Atkins’ new head of highways and transportation business has struck a more positive note about private-finance initiative contracts than his predecessor.
Atkins withdrew its bid for Birmingham City Council’s PFI deal last year, saying it was ‘too risky’.
Neil Thomas, replacing Richard Deacon, said that, provided there was ‘better information on the underlying condition of councils’ roads’, and the deals were of a more manageable size, they were likely to be ‘more competitively priced’.
Thomas, interviewed by Surveyor following his appointment, also predicted more integrated consultancy/contractor deals such as Atkins’ contracts with Cambridgeshire, Gloucestershire, Northamptonshire and Somerset.