Infrastructure to boost civil starts

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, Glenigan is forecasting a rise of 17% in the underlying value of civil engineering project starts (work worth up to £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 £4.6 billion-worth of roads work commenced in the latest quarter, which comprised 72% of all civil engineering starts by value.

Glenigan economics director Allan Wilén says: “Road 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 £24 billion in capital funding for motorways and strategic road maintenance between 2026/27 and 2029/30.”

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 £800 million (Project ID: 23264965), to a £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. Glenigan’s market research has identified 101 projects valued between £100 million and £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 £140 million upgrade to Cardiff Central Station is scheduled to start in April (Project ID: 20335033), while a £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 £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 £1.2 billion highways framework for Birmingham City Council have been given longer to try and prequalify, with the deadline extended from January 9^th to noon on the 23^rd (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 £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 £100 million) surged 267% to £248 million in the latest quarter, and major schemes coming up include the £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.