Private sector output across Yorkshire and the Humber weakened in September, as the latest NatWest Regional PMI showed the region’s Business Activity Index falling to 45.2 from 47.7 in August. The figure signals a sharper contraction across both manufacturing and services, marking one of the weakest performances in the UK.

The report confirmed a sixth consecutive monthly drop in new business, driven by cautious client spending and lower order volumes. Only Northern Ireland, Wales, and the East Midlands recorded steeper declines. Employment levels continued to shrink, extending a trend that began late last year. Redundancies and hiring freezes were key factors behind the region’s job losses, which slightly outpaced the national average.

Backlogs of work fell sharply, indicating reduced pressure on operating capacity. Price inflation eased to a six-month low. However, firms still faced rising salary costs and steady increases in operating expenses. Selling price growth slowed and remained below the national trend.

Despite the downturn, business sentiment strengthened modestly. Companies in the region cited investment plans, stable pipelines, and long-term demand potential as reasons for guarded optimism, although confidence remains weaker than the UK average.

Arriva Group has completed the acquisition of RTS Infrastructure, marking its entry into the UK rail infrastructure construction market. The move broadens Arriva’s service portfolio to include design, build and maintenance operations, supported by a new rail depot near Leeds.

The deal transfers RTS’s existing maintenance and infrastructure contracts to Arriva, adding depth to its UK Trains division and strengthening its order book. The Leeds depot, leased as part of the agreement, extends Arriva’s network capacity for overnight servicing of rail vehicles and enhances operational efficiency for train operators nationwide.

RTS Infrastructure, headquartered in Leeds, delivers depot servicing and rail construction projects, including platform upgrades and track alterations, across the UK. Holding a Network Rail Principal Contractor Licence, the company’s expertise adds new technical capabilities to Arriva’s offering.

Amanda Furlong, Managing Director of Arriva UK Trains and member of the Arriva Executive Committee, said: “This acquisition is an important investment for the Arriva Group and underlines our commitment to the UK rail industry, building our position within it. RTS Infrastructure not only strengthens our depot capacity, but brings valuable construction and infrastructure capability in-house and enhances our competitiveness in the rail sector. This deal is crucial to our strategy to diversify in the UK rail market and operate more flexibly in a changing policy and commercial environment.”

The transaction aligns with Arriva’s long-term growth strategy to diversify revenue streams and build resilience in the UK rail sector. It follows the group’s wider European investments in fleet, infrastructure, and digital innovation. All RTS Infrastructure employees and client contracts will remain unchanged as the business integrates into the Arriva Group.

West Yorkshire-based Premier Technical Services Group Ltd (PTSG) has acquired System Hygienics Holdings Limited, including its trading subsidiary System Hygienics Limited, a provider of ventilation, air quality and fire safety compliance services.

Headquartered in Polegate, Sussex, with a second office in Market Harborough, Leicestershire, System Hygienics employs 93 highly skilled professionals, including 62 engineers and operatives operating nationwide.

System Hygienics’ current management team, led by Phil Tetlow and Shirley Finotti, will continue to run the business day-to-day, working closely with PTSG’s senior management team to ensure a seamless transition and to support the company’s continued growth.

The acquisition strengthens PTSG’s Fire Solutions division, complementing the capabilities of InDepth Services, another PTSG acquisition. Together, the businesses significantly enhance PTSG’s national coverage and technical capacity in ventilation hygiene and fire damper testing – areas of growing importance for customers across the UK.

Paul Teasdale, group chairman of PTSG, said: “We are very pleased to welcome the team at System Hygienics to PTSG. The business has an outstanding reputation and a strong track record of growth, built on technical expertise, compliance excellence and long-standing customer relationships. This acquisition is an important addition to our Fire Solutions division and perfectly complements our existing capabilities in this specialist area.

“With System Hygienics and InDepth Services now working side by side, PTSG is uniquely positioned to deliver a truly comprehensive, nationwide service offering in ventilation and fire safety compliance. As always, our goal is to support the management team in maintaining the high standards that have made System Hygienics successful, while providing the backing and resources to drive further growth as part of the PTSG family.”