The proposed London Trial Chris Overton 10th Annual Road2000 Event Tuesday 17 November 2009 National Underground Assets Group

The National Underground Assets Group (NUAG) Formed in 2005 to act as a point of focus and single voice for everyone involved with underground assets

A total length of over 4 million km… and growing daily! Underground assets are the UK’s veins and arteries Communications Gas Oil/Petroleum Sewerage Road drainage Power Steam Water District heating Street lighting Traffic control CCTV

Assets can be found anywhere: …and away from the street both under the street …

… and “Plans or other suitable information about all buried services in the area should be obtained before excavation work starts… “ (HSG47) Around 4 million works are carried out in the street each year PLUS up to another 1 million works away from the street …

That’s where the problems can start! Records of underground assets may be incomplete and inconsistent There is no standard approach to sharing records Current locating technologies are not 100% effective

All of which can lead to Extended job times Abortive and unnecessary work Damage to third party assets, estimated at £150 million per year (2005) Risk to safety of workers and to the public

Resulting in Societal costs, including costs of delays to road users, disruption to business, environmental damage and safety costs, which total an estimated £5.5 billion per year (2005) Consequential loss of supply or service Damage to brand image and reputation

All information on underground assets, and associated above ground assets, will be shared between stakeholders in a consistent way, on demand The NUAG Vision

NUAG has published three reports, each based on extensive stakeholder involvement, setting out what is needed to help achieve the Vision. These are available at

NUAG Reports September 2006: A review of current practice and future requirements, including recommended minimum Performance Standards July 2007: A national approach for capturing, recording and sharing information, including data definitions and standards August 2008: User Requirements for a web- based information sharing service

Web-based information sharing service A multi-stage approach Stage 1: short-term Stage 2 : medium-term Stage 3 : long-term

Stage 1 WEB SERVICE User submits enquiry Service returns contact details Owner User contacts Owners Each Owner returns information

Stage 2 Owner Each Owner returns information WEB SERVICE User submits enquiry Service contacts Owners

Step 1 Find your area of interest

Step 2 Specify a location

Step 3 Contact interested Owners

Stage 3 User submits enquiry WEB SERVICE Service harvests data Service returns single packet of integrated information Owner systems

Implementing the service Engagement with Government through BIS Regional trial before UK-wide implementation Stakeholder support and commitment Start date October 2010

Involvement and Support Participation in the Trial: –As Users –As Owners: provide geographic area and contact details Participation in the Trial User Group

In summary, NUAG has… –Brought together, for the first time, Industry and Government stakeholders –Facilitated agreement of common goals –Created a strategic framework of proposals to address an age-old problem –Developed an opportunity for effective UK solutions to the problem

Potential Benefits More ‘right first time’: –More effective and efficient planning, co- ordination and execution of works –Less dry holes and abortive/unnecessary works Reduced disruption to road network Less risk Lower costs

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