It details changes in how the Government should assess and procure public works programmes.

CIHT welcomed the document which it said responds to the Institution’s calls for there to be more certainty and consistency in highways and transportation programmes.

“We will be working with other stakeholders to help support the roll out of this Playbook that seeks to improve efficiencies and speed up delivery of key construction projects,” said CIHT chief executive Sue Percy.

The Civil Engineering Contractors Association also welcomed launch of the Playbook, which it said is the result of "substantial collaboration over the past few months" to share learning and best practice across the public and private sectors.

Chief executive Alasdair Reisner said: “Only by working together can industry and Government drive long lasting change, improving the delivery of the UK's infrastructure and providing value for money for the taxpayer.”

There will be a new public works ‘procurement pipeline’ to help suppliers better prepare themselves for contract opportunities and a focus on 'longer term contracting' to give industry more certainty to invest in new technologies.

Contracting authorities are encouraged to use the UK BIM Framework to handle data, and a new Project Scorecard is being developed to help programmes set clear objectives that align with Government priorities.

In addition, public works projects will do more to assess the risk of a supplier going out of business during the life of a contract.

Click here to read further details of the policies contained in the Playbook.

Also this week, High Speed 2 has just taken delivery of two tunnel boring machines Florence and Cecilia ahead of their launch next year. The two 170m long machines will start to be assembled on site to begin digging the 16km long twin bore Chiltern tunnels. They will be operated by main works contractor Align.

As well as digging the tunnels, the machines will line them with concrete wall segments and grout them into place. They are set to move forward at a speed of 15m a day. Each tunnel will require 56,000 segments and a crew of 17 people will operate each tunnel boring machine.

“Launch of our first tunnelling machines will be a defining moment in the history of HS2,” said the project's chief executive Mark Thurston.

(Photograph: High Speed 2)