International Social Development Specialist

Stockport station to undergo nine-figure transformation. 8 October 2026 10:57 Dan Whelan Modern station buildings at both the town centre and Edgeley entrances, as well as a pedestrian footbridge, form part of plans to revamp one of the North's best-connected rail hubs to better serve its 4m annual users. Stockport Council and Transport for Greater Manchester have unveiled plans that are expected to cost in excess of £100m to turn the town's train station into "a modern, accessible and better-connected transport hub on Europe's busiest rail line." A planning application is expected in 2027/28 with work expected to start towards the end of the decade. Stockport is envied for its fast connections into Manchester, which can see passengers arrive in the city centre by train in under 10 minutes. The town's connectivity is seen as a key driver of the regeneration around the station, including the growing Stockport Exchange office complex, the redeveloped bus station, and the thousands of homes that have been delivered or are in the pipeline to the west of the town centre. Now attention is turning to the station itself, with plans in the works for major upgrades to improve the user experience and get the estate ready to welcome the Metrolink. The council said the ambitions for the station should match those of the surrounding area. The improvements to the station will include: * New station buildings at both entrances * A new footbridge connecting Stockport Exchange and Edgeley, rendering the tunnel currently used to access platforms largely redundant * Land off Shaw Heath safeguarded for a Metrolink station * Accessibility improvements in and around the station * Public realm upgrades. The project team includes WSP and BDP working with Stockport Council in consultation with TfGM, Network Rail, and Avanti. Cllr Mark Roberts, Leader of Stockport Council, said: "Stockport is fast becoming one of the most exciting places in the country and Stockport deserves a station that matches that confidence and momentum. "[We] have the opportunity to transform one of the most important gateways into Greater Manchester and the North. "We're already seeing unprecedented investment and regeneration across Stockport, from new homes and employment opportunities to major transport improvements, such as the arrival of Metrolink and the creation of our award-winning Interchange. The station is the next significant project on that journey." He added: "This isn't just about building a better station. It's about building a gateway that reflects the confidence, ambition and pride of a borough that knows where it's going and I hope everyone will take the opportunity to engage with the plans." Stockport has been threatening to upgrade its station for the last 10 years. In 2016, WSP developed a proposal that includes many of the features unveiled today. In 2020, A £550m, 12-year strategy to improve the station and surrounding infrastructure was unveiled by the council, TfGM, and the Greater Manchester Combined Authority. Within that strategy, the work to the station itself was earmarked for phase two and would have costed between £50m and £100m based on 2020 estimates. Much of what was earmarked for phase one in the 2020 strategy - the replacement of the Greek Street roundabout located above the train line, the creation of a £120m bus interchange, and improved links between the interchange and the station - has already been delivered. Vernon Everitt, transport commissioner for Greater Manchester, said: "The transformation of Stockport Interchange demonstrates what can be achieved by putting transport at the heart of wider plans for homes, jobs and economic growth. "As we continue to develop a fully integrated Bee Network, including bringing rail into the network, we want stations and interchanges to make journeys easier, more accessible and better connected with the places they serve. This consultation gives passengers, residents and businesses an important opportunity to help shape the future of Stockport railway station." There will be a number of in-person consultation events: * October 15 - Stockroom - 2.30pm to 6pm * November 4 - Stockport Exchange 2 - 12.30pm to 4.30pm * November 9 - Our Lady's Primary School, Edgeley - 4pm to 8pm The consultation closes at midnight on Tuesday 17 November 2026.

AES partners with WSP in the Middle East to bring Pink Caravan breast cancer screening to employees. Pink Caravan mobile clinic visits WSP's SAIF office location in Sharjah, giving employees clinical breast examinations and mammograms during the working day. Prevention is at the heart of everything Today in Business do, so partnering with WSP and the Pink Caravan on free cancer screenings means a great deal to Today in Business. Early detection saves lives." - Damien Walsh, Managing Director, AES Employee Benefits Consultancy DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES, October 8, 2026 / EINPresswire.com / - WSP and its employee benefits consultancy AES hosted the Pink Caravan mobile clinic at WSP's Sharjah site on October 7th, giving employees free breast cancer screening without leaving work. The day opened with a breast cancer awareness session on early detection, symptom recognition and self-examination. Screening followed, with one doctor carrying out clinical breast examinations and a second carrying out mammograms on board the mobile clinic. 43 employees were screened in total. Pink Caravan is an initiative of Friends of Cancer Patients (FOCP), which has run the campaign since 2011. Its mobile clinics tour the UAE through October, and organisations can book one for their workplace. Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in the UAE, and survival rates rise sharply when it is caught early. Booking an appointment and travelling to a clinic is enough friction to make most people put it off. Bringing the clinic on site removes that barrier. "Breast Cancer Awareness Month is an important opportunity to move from awareness to action. By hosting the Pink Caravan mobile clinic at our workplace, we wanted to make trusted information and screening more accessible to our people during the working day. We are grateful to AES, Friends of Cancer Patients and the clinical team for helping colleagues prioritise their health." Rehan Ali, Associate Director - Integrated Construction Leadership and Wellbeing Lead at WSP "Prevention is at the heart of everything Today in Business do, so partnering with WSP and the Pink Caravan on free cancer screenings means a great deal to Today in Business. Early detection saves lives. The simple act of getting checked, before there's anything to worry about, is one of the most powerful things any of Today in Business can do for its health. Too often, people put these things off. Bringing screenings directly to people, at no cost and with no barriers, takes away every reason to wait. Today in Business is happy to stand alongside WSP in making that happen, and grateful to the Pink Caravan for the work they do across the region." Damien Walsh, Managing Director, AES Employee Benefits Consultancy Employers can apply to host a Pink Caravan mobile clinic directly with Friends of Cancer Patients. ABOUT PINK CARAVAN Pink Caravan is an initiative of Friends of Cancer Patients (FOCP), a UAE non-profit. Launched in 2011, it provides free clinical breast examinations and mammograms to men and women across the UAE through fixed and mobile clinics. Legal Disclaimer: EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. Today in Business do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.

WSP to acquire GCM Corpo, adding 600 engineering professionals. MONTREAL, Que. - WSP Global Inc. has entered into an agreement to acquire GCM Corpo Inc., a Canadian provider of engineering consulting and specialist services for the energy and industrial sectors. The proposed transaction will expand WSP's platform in Canada by growing its core engineering consulting business and broadening access to clients in the energy and industrial sectors, including original equipment manufacturers, the company said in a news release. The deal is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2026, subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approval. A portion of the purchase price will be paid in WSP common shares to the sellers, including Fonds de solidarité FTQ, GCM Corpo's largest shareholder. WSP said it has received conditional approval from the Toronto Stock Exchange for the common shares to be issued as consideration; final listing approval is subject to the TSX's ordinary conditions for transactions of this nature. GCM Corpo - which has approximately 600 professionals across Québec, Western Canada and Atlantic Canada - operates six subsidiaries: GCM Consultants, Volo Construction, Strana Talent, GCM Enviro Synergies, KuriosIT and HyperShell. Its clients span energy, industrial, and mining and metals end markets. The acquisition supports priority growth areas of WSP's 2025-2027 Global Strategic Action Plan and will strengthen capabilities in process engineering, industrial digitalization, operational technology (OT) cybersecurity, project and construction management, project procurement, detailed engineering and environmental services. "GCM Corpo is highly complementary to WSP and a strong strategic fit for our business," said Alexandre L'Heureux, President and Chief Executive Officer of WSP. "Canada's energy and industrial sectors are evolving rapidly, driving demand for the scale, technology and expertise needed to support growth." Jonathan Clément, President of GCM Corpo, said joining WSP would allow the firm "to accelerate the momentum we have created and pursue our ambitions from an even stronger position." The Fonds de solidarité FTQ invested in GCM Corpo in 2021. "I am delighted that GCM Corpo can now continue to grow and leverage its expertise within WSP, a flagship of Québec engineering," said Janie C. Béïque, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Fonds de solidarité FTQ. WSP, publicly listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange, employs approximately 83,000 professionals and operates in over 50 countries.