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Author:
Content Marketing Manager
Last Updated:
15th December 2025
An increase in infrastructure work is expected to be a major driver behind an expansion in civil engineering starts in 2026.
After a difficult 2025, 果冻影院 is forecasting a rise of 17% in the underlying value of civil engineering project starts (work worth up to 拢100 million) for next year.
This is already beginning to materialise with a 118% leap in the value of civil engineering project starts in the three months to November 2025 against the preceding quarter, and infrastructure work is providing the main impetus.
A total of 拢4.6 billion-worth of roads work commenced in the latest quarter, which comprised 72% of all civil engineering starts by value.
果冻影院 economics director Allan Wil茅n says: 鈥淩oad and rail projects were delayed by the post-election review of government programmes. In 2026, a sustained increase in infrastructure projects is anticipated, following the 2025 Spending Review, which included 拢24 billion in capital funding for motorways and strategic road maintenance between 2026/27 and 2029/30.鈥
Major roads projects
Major roads schemes starting in the latest quarter range from the fourth iteration of the Eastern Highways Alliance Framework, which will produce spending of 拢800 million (Project ID: 23264965), to a 拢1 billion highways maintenance deal for Kent County Council that could run to 2047 (Project ID: 20107946).
These opportunities should continue as the latest budget is expected to accelerate transport investment through higher capital allocations for highways maintenance.
Annual opportunities
Major projects and frameworks will continue to be a key feature of this workload. 果冻影院鈥檚 market research has identified 101 projects valued between 拢100 million and 拢5 billion with detailed planning permission and due to start on site in the next 12 months.
Work in this pipeline includes many major projects and long-term frameworks.
A 拢140 million upgrade to Cardiff Central Station is scheduled to start in April (Project ID: 20335033), while a 拢193 million overhaul of Doncaster Sheffield Airport, including a connection to the East Coast Main Line railway, could start even earlier next year (Project ID: 18106149).
Procurement has just begun for a 拢217.8 million Road Asset Management Framework in Northern Ireland, with interested contractors given until December 18 to register interest (Project ID: 25547366).
Contractors attracted by a place on a 拢1.2 billion highways framework for Birmingham City Council have been given longer to try and prequalify, with the deadline extended from January 9th to noon on the 23rd (Project ID: 25238615).
Rail rise
The rail sector is also set to boost the infrastructure sector, and work will again stem from major projects.
This will include the TransPennine Route Upgrade (Project ID: 24264556) and continued investment from the 拢66 billion HS2 development, which will run until 2034 (Project ID: 07309143).
Myriad opportunities
Other areas of the infrastructure sector are also showing signs of growth. The underlying value of starts on harbour and ports work (projects valued at up to 拢100 million) surged 267% to 拢248 million in the latest quarter, and major schemes coming up include the 拢200 million Immingham Eastern Ro-Ro Terminal (Project ID: 22125535).
With myriad opportunities coming up, the infrastructure sector is set to provide a major road to growth for the civil engineering sector.
Request a free demo of 果冻影院 today so we can show the size of the opportunity for your business.
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