Falling insolvencies among specialist construction firms, particularly finishing trades, are masking a sharp rise in failures among road and rail contractors, new government figures show.
The number of companies classified as constructing roads and railways that entered insolvency rose by 55 per cent in the first nine months of 2026, compared with the same period last year.
Figures published by the Insolvency Service today (20 October) showed that 45 companies in the category became insolvent between January and September, up from 29 in the equivalent period of 2025.
The figure has already exceeded the 40 insolvencies recorded in the sector throughout 2025.
Across construction as a whole, however, the number of insolvencies fell by 3 per…