National Underground Assets Group

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National Underground Assets Group Les Guest UTILITIES SPRING SEMINAR National Space Centre Leicester 3rd May 06

NUAG Evolution: 

NUAG Evolution A number of different initiatives Traffic Management Act A lot happening all at once No single voice A collaborative focus will bring benefits

NUAG: 

NUAG The National Underground Assets Group (NUAG)is a group of relevant stakeholders, including utilities and local authorities, established to support the Department for Transport in achieving the relevant Traffic Management Act targets, and to act as a point of focus and single voice for everyone involved with underground, and appropriate associated above ground assets.

NUAG Members: 

NUAG Members

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“Tackling congestion is a priority at national and local level, and managing and co-ordinating works in the road more effectively has an important part to play in that. That's why I'm very pleased that all the stakeholders have got together - and will work together with the Department - to improve co-operation and the exchange of information. It will be another step in improving the management of the road network, to the benefit of all road users and local communities" Stephen Ladyman MP, Minister for Transport, 2005

BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT: 

BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT

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Utilities are the UK’s Veins and Arteries … Communications Gas Oil/Petroleum Sewerage Road drainage Power Steam Water District heating Street lighting Traffic control

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…but we know very little about where they are

Buried Assets in the UK – The Scale: 

Buried Assets in the UK – The Scale 275,000 km of gas mains 353,000 km of sewers 396,000 km of water mains 482,000 km of electricity cable PLUS an estimated 2,000,000 km of BT and cable companies (20 in central London alone) highway drains and surface water sewers traffic management cabling (lights, signs, etc) utility service connections to property

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10% of congestion on major roads is due to road works 4 million km of underground pipes and cables 1.5 million holes dug each year by utilities PLUS road building and repair work by highway authorities Records of underground assets are incomplete and inconsistent There is no standard approach to sharing records Current locating technologies are not 100% effective Still too many fatalities and serious injury 3rd Party damage – around £150 million p.a. Source: MTU 2005 Buried Assets in the UK – The Key Facts

Buried Assets in the UK – Pressures: 

50% increase in traffic on urban roads forecast from 1996 to 2031 Planned 20% increase in capital maintenance by water companies between 2005 and 2010 Gas – major mains replacement programme - > 100,000km over 30 years Continued expansion in telecommunications network Electricity replacement ? Buried Assets in the UK – Pressures

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Total traffic increased by 81 per cent between 1980 and 2004. Since 1990 traffic has increased by 21 per cent. Average traffic speeds on trunk roads (including motorways) fell between 1995 and 2003 at all times of day, and on both built-up and non built-up roads Source: DfT Transport Trends 2005 Our congested roads

The ‘Buried Assets Jigsaw’: 

The ‘Buried Assets Jigsaw’

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Initiatives working together to a common goal

The ‘Missing Piece’: 

VISTA MAPPING THE UNDERWORLD TMA ICE BURIED SERVICES GROUP The ‘Missing Piece’ Multi sensor technology to find asset A common container to hold and manipulate in 3D How to exchange in a common manner What should be made available Who , What Where Driver for better data integration Several initiatives working together to a common goal

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National Underground Assets Group Inserting the ‘Missing Piece’

Context: 

Context HAUC Working Groups DfT Code of Practice Regulations

NUAG – Our Aims: 

NUAG – Our Aims The aims of the Group are: To support the Department for Transport in achieving the relevant Traffic Management Act targets by: Delivering agreed data definitions, data standards, protocols and processes, and a timetable for their implementation, leading to the most effective and efficient means of recording, storing, sharing and displaying information on underground assets, and appropriate associated above ground assets. Ensuring that everything is in place to enable the successful delivery of the Vision. To inform and represent the wider stakeholder community.

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All information on underground assets, and appropriate associated above ground assets, will be shared between stakeholders in a consistent way, on demand. THE NUAG VISION

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A more technically skilled workforce More effective technology Methodologies, standards and best practice Improved communications and co-operation Better understanding of life cycle costs Reduced disruption and delay Reduced risk of third party damage Reduced risk of abortive costs Improved relations with regulators More options for legislation to reduce congestion Reduced waste and reinstatement Reduced direct, indirect, social and environmental costs More sustainable construction Improved health and safety More economic maintenance Improved image of organisations Public confidence in a more effective street works process Proven methods and technologies to exploit in home and overseas markets Reduced airborne and noise pollution Reduced congestion Reduced time to locate underground assets More effective data sharing Increased use of no-dig and trenchless technology Reduced time to install or maintain underground assets Better understanding of costs and benefits of data collection and sharing More accurate records Improved planning data

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SCOPE OF THE WORK

Record Asset Data: 

Record Asset Data Records Code of Practice: what will be recorded, and at what accuracy? Various media used. Various referencing approaches used (relative/absolute). Differing accuracy. Are codes followed by all? (Different approaches and timescales). Issues around accuracy. Past vs present vs future. Huge legacy to deal with. Where we are now

Record Asset Data: 

Record Asset Data Records Code of Practice: what will be recorded, and at what accuracy? Various media used. Various referencing approaches used (relative/absolute). Differing accuracy. Are codes followed by all? (Different approaches and timescales). Issues around accuracy. Past vs present vs future. Huge legacy to deal with. A common national standard incorporating current code of practice (as appropriate).   Take the existing DNF Paper and results of RTG trials to inform. Review of code in 2007. Short-term implementation of a revised standard, and use (increasing spread) over longer term. Where we are now Where we want to be

Store Asset Data: 

Store Asset Data Variable amount of data held. Diversity of what is stored, and how it is stored. Timeliness – getting survey data into storage. 3 months as standard, BUT practice is different. ‘Rudimentary’ methods (printed microfiche + magnifying glass) – BUT meet needs at low cost. Where we are now

Store Asset Data: 

Store Asset Data Variable amount of data held. Diversity of what is stored, and how it is stored. Timeliness – getting survey data into storage. 3 months as standard, BUT practice is different. ‘Rudimentary’ methods (printed microfiche + magnifying glass) – BUT meet needs at low cost. An agreed minimum of information that user/viewer wants/needs to know.   Individual company may hold additional data. Link to Records code of practice. Where we are now Where we want to be

Share Asset Data: 

Share Asset Data Different ways of sharing, including: Paper Fiche Internet CDs Email Site visit (office, work site) - minimum standard in Records Code of Practice. No timeliness standards. Different scales. No details of road construction. Is there a common symbology? Different backgrounds. Different levels of detail (services may not be shown). Depth is non-mandatory. Where we are now

Share Asset Data: 

Share Asset Data Different ways of sharing, including: Paper Fiche Internet CDs Email Site visit (office, work site) - minimum standard in Records Code of Practice. No timeliness standards. Different scales. No details of road construction. Is there a common symbology? Different backgrounds. Different levels of detail (services may not be shown). Depth is non-mandatory. Where we are now Where we want to be

Display Asset Information: 

Display Asset Information Relative vs absolute. Where we are now

Relative vs absolute ?: 

Relative vs absolute ?

Display Asset Information: 

Display Asset Information Relative vs absolute. Scales. Format. Practical to share information BUT difficult to use immediately and effectively. Where we are now

Display Asset Information: 

Display Asset Information Relative vs absolute. Scales. Format. Practical to share information BUT difficult to use immediately and effectively. Visualise and distinguish, on demand, all underground asset records in one area – ultimately in 3D.   BUT site confirmation is still needed. Where we are now Where we want to be

A two phase approach: 

A two phase approach

A two phase approach: 

A two phase approach

Milestones: 

Milestones

THE NATIONAL REFERENCING STANDARDS PROJECT: 

THE NATIONAL REFERENCING STANDARDS PROJECT High Level Plans

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Processes is used as a generic term to cover all definitions, standards, protocols and processes, with associated measurement and management systems, documentation, training material and support systems.   Approach is used as a generic term to cover technologies, with associated measurement and management systems, documentation, training material and support systems. Elements of a Plan to deliver The Vision

Delivering Phase 1 Processes: 

Delivering Phase 1 Processes SCOPE: up to the point at which all definitions, standards, protocols and processes, with associated measurement and management systems, documentation, training material and support systems have been developed and delivered. APPROACH: getting the right people together in Workshops for sufficient time to enable capture of ideas and outputs, supported by work outside workshops, that can be turned into outputs for review and subsequent publication and implementation. STEERING: a continuing dialogue with the Steering Group, in terms of two-way communications, signing-off outputs and reviewing overall progress

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National Underground Assets Group Les Guest UTILITIES SPRING SEMINAR National Space Centre Leicester 3rd May 06