How to engage with the CMA's civil engineering market study
Source: gov.uk (2025-10-29)

How the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) expects its market study to take place, and how you can engage with it.

The CMA has launched a study into the design, planning and delivery of railway and public road infrastructure by the civil engineering sector.

We will look at:
- how the market works
- how well it performs for businesses and the public
- how it could work better
We propose to focus on how the public sector and industry can work together to best deliver large and complex infrastructure projects in the future.

We are looking at this market because the infrastructure it delivers is important to the UK economy. If working well, it could boost economic growth.

Read our blog post (https://competitionandmarkets.blog.gov.uk/2025/06/19/driving-economic-growth-in-uk-markets/) to find out how we will take a pro-growth and pro-investment approach to this market study.

How the market study will work

Image description: The main stages of our civil engineering market study, as described in the paragraphs below.

Below we outline what you can expect to happen at each stage of the market study, and how you can engage with us. We have included all of the steps we expect to take in this market study.

The dates are included as a guide and may be updated.

We will update this page throughout the market study, and you can subscribe to get emails when we update it (select the button at the top of the page).

Launch: June 2025

On 19 June 2025 we launched the market study, which we expect to last for 10 months.

We published a statement of scope (https://www.gov.uk/cma-cases/civil-engineering-market-study#launch-of-market-study), which:
- sets out the purpose and proposed scope of the market study
- provides an overview of the sector and the themes we propose to explore
- outlines our intended approach to evidence-gathering
We invited views on the purpose and proposed scope of the market study, through questions in the statement of scope document. The deadline for responses was 17 July 2025.

We have also published a market study notice (https://www.gov.uk/cma-cases/civil-engineering-market-study#launch-of-market-study), which sets out the legal scope of the study.

Webinar: Introduction to our civil engineering market study

We also held a webinar to give stakeholders an overview of the study’s purpose and proposed scope, and an opportunity to ask any questions. We’ll continue to engage with stakeholders throughout the market study.

Introduction to our civil engineering market study (https://youtu.be/KqH6bRdKNmk?si=HUpr_VYAP3g4Hyom)
- Introduction to our civil engineering market study: webinar slides (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6878ced87ea20916863638c6/_Introduction_to_our_civil_engineering_market_study_webinar_slides.pdf) (PDF, 251 KB, 9 pages)
Other ways to engage

If you have specific questions about the market study, email xxx@xxx.xx (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx). We will aim either to reply by email, set up a call or update the civil engineering market study case page (https://www.gov.uk/cma-cases/civil-engineering-market-study) with more information.

Evidence gathering and analysis: June to November 2025

The CMA has been gathering evidence and conducting analysis to identify any issues in the market and areas for potential improvement.

In line with the approach set out in the statement of scope, we have focused on understanding how public procurement approaches, barriers in the market and supply-side features affect the market’s functioning.

We are:
- hosting roundtables and meetings with civil engineering businesses, local authorities, trade associations, procuring bodies, regulators and other stakeholders
- collecting information from the main civil engineering businesses and public authorities including by using formal requests
- selecting case studies from across the nations and regions of the UK reflecting different outcomes
- analysing available market data through desk-based research
- sending informal questionnaires, such as brief online surveys to key market participants
- working with the UK government and devolved governments, to understand applicable legal and policy frameworks
We have also:
- received and published responses to our invitation to comment (https://www.gov.uk/cma-cases/civil-engineering-market-study#launch-of-market-study)
- commissioned qualitative research from Jigsaw Research, who will engage directly with civil engineering businesses
Sector panel

As part of our evidence gathering, we have appointed a civil engineering sector panel. This panel brings together both sides of the market (supply and demand) to encourage debate and gather opinions. The panel will explore the CMA’s emerging thinking on:

challenges the sector might face

any possible recommendations the CMA could make to the UK government or industry, in light of the potential findings of its market study

This sector panel is made up of individuals who work for the following organisations:
- ADEPT
- AE Yates
- Arup
- AtkinsRealis
- Balfour Beatty
- Cabinet Office
- Costain
- Department for Infrastructure (Northern Ireland)
- D Morgan
- Ice
- Jacobs
- Kier
- Murphy
- Network Rail
- National Highways
- National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority
- Office of Road and Rail
- Scottish Government
- Skanska
Internal state of play meeting

In late September, the CMA held an internal state of play (ISOP) meeting to assess the themes being explored in the market study against the evidence gathered to date and to determine, applying the CMA’s prioritisation principles (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cma-prioritisation-principles), whether to continue, amend or remove any areas of analysis.

The conclusion of the ISOP meeting was to continue focusing on the themes outlined in the statement of scope:
- public procurement
- barriers in the market
- supply-side features
We will continue to look across rail and road markets across the UK.

We decided to deprioritise further work on the intrinsic financial and economic costs of entering the civil engineering market and late payment, noting that the UK government is currently consulting on proposals (https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/late-payments-tackling-poor-payment-practices) to tackle poor payment practices. Our ongoing work on barriers in the market will focus on procurement, planning and regulatory processes.

Consultation on emerging thinking and remedies (if any): December 2025 to February 2026

Interim report

In December, we will publish an interim report to outline our emerging findings and identify areas where there could be opportunities for improving market outcomes.

If needed, this will include any areas for potential recommendation to government and public authorities.

We will consult with businesses, public authorities, UK government, and devolved governments that may be affected. We would be interested in testing our emerging findings and working with these organisations to help develop any proposals for potential recommendations.

Finishing our evidence gathering

After our interim report, we will think about what more evidence we need to finalise our findings and any potential recommendations.

We might send more requests for information, or meet with more civil engineering businesses, local authorities, procuring bodies and regulators.

Final report: March to April 2026

We will publish our final report that sets out our conclusions about the market, and any remedies such as recommendations to government and public authorities.