Balfour Beatty’s Managing Director for Rail, Richard Watts, has featured in RAIL Magazine, exploring how investment in rail has underpinned Manchester’s transformation and why it now offers a blueprint for other UK cities.
In the article, Richard highlights the critical role long term infrastructure investment has played in driving economic success and strengthening regional connectivity. He notes that rail is not simply about faster journeys, but about “strengthening links between cities, expanding labour markets and unlocking regional growth.”
Richard goes on to discuss how devolution has acted as the delivery engine for Manchester. As he explains, it “allows cities to back the infrastructure they need, align it with growth and deliver it more effectively.”
The article also references Balfour Beatty’s role in delivering a once-in-a-generation programme of works at Manchester Piccadilly station, completed earlier this year. This investment has enhanced reliability for both passengers and freight, supporting the city's continued growth.
Read the full article here
Richard Watts, Balfour Beatty's Managing Director for Rail
