Atkins communication strategy exposed - Shocker

This from Billy Connections...

Clearly the recession is beginning to bite.

Here Modern Railways new ad sales supremo Chris Shilling asks Sue Foster of Atkins whether she'd like to place an advert trumpeting the company's successful involvement in the London Underground PPP...


So just the one page then?

UPDATE: This from Atkins' Marketing department...

To whom it may concern,

I am writing regarding your post this morning on the Railway Eye blog. I would be grateful if you could remove the post including the photo of Sue Foster and Chris Shilling with immediate effect.

No permission has been sought to use this image, and the content of the post is defamatory to both Atkins and Modern Railways magazine.

If you have any questions, please contact me directly.

Thank you for enunciating Atkins' communications strategy quite so clearly.

PAC blasts "naive" DafT over Metrodebt debacle

So the Public Accounts Committee has lambasted the Department for Transport's role in the Metronet debacle.

This from the Local Government Chronicle:

PAC chairman Edward Leigh said: “The taxpayer has lost up to £410m as a result of the Department for Transport’s inadequate management of the risks arising from the Metronet contracts for upgrading the infrastructure of the underground.

Mr Leigh called the DfT’s assumptions about management of the contract “flawed from the outset” and “naïve”, while the belief that lenders would exert strong influence on Metronet’s governance and financial health was undermined because the DfT shouldered 95% of their risks.

No shit Sherlock.

Meanwhile Eye awaits a suitably contrite apology from Metronet's former shareholders: Atkins, Balfour Beatty, Bombardier, EDF Energy and Thames Water.

But we won't hold our breath.

Brits to build Crossrail ?

So Crossrail is finally about to start.

With Terry Morgan confirmed as Chairman and Rob Holden strongly tipped to be new CEO it looks like there is a real job of work to do.

So no surprise therefore that British companies, like Laing O'Rourke, are bidding hard for big contracts.

Work they may actually win now that Yankopath Prescott has retired from the scene.