News
Lord Justice
Hydrock acquires Byways
geoevironmental, flood risk
Jackson looks
assessment and infrastructure
and Highways Ltd.
consultancy work.
to cut civil
The merger should see
litigation costs
the 15-strong consultancy
integrated into Hydrock
ACE affiliate Beale and seamlessly with work
Company LLP has revealed continuing in their existing
some good news for offices.
engineers following the Lord Dr Brian McConnell,
Justice Jackson’s review of Hydrock’s managing director,
high litigation costs. celebrated the move saying,
The Lord Justice published “this is fantastic news for all of
his 550 page review of us within the two companies,
litigation costs in early bringing more and larger
January. In that report he opportunities for Hydrock and
recognised that success its staff. The acquisition will
fees charged to defeated ACE member Hydrock has are also several projects broaden Hydrock’s customer
defendants contribute to high announced its acquisition ahead on which the two firms base and allow us to offer yet
costs in civil litigation and of south-west-based were likely to collaborate. more services to our highly-
recommended a number of transportation engineering The South West firm valued existing clients.”
changes. He suggested that consultancy, Byways and specialises in highway Byways and Highways will
successful claimants pay their Highways Ltd. engineering and transport be rebranded as Hydrock
own success fees. This would Byways and Highways planning services. It is expected Byways and Highways. It will
prevent them from claiming works with Hydrock on a that their range of services will continue to operate from its
the fees back as costs from number of its public and complement Hydrock’s own offices in Camborne, Taunton
defendants and so should private sector projects. There civil, structural, land quality, and Bristol.
help keep costs down.
To reduce the high
insurance premiums that result
Electrification of North
diesels to be re-deployed to
from high legal costs, success provide longer trains on busy
fees could be paid from the
West rail routes
routes elsewhere.”
damages awarded to winning As well as improving
claimants. This would not The Department for Transport “Electrification creates the passenger journeys, the move
halt the use of no-win no-fee has announced a £200million opportunity to carry more is expected to reduce carbon
arrangements but would see investment to electrify three passengers thanks to longer emissions. Moving from
costs met by the successful rail routes in the north west trains on these busy routes diesel to electric trains should
claimant rather than the of England. The plans are and to allow some 30 year reduce emissions by between
defendant. That would create on top of those announced old ‘Pacer’ diesel trains to be a quarter and a third.
an incentive for claimants to in the summer to electrify retired. It also allows existing
keep costs low in such cases. several key routes including
Further recommendations lines between London and
would encourage early Swansea.
settlement. The new lines to be
Lord Jackson also electrified are made up of:
suggested a change to how 15 miles of track between
unbeaten claimant offers Huyton and Wigan; 25 miles
are dealt with. In order to between Manchester and
improve offers from claimants, Euxton Junction; and the 17
he suggests that unbeaten mile route between Blackpool
claimant offers result in a North and Preston.
ten percent premium in the Once completed more
damages awarded. Although than two thirds of rail journeys
this might disadvantage in the UK will be made on
defendants, it is thought that electric trains.
it would benefit the industry Transport secretary
more widely by encouraging Lord Adonis said: “These
early settlement, thereby improvements will be of great
avoiding higher costs. benefit to passengers in the
Impact thanks Beale and North West. Electric trains are
Company for its analysis of the not only quicker, but quieter,
report. smoother and more reliable
than diesels.
8 | Impact • February/March 2010
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