Rail contractor Jarvis has unveiled greater pre-tax losses than expected in its first half results, which it blamed mainly on uncertainty in its plant business.

It posted a pre-tax loss of £3.3m for the six months to the end of September, against a £2.1m loss last time. Pre-tax losses before exceptionals were £600,000, compared with a profit of £500,000 a year ago.

Jarvis said it would achieve “greater visibility” for its business in future and said it expected to post its best full-year result since 2003.

Jarvis has spent the past year restructuring its business which has seen it close its construction business and dispose of a raft of other non-performing units.

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