforms the way housing, infrastructure and buildings are designed and delivered.Because for decades, the UK construction industry has been locked in a struggle with stagnating productivity and a dwindling skilled labour force. While other global sectors have embraced a digital and manufacturing revolution, construction has largely remained site-based, manual and vulnerable to the whims of weather and the inefficiencies of a fragmented supply chain. Yet with a multibillion pound pipeline of infrastructure slated; a government target of 1.5 million new homes; and a non-negotiable mandate for net-zero delivery, the industry can no longer afford the luxury of business as usual.So today we have to move away from building and toward industrialised manufacturing. And if you heard my recent podcasts with the teams at the New Hospital Programme, the concept of industrialised construction and standardised designs – Hospital 2.0 in their case – is now understood to be central to securing the industry’s future.This kind of transition requires big thinking and a bold pivot toward Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) and Design for Manufacturing and Assembly; shifting from the muddy construction site to the precision of the factory floor to unlock the speed, quality, and sustainability that the 21st century demands.Andrew’s mission at Ibstock is clear: how can the fundamental building blocks of construction – the brick – be used to solve the UK’s productivity and housing puzzle through true industrialisation. It’s a big challenge but one that Andrew is embracing with passion – so let’s hear about it Resources Ibstock PLC website Ibstock Futures Ibstock's new Nostell brick factory in West Yorkshire UK government Modern Methods of Construction ambitionUK government infrastructure pipelineHospital 2.0 - New Hospital Programme
Transcribe →Heathrow’s investment ambition with Javier Echave
3w ago00:37:01Tap to summarizeIn this episode we delve into the infrastructure and expansion ambitions of Heathrow, the UK’s busiest airport. Last year Heathrow handled a massive 84 million passengers, a figure which has grown steadily over the last 30 years and continues to climb with the airport looking to top the 85 million mark this year. Investment in infrastructure – 100% private investment - has been the key to managing this growth – think Terminal Four in 1984, Heathrow Express in 1998, Terminal Five in 2008, Terminal 2 in 2014But it’s fair to say that, since then, investment has slowed; first as the airport battled for expansion via its controversial third runway; then as the Covid pandemic decimated its passenger numbers and business model. But all this is changing. Last year the airport unveiled a £10 billion private investment plan for the next five years. And on top of that it finally announced plans to press forward with the long-awaited third runway project. But its a complex web of passenger upgrades, digital transformations and a race to reach net-zero.My guest today understands that complex challenge having been embedded in the airport for the last 18 years. Javier Echave is Heathrow’s Chief Operating Officer, a role he took on two years ago after nearly a decade as the airport’s CFO. As such he is now responsible for turning those multi-billion-pound ambitions into both physical and commercial realities; plans that will first expand capacity by 10 million passengers a year through investment in modern expanded terminals, transport and technology - before transforming the airport with a proposed £30-40bn plus third runway investment designed to take capacity to staggering 150M passengers a year by perhaps 2036.Bold plans so let’s hear more.ResourcesHeathrow 2026 investment plansHeathrow Airport green lights runway 3 expansion plans Heathrow H8 Period: 2027–2031 investment plans Sir John Egan - Rethinking Construction Heathrow ExpressTerminal Five
Transcribe →A new vision for water with Chris Taylor-Dawson
4w ago00:37:08Tap to summarizeIn this episode we are talking about the once-in-a-generation reckoning currently facing the British water industry. Following the publication of the final report from Sir Jon Cunliffe’s Independent Water Commission last summer - and most recently the landmark January 2026 White Paper, "A New Vision for Water," the regulatory landscape across the sector is being completely redrawn. To discuss these changes and the implications for the supply chain, I am joined today by Chris Taylor-Dawson, Senior Director for Major Water Infrastructure at regulator Ofwat, someone who is, without question, at the heart of this transition. And there is certainly a huge amount for Chris to get across. To start with Ofwat itself will be reborn via a merger with the Drinking Water Inspectorate, and some functions of the Environment Agency and Natural England, to create a new single integrated regulator.And there is a huge amount of work to do on the ground following the latest AMP8 price review. Water companies are committed over the next five years to at least 30 major infrastructure projects, including perhaps nine new reservoirs, as part of a complex £50 billion pound major projects pipeline.And with Ofwat’s recent Economic Impact of Water Supply Infrastructure report highlighting that continued water scarcity could significantly stifle economic growth, the urgency is certainly growing.Fortunately, Chris is a calm head when it comes to meeting this kind of challenge and brings a wealth of experience from his previous career delivering major projects for National Highways.I last spoke to him in November at the Transforming Infrastructure Performance Summit in London and it’s fair to say the challenges have become clearer since then. ResourcesOfwat website Sir John Cunliffe Independent Commission final reportJanuary 2026 White Paper "A New Vision for Water" Ofwat's Economic Impact of Water Supply Infrastructure reportPR24 price reviewOfwat Major Water Infrastructure Programme (MWIP)RAPID (Regulators' Alliance for Progressing Infrastructure Development) programme Transforming Infrastructure Performance Summit London 2025
Transcribe →Technology for the next generation with Kirsty Ingleson
May 400:33:39Tap to summarizeIn this episode we. explore how infrastructure, arguably one of the most traditional and risk-averse industries, can truly embrace and embed digital technology and artificial intelligence as it trains and inspires the next generation into the sector. No question that construction and infrastructure are the backbone of the UK economy. Yet we continue to face a critical shortage of skills - as the pipeline of work grows we see older, experienced professionals retire without being effectively replaced by the next generation. Add to this the impact of technology which is radically transforming – or should be – the way that we design, build and maintain assets, and we have a cocktail of opportunity and challenge.To help us navigate this situation, I’m joined by Kirsty Ingleson, Head of Digital Innovation and Artificial Intelligence at Leeds College of Building. Kirsty will be expanding on our discussion today at a series of workshops to be help next month at the UK Real Estate Investment and Infrastructure Forum (UKREIIF). In these workshops, Kirsty promises to challenge the idea that innovation is just about 'new gadgets’. and instead, argue that the real revolution is in how we think, how we learn, and how we build confidence in an age of uncertainty.From the power of 'reverse mentoring' - where a Gen Z apprentice might just be the one teaching the Site Manager - to the ethical tightrope of AI-driven decision-making, it’s a complex and challenging future.So let’s get stuck in to some of critical questions around how we train the next generation of surveyors, engineers, and site managers for a digital and AI enhance workplace.ResourcesLeeds College of BuildingKirsty InglesonUKREiiF show UK Construction Skills Mission BoardConstruction Leadership Council
Transcribe →New York's Penn Station with Andy Byford
Apr 2700:37:29Tap to summarizeThis is a special episode recorded live in front of delegates at the recent Transforming Infrastructure Performance Summit in New York – the latest in this series of global events supported by software giant Bentley Systems and the UK Government.My guest is Andy Byford, Special Advisor at Amtrak, former London Transport Commissioner, and the man in charge of the massive multi-billion dollar transformation of New York’s vast Penn Station, the busiest rail hub in the Western Hemisphere. The Station sits on Seventh Avenue in the heart of Manhattan alongside the Maddison Square Garden sports and concert venue. It serves hundreds of thousands of passengers each day, via numerous the MTA subway lines and the Long lsland Railroad. Yet for decades it has struggled under the weight of aging assets, fragmented governance, and chronic underinvestment. The result has been a station that works hard, but not well enough for the city, the region, or the nation it serves.But that is now beginning to change. Under the expert eye of Andy - AKA the "Train Daddy" - the Penn Station Transformation intends to redefine what a modern, customer-focused, high-capacity rail hub can look like in the heart of one of the world’s densest urban environments. And after a career running London’s Transport network, and before that, transportation in Sydney, Toronto and New York, he is the man that knows what passengers – and crucially what politicians want from this kind of station transformation.I kicked off by getting to grips with this vast and highly political project - and asking what world class actually looks like?ResourcesPenn Station tranformationAmtrak New Era of Rail websiteMTA project websiteTIP New York Summit 2026American Society of Civil Engineers website
Transcribe →Infrastructure resilience with Sue Percy
Apr 2000:37:20Tap to summarizeIn this episode we talk about infrastructure resilience: the challenge of designing and building infrastructure in an age of deep uncertainty, where a changing climate, a growing population, and a shrinking public purse have rendered traditional asset management models all but obsolete.To discuss this vital issue, my guest is Sue Percy, chief executive of the Chartered Institute of Highways and Transportation and our focus will be on the resilience of the UK’s transport networks. Sue is well placed to tackle the subject given that she fronted the CIHT’s annual conference last month titled “From Risk to Resilience” at which delegates debated a range of critical issues facing the national and local transport sector.As the conference heard, the UK’s highways and transportation sector has operated for decades on the logic of risk management - calculating known variables to maintain a steady state. But that era is pretty much over. And as the conference concluded, that range of systemic pressures requires a fundamental pivot in mindset and practice to move from risk to resilience. It requires us to view our infrastructure not as a collection of isolated assets, but as a living system. That means building networks that don't just withstand disruption - whether from flooding or funding gaps - but infrastructure that actually adapts to it; embracing digital twins and predictive maintenance; breaking down the silos between engineering and policy, and finding the "technical leadership" necessary to deliver results when the skills gap is wider than ever.It’s a complex story of moving beyond high-level theory to the sharp end of delivery. So let’s hear more ResourcesCIHT annual conference 2026 - Risk to ResilienceCIHT websiteSue Percy Linked InNational Highways Road Investment Strategy 3AIA Alarm Survey 2026Integrated National Transport Strategy UK government £1bn structures fund Climate Change Committee
Transcribe →Women in Property with Sam McCabe
Apr 1300:33:09Tap to summarizeIn this episode we take a close look at the work of the Women in Property network and preview a special breakfast discussion that they have planned on 19th May at UKREiiF, the UK Real Estate Investment and Infrastructure Forum being held in Leeds on 19th to 21st May.Joining me is Sam McCabe, the newly installed national chair of Women in Property who in her day job, is Passive House Lead for the UK and Sustainable Buildings Lead for Scotland at consultant WSP.There is much to discuss at the UKREIIF breakfast. The property and infrastructure sector is at a moment of both urgency and opportunity. Huge amounts of public and private investment are promised to underpin the nation’s growth ambitions, yet there are still a vast number of barriers to overcome.Sam’s theme for her year in office tackles these challenges head on and underpins her career mission to deliver buildings and infrastructure that actually work for the environment, for people, for communities and for the bottom line.So when she talks about “Building more with less,” she makes a direct challenge to the industry’s "silo mentality" and the systemic inefficiencies that too often see great designs diluted by late-stage value engineering. And by championing inclusive leadership as a practical means to drive better decision-making, Sam is setting out at both WIP and WSP to bridge the gap between diversity and delivery.So as usual the question is how to drive change. So let’s dig in and discuss her vision for a more collaborative more diverse, more effective and more sustainable industry.ResourcesWomen in Property websiteUKREiiF website WiP breakfast meeting 19th May at UKREiiFMale Allies UK - National Allyship Summit 14 MayWiP People - Innovation - Place Summit - 23 April 2026WSP websiteSam McCabe Linked In
Transcribe →Nuclear powered sustainable aviation with Caroline Longman and Hannah Vickers
Apr 600:41:45Tap to summarizeThis this week's episode we discuss the decarbonisation of global aviation - and specifically a new project that aims to leverage the growth in nuclear technology to accelerate us towards a new world of affordable e-SAF - sustainable aviation fuelsBecause for all the pressures of driving towards a net zero emissions future, the world's hunger for air travel continues to grow. Which leaves the environmental cost of traditional kerosene as no longer sustainable.And to be honest, given the impact of war in Iran, the pressure to accelerate towards new types of fuel is only going one way.Today I am joined by Caroline Longman, director and guiding mind at nuclear energy consultancy Equilibrion and by Commercial lead Hannah Vickers. Together they are going to talk us through a potential solution - Equilibrion’s flagship e-SAF project, Eq.flight.Decarbonising aviation is a tough challenge – perhaps one of the biggest challenges of the global Net Zero transition. Unlike road transport, which can lean on batteries, long-haul flight requires high-density liquid fuels. And global SAF mandates are tightening – the UK and EU have mandated a 2% SAF blend by 2025, rising to 10%–22% by 2030 - making now an increasingly critical moment.While Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) exists, current bio-based methods face a feedstock ceiling - there simply isn't enough waste oil or land to fuel the global fleet.The Eq.flight programme attempts to changes the equation by leveraging the carbon-free power of nuclear energy.Working in collaboration with partners like Rolls-Royce SMR, Equilibrion it is moving from consultancy to delivery, recently launching a call for partners to join a "trusted, outcome-focused" supply chain.ResourcesEquilibrion websiteThe Eq.Flight projectEq.Flight - call for partnersEU mandate on SAFCaroline Longman Linked InHannah Vickers Linked In
Transcribe →Systems Stewardship: managing evolving risk with Donna Lopata
Mar 3000:36:25Tap to summarizeIn this episode we tackle the evolving challenges of managing infrastructure investment risk in a rapidly changing world.As systemic threats like climate change, population growth and social inequality intensify, infrastructure funding models centred on individual assets, on clearly defined risks, and on relatively predictable climate conditions are reaching their limit. In short, if we are to continue to attract private sector cash to underpin investment in our vital public assets, we need new thinking.My guest today is doing that thinking and helping to take the necessary action. Donna Lopata is senior manager for corporate engagement at the Sydney based Investor Group on Climate Change and has just been working with the Institute for Sustainable Futures at the University of Technology Sydney on some ground-breaking research into Systems Stewardship, a radical new way for infrastructure investors to approach the management of risk in this changing world.Donna’s work caught my attention at the recent Transforming Infrastructure Performance Summit in Melbourne. In her presentation she pointed out that the Australian infrastructure investment industry is waking up to a stark reality: if the overarching economic and environmental systems fail, no individual portfolio is safe.However, the IGCC’s report: Systems Stewardship: Managing Interconnected Climate Risks for Lasting Value suggest that a fundamental shift is already underway. Yet while some 85% of investment professionals now apply "systems thinking," a significant implementation gap remains, hampering the transition from high-level belief statements to concrete action.Bridging this gap requires rethinking everything from procurement and carbon assessment to the very fundamental of assessing risk. ResourcesInvestor Group on Climate ChangeThe Institute for Sustainable Futures at the University of Technology SydneySystems Stewardship: Managing Interconnected Climate Risks for Lasting Value Transforming Infrastructure Performance Summit Melbourne 2026Donna Lopata Linked In
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