http://www.globes.co.il/serveEN/globes/docView.asp?did=1000330332&fid=1724 British Put Israel On Right Road
It is difficult to ignore the radical change that Israel Roads has undergone; there are no budget overruns, procedures have been tightened, and the company has suddenly become efficient. "Globes" talked to Joseph Infante, director of infrastructure at veteran UK construction consultancy firm Northcroft, the man behind most of the changes that have taken place.
The increase in budgets in recent years for infrastructure development, with an emphasis on the development programs of Israel Railways, and Israel National Roads Company Ltd., formerly the Public Works Department, (or Ma'atz) have in turn brought about a change in approach at the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Transport as far tighter fiscal control over the implementation of the road and railway network development program is concerned. Before the structural changes were introduced, Israel Railways and Israel Roads often failed to meet timeframes and overran budgets for major projects, of which the most notable is the upgrade of the rail link to Jerusalem (via Bet Shemesh), which was even mentioned in the State Comptroller's report.
The government's decision to allocate NIS 40 billion to a five-year plan for Israel Railways and Israel Roads made change imperative. Three years ago, at the initiative of then Ministry of Finance Accountant General Dr. Yaron Zelekha, the development budgets of both utilities were subjected to external control for the first time. US engineering consultants Parsons Brinckerhoff were chosen to oversee Israel Railways' budget while a UK construction consultancy firm, Northcroft, was chosen to supervise Israel Roads' development and maintenance program.
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