NATIONAL UNDERGROUND ASSETS GROUP

A national approach for capturing, recording, storing and sharing underground asset information

JULY 2007

NATIONAL UNDERGROUND ASSETS GROUP

A national approach for capturing, recording, storing and sharing underground asset information JULY 2007

The National Underground Assets Group (NUAG) was set up in 2005 to champion better coordination between different organisations including highways agencies, utility companies, civil engineers, surveyors and regulators. UK Water Industry Research Limited provides a framework for a common research programme to undertake projects, which are considered to be fundamental to water operators on one voice issues. Its contributors are the water and sewerage companies and the water supply companies of England and Wales, Scottish Water and Northern Ireland s Water Service.

Published on behalf of NUAG by UK Water Industry Research Limited 1 Queen Anne s Gate, London SW1H 9BT First published 2007 ISBN 18457 454 2 National Underground Assets Group 2007 No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written consent of NUAG (www.nuag.co.uk). Printed by Webree.com Ltd.

NATIONAL UNDERGROUND ASSETS GROUP CAPTURING, RECORDING, STORING AND SHARING UNDERGROUND ASSET INFORMATION - A NATIONAL APPROACH TO ACHIEVING IMPROVED MINIMUM STANDARDS Executive Summary The scope and extent of buried asset infrastructure in the UK are enormous, and will continue to expand to service the growing needs of the population. Installing, upgrading and maintaining assets involve excavation work which needs accurate information about existing assets to ensure public safety, minimise delay and disruption to those affected by works in the street, and to mitigate the risk of damaging existing assets. Currently there is no national common approach to the way information on the nature and location of underground infrastructure is captured, recorded, stored and shared. Records are not always complete. There are varying degrees of accuracy and referencing approaches. The amount of time it takes to store data, the way it is stored and the policies and procedures followed also differ. Even scales of drawings, the level of detail, and symbols used are not standard across organisations. All of these factors combine to reduce efficiency and effectiveness, and increase health and safety risks. This document sets out a new common approach to capturing, recording, storing and sharing underground asset information that offers significant benefits to all stakeholders. It has been produced by the National Underground Assets Group (NUAG), an organisation representing all key stakeholder groups, including appropriate Government departments. The approach has been developed by experts representing utility companies, highway authorities, contractors, surveyors and IT specialists, based on regular and extensive stakeholder engagement. The NUAG Approach forms the basis of a national high-level framework to deliver a set of minimum performance standards, all based on identified stakeholder requirements described in the NUAG Report Capturing, recording, storing and sharing underground asset information A review of current practice and future requirements, published in September 2006. It will allow organisations to measure their current position against the minimum performance standards, and to determine what, if anything, is needed to achieve compliance. The Approach describes what needs to be done, not how to do it. It will be the responsibility of each individual organisation to determine how it achieves compliance within the framework. The NUAG Approach is not intended to replace or supplant anything that organisations currently do, although implementing it may require organisations to refine their processes, systems, procedures and approaches. Implementation of the Approach will, inevitably, take time. The performance standards proposed are deliberately challenging, in response to identified stakeholder requirements, and can only be achieved over time as organisations change their processes and the market responds with more affordable and useable technologies. NUAG also recognises that implementing the Approach may require additional resources. Some organisations may need to invest in new data capture, electronic storage, web-based

service and communications technologies, and more modern digital data/map backgrounds than those which they use currently. Stakeholders have identified the lack of a statutory common approach, enabled by legislation, as a major underlying cause of the problems, and are supportive of the NUAG recommendations and standards. NUAG will now use the Approach as the basis for wider engagement with appropriate Government departments to progress the key issues of ownership, legislation and resources. The costs and risks associated with the lack of a common approach are high, and will continue to grow unless action is taken to resolve the problem. Often information on buried assets is incomplete, inaccurate and inconsistent, leading to significant costs: annual direct costs of street works to utilities are estimated to be in excess of 1.5 billion; annual damage to third party assets is estimated at 150 million, and societal costs, including costs of delays to road users, disruption to business, environmental damage and safety costs amount to an estimated 5.5 billion per year. These costs are in addition to the potentially significant consequences of damage and risk to public safety resulting from works on pipelines both within and away from the street. Attempts have been made in recent years to address the way in which information on the nature and location of underground infrastructure is captured, recorded, stored and shared, and to explore a common approach. To date, these have met with limited success. NUAG s stakeholder engagement over the last eighteen months confirms widespread and strong support for action to improve the situation. NUAG is trying to piece together a roadmap to enable everyone involved with buried assets to develop their organisations so that all reach a common point at an agreed date in the future. Successful deployment of the NUAG Approach described in this document is fundamental to this aim, and to the delivery of significant associated benefits to utility companies, highways organisations, and society in general.

Contents 1 2 3 Introduction 1.1 2.1 3.1 3.2 3.3 4 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 5 6 About this document Background National Underground Assets Group NUAG s Vision NUAG s Aims The National Referencing Standards Project The September 2006 NUAG Report NUAG s Recommendations Stakeholder Engagement Setting out the problems The role of NUAG in addressing the problems

Page Number 1 1 2 2 5 5 5 6 6 6 7 7 8 9 10 10 10 11 11 12 14 14 14 15 15 15 17 17 19 23 26 28 29 33 33 34 34 35 36

Helping to solve the problems

Minimum performance standards The NUAG Approach 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 Introduction Principles Assumptions Context Benefits Background A view of the future Issues Ownership An implementation approach Organisational Transition Plans Standards Standards - Capture Asset Data Standards - Record Asset Data Standards - Store Asset Data Standards - Share Asset Data and Display Asset Information Safe systems of work Organisational requirements for safe working close to assets Using asset information to locate buried assets Service Records

Implementation 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 7.6

The NUAG Approach - Managing asset information 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5

The NUAG Approach - Using asset information 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4

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Enabling Technologies

10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 11 11.1 11.2 11.3 12 12.1 12.2 12.3 12.4 13 14 15 16

Capturing data using Global Navigation Satellite Systems Geographic Information Systems Sharing asset information on the Web Visualising and analysing asset information Location Referencing: the Information Glue The Digital National Framework The DNF Architecture Legislative Background Contents of Registers Street Gazetteers Additional Street Data

36 40 40 43 44 44 44 45 45 45 46 46 47 47 48 48 52

Location Referencing

Street Registers and Gazetteers

Electronic Transfer of Notices Acknowledgements Glossary of terms References Utility services

Appendix 1 Service Records

55 61 63 65

Appendix 2 Service Records - Highway authority services Appendix 3 Basic Guidelines for any work near Pipelines Appendix 4 Steering , Working & Technical Group members at 1st July 2007

Introduction

The scope and extent of buried asset infrastructure in the UK are enormous, and will continue to expand to service the growing needs of the population. Installing, upgrading and maintaining assets involve excavation work which needs accurate information about existing assets to ensure public safety, minimise delay and disruption to those affected by works in the street, and to mitigate the risk of damaging existing assets. This document sets out a new common approach to capturing, recording, storing and sharing underground asset information that offers significant benefits to all stakeholders. It has been produced by the National Underground Assets Group (NUAG), an organisation representing all key stakeholder groups, including appropriate Government departments. The approach has been developed by experts representing utility companies, highway authorities, contractors, surveyors and IT specialists, based on regular and extensive stakeholder engagement. 1.1 About this document

This document contains: Background to problems associated with buried asset information. An overview of NUAG and its role in addressing these problems. The NUAG recommendations and a set of associated minimum performance standards. An approach for achieving the performance standards. An overview of potential benefits A transitional approach to implementing the recommendations and achieving the standards. Information on enabling technologies. Information on location referencing using the Digital National Framework (DNF), Street Registers and Gazetteers, and electronic transfer of notices (ETON). A glossary of terms used throughout the document. The aims of this document are to: build on the current Records Code; address the perceived deficiencies of the current Records Code; reflect stakeholder perceptions, requirements and expectations; reflect the advances made by organisations since the current Records Code was published in 2003; 1

anticipate the technology dividend offered by new and emerging technologies, and dovetail with other work such as Visualising integrated information on buried assets to reduce street works (VISTA) and Mapping the Underworld (MTU). 2 2.1 Setting out the problems Background

The scope and extent of underground assets in the UK are massive, including: 275,000 km of gas mains; 353,000 km of sewers; 396,000 km of water mains; 482,000 km of electricity cable; an estimated 2,000,000 km of telecommunication cables; highway drains and surface water sewers; traffic management cabling (lights, signs, etc.); utility service connections to property; Network Rail s assets including signalling, drainage, power and telecommunications, electrification and plant, and nationally-important oil pipelines. Source: Farrimond (2006) Although predominantly found in the street, i.e. under carriageways and footways, a significant proportion of these assets lies underground in areas away from the street. Most of this essential public service infrastructure was installed in the last two hundred years, to various levels of constructional quality, and with different geographical referencing, depending on age. In 2006, utility companies in England carried out 1.9 million street works to repair, maintain and upgrade this network of buried infrastructure (Guest 2007), which confirms earlier estimates of a total 4 million street works a year. (McMahon, Evans et al 2005). Every time a hole is dug in the road, it impacts on traffic and the local environment. Every time a hole is dug, it carries the risk of hitting and damaging buried plant and equipment, with the consequent risk of service disruption and threat to safety. The annual direct cost of street works to utility companies is in excess of 1.5 billion, part of which is attributable to dry holes, where plant and equipment are not found, and damage to third party assets, estimated at 150 million a year. These direct costs are significantly less than societal costs, which include costs of delays to road users, disruption to business, 2

environmental damage and safety costs. These amount to an estimated annual cost of 5.5 billion (McMahon, Evans et al 2005). Third party damage is seen as a major risk by the Gas and Pipelines sector, which includes 21,000 km of 7-75 bar gas pipelines, and over 5500 km of fuel and chemical pipelines operating at pressures up to 100 bar (Jackson 2007). The consequences of damage to these assets is extreme, as witnessed by the 2004 Ghislenghien incident in Belgium where a ruptured 1000mm 80 bar gas pipeline led to an explosion killing 25 and seriously injuring 150 people (Stancliffe 2007). Fortunately, such incidents are rare in the UK, although the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and the United Kingdom Onshore Pipeline Operators Association (UKOPA) (Harrison 2006) both have records of a number of potentially significant near misses. These costs and risks to safety will continue to rise unless better information and more effective technologies can be made available to those doing the work. The growth of broadband, and planned high levels of investment to replace gas, water and electricity infrastructure over the coming years will maintain or increase the number of holes dug. Total road traffic increased by 82 per cent between 1980 and 2005, and is forecast to increase by up to 40% over the next 20 years (Department for Transport 2007). Effective and efficient planning and operations are needed to minimise disruption to road users and the local environment, and to ensure the health and safety of everyone involved. Currently there is no national common approach to the way information on the nature and location of underground infrastructure is captured, recorded, stored and shared. Records are not always complete. There are varying degrees of accuracy and referencing approaches. The amount of time it takes to store data, the way it is stored and the policies and procedures followed also differ. Even scales of drawings, the level of detail, and symbols used are not standard across organisations. All of these factors combine to reduce efficiency and effectiveness, and increase health and safety risks. The need to know what plant is buried, and where, is well recognised by utility companies and highway authorities. For work in the street, Section 79 of the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991 (NRSWA) sets out requirements for apparatus owners to establish, maintain and make available records of all underground apparatus1 in the street (subject to certain exemptions). The Street Works (Records) (England) Regulations 2002, Statutory Instrument 2002 No. 3217, effective from 1 May 2003, set out the manner and form in which records should be kept. Section 79 is supported by the Code of Practice for recording of underground apparatus in streets (Department for Transport Highways Authorities and Utilities Committee 2002). This is a non-statutory document. The Highways Authorities and Utilities Committee (HAUC(UK)), which comprises representatives of both utility companies and highway authorities, has agreed that the principles in this code, and the accompanying regulations, should be adopted not only by all undertakers carrying out street works under NRSWA, but also by highway authorities in recording of their own apparatus.

The term apparatus used in NRSWA 1991 is synonymous with the terms Asset(s) and Service(s) used in this document.

The Code s principles are further supported in two documents published by the National Joint Utilities Group (NJUG): Guidelines on the positioning and colour coding of utilities apparatus (2002), and Recommendations for the exchange of records of apparatus between utility companies (2003). Both of these documents are currently under review Although requirements to establish, maintain and make available records of all underground assets away from the street are not enshrined in legislation and a Code of Practice in the same way as for works in the street, utility companies undertake a significant amount of work away from the street and, in general, use the same/similar approach to records management. Information on buried and associated above ground assets has been recorded in many different forms over time, in many cases over a number of years. The first records were paper-based and still are in a significant number of organisations although many buried asset records have been digitised in some way over the past thirty years, with varying legacy map features and other topographical background information. Not all of this information is recorded against the Ordnance Survey (OS) National Grid; much was originally recorded with reference to contemporary street features, many of which have been changed or removed. In addition, approaches to making data available vary; currently, some organisations make data available to others via secure web sites, some via CD-ROMS, some via microfiche, and some via postal and faxed copies of asset records. A 2000-01 NJUG sponsored records exchange pilot in Cheshire discovered that the variety of records (scanned pre-National Grid maps, vector mapping and networks), their availability and the accessibility of buried asset information significantly hampered the ability to integrate works, exchange records and generally improve the effectiveness of street operation and minimise disruption to the local community and traffic. A feasibility study carried out by AMTEC Consulting Limited for the Department for Transport (DfT) into the potential for utilising information technology (IT) in aspects of highway and street works management identified the keeping and exchanging of apparatus records as an area where a greater or more standardised application of IT could potentially bring benefits. In their document Final Report to Department for Transport. Street and highways works research study (2003), concluded that a National Framework must be established for coordinating the setting of standards and for improving the flow of information to assist in achieving the objective of reducing disruption. Amongst its recommendations, the report states: Asset location records should be made available electronically and will benefit all stakeholders. The need for a common information framework was also advocated by the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) and Institution of Civil Engineering Surveyors (ICES) Geospatial Engineering Board in November 2004. Their Buried Services Working Group produced Use of a common framework for positional referencing of buried assets (2005) which included key findings relating to more effective recording and referencing of geospatial and location data. The Traffic Management Act 2004 (TMA) seeks to encourage owners of underground assets to exchange information to facilitate more effective co-operation between everyone involved in street works. The Act currently proposes that all owners of underground apparatus will need to provide digital (GIS) asset location data, on request, from April 2009. Work will commence in 2008 on a planned review of the Records Code of Practice (Duffy 2007).

However, if asset data continues to be recorded to different standards, held on different media and shared in an inconsistent manner, its usefulness and reliability will be compromised, leading potentially to inefficiencies, delays and impacts on safety. Failure to move to a more consistent standardised approach may jeopardise the TMA s intentions and militate against achieving the benefits offered by the application of ever-improving technology as described, for example, in Buried asset data collection and field trials (UK Water Industry Research 2006). It is against this background that the National Underground Assets Group (NUAG) was formed. 3 3.1 The role of NUAG in addressing the problems National Underground Assets Group

Set up in 2005, the National Underground Assets Group is a group of relevant stakeholders, including utilities and local authorities, established to support the Department for Transport (DfT) in achieving the relevant TMA targets, and to act as a point of focus and single voice for everyone involved with underground, and appropriate associated above ground assets. NUAG complements the existing arrangements between DfT and the Highways Authorities and Utilities Committee (HAUC(UK)). The group consists of prominent figures representing the following organisations: DfT. NJUG. HAUC (UK). ICE/ICES. UK Water Industry Research (UKWIR). Pipeline Industries Guild (PIG). Ordnance Survey. Association for Geographic Information (AGI). County Surveyors Society (CSS). National Street Works Highways Group (NSWHG). More information on NUAG can be found at www.nuag.co.uk. 3.2 NUAG s Vision

NUAG has set out its vision for the future of buried services: All information on underground assets, and appropriate associated above ground assets, will be shared between stakeholders in a consistent way, on demand. 5

3.3

NUAG s Aims

1. 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. 2. To inform and represent the wider stakeholder community. 4 4.1 Helping to solve the problems The National Referencing Standards Project

To help move towards achieving its Vision, NUAG has established the National Referencing Standards Project (NRS), the milestones of which align with current DfT target dates for a revised Records Code of Practice. This is a two-phase project: Phase 1 will develop standards and best practices that address the short-term standardisation needs to 2008. Phase 2 will build on the outputs from Phase 1 to define the technological capability needed to help deliver the vision. As part of Phase 1, NUAG conducted a user survey, to develop a balanced stakeholder consensus view of: the range of practices in place currently to gather, record and store asset data, and share asset information; how these practices may change in the future, as organisations evolve and new technologies become more widespread, and what organisations would like to see in the future. Given that there are well over 500 organisations in England and Wales gathering, holding and sharing asset information, the survey gathered data through an interview-based representative sampling exercise. This was a pragmatic response to the large population size and limited available resources, built on the understanding that outputs would be shared with a much larger body of opinion, which would allow the original sample to be validated and built on. 27 utility companies were surveyed, including a range of organisations of different sizes from electricity, gas, telecommunications, water and pipeline sectors, and Network Rail in different geographic areas. 12 highway authorities were surveyed, including a range of urban and rural authorities, of different sizes in different geographic areas.

4.2

The September 2006 NUAG Report

In September 2006, NUAG published the report Capturing, recording, storing and sharing underground asset information A review of current practice and future requirements. It concluded that: 1. Significant variations exist in practices, approaches, attitudes and emphases, within and between utility companies and highway authorities, for capturing, recording, storing and sharing of underground asset information, leading to, inter alia: variable accuracy; incomplete records; a wide range of map bases; excessive timescales and inconsistent approaches to third party and legacy data. 2. The lack of a statutory-based Code of Practice is seen as a key contributor to the current position. 3. There is strong support across utilities and highways sectors for a change to a more effective standardised approach and mandatory Code of Practice. 4. There are likely to be cost and resource issues associated with the deployment of a new Code. 5. Unless a more consistent and compatible approach is employed to recording, storing and sharing asset record information, the possibility of achieving any future anticipated benefits of new technology will be threatened, and the technology-based aspirations of the Traffic Management Act are likely to be compromised. 4.3 NUAG s Recommendations

The report includes a series of recommendations that, taken together, offer a road map towards achieving the Vision and targets set out in the Traffic Management Act: 1. A revised Records Code of Practice must be developed and deployed on a mandatory basis. 2. A mandatory national high-level framework, with effective ownership and management, for capturing, recording, storing and sharing buried asset information must be in place to enable the effective deployment of the revised Records Code of Practice. 3. Each utility company and highway authority must have clearly-defined processes compatible with the national framework, with effective ownership and management, for the implementation and use of a revised Records Code, and achievement of the Code s standards. 4. The revised Records Code of Practice must include a set of minimum performance standards to be achieved. (These are described fully in Section 5 following). 5. The revised Code of Practice must include standard data definitions and data standards. 6. There must be an annual review process to measure performance against the Code s standards, leading to the deployment of appropriate improved minimum standards. 7

7. Any resource and cost implications associated with the new Code must be managed effectively to ensure a successful deployment. 8. The national high level standard framework and the revised Records Code must be fully implemented within a mandatory timetable. 4.4 Stakeholder Engagement

These conclusions, recommendations, and the associated set of minimum performance standards have been shared with high level stakeholder groups, including DfT and other government departments, NJUG, CSS, NSWHG and HAUC(UK). The response has been overwhelmingly positive and supportive and, wherever appropriate, feedback has been incorporated into this document.

Minimum performance standards

The detailed minimum performance standards to be achieved, referred to in Recommendation 4 above, are as follows: a. All below ground assets must be recorded, together with associated above ground assets. b. Asset data must be captured during all types of work: planned, urgent and emergency. c. Data must be recorded for all new and changed assets in any location. d. All previously-unrecorded existing assets belonging to the organisation carrying out the work, found during work, must be captured and recorded. e. Any historical discrepancies between recorded and actual data for assets belonging to the organisation carrying out the work, found during work, must be captured and recorded. f. Any historical discrepancies between recorded and actual data for third party assets found during work should be reported to the asset s owner. g. Any unidentified third party asset found in the course of work must be captured and recorded as an Unidentified Buried Object (UBO), by the organisation finding it. h. Attributes that must be captured are: location (x and y); top of asset (z); diameter (including any changes); material (including any changes), distance between survey points; domain and owner. i. Asset data must be captured and recorded at a minimum standard of accuracy of +/100 mm in x, y and z dimensions. j. Location data must be recorded using relative and absolute referencing. k. All geospatial data must be recorded using an agreed framework and agreed scales (The Digital National Framework - DNF). l. Asset data must be available for external inspection within one month of capture. m. Record information must be made available in electronic form through a web-based service. n. Each organisation is responsible for managing its response to requests for record information.

6 6.1

The NUAG Approach Introduction

Within this document, reference is made to underlying legislation, including NRSWA 1991, and the Street Works (Records) (England) Regulations 2002, (Statutory Instrument 2002 No. 3217) which, together with the current Records Code set out (mostly non-statutory) duties for and advice on capturing, recording and storing asset record data, and sharing asset information. TMA-related changes to these duties, such as Registers and digital (GIS) data are also described. The problems and future challenges associated with this legislation covering work in the street, and with potential consequences of damage to the significant asset base away from the street, have been described in earlier sections. In sections 4.3 and 5, NUAG offers a set of recommendations and associated minimum performance standards intended to ameliorate the problems and respond to the challenges. The NUAG Approach, introduced in this Section, and described in more detail in Sections 8 and 9, has been developed by experts representing utility companies, highway authorities, contractors, surveyors and IT specialists, based on regular and extensive stakeholder engagement, and represents the best available view of what needs to be done to fully address the problems and issues associated with underground asset information described in Section 2. The Approach forms the basis of a national high-level framework to deliver a set of minimum performance standards, all based on identified stakeholder requirements. It will allow organisations to measure their current position against the minimum performance standards, and to determine what, if anything, is needed to achieve compliance. The Approach describes what needs to be done, not how to do it. It will be the responsibility of each individual organisation to determine how it achieves compliance within the framework. The NUAG Approach is not intended to replace or supplant anything that organisations currently do, although implementing it may require organisations to refine their processes, systems, procedures and approaches. 6.2 Principles

The Approach is underpinned by a number of key principles: 1. Every time a hole is opened, there is an opportunity to capture data and/or improve data quality. 2. The health and safety of everyone working on or in the vicinity of buried and associated above ground assets, and members of the general public, are of paramount importance. 3. Responsibility for capturing and recording asset data lies with that asset s Owner. Discrepancies identified with third party assets found during work shall be

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communicated to the asset s Owner (if known), or captured and recorded as an Unidentified Buried Object (UBO) as described in Sections 8.2 and 8.3. 6.3 Assumptions

Whilst it would be wrong to pre-empt any subsequent work to define the technological capability needed to achieve the NUAG Vision, an assumption has to be made on performance standard m Record information must be made available in electronic form through a web-based service . Based on stakeholder feedback, current systems, planned developments for holding and sharing asset information and the significant volume of largely paper-based legacy asset data, this is taken to describe a web portal arrangement, rather than a single, central system. Enquiries are processed and contact made with individual organisation s databases by the web portal. Information returned by each Asset Owner is collated and passed back to the enquirer by the portal, rather than each enquirer accessing each organisation s data separately. The volume of existing legacy data held in non-electronic form remains a major concern. Ideally, this should all be converted to electronic form by the end of the transition period (described in Sections 7.5 and 7.6). Pragmatically, this will not happen, due to the issues discussed in Section 7.3. It is assumed, therefore, that any residual paper records will be converted to electronic form following receipt of an enquiry and supplied on demand, and that wider scale conversion may occur over time. 6.4 Context

COMPREHENSIVE AND CONSISTENT INFORMATION ON BURIED AND ASSOCIATED ABOVE GROUND ASSETS

EXISTING ASSET BASE

CARRY OUT WORK ON BURIED ASSETS AND ASSOCIATED ABOVE GROUND ASSETS

ASSET BASE EXTENDED AND/OR MAINTAINED

SAFE SYSTEMS OF WORK

Fig 1 The NUAG Approach in context Asset information is a significant asset in itself, and is used for many different purposes. In the context of the NUAG Approach, it is assumed to be used in the extension and/or

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maintenance of the asset base described in Section 2.1, in conjunction with safe systems of work, and the Approach is set out in two parts: 1. Managing asset information (Section 8). 2. Using asset information, as part of safe systems of work (Section 9). Traditionally, the gathering, sharing and use of asset information has been focused primarily on work in the street, given the relatively greater proportion of assets there compared to elsewhere, and NUAG and its proposals are aimed predominantly at this work. Highway authorities and utility companies have worked, and continue to work, together to ensure the most effective planning and co-ordination of works in the street, and the NUAG Approach is aimed at improving the processes involved. What has not always been clear, however, is the focus on work done on the significant asset infrastructure away from the street. This includes utility transmission and distribution networks, oil pipelines of national importance, and Network Rail s asset base. The NUAG approach is equally appropriate to these assets. Applying an improved, nationally-consistent approach and standards to all assets will help to ensure safer and more effective practices. 6.5 Benefits

In combination with other initiatives such as MTU and VISTA, the effective deployment of this approach and achievement of the minimum standards will result in improved means of identifying buried apparatus and better use of technology. Bringing together knowledge and data integration will make works involving buried assets safer and more effective, and so provide societal and economic benefits. Figure 2 shows the nature and scope of the changes and associated potential benefits that will accrue from the effective deployment of the NUAG Approach, as part of the NUAG recommendations, leading to the achievement of the minimum performance standards described in Section 5. It must be stressed that the recommendations and performance standards have been developed to reflect the underlying inter-dependencies between processes and standards. Delivering only some of the recommendations, and/or achieving only some of the standards will, inevitably, reduce the potential benefits. Similarly, implementing less challenging performance standards than specified will also, inevitably, reduce the potential benefits.

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Deploying the NUAG Approach Will deliver

More comprehensive, accurate and timely asset information

More effective sharing of asset information

Enabling Improved planning and coordination More efficient and effective working practices, including no-dig and trenchless technology

Leading to More accurate and quicker location of underground assets. Earlier completion of installation and maintenance works. Reduced disruption and delay for road users. Less abortive works. Less damage to third party assets. Reduced consequential loss of supply or service. Less excavation, and associated reductions in infill material. Less waste for disposal, with consequent reductions in journies. Less reinstatement. Reduced safety risk for those working in or near underground assets. Reduced safety risk to members of the general public. Resulting in Reduced congestion. Reduced direct, third party damage and societal costs. Reduced airborne and noise pollution. More sustainable construction. More economic maintenance. Reduced information management costs. Improved health and safety. Public confidence in a more effective street works process. Improved brand image of organisations. Improved relations with regulators. Proven methods and technologies to exploit in home and overseas markets.

Figure 2 Benefits of the NUAG Approach 13

7 7.1

Implementation Background

One of the key points to emerge from the Stakeholder Engagement work described earlier is related to timescales associated with the achievement of the Vision, and the deployment of any new Code and/or framework. The September 2006 NUAG Report clearly shows different organisations to be at different stages of evolution in terms of how they capture, record and store data and share information, and how they plan to move forward in future. Implementation of new technologies will, inevitably, demand time, resources and planning, and Stakeholders are keen to see sunrise periods built into any deployment. The Mandatory Timetable described in Recommendation 3 will govern implementation dates for a new Records Code, a national framework, compatible processes in organisations, and an annual review process as set out in recommendations 1, 2, 3, 6 and 7. Minimum standards and data definitions and standards in Recommendations 4 and 5 must also be implemented at the same time, but these may need to be implemented by each individual organisation in a phased transition, depending on the organisation s state of evolution. 7.2 A view of the future

To best understand the issues associated with achieving the minimum performance standards, it is first necessary to visualise the most likely scenario for achieving them. The stated accuracy standards and absolute referencing imply absolute positioning using Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS), e.g. the Global Positioning System (GPS), with coordinates captured in the European Terrestrial Reference System 1989 (ETRS89). So, capture of data on all assets installed, replaced, amended or abandoned will be achieved through the use of a GPS-based system. Digital data will be recorded and stored electronically, and made available in real-time through a web-based service, for visualisation and analysis using GIS and other available technologies, which may include VISTA. Section 10 provides more detailed information on these technologies. The amount of legacy asset data held on paper will reduce as organisations digitally capture their legacy paper records; that which remains on paper will be captured electronically and supplied on demand, albeit not in real-time.

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Improved quality and availability of asset data will be augmented in the field by new and improved technologies developed by initiatives such as MTU and Optimised Radar to Find Every Utility under the Street (ORFEUS). 7.3 Issues Whilst the technology needed to achieve the stated data capture minimum accuracy standards with absolute referencing is now available, it remains expensive and needs skilled operators to use it. Over time, however, it is anticipated that implementing a mandatory approach will drive the market to produce rugged, useable and affordable data capture devices. In some cases, current operational map background accuracy may militate against achieving the stated recording minimum accuracy standard, and some organisations may need to invest in more modern digital data/map backgrounds than those which they use currently. Organisational processes may need to change, and for these changes to be effective, time is needed. Organisations may need to invest in new data capture, electronic storage, web-based service and communications technologies. Effective ownership, underpinned by appropriate legislation and regulations, is needed to ensure a successful deployment of the NUAG Approach, and to maximise accrued benefits. 7.4 Ownership

The September 2006 NUAG Report identified the lack of a statutory Code of Practice as a major cause of the problems associated with underground asset information, and the organisations surveyed for the Report were supportive of a mandatory revised Code in future. NUAG believes, therefore, that successful deployment of the NUAG Approach must be on a statutory basis and, consequently, ownership must reside within appropriate Government departments. For example, for works in the street, the obvious owner is the Department for Transport, supported by HAUC(UK): the NUAG Approach can inform the scheduled work to review the current Records Code of Practice. NUAG is committed to pursue the issues of ownership and resource implications as part of its ongoing stakeholder engagement work. 7.5 An implementation approach

Figure 3 below sets out a suggested implementation approach to enable a successful deployment of the NUAG Approach. Although specific to works in the street, it is equally appropriate for works away from the street, albeit within a different statutory framework.

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Revised Records Code of Practice and national highlevel framework developed. STAGE 1 Mandatory timetable for implementation of Code and national framework published. Mandatory transition timetable for phased achievement of minimum standards published.

STAGE 2

Development of compatible organisational processes and organisational transition plans.

IMPLEMENTATION DAY Implementation of Revised Code and initial minimum standards. STAGE 3 Implementation of national framework and compatible organisational processes. Implementation of review process. Implementation of organisational transition plans.

Delivery of organisational transition plans complete. STAGE 4 Full minimum standards in place. Improvement process in place.

Figure 3 Implementation Approach

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In Stage 1 DfT, as the Owner, would develop a revised Records Code and the national framework, and publish a timetable for implementation, and a timetable for the achievement of the minimum performance standards. 7.6 Organisational Transition Plans

The timetable for the achievement of the minimum performance standards should recognise the issues described in Section 7.3: it will take time to move from the current levels of performance to the desired levels, and the work needed to do this will differ within each individual utility company and highways authority, dependent on their current stage of evolution. Each organisation should therefore develop its own transition plan, including any phased targets, based on its current position. For example, an organisation capturing asset data to an accuracy of +/- 300 mm at the start of the transition period (i.e. on Implementation Day) may choose to implement a two-step improvement transition: Step 1: +/- 200 mm, Step 2: +/- 100 mm by the end of the transition timetable specified by DfT. 8 The NUAG Approach - Managing asset information

In this approach, the term managing asset information refers to the provision of comprehensive and consistent information on buried and associated above ground assets, through the four processes shown below:

CAPTURE ASSET DATA

RECORD ASSET DATA

STORE ASSET DATA

SHARE ASSET DATA & DISPLAY ASSET INFORMATION

Comprehensive and consistent information on buried and associated above ground assets

Figure 4 Managing asset information

Processes involved

Figure 5 following describes the scope of, and outputs from, each of these processes. 17

CAPTURE ASSET DATA

Captures geospatial and physical data for buried assets and associated above ground assets as part of work on the asset(s).

Geospatial and physical data on buried and associated above ground assets

RECORD ASSET DATA

Takes geospatial and physical data captured in the field and records it in a suitable form.

Geospatial and physical asset data held as vector digital data and associated attribute metadata or held as a paperbased record, if appropriate, during the transition to holding as vector digital data and associated attribute metadata.

STORE ASSET DATA

Geospatial and physical asset data held as vector digital data and associated attribute metadata or held as a paper-based record, if appropriate, during the transition to holding as vector digital data and associated attribute metadata.

Ensures that recorded data is stored securely, and readily available for sharing.

SHARE ASSET DATA & DISPLAY ASSET INFORMATION

Provides an agreed subset of asset data for a specified geographic area in response to an enquiry from a third party, and returns the data as information to be used for subsequent visualisation and analysis.

A read-only image file of geospatial and physical asset information for each specified domain requested, consistent with agreed entitlement rights, in vector digital data form with associated metadata, against a large scale vector map background, or in intelligent vector data form (scanned paper records).

Figure 5 Processes

Scope and outputs

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8.1

Standards

Sections 8.3 to 8.6 following set out the key features and associated specific standards for the processes described in Figure 5. A number of standards are common across processes, and are contained in Sections 8.1.1 to 8.1.7. 8.1.1 Time Standard Asset data must be available for external inspection within one month of capture. Data should be captured as soon as an asset is installed. Field data should be converted to record data in a timescale that enables achievement of this standard. Storage systems must use a meaningful referencing system that permits access to specified record(s) and retrieval within time standards. Asset information for the area of enquiry based on digital data held electronically should be made available as quickly as possible, and no longer than one working day. SHARE ASSET DATA & DISPLAY ASSET INFORMATION Asset information for the area of enquiry based on paper records should be made available as quickly as possible, and no longer than five working days. This standard does not apply to emergency enquiries.

OVERALL CAPTURE ASSET DATA RECORD ASSET DATA

STORE ASSET DATA

8.1.2

Accuracy Standard

CAPTURE ASSET DATA RECORD ASSET DATA STORE ASSET DATA SHARE ASSET DATA & DISPLAY ASSET INFORMATION Location (x and y) and top of asset (z) should be captured and recorded to the minimum standard appropriate at the time of capture, as defined in the organisation s transition plan (Section 7.6).

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8.1.3

Referencing Standard All data should be referenced absolutely and relatively. An organisation s ability to use absolute referencing may be subject to its transition plan (Section 7.6). Relative referencing must be to fixed, permanent geographic feature(s) or location(s) e.g. to a building rather than a tree, a kerb rather than a hedge. Absolute referencing should be made using absolute positioning using Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS), e.g. the Global Positioning System (GPS), with coordinates captured in the European Terrestrial Reference System 1989 (ETRS89) Minimum Data Standards.

CAPTURE ASSET DATA RECORD ASSET DATA STORE ASSET DATA

SHARE ASSET DATA & DISPLAY ASSET INFORMATION

8.1.4

Survey Points Data should be captured at each survey point; i.e. at start and end points, and at one or more of: Change of direction (x or y). Change of elevation (z). Change of asset size. Change of asset material.

CAPTURE ASSET DATA RECORD ASSET DATA STORE ASSET DATA SHARE ASSET DATA & DISPLAY ASSET INFORMATION

8.1.5

Units

CAPTURE ASSET DATA RECORD ASSET DATA Data should be captured using appropriate metric units. STORE ASSET DATA SHARE ASSET DATA & DISPLAY ASSET INFORMATION

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8.1.6

Minimum Attribute Data SHARE ASSET DATA & DISPLAY ASSET INFORMATION * * * * * * * * * * * * * RECORD ASSET DATA STORE ASSET DATA

Top of asset (z). External diameter, including any changes. Material, including any changes. Distance from previous survey point (excluding the start point). Domain i.e. gas, water, Owner. Relative reference. Absolute reference. Unique Identifier (Following DNF guidelines). Originator s reference number (for work in the street).

NEW AND CHANGED ASSET

Top of asset (z). UBO Relative reference. Absolute reference.

* Subject to agreed entitlement rights (See Section 8.5)

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CAPTURE ASSET DATA

8.1.7

Data Quality Standards SHARE ASSET DATA & DISPLAY ASSET INFORMATION * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * RECORD ASSET DATA STORE ASSET DATA

Date of Capture. NEW ASSET Method of capture. Source of data. Standard of accuracy (x, y and z).

Date of Capture. Method of capture. CHANGED ASSET Source of data. Standard of accuracy (x, y and z). Nature of change. Reason for change. Date of change.

Date of Capture. Method of capture. UBO Source of data. Standard of accuracy (x, y and z).

* Subject to agreed entitlement rights (See Section 8.5)

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CAPTURE ASSET DATA

8.2 8.2.1

Standards - Capture Asset Data Scope

This process captures geospatial and physical data for all new and changed buried assets and associated above ground assets as part of work on the asset(s). 8.2.2 Objectives

1. To capture data for all new and changed below ground assets and associated above ground assets in any location. 2. To capture asset data during all types of work, including planned, urgent and emergency (as defined in NRSWA 1991). 3. To capture historical discrepancies between recorded and actual data, and/or data for previously-unrecorded assets, found during work. 8.2.3 Outputs

Geospatial and physical data on buried and associated above ground assets. 8.2.3.1 Historical discrepancies If in the course of work any discrepancy is found between previously-recorded and actual spatial and/or attribute data for an asset belonging to the organisation carrying out the work, the actual data should be captured as a changed asset. If in the course of work any discrepancy is found between actual spatial and/or attribute data for an asset belonging to a third party and previously-recorded data relating to the asset supplied by the third party, the Owner should be notified. The Owner should capture the actual data as a changed asset. 8.2.3.2 Unidentified Buried Object (UBO) If in the course of work an unidentified third party asset is found then, subject to job time constraints, (as defined by the Traffic Manager and Street Works Unit for work in the street), effort should be made to (a) identify the Owner, and (b) give the Owner the opportunity to capture and record the appropriate data. If at the end of the scheduled job time the Owner has not been found, or not captured the data, then the organisation making the original discovery should capture the specified data. 8.2.3.3 Third party interference If during work assets belonging to a third party are moved (typically telecommunications are affected) then, subject to job time constraints, (as defined by the Traffic Manager and Street Works Unit for work in the street) effort should be made to (a) identify the Owner, and (b) give the Owner the opportunity to capture and record the appropriate data. If at the end of the scheduled job time the Owner has not been found, or not captured the data, then the organisation making the original discovery should treat the asset as a UBO, capturing postmove data.

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8.2.3.4 NRSWA Section 50 A utility infrastructure provider (UIP) may be given a licence to work in the street under NRSWA Section 50 to create an unadopted network for subsequent adoption by an asset Owner. Any assets created or changed as part of this work should be captured and recorded in compliance with the standards described in these sections, and the records provided to the ultimate Owner for storage. In the case of a private individual serving notice and being given a temporary licence to work in the street under NRSWA Section 50, the individual becomes a temporary undertaker with the right to excavate, but the resulting asset remains in private ownership. An example would be laying an electricity supply under a road to a stable block. As part of the licence, the individual would have to deliver to the appropriate Owner a record complying with minimum standards described in these sections. 8.2.4 Legacy assets

The standards included in this section will apply on a mandatory basis only from an agreed implementation date, to all works on buried and associated above ground assets starting on or after that date. They will not apply retrospectively to an Owner s assets existing before that date (legacy assets), except when such assets are found during work that are previouslyunrecorded, or with discrepancies between recorded and actual data. There is a (significant in places) volume of legacy assets whose ownership is not known. This is typically in the telecommunications sector, with Rediffusion as a prime example, where companies have changed ownership or gone into administration and records have been lost. These assets should be treated as UBOs if discovered during work. 8.2.5 Other records

An organisation may choose to capture more data than the minimum specified e.g. through the use of sketches or location referenced imagery / photographs at congested junctions and potentially sensitive locations.

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Figure 6 A typical congested junction 8.2.6 Services

Currently, there is no mandatory requirement to capture data on services; each organisation should have a policy on capturing service records. See Section 9.4 for more information on services.

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8.3 8.3.1

Standards - Record Asset Data Scope

This process takes geospatial and physical data captured in the field and records it in a suitable form. 8.3.2 Objectives

1. To record to the appropriate minimum standards data for all new and changed below ground and above ground assets. 2. To improve the scope and quality of legacy asset data. 3. To provide an effective audit trail. 8.3.3 Inputs

Geospatial and physical data on buried and associated above ground assets. 8.3.4 Outputs Geospatial and physical asset data held as vector spatial data, associated attribute data and other metadata all held in appropriate digital formats. Geospatial and physical asset data held as a paper-based record, if appropriate, during the transition to holding as vector digital data and associated attribute metadata. 8.3.5 Responsibility for records

An Owner is responsible for recording that organisation s assets only, and Unidentified Buried Objects. 8.3.6 Record Formats

Electronic records should be held in a suitable format that allows them to be made available as interoperable data conforming to Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) Standards e.g. Geography Markup Language (GML). Paper records should be held in a format capable of being digitised as intelligent vector data. 8.3.6.1 Historical discrepancies If in the course of work any discrepancy is found between previously-recorded and actual spatial and/or attribute data for an asset belonging to the organisation carrying out the work, the actual data should be recorded as a changed asset. If in the course of work any discrepancy is found between actual spatial and/or attribute data for an asset belonging to a third party and previously-recorded data relating to the asset supplied by the third party, the Owner should be notified. The Owner should record the actual data as a changed asset.

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8.3.6.2 Unidentified Buried Object (UBO) Any third party asset of unknown ownership found during work should be recorded as a UBO. Any third party asset of known ownership found during work and not subsequently recorded by its Owner should be recorded as a UBO. Any third party asset of unknown ownership moved during work should be recorded as a UBO. Any third party asset of known ownership moved during work and not subsequently recorded by its Owner should be recorded as a UBO. 8.3.7 Legacy assets

Records of legacy assets i.e. assets installed, replaced, amended or abandoned before the Implementation Date should continue to be held in an appropriate format. In the case of paper-based records that are subsequently converted to digital format, these should be scanned and/or digitised as intelligent vector data to enable subsequent visualisation by user systems. 8.3.8 Abandoned assets

Assets abandoned in the course of work should be recorded as a changed asset. In the special case of asbestos cement pipes that are abandoned, they must be recorded as asbestos cement , because of the possible risk of asbestos residue. This applies even if the pipe is removed. 8.3.9 Other records

An organisation may choose to hold records of planned and/or proposed works. An organisation may choose to record more data than the minimum specified e.g. through the use of sketches or location referenced imagery/photographs at congested junctions and potentially sensitive locations. 8.3.10 Services Currently, there is no mandatory requirement to record data on services; each organisation should have a policy on recording service records. See Section 9.4 for more information on services.

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8.4 8.4.1

Standards - Store Asset Data Scope

This process ensures that recorded data is stored securely, and readily available for sharing. 8.4.2 Objectives

1. To ensure that all records are stored securely and capable of retrieval on demand. 8.4.3 Inputs Geospatial and physical asset data held as vector spatial data, associated attribute data and other metadata all held in appropriate digital formats. Geospatial and physical asset data held as a paper-based record, if appropriate, during the transition to holding as vector digital data and associated attribute metadata. 8.4.4 Outputs Geospatial and physical asset data held as vector spatial data, associated attribute data and other metadata all held in appropriate digital formats. Geospatial and physical asset data held as a paper-based record, if appropriate, during the transition to holding as vector digital data and associated attribute metadata. 8.4.5 Responsibility for security of records

Organisations holding records need to consider the implications of potential disaster scenarios such as theft, flood and fire and develop appropriate response plans. Storage systems must use a meaningful referencing system (DNF-compliant) that permits access to specified record(s) within time standards. All records must be stored securely.

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8.5 8.5.1

Standards - Share Asset Data and Display Asset Information Scope

These processes provide an agreed subset of asset data for a specified geographic area in response to an enquiry from a third party, and return the data as information to be used for subsequent visualisation and analysis. Each enquiry will be processed by a web portal to establish access paths, and a request sent to each appropriate Owner s system with specified requirements. The portal will gather the requested information, and send it back to the user s system. Entitlement rights for third party users to receive asset information will dictate what is shared and displayed. Each asset-owning organisation will hold a register of permitted users and associated entitlements. As a minimum standard, information will be supplied as an image file (see Section 10.3.1) in read-only format. The provision of information in a form suitable for manipulation by a third party user should be subject to agreement between Owner and user, as part of agreed entitlement rights.

ENQUIRY

ENTITLEMENT REGISTER

WEB PORTAL

ASSET OWNERS RECORDS WEB PORTAL USER SYSTEM Scan

USE

Figure 7 Share Asset Data and Display Asset Information 8.5.2 Objectives

1. To ensure that specified asset information is made available on demand to permitted users in an appropriate format, through appropriate channels, within an agreed timescale.

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8.5.3

Inputs Geospatial and physical asset data held as vector digital data and associated attribute metadata. Geospatial and physical asset data held as a paper-based record, if appropriate, during the transition to holding as vector digital data and associated attribute metadata. An enquiry from a third party specifying, inter alia, geographic area and required domain(s).

8.5.4

Outputs A read-only image file of geospatial and physical asset information for each specified domain requested, consistent with agreed entitlement rights, in vector digital data form with associated metadata, against a large scale vector map background. A read-only image file of geospatial and physical asset information for each specified domain requested, consistent with agreed entitlement rights, in vector data form such as Adobe PDF (scanned paper records).

8.5.5

Responsibilities

Each organisation is responsible for managing their responses to requests for record information, and for the security of the processes and systems involved. 8.5.6 Information Standards

Information provided should be DNF-compliant and compatible with OGC standards e.g. GML. Information must be made available in electronic form through a web-based service: with scale shown; with a key to symbols; with orientation shown, and suitably referenced to a geographic location (map background; DNF, nationally consistent gazetteer) Comprehensive information should be provided, as set out in the following sections, subject to an enquirer s entitlement rights consistent with the Asset Owner s policy for providing asset information. Where an organisation is allowed to download actual asset information as geometries and attributes, then it needs to be available as raw data containing information on how to interpret it within an agreed set of parameters.

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8.5.7

Legacy Assets

As much data as is held should be supplied, consistent with agreed entitlement rights. 8.5.8 Types of enquiry

There are four types of enquiry: Type 1: Point-specific pre-excavation (typically shorter notice periods). Type 2: Planning (typically longer-term and wider geographic scope). Type 3: Emergency (Point-specific pre-excavation). Type 4: General, not related to works e.g. property search. 8.5.9 Enquiry parameters

Enquiry parameters, either singly or in combination from: Grid Reference(s) relating to a centroid or polygon. Address. Postcode. Unique Reference Number (TOID/USRN). Domains of interest e.g. all highways; all utilities; specified subsets of highways; specified subsets of utilities. Timescales, including start and duration. Type of enquiry. 8.5.10 Managing responses to enquiries Each Owner should develop and maintain policies, processes and systems for providing asset information that: ensure compliance with the minimum performance standards set out in this Section; ensure compliance with all relevant legislation; are consistent with the need for commercial sensitivity and/or national security; help protect their asset base; are secure, and facilitate safe systems of work.

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In responding to enquiries in sensitive areas involving commercial sensitivity and/or national security, an indication should be given that there are assets in an area, even if detailed information is withheld. Each Owner should develop and maintain policies and processes for responding to emergency enquiries. An Owner can choose to provide more than the specified minimum detail as part of their own processes for managing requests; part of these processes may include procedures for providing more detailed information as a follow-up to the initial enquiry. If an organisation chooses to hold records of proposed works, it is for them to decide whether to share this information with third parties. 8.5.11 Services Service records, if held, need not be shared. See Section 9.4 for more information on services. 8.5.12 Entitlement to information Each Owner should develop and maintain an Entitlement Register, consistent with their policy for providing asset information based on: the status of the enquiring organisation; nature and scope of information requested; the use to which information will be put; and timescales for use of the information. 8.5.13 Guarantees of accuracy Asset Owners supplying information are recommended to include a statement as to accuracy of data and information supplied. The following is provided as sample text: The information supplied is given in good faith as a guide to locating underground assets. Its accuracy cannot be guaranteed, nor does it include comprehensive information about the existence or location of service pipes or cables to individual premises. The responsibility for locating and avoiding damage to assets and services on site shall be that of the persons proposing to excavate in the specified area who shall be liable to the asset owner and any third party who may be affected in any way for any loss or damage caused by their failure to do so.

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The NUAG Approach - Using asset information

Section 8 describes what is needed to ensure comprehensive and consistent information; this section is concerned with: some, but by no means all, aspects of safe systems of work as they apply to buried and associated above ground assets; how the information should be used as part of safe systems of work, and service records. 9.1 Safe systems of work

HSG47 "Avoiding danger from underground services2", published by the Health and Safety Executive, states that a safe system of work has four basic elements, underpinned by the principle that those proposing to carry out excavations should obtain relevant information before commencing the works. This requirement does not absolve all concerned from their responsibilities under other legislation, such as the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007 (CDM). Work should always be carried out on the presumption that there are buried assets and services in the area. 9.1.1 Planning the work

Careful planning before work starts aids risk avoidance; the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007 (CDM) provide a framework for managing risks, and set out duties related to information on buried assets. 9.1.2 Plans

Plans and/or other suitable information about all buried assets in the area should be obtained before excavation work starts, when the work is being planned. Information should be sought from all potential asset owners in the geographic area concerned. Even though some organisations may not have assets in that area, it is unsafe to presume so without confirmation. Whilst plans are an important indicator of the presence of buried assets, it should be borne in mind that their accuracy may be limited because of alterations to reference points which have previously gone unnoticed. Similarly, additional assets may have been installed, or existing assets moved, since the plan was published. It is possible that not all buried assets in an area are recorded. It is also possible that assets are live , even though they may be shown as, or found subsequently to have been, abandoned.

The term services used in HSG47 is synonymous with the term buried assets used in this document. The term service connection(s) used in HSG47 is synonymous with the term service(s) used in this document.

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Information provided in response to an enquiry will not include services, unless indicated otherwise (see Section 9.4). These limitations make it very important that above ground indicators of below ground assets are used in conjunction with suitable locating devices and safe digging practices. 9.1.3 Locating devices

Use above ground surveying technologies, including ground penetrating radar, and pipe and cable locators, in conjunction with information provided in order to confirm the asset information indicated on the plans, and to identify other assets which may not be evident on the plans. Locating devices may not be able to distinguish between cables or pipes running close together and, generally, do not detect plastic pipes or other non-metallic assets. 9.1.4 Safe digging practices

Safe practices in relation to use of both hand-held power tools and other hand tools must be adopted when excavating. HSG47 provides more detailed information on all of the above elements. 9.2 Organisational requirements for safe working close to assets

In addition to guidance provided by HSG47, most organisations have their own policies, procedures and requirements for safe working within close proximity of their assets, which should be obtained and used as part of any safe system of work. A group of organisations representing the owners and operators of high pressure pipelines have produced a set of requirements common to each of them in the document Special requirements for safe working in close proximity to high pressure pipelines. Revision No. 06.1. Linewatch. January 2006. Appendix 3 contains basic guidelines from this document. Where Network Rail s assets may be involved, initial contact should always be made through their Territory Outside Party Engineers, both for record information and guidance on safe working practices. 9.3 Using asset information to locate buried assets

Location must not be scaled from the asset information provided in response to an enquiry. Information should only be used to indicate the general position of underground assets, which should be more accurately located with the use of sketches and other information, where these are available. This may require: additional follow-up enquiries to the Owner for more detailed information than provided in response to the first request and/or a site inspection with the Owner s representative and/or the use of trial holes.

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Records should be examined carefully to determine whether kerb lines, building lines or other features might have altered since the data was recorded originally, as any such changes will invalidate relative references provided. Standards of accuracy used to capture and record asset data will inevitably vary; standards have changed over time, and will continue to change. Even when the minimum standards described in Section 5 are achieved universally, older data will remain comparatively less accurate. It must always be assumed that recorded assets which do not become exposed where indicated are nevertheless present in the vicinity and their position must be clearly established before proceeding. Where previously-unrecorded existing assets, or historical deficiencies between recorded and actual data are found during work, data should be captured and recorded as described in Sections 8.2 and 8.3. 9.4 Service Records

Currently, there is no statutory requirement for data on services to be recorded and, as a consequence, information provided in response to an enquiry will not include services, unless indicated otherwise. Nothing in this document changes that position, but it is suggested that the issue of capturing and recording service data from a future date, as a means of more accurately reflecting what assets lie underground, be addressed as part of the annual review process specified in NUAG s recommendation 6 (Section 4.3). 9.4.1 Utility services

Broadly speaking, underground and associated above ground utility assets form an infrastructure of networks that distribute or transmit products or services to areas of demand. These networks are countrywide, and lie beneath both the street, and in areas away from the street. It must be assumed that all premises are supplied by service pipes and cables connected to each network. Appendix 1 contains information and advice on the likely routes of utility services. 9.4.2 Highway services

Highway authority assets lie generally beneath the street, and include street lighting, CCTV and highway drainage networks. Highway authorities also own significant buried assets which are classed as services. It must be assumed that any street may have highway services beneath it. Appendix 2 contains information and advice on the likely routes of highway services.

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10 Enabling Technologies 10.1 Capturing data using Global Navigation Satellite Systems Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) are satellite constellations designed to provide geospatial positional data. Terrestrial GNSS receivers are used to obtain the location (longitude, latitude, and altitude) of a user with accuracies to within a few metres, once the receiver is within the range of at least four GNSS satellite signals. Greater accuracy can be achieved using ground networks. The basic architecture of GNSS is displayed in the figure below.

GNSS satellites

e lit tel Sa

c lo

n tio isa al

al correc Differenti

tion

Receiver terminal Base stations

Ground station

USER

Figure 7 GNSS Architecture There are presently two GNSS systems in use (Global Positioning System (GPS) and Global Navigation Satellite System (GLONASS)). Other systems have been proposed, including the EU-funded Galileo system which should be operational by 2012. GPS is the most common GNSS in use in the UK. 10.1.1 Global Positioning System Global Positioning System (GPS) is a constellation of orbiting satellites that provides navigation data to military and civilian users all over the world. The system is operated and controlled by the 50th Space Wing located at Schriever Air Force Base, Colorado, USA. GPS is a global 24-hour, all-weather, navigation system which can provide extremely accurate three-dimensional location information (latitude, longitude and altitude), velocity and timing. GPS was designed as a dual military/civilian system, but its primary purpose was to enhance the effectiveness of U.S. and allied military forces. GPS has its origins in the 1970s and it became fully operational in 1995. Over that period however, GPS has rapidly become integral to the global information economy and so civilian users and commercial communities have 36

gained much influence over the development of GPS. This was outlined by the U.S. Policy Statement regarding GPS Availability in March 2003; The United States Government recognises that GPS plays a key role around the world as part of the global information infrastructure and takes seriously the responsibility to provide the best possible service to civil and commercial users worldwide. This is as true in times of conflict as it is in times of peace. 24 GPS satellites orbit the earth in one of six orbital planes at an inclination of 55 degrees, and there are also up to four active spares in orbit. A GPS orbit is 11 hours and 56 minutes long and has an altitude of around 20,200km above the earth. Each satellite sends two signal frequencies: L1 and L2. 10.1.2 Raw GPS The basic measurement in GPS positioning is the calculation of the receiver to satellite distance. The most fundamental method to do this uses the very accurate satellite atomic clock to generate a unique coded signal (Coarse Acquisition (C/A) Code) for each satellite. This signal is sent on the L1 frequency. The receiver on the ground generates the same coded signal at the same time and compares the received code with the one being generated. The time difference between the two codes gives the time of signal travel between the satellite and receiver. This measurement is called a code-defined pseudo-range, so-called because not all the errors in the measurement are taken into account at this stage. The receiver knows where to look in the sky for the signal from the satellite because orbital information is transmitted from the satellites and stored in the receiver memory. Each satellite generates a different coded signal and, if enough satellites are measured to, a position for the receiver can be computed. There are four unknowns (latitude, longitude, height and time offset) so ranges to four or more satellites have to be observed simultaneously to determine a position. Positional accuracy is affected predominantly by our imprecise knowledge of the GPS satellite orbits, the errors in the satellite/receiver clocks (leading to the mis-measurement of the range), atmospheric attenuation (speeding up or slowing the signal producing a range that is too long or too short), receiver biases and the lengthening of the range due to indirect signals arriving at the antenna (multipath). Raw plan positional accuracy with a single receiver, for civilian users, is around 5 to 10 metres, 95% of the time. Height accuracy in any form of GPS is generally two to three times worse than plan, whatever technique is used. 10.1.3 Differential Code GPS To obtain improved accuracy, some of the errors can be modelled and removed. For basic L1 code positioning, this process is known as Differential Code GPS (dGPS). dGPS involves the computation of corrections to the code-defined pseudo-ranges. The corrections counteract the effect of the major remaining errors in the GPS position (orbit, clocks and atmosphere). These corrections are then combined with GPS signals from the receiver to improve the computed position. Multipath errors are generally reduced by good siting of the GPS antenna, effective

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software in the receiver or antenna design, which either detects the rebounded signals and ignores them, or reduces their effect. The dGPS corrections are generally computed by using another GPS receiver at a known point. This receiver compares its computed and known positions and uses the differences to compute the corrections to the GPS signal. The dGPS corrections can be combined with the user s receiver either in real-time by delivering them over a communications mechanism, such as a mobile phone, or later using post-processing software. Two examples of free dGPS services are the General Lighthouse Authority (GLA) medium wave radio broadcast service aimed at mariners (but also available throughout mainland United Kingdom) and the European Geostationary Navigation Overlay System (EGNOS) which transmits corrections to users via satellites. Basic dGPS will deliver a fairly low plan accuracy, generally in the range 800 mm to 3 metres. High-quality dGPS, which uses carrier-smoothed code positioning, will deliver higher plan accuracy, generally in the range 200 to 800 mm. 10.1.4 Real Time Kinetic GPS Real Time Kinetic GPS (RTK) is a dGPS system which measures range much more accurately by using the actual carrier phase of both GPS signal frequencies, L1 and L2, and applies correction factors derived from a number of known base stations. The carrier phase-derived pseudo-range has all of the same errors as code positioning. Either real-time or post-processed differential techniques therefore have to be performed to obtain a highly accurate position. This generally involves a receiver at a known point (base station) collecting data at the same time as a user s receiver, but this time instead of deriving a correction, a receiver-to-receiver baseline is determined, either in real-time using mobile phone communications, or later during post-processing using web downloads. A technique known as Networked GNSS links together data from a number of dual frequency GPS receivers in real-time, providing a regional dGPS or RTK correction solution. The main advantages of Networked GNSS are cost savings, no need to set up a local base station and accuracy that is not dependent on the base/rover receiver distance. Examples of a Networked GNSS system are the commercial services built onto the Ordnance Survey OS Net national GPS infrastructure. RTK GPS can deliver plan accuracies within the range 10 to 50 mm. 10.1.5 Coordinates The GPS system provides coordinates in the World Geodetic System 1984 (WGS84). WGS84 consists of a three-dimensional Cartesian coordinate system and an associated ellipsoid whose origin is at the centre of the Earth s mass. It is ideally suited for positioning anywhere on the Earth. The coordinate system defined and adopted for Europe is the European Terrestrial Reference System 1989 (ETRS89), and is actually WGS84 at its position on January 1st 1989. ETRS89 is used across Europe as the primary coordinate system instead of WGS84 because WGS84 is fixed to the earth s plates and so moves over time (divergence of ETRS89 and WGS84 is approximately 1.5cm / year). ETRS89 is therefore used as the standard for high accuracy GPS work across the United Kingdom. The most accurate transformation available 38

in Great Britain from ETRS89 coordinates to the National mapping coordinate system (National Grid) is OSTN02 . For height this is OSGM02 . 10.1.6 Practical applications Raw GPS equipment is small, and the cheapest GPS system available, but delivers the least accurate results. Its most typical use is for personal positioning , in applications such as incar navigation. dGPS equipment is bigger and more expensive than Raw GPS, but delivers better accuracy. Typically, it is used currently in lower accuracy surveying applications. RTK GPS equipment is the largest and most expensive, but is capable of delivering extremely high levels of accuracy, and is used predominantly in higher accuracy surveying applications. GPS-enabled digital cameras are becoming increasingly available, offering geospatially referenced digital images capable of download to computer systems. To put these data into context, the figure below illustrates a real life example. Raw standalone GPS positioning could be used to navigate an engineer to the correct road where a leak has occurred. Basic or high quality dGPS could be used to position assets into a database, and RTK to locate or relocate a specific valve or pipe within a network.

Figure 9 A practical example of GPS capabilities Something recorded with GPS can be relocated with significantly higher precision than with other locating methods.

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10.1.7 The Future GNSS positioning will become increasingly more accurate and quicker to determine. The European satellite navigation system Galileo will consist of 30 satellites and provide a range of free and subscription services. Galileo satellites are due to be launched from 2008 with a full operating constellation expected in 2012. The Russian GLONASS navigation system has been under-funded for many years but now looks to be becoming stronger with a full constellation of 24 satellites expected in 2009. Initiatives such as VISTA, which is assessing RTK & network RTK, and integration of GPS with other modalities, should deliver solutions to some of the inherent shortcomings of current GPS, such as the urban canyon effect. Current technologies will develop in the future that enable very fast acquisition (sub-second) of the GPS satellites (Assisted GPS or AGPS). The move towards absolute referencing and higher standards of accuracy described earlier in this document should stimulate the market to produce rugged, easily-useable and affordable equipment. 10.2 Geographic Information Systems It is widely accepted that geographic information systems (GIS) should form the basis for managing asset information. GIS is a system for capturing, storing, analysing and managing data and associated attributes which are spatially referenced to the earth. In the strictest sense, it is a computer system capable of integrating, storing, editing, analysing, sharing, and displaying geographicallyreferenced information. In a more generic sense, GIS is a tool that allows users to create interactive queries (user created searches), analyse the spatial information, edit data, maps, and present the results of all these operations. 10.3 Sharing asset information on the Web The challenge faced in operating a coordinated solution for works on buried assets is the need to harvest asset information from a large number of asset owners in order to understand what buried services might be encountered in any excavation. Asset information currently exists in many forms, to a varying degree of quality and completeness, and all too often is held in systems that do not facilitate ease of access. 10.3.1 Data Formats Users of asset information will require different levels of information in order to make decisions, ranging from simple diagrams that can be measured against, to full digital representations of the network with associated attributes. Currently asset data exists in a variety of formats from hard-copy plans held in plan chests and contractors vehicles, which typically include annotations of local network revisions in multiple versions, to fully digitised representations of the underground assets managed in a GIS solution from suppliers such as ESRI, Smallworld, Autodesk and Intergraph. The objective should be to manage asset information as a digital resource, typically in a GIS, that will allow for significant improvements in quality, currency and availability. The storage 40

of asset information as digital records, referenced to a location using absolute and relative positioning, with associated attributes (as defined in Section 8) will allow information to be communicated electronically. In order for asset information to be disseminated to all parties, it is recommended that as a minimum it should be supplied as an image, or raster file, such as tiff, or jpeg. The data is essentially stored as a picture made up of small pixels, which cannot be intelligently queried, although it can be printed as a scaled drawing which can be used to determine buried assets. The ideal method of capturing and storing asset information would be as vector data. Vector is a data structure, used to store spatial data. Vector data is comprised of lines or arcs, defined by beginning and end points, which meet at nodes. The locations of these nodes and the topological structure are usually stored explicitly. Features are defined by their boundaries only and curved lines are represented as a series of connecting arcs. Vector storage involves the storage of explicit topology, which raises overheads. However, it only stores those points which define a feature and all space outside these features is 'non-existent'. A vector-based GIS is defined by the vectorial representation of its geographic data. An underlying data model will define the transformation from stored to displayed data. Whilst managing the geometry as vector points and lines in a GIS will allow for greater accuracy, compared to raster mapping, it is equally important to relate attribute information to the geometry. A spatial database is a database that relates attribute information to the geometry, and is optimised to store and query data related to objects in space, including points, lines and polygons. While typical databases can understand various numeric and character types of data, additional functionality needs to be added for databases to process spatial data types. These are typically called geometry or feature. The Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) created the Simple Features specification and sets standards for adding spatial functionality to database systems Database systems use indexes to quickly look up values and the way that most databases index data is not optimal for spatial queries. Instead, spatial databases use a spatial index to speed up database operations. In addition to typical SQL queries such as SELECT statements, spatial databases can perform a wide variety of spatial operation. The following query types and many more are supported by the Open Geospatial Consortium: Spatial Measurement: Finds the distance between points, polygon area, etc. Spatial Function: Modifies existing features to create new ones, for example by providing a buffer around them, intersecting features, etc. Spatial Predicate: Allows true/false queries such as 'is there a residence located within a mile of the area where we are planning to build the landfill?' Constructor Function: Creates new features with an SQL query specifying the vertices (points of nodes) which can make up lines. If the first and last vertices of a line are identical the feature can also be of the type polygon (a closed line). 41

Observer Function: Handles queries which return specific information about a feature such as the location of the centre of a circle It should be noted, however, that not all spatial databases support these query types 10.3.2 Data Access & Deployment There are essentially two technical options for providing a single view of buried assets from all asset owners. A Central Database where all asset information is collected from asset owners systems. This approach requires asset data to be copied into a central system on an agreed Service Level Agreement, then access provided to validated users. This approach works well where there are a small number of parties involved, making collaboration and auditing fairly straightforward. The Northern Ireland MOSAIC system adopts this method and allows all parties to see each others services in a webmapping browser. There are significant overheads with maintaining the currency of the copied data, although the database and web-mapping technologies are well established. Web Services can be deployed to harvest the data from the asset owners systems in a real time solution, such that data is not held centrally but collected from the necessary systems on an as-needed basis. Web Services essentially make the asset data available for consumption over the internet on-demand . Using Web Services allows data from many different locations to be compiled on a user s application upon request (to OGC standards). XML is used to create a simple definition of the data structure which can be interpreted by the end application. The challenges of compiling data from such a large array of organisations, who typically use a large array of differing systems to create and manage their networks, points to the adoption of Web Services as a more scaleable and flexible methodology. Each organisation would be required to publish their GIS-enabled asset information as a web map and web feature service, and the user would compile and consume the data in a portal type environment. Subject to agreement with an asset owner, access could be given to access live data on the owner s system within their own web service enabled applications. Both of these methods are described in Section 8.5. All the leading GIS technology vendors support web services as the most open and interoperable method of sharing data, given that it places no requirement on standardising data formats. Web services can also be used to implement an architecture according to Service-oriented architecture (SOA) concepts, where the basic unit of communication is a message, rather than an operation. This is often referred to as "message-oriented" services. SOA is used to create applications based around business processes, coupling discrete functionality together to create workflows aligned to specific user needs. The use of XML and web services has underpinned much of the more recent Government IT standards such as eGIF (Interoperability Framework), and data harvesting such as the ELGIN web site for planned streetworks and the London Works Central Register.

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10.4 Visualising and analysing asset information 10.4.1 Entitlement The development of an interoperable and open solution for sharing asset information should be underpinned by an Entitlement system. As such there must be a layered approach to security and access whereby users gain access to information according to agreed levels of permissions. The information supplied to users should be sufficient to allow them to undertake the agreed activities, and no more. As such, a member of the public would receive significantly less information and privileges within which to use it compared to a contractor who would be entitled to significantly greater levels of detail. Entitlements would be established by the organisation providing the data, and controlled centrally within the application used to compile the information. 10.4.2 Metadata In order to understand what buried services asset information is available from each asset owner there will need to be a metadata catalogue of what information is available, to what standard, and for which location. The metadata catalogue would be maintained by each data supplier as a web catalogue service that would be queried for every request. The user would place a request for information in a specific location, and all the web catalogue services would be queried to determine what data would be released to the user. If no asset data exists for that utility in that area then no further action is required. 10.4.3 Web-mapping The use of web-based mapping has become widespread across all industries, and the release of Google Earth has brought internet mapping to the masses. This technology is well established and has moved in to the Services Orientated Architecture domain. There are many providers of web mapping software that can build an SOA application, serving realtime data through web services to applications designed around users workflows. Web mapping is well suited to delivering functionality for visualising and querying mapbased information, and has superseded desktop GIS as the cost effective method for deploying GIS data. An OGC Web Map Service (WMS) produces maps of spatially referenced data dynamically from geographic information. This international standard defines a "map" to be a portrayal of geographic information as a digital image file suitable for display on a computer screen. A map is not the data itself. WMS-produced maps are generally rendered in a pictorial format such as PNG, GIF or JPEG, or occasionally as vector-based graphical elements in Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) or Web Computer Graphics Metafile (WebCGM) formats. This is in contrast to a Web Feature Service (WFS), which returns actual vector data, and a Web Coverage Service (WCS), which returns actual raster data.

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11 Location Referencing 11.1 Location Referencing: the Information Glue The AMTEC Report (2003) highlights the importance of location referencing of street and highway and utilities works: Location referencing is key, as it is by the location reference that the street work is located within the street. If there is a requirement to link multiple sets of data together, then a common referencing system has to be used. This is critically important if information systems are going to play a key role in advancing the co-ordination and management of street and highway works and assist in reducing the disruption experienced by the road user. Location referencing is equally important for the significant amounts of buried assets that are not within the street, and which instead follow the banks of canals, traverse fields, or even pass through private gardens. 11.2 The Digital National Framework The Digital National Framework (DNF) provides a model for location referencing that is not only suitable for highway and utility purposes, but also for any other datasets where information needs to be tied to a particular location. It is intended to be used as a base model, upon which application-specific information can be added to create specialised yet interoperable datasets. Crucially, it does not require the use of coordinates or spatial functionality it uses unique identifiers to link data together.

Application Information Associated Reference Information Base Reference Information & Geodetic Reference System

Figure 10 The Digital National Framework structure

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11.3 The DNF Architecture In the DNF architecture, every item of data is considered to be an object . An object can be a real-world entity, such as a building, bus stop, telegraph pole or post box, or something more abstract, such as a council tax record, an electoral ward, or a crime record. The important common factor between these objects is location: everything happens somewhere, and generally data relates in some way to a particular place. Every object must have a unique identifier, which can be used to reference it unambiguously, and these identifiers can be used to build relationships between related objects in different datasets. The only essential components of a valid DNF Application Reference Object are a unique identifier and at least one reference to an existing Reference Object. Every point in Great Britain exists within an OS polygon, which is referred to by means of a unique identifier, a Topographic Identifier (TOID). So, a GNSS coordinate can be recorded and the corresponding TOID identified with ease. Once the TOID is known, the DNF references in the underground assets database can be searched for this TOID, in order to return all the recorded sections of pipe that pass beneath the surface feature in question. The same method can be used to search any other relevant DNF dataset (such as the highway network, other utility networks, river catchments, soil types, archaeological information, land ownership, etc.) so that all the relevant information about the site can be gathered quickly and efficiently. An overview of DNF, and associated technical www.dnf.org/Pages/technical%20guidance/defaults.asp. 12 Street Registers and Gazetteers 12.1 Legislative Background NSWRA provides the legislative framework for the management of street works. It requires the provision of information about all works carried out by undertakers in the street in the form of statutory notices. It also provides for street authorities to designate certain roads as being important in terms of their overall protection, the protection of sensitive structures and tighter controls on works in streets which are traffic sensitive. The TMA has introduced a new duty for local highway authorities to manage their network and to consider the impact on adjoining authorities' networks: the Network Management Duty (NMD). It also tightens up the existing regulatory framework within which undertakers are permitted to undertake works in the highway, giving authorities more power to coordinate, control and direct works effectively so as to minimise this disruption. In doing this, it has sought to modify and improve the street and road works coordination tools. Under Section 59 of NSWRA the street authority has a general duty to coordinate works, including those for road purposes, and under Section 60 statutory undertakers have a duty to co-operate with the street authority and between themselves for safety, to minimise the impact on users of streets and to protect the structure of the street and the apparatus in it. Section 53 of NSWRA requires highway authorities to be responsible for the provision of a local street register for the purpose of recording and co-ordinating street works. For local 45 guidance can be found at

highway authorities and utilities to plan their work effectively, it is essential that the street networks are represented accurately in this register and that activities on the street are recorded consistently and frequently. NRSWA also requires local highway authorities to make the register available for inspection. Currently, the draft revised Code of Practice and Regulations require that all authorities should develop and make available a GIS-based register accessible through a web site by April 2009. 12.2 Contents of Registers Highway authorities are required to maintain three broad groups of information within their street works register, as follows: information on each set of street works and works for roads purposes, with a description of them and their location; information on all streets within an authority's area, whether or not they are the street authority - a Local Street Gazetteer; Section 50 licensees, and any apparatus notified under the provisions of Section 80(2) of NRSWA. 12.3 Street Gazetteers Each highway authority is required to produce and maintain a Local Street Gazetteer (LSG) for their area of responsibility. Each LSG contains information about the streets in that authority s area, and is made available to all utility companies as well as other interested bodies, such as Network Rail and the Highways Agency, for use in street registers and noticing systems. Under the rules laid down in BS7666:1-2006, any geospatially referenced dataset such as information on street and road works should use a Local Street Gazetteer to reference the works to the real world. Each street is assigned a Unique Street Reference Number (USRN) according to its name and location. Gazetteers can either be simple, consisting of points or nodes at significant changes in the street network such as junctions and also the straight line links between these nodes (level 1 gazetteers), or more fully geospatial representations, known as level 3, which are fully compliant with DNF requirements (see Figure 11 below). Until now street gazetteers have been provided at level 1, which has proved unsatisfactory. It is likely, therefore, that a nationally consistent gazetteer will be defined under the new regulations following the implementation of the TMA which will enable a fully topologically structured geospatial network to be created.

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LEVEL 1 STREET GAZETTEER

Describes quality of

Street Gazetteer
Des crib es c onte n

Quality Report

LEVEL 2 STREET GAZETTEER

Aggregates

t of

Gazetteer Metadata

LEVEL 3 STREET GAZETTEER

May overlap

Street Record Street Record Street Record Street Record Street Record
May cross refer to

Subdivides

Elementary Street Unit Record (with extremity points)

May cross refer to

External crossreference (e.g. OS MasterMap Topography, ITN)

May cross refer to

Elementary Street Unit Record (with road centre line)

Figure 11 Structure of a street gazetteer 12.4 Additional Street Data Regulations also require the provision of information about a street linked to its USRN in the LSG. This Additional Street Data (ASD) includes the status, specific designations, engineering information and restrictions that apply to the street. The ASD also permits other highway authorities, or organisations such as National Rail, to declare interests in that street. This interest may be either because of a shared coordination concern or the presence of specific apparatus or equipment in that street. The Highways Agency, Transport for London and Network Rail submit ASD for roads for which they are the highway or street authority. 13 Electronic Transfer of Notices NRSWA, as amended by the TMA, and supporting regulations and code of practice prescribe a set of formal notifications between undertakers, street authorities and others for coordination, protection, safety, reinstatement guarantee and other reasons. These and other non-statutory notifications are supported by a new electronic transfer of notices (EToN 4.0) system based on XML web services, to be implemented on completion of the regulatory process. EToN-compliant notice management systems (including statutory street works registers) are mainly provided by commercial EToN software developers although a small number of utilities and authorities still develop their own in-house solutions. The new noticing system will apply to all works promoters including highway authorities to allow street authorities to demonstrate parity and meet their network management duty under the TMA. 47

The regulations now require OS National Grid coordinates to be provided in particular notices. However, EToN 4.0 will support the non-statutory use of point, line and polygon features to promote the use and benefits of spatial data from the outset. This will allow promoters of street works to define the area(s) occupied by planned works, their location and the shape of excavations and final reinstatements, and street authorities to identify the parts of the street affected by restrictions etc. The technical specification for EToN is being extended (EToN 4.1) to include additional notifications to support operation of a new permits regime under the TMA, expected to come into force shortly after EToN 4.0. 14 Acknowledgements NUAG wishes to express its thanks to all the members of the Working Group and Technical Group for their efforts and contributions to this document, and to their employers for enabling their participation. Names of Group members and their employers are shown in Appendix 4. NUAG also wishes to express its thanks to other contributors and to everyone involved in the stakeholder engagement work. 15 Glossary of terms For the purposes of this document the terms set out below are deemed to have the following meanings. Accuracy Absolute reference The difference between the recorded position and the actual position assuming a perfect absolute reference. A geospatial reference of a point in x and y coordinates made using Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS), e.g. the Global Positioning System (GPS), with coordinates captured in the European Terrestrial Reference System 1989 (ETRS89) Minimum Data Standards Term used in NRSWA, and the 2003 Records Code of Practice to describe buried assets and services, and associated above ground assets. Any above ground structure or piece of equipment that is connected directly to buried asset, including pylons, pumping stations, regulator stations, street lighting, etc, and includes any structure for lodging therein of asset(s) or for gaining access to asset(s). A buried asset is: 1. any part of a below ground infrastructure of utility transmission, distribution and collection networks including pipes, cables, ducts, sewers, drains, tunnels, chambers, valves, etc, or 2. street lighting cables and ducting; highway drainage, and CCTV

Apparatus

Associated above ground asset

Buried asset

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cables and ducting, and includes any structure for lodging therein of asset(s) or for gaining access to asset(s). Carriageway Changed Asset That portion of a highway intended primarily for vehicular traffic. A Changed Asset can be one of the following: an existing asset owned by the organisation that is replaced, amended or abandoned; a previously-unrecorded existing asset found during work by the Owner, or reported to the Owner by a third party carrying out work, or an asset where there are historical discrepancies between recorded and actual data found during work by the Owner, or reported to the Owner by a third party carrying out work. DNF The Digital National Framework (DNF) is an industry standard for integrating and sharing business and geographic information from multiple sources. The product or service associated with an asset, including gas, water, electricity, telecommunications, street lighting, CCTV, etc. A way or means of passage for pedestrians only, generally across fields or open spaces and not associated with a carriageway. A way or means of passage for pedestrians only, alongside and/or associated with a carriageway. Geography Markup Language (GML) is the XML grammar defined by the Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) to express geographical features. GML serves as a modelling language for geographic systems as well as an open interchange format for geographic transactions on the Internet. Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) are satellite constellations designed to provide geospatial positioning. A public or local authority with a range of powers and duties under which it maintains and improves the road network, and manages its use and the activities taking place on it, including street works. Any difference between previously-recorded and actual spatial and/or attribute data for an existing asset found during works. An asset that existed before Implementation Day, as described in Section 7.5.

Domain Footpath Footway GML

GNSS Highway authority

Historical discrepancy Legacy asset

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Location (x and y) MTU

Measured at the centroid of an asset as viewed in plan. Mapping The Underworld. A four-year EPSRC funded initiative, originally instigated by UKWIR on behalf of utility companies, which aims to solve the problems associated with the difficulty in finding buried infrastructure. For more details, see: http://www.mappingtheunderworld.ac.uk/

New asset

A newly-installed below ground or associated above ground asset. Installed means when the asset is created i.e. constructed. In the case of smaller works, construction and commissioning do effectively occur at the same time, but there may be instances, particularly on major works, where assets are constructed but not put into service for some considerable time (but they do represent a potential third party damage incident if not recorded).

NRSWA ORFEUS

New Roads and Street Works Act 1991. Optimising Radar to Find Every Utility under the Street. An EUsupported project being undertaken by a consortium of nine organisations consisting of equipment developers, user organisations and academic institutions. It aims to improve the performance of GPR deployed on the surface to provide underground maps, and develop a new radar to provide a look-ahead capability for Horizontal Directional Drilling equipment. For more details see: http://www.orfeus-project.eu

Originator Owner Relative reference

Promoter of street works. An organisation owning buried assets and services, and associated above ground assets. A geospatial reference of a point in x and/or y coordinates measured relative to one or more existing adjacent points. A relative reference should be sufficient for the asset to be located in the field, using fixed, permanent physical background geography, irrespective of any map background used. A service is: 1. a pipe or cable connecting a premises to a utility asset as described in Appendix 1, or 2. a highway authority service as described in Appendix 2.

Service

SQL

Structured Query Language. A computer language for retrieval and

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management of data in database systems. Street Street works As defined in Section 48 (1) of NRSWA, a street means any highway, road, lane, footway, alley, passage, square or court. Street works are those works by an undertaker with either a statutory right, or a licence under Section 50 of NRSWA, to place, inspect, maintain or remove assets and/or services in the street. A point at which data should be captured. A unique reference identifier assigned by the Ordnance Survey to identify every feature in Great Britain. The identifier consists of two parts, a prefix osgb and a unique identifier that is up to 16-digits long. The highest point of an asset at the survey point in question. Section 17 of the TMA Act sets out the arrangements that a Local Traffic Authority (LTA) must make to manage its own road network. These include the appointment of a Traffic Manager, and establishing processes to identify and, where reasonably practicable, deal with things that could cause congestion and disruption. Arrangements must also include determining specific policies and objectives for the different roads in their network, and monitoring the effectiveness of their arrangements and actions in meeting the duty. A utility company contractor installing assets for subsequent adoption by the asset Owner. A Licensee under Section 50 of NRSWA if working in the street A body with a statutory right to carry out street works, or licensed to carry out street works under Section 50 of NRSWA. Buried An unidentified third party asset. Unique Street Reference Number within National and Local Street Gazetteers. Any organisation owning and/or operating telecommunications, water, gas, electricity and oil pipeline assets and connected services. For the purposes of this document, Network Rail is deemed to be a utility company. VISTA Visualising integrated information on buried assets to reduce street works. A DTI-funded research project managed by UKWIR that aims to develop methods to integrate legacy data with newly acquired satellite data to produce easily understood 3-D representations of underground assets to millimetre accuracy.

Survey point TOID

Top of asset Traffic Manager

Utility Infrastructure Provider (UIP) Undertaker Unidentified Object USRN Utility company

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For more details see: http://www.vistadtiproject.org/site/vista/home Working day XML The time period to the end of the next working day, excluding Saturday, Sunday and statutory holidays. Extensible Markup Language. A general purpose markup language (combines text and information about the text) that facilitates sharing of data across different information systems.

16 References Mike Farrimond, UKWIR Internal NUAG Steering Group briefing note. (March 2006). Les Guest, NJUG. Internal NUAG Steering Group communication. (June 2007). McMahon W, Evans M, Burtwell MH, Parker JM. The Real Costs of Street Works to the Utility Industry and Society. UKWIR Report 05/WM/12/8. (2005). Andrew Jackson, Pipeline Industries Guild. Internal NUAG Briefing Note. (May 2007). Jim Stancliffe. Gas & Hazardous Pipelines Unit. Hazardous Installations Directorate. HSE. Presentation to AGI Utility SIG Event. GIS and the Regulators. (May 2007). Mark A. Harrison. UKOPA Infringement Database - Report for 2005. Communication to NUAG. (December 2006). Transport Trends: 2006 Edition. Department for Transport. (February 2007). (http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/statistics/datatablespublications/trends/current/transporttrends2006) New Roads and Street Works Act 1991 (c. 22). (http://www.opsi.gov.uk/ACTS/acts1991/Ukpga_19910022_en_1.htm) Statutory Instrument 2002 No. 3217. The Street Works (Records) (England) Regulations 2002. (http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2002/20023217.htm) Code of Practice for Recording of Underground Apparatus in Streets. Department for Transport Highways Authorities and Utilities Committee. (November 2002). Guidelines on the Positioning and Colour Coding of Utilities apparatus. National Joint Utilities Group. (April 2003). Recommendations for the exchange of records of apparatus between utility companies. National Joint Utilities Group. Electronic Version. (September 2003). Final Report to Department for Transport. Street and highways works research study. AMTEC Consulting plc. (October 2003). (http://www.dft.gov.uk/stellent/groups/dft_roads/documents/page/dft_roads_028598.pdf)

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Martin Cullen. Use of a common framework for positional referencing of buried assets. Geospatial Engineering Board Buried Services Working Group Institution of Civil Engineers and Institution of Civil Engineering Technicians. (January 2005). Traffic Management Act 2004. Chapter 18. (http://www.opsi.gov.uk/ACTS/acts2004/20040018.htm) Ellen Duffy, Department for Transport. Internal NUAG Steering Group communication. (June 2007). Jo Parker. Minimising Street Works Disruption. Buried asset data collection and exchange field trials. UKWIR Report 06/WM/12/9. (2006). Capturing, recording, storing and sharing underground asset information A review of current practice and future requirements. NUAG. (September 2006). (http://www.nuag.co.uk/docs/publicNUAGreportfinal.pdf). Digital National Framework White Paper. (September 2004). (http://www.dnf.org/Papers/DNFWhitePaper.pdf) Special requirements for safe working in close proximity to high pressure pipelines. Revision No. 06.1. Linewatch. (January 2006). http://www.linewatch.co.uk/pdf/SpecReq_Jan06.pdf DNF for Highways and Utilities. Discussion Paper. DNF Technical Group. Version 1D. (June 2007). Jonathan Simmons. Unique Object Identifiers. Component 2.1: Identifier Management. Technical Guide. DNF0011. DNF Technical Group. (June 2006). http://www.dnf.org/Documentation/DNF0011_01_UniqueObjectIdentifiers.pdf Les Rackham. BS 7666 The British Standard for Spatial Datasets for Geographical Referencing. Overview with special reference to Part 1: Specification for a Street Gazetteer. (December 2006). Network Management Duty Guidance. Department for Transport. (http://www.lotag.com/downloads/inform/lhaucdft_roads_033066.pdf)

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54

Appendix 1 Service Records

Utility services

This section is based on Appendix B of the Code of Practice for Recording of Underground Apparatus in Streets. Department for Transport Highways Authorities and Utilities Committee. November 2002. Further advice on utility services is provided by Guidelines on the Positioning and Colour Coding of Utilities apparatus. National Joint Utilities Group. April 2003. General Persons proposing to excavate in the street should expect that the majority of premises are supplied with gas, electricity, telecommunications, sewerage and water services. It is safest, therefore, to assume that each premise is supplied with all five types of service until the persons proposing to excavate in the street can confirm by site investigation those that are not present. In most circumstances service pipes or cables are laid along the shortest possible route from the main to the service entry position or meter. It is likely, therefore, that the service will travel at right angles from the main to the premises. Main pipes and cables are not always placed on both sides of the street. If for any reason the record of a particular utility main is not available to persons proposing to excavate in the street, it is safest to assume that the main is situated on the opposite side of the street to the premises and that the services cross the street. This should continue to be the assumed route of the services until the persons proposing to excavate in the street are able to confirm their positions and routes. However, as far as excavating near the main is concerned, the persons proposing to excavate in the street should assume that it might be on either side of the street in the footway or the carriageway unless and until they have confirmation of the exact position of the main. Service pipes and cables are normally laid at shallower depths than mains. The specific advice for individual utilities, which follows in this Appendix, indicates the depths that may be expected. Indications of service routes may show on carriageway, footway or footpath surfaces, or at the boundary of the premises, or on the premises themselves, and include: reinstatement of the street, made when the service was installed, which often lasts many years before the street is completely resurfaced and will indicate the route of the pipe or cable; gas and water services often include service valves or stopcocks respectively. Gas service valve boxes are situated in the street near the boundary of the premises. Water stopcock boxes may be situated either in a similar position to gas service valves or just inside the boundary of the premises, say, in a front garden; water services may also be fitted with an underground meter that may be situated either in the street or just inside the boundary of the premises;

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cable television services are laid to the curtilage of every premise in the franchise area, whether or not a supply enters the premises. These may terminate at a small junction box placed as close as possible to the boundary of the premises; gas, electricity and water meters may be placed in meter boxes situated on an outside wall of the premises; gas, electricity and telecommunications services may enter the premises above ground level, giving an indication of the line of the service; where no indications of service positions show outside premises it may be possible to check the entry positions from inside, thereby giving an indication of the likely service routes; the position of traffic signal and other traffic control cables and loops can be clearly seen on the surface of the carriageway, as a saw cut filled with mastic. Telecommunications Cables Telecommunication cables can be copper, co-axial or optical fibre and are currently laid in PVC duct that may be coloured grey, green, white or purple. Older duct may be earthenware, asbestos cement, iron or pitch fibre. Common cable colours include light grey, black, mauve, brown and orange. Fibre optic cables may additionally be laid in a sub duct within the main duct. The duct ranges in size from 25mm to 110mm external diameter. Services may enter premises from below ground or overhead from cables supported by poles. Cable services are laid to the curtilage of every premise in the franchise area, whether or not a supply enters the premises, and terminate at a small junction box placed as close as possible to the boundary of the premises. Other below ground services may rise up outside the wall before entering the premises. Below ground cable services are normally laid from a supply cable situated in the nearest footway which is normally between 250mm and 450mm cover to the crown of the duct. However, site conditions may cause the duct to be laid shallower or deeper. Marker tape is sometimes laid above the duct and can be green, yellow with a blue legend or white with a black legend. Duct laid in carriageway is normally laid between 450mm cover and 600mm cover, dependent upon the type of carriageway and street authority requirements. Again, site conditions may cause the duct to be laid shallower or deeper. Telecommunications companies will often assist with the location of their apparatus on site. Electricity Electricity service cables are generally laid directly in the ground and are connected to the nearest adequate mains cable. Service cables are installed to meet the load required and may often be identical to the cables used as mains feeders. Most electricity cables are coloured black, though some high voltage cables are red. Where ducts are used they are normally coloured black if of modern plastic construction. Protection 56

tiles made out of concrete, clay or plastic may be placed in the ground above a cable. Where marker tapes are used, they are usually coloured yellow with a black legend. Most electricity service cables are laid at a depth of 600mm cover under carriageways and 450mm cover in footways, though these depths can alter due to unforeseen circumstances or because of interference by other excavators some time later. All dwellings, commercial premises and industrial premises can be assumed to be served by an electricity service cable. Street lighting columns, telephone kiosks, street signs and other street furniture are also provided with electricity service cables. It is common practice for the main feeder cable to be laid only on one side of the street. Service cables to properties on the other side of the street will therefore cross the carriageway. In most cases there will be no permanent surface marker posts or other visible signs to indicate the presence of cables. Most electricity service cables belong to the local electricity company but some private cable networks may be owned by other bodies such as the highway authority, the street lighting authority, National Grid, Ministry of Defence, railway companies and private companies etc. Street lighting columns are generally erected at the rear of the footway to protect them from vehicular impact. However, where there are no footways, lighting columns are set back a minimum of 0.8m from the kerb edge, although changes that may have occurred to the position of kerb lines since the columns were erected may have changed this distance. Illuminated traffic signs are generally erected just behind the kerb. Apart from protecting the electricity supply cable, persons proposing to excavate in the street should take care when excavating close to lighting columns or traffic signs to avoid the risk of them being disturbed. Electricity is supplied to street lighting columns and illuminated traffic signs directly from the electricity companies low voltage cable networks or by means of a private cable network. Older street lighting cables may be marked by earthenware tiles but equally may not be marked at all. Private cable networks are installed in a similar manner to electricity company cables but may have a different coloured outer sheath or marker tape. Street lighting columns and illuminated traffic signs all have an electricity service, mostly supplied from electricity cables situated in the footway. It is essential to note that street lighting and traffic control cables may not be carrying a current during daylight hours but they are live at all times and will arc if struck. Street lighting or traffic control cables may be coloured black, purple or orange. Where ducts are used for street lighting and traffic control, they are normally coloured orange in England, although one electricity supply company uses black ducts, and marked with the legend Street Lighting Cable Below or Traffic Signals . Where marker tape is used for street lighting and traffic control, it is normally yellow with a black legend. Traffic signal cables are normally laid at a depth of 600mm cover in carriageways and 450mm cover in footways, though some extra-low voltage cables may be laid in the footway at 250mm cover. It should be noted that vehicle detector loops and their interconnecting cables are laid in slots in the carriageway at a depth of only 65mm cover.

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Gas Gas services are normally laid directly in the ground and are connected to the nearest suitable gas main, which could be on the opposite side of the street. Gas services are normally laid at a depth of approximately 600mm cover in the carriageway and 450mm cover in the footway, rising to approximately 375mm cover in private ground. However, there may be a number of circumstances that cause gas services to be laid at shallower depths. The actual depths of services should be determined by safe working practices. Traditionally, gas service pipes were made of iron or steel, sometimes encased in black bitumen or black PVC. During the 1970s new steel service pipes were encased in yellow PVC sheathing and yellow polyethylene pipe came into increasing use. During the 1980s yellow polyethylene pipe became the most commonly used material for gas mains and services. In 1987 intermediate pressure mains made from High Density PE, which are yellow in colour, were introduced. There were also a number of instances of mains made of asbestos cement and special provision has been made for highlighting their presence on location records. Where ducts are used (in the past, mostly for street crossings), they are usually coloured yellow or pale green, and made from a variety of materials, including pitch fibre, PVC, steel or clay. Where marker tape is used it is usually coloured yellow with a black legend. In urban areas it should be assumed that all properties have a gas service pipe. Many domestic premises will have an above ground service entry or external meter box which will give an indication of the line of the service. Commercial or industrial premises, flats and multiple occupancy dwellings will have service valve boxes situated in the street and similar service valves are increasingly being used on new domestic services. Most of the underground gas network is operated by National Grid plc but private gas networks are increasing in frequency, particularly in connection with new housing or commercial developments. Persons proposing to excavate in the street should be aware that yellow polyethylene gas service pipes are sometimes wrongly used as ducts on building sites to carry electricity cables. Discarded mains and service gas pipes are also sometimes used wrongly as ducts for electricity cables and other apparatus. This practice creates an unnecessary risk to health and safety, and occurrences should be reported to the appropriate authorities. Sewer systems Responsibility for public sewers in England is in the hands of the water companies that may have agency arrangements with the local authorities. Private sewers and drains, which may or may not be in the street, are the responsibility of their respective owners who may, by deed, have corporate responsibility. Local authorities have, under public health legislation, power in certain circumstances to carry out work in such installations. Sewer pipes and drains have to operate with a line and level which cannot be varied, in order to provide a fall to aid gravity flow of the effluent, and often have to cross the footway at right angles in order to reach the public sewer in the carriageway. Older sewers were usually

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of brick but smaller sizes were often of fired clay or earthenware. The most popular materials today are concrete, earthenware, ductile iron, asbestos cement and plastics. Manholes at approximately 80m intervals in the carriageway will indicate the line of the main sewer in a street and manholes at the boundary of each premises will indicate the line of the private drain connecting with it. In addition to the foul sewers there are, of course, all the drainage or surface water sewers that tend to consist of gullies and pipes connected at manholes. There may in some cases be culverts that may be a large pipe or of another type of construction, and which may lie only a little way under the road surface. Water That part of a water service that is laid in the street up to the boundary of the premises is known as the communication pipe and usually ends in a stopcock. The remainder of the water service to the premises is known as the supply pipe. The stopcock box will usually indicate the line of the pipe, as will an underground meter box if one has been fitted. Water mains are normally laid at a depth of 900mm cover and communication and supply pipes usually at a depth of approximately 750mm cover to avoid freezing in cold weather. Older water services were laid in lead, copper, galvanised steel or black polyethylene. Since 1980 most water service pipes are laid in blue polyethylene. Small amounts are still laid in bare copper, blue or green sheathed copper or galvanised steel. Most pipes are laid directly in the ground but, where ducts are used, they are coloured blue. Very little use is made of marker tapes above services but when used they are also coloured blue. Persons proposing to excavate in the street should be aware that blue polyethylene water service pipes are sometimes wrongly used as ducts on building sites to carry electricity cables. This practice creates an unnecessary risk to health and safety, and occurrences should be reported to the appropriate authorities.

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Appendix 2 Service Records - Highway authority services This section is based on Appendix C of the Code of Practice for Recording of Underground Apparatus in Streets. Department for Transport Highways Authorities and Utilities Committee. November 2002. Highway authorities should, in accordance with the 2003 Records Code of Practice, record the position of: street lighting cables and ducting; highway drainage, and CCTV cables and ducting. However, there are numerous other items of highway apparatus which, by virtue of their being classed as services, are not covered by the Code. There could be reference to these items under associated street works data (ASD) on the national street gazetteer (NSG), and so reference should be made to the NSG at every opportunity. Typically, these items could include: illuminated traffic sign cables and ducting; traffic signal cables and ducting; traffic signal loops and ducting; vehicle detector loops and ducting; ice prediction detector cables and ducting; traffic/speed camera cables and ducting; traffic monitoring camera cables and ducting; variable message sign cables and ducting; automatic bollards cables and ducting; height protection systems cables and ducting; toll booth and barrier cables and ducting. In addition to the above, further information may be recorded on the gazetteer under streets with special engineering difficulties. Typically, these items could include: culverts; wildlife tunnels; foundations to structures. 61

There are many old highway stone culverts that are uncharted and if uncovered may appear dry and unused. However no assumption should be made that they are redundant, and if damaged they should always be properly repaired unless advised otherwise by the highway authority. Surface water drainage tends to consist of a system of gullies connected by pipework to the main sewer. These piped connections tend to be at shallow depths at the start of the run from the gully pot. Persons proposing to excavate in the street should ascertain the direction of the pipework by examining the gully pot prior to any excavation. Persons carrying out excavations in the street should take care when excavating close to lighting columns and traffic signs to avoid the risk of them being disturbed CCTV cables are generally laid at a depth of 550mm cover in the carriageway and 450mm cover in the footway. Persons carrying out excavations in the street should take particular note that vehicle detector loops for traffic signals or traffic counters and ice detection sensors are contained within the bituminous layers of the carriageway and are particularly susceptible to damage if extreme caution is not exercised. Street lighting columns are generally erected at the rear of the footway to protect them from vehicular impact. However, where there are no footways, lighting columns are set back a minimum of 0.8m from the kerb edge, although changes that may have occurred to the position of kerb lines since the columns were erected may have changed this distance. Illuminated traffic signs are generally erected just behind the kerb. Apart from protecting the electricity supply cable, persons proposing to excavate in the street should take care when excavating close to lighting columns or traffic signs to avoid the risk of them being disturbed. Electricity is supplied to street lighting columns and illuminated traffic signs directly from the electricity companies low voltage cable networks or by means of a private cable network. Older street lighting cables may be marked by earthenware tiles but equally may not be marked at all. Private cable networks are installed in a similar manner to electricity company cables but may have a different coloured outer sheath or marker tape. Street lighting columns and illuminated traffic signs all have an electricity service, mostly supplied from electricity cables situated in the footway. It is essential to note that street lighting and traffic control cables may not be carrying a current during daylight hours but they are live at all times and will arc if struck. Traffic signal cables are normally laid at a depth of 600mm cover in carriageways and 450mm cover in footways, though some extra-low voltage cables may be laid in the footway at 250mm cover. It should be noted that vehicle detector loops and their interconnecting cables are laid in slots in the carriageway at a depth of only 65mm cover. Street lighting or traffic control cables may be coloured black, purple or orange. Where ducts are used for street lighting and traffic control, they are normally coloured orange in England, although one electricity supply company uses black ducts, and marked with the legend Street Lighting Cable Below or Traffic Signals . Where marker tape is used for street lighting and traffic control, it is normally yellow with a black legend.

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Appendix 3 Basic Guidelines for any work near Pipelines This is taken from Special requirements for safe working in close proximity to high pressure pipelines. Revision No. 06.1. Linewatch. January 2006. The full document is available at http://www.linewatch.co.uk/pdf/SpecReq_Jan06.pdf 1. All work shall be in accordance with the Guidance Notes in the document. Prior to commencement of all works a written task risk assessment and method statement will be required. In general a legal consent will be required prior to any works within the wayleave. 2. Adequate time should be allowed for the completion of these consents. 3. No raising or lowering of ground level throughout the easement without written consent from the pipeline operator. 4. Concrete slab protection will be required over the pipeline at permanent road crossings and parking areas, including temporary construction areas, typically, as per example. 5. Prior to installation the developer shall expose the pipeline under the supervision of a representative of the Pipeline Operator and arrange for the existing protective pipe wrapping to be inspected, repaired and then double wrapped at the Promoter's expense by a contractor approved by the Pipeline Operator or his Agent. 6. The easement shall be pegged out and fenced off prior to works commencing. Agreed crossing points across the easement for construction machines shall be protected by tied timber mat, Bog Mat or a temporary concrete slab or hardcore. 7. To prevent indiscriminate crossings along the pipeline, service crossings (i.e. drains, cables, pipes, etc.), should be grouped together at a common point. These should be ducted if possible. 8. Pipeline marker posts shall be installed at the Promoter's expense each side of all road crossings and elsewhere as necessary, to mark the pipeline route. The Pipeline Operator to supply markers (2 weeks notice required). 9. No buildings, structures or caravans to be within the pipeline easement. 10. The pipeline easement should always be in an open area, as access to the easement and/or the pipeline is required at all times. 11. Attention is drawn to the fact that the pipeline is cathodically protected. This can corrode metal structures in the vicinity and it is the Promoter's responsibility to protect their constructions against this. 12. Tree planting is restricted. 13. No explosives to be used within 400 metres (1300 ft) of the pipeline without prior agreement with the Pipeline Operator or his Agent.

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14. No pile driving within 30 metres (100 ft) of the pipelines without prior agreement with the Pipeline Operator or his Agent. 15. No 3D seismic survey using the Vibrosis method within 30 metres (100ft) of the pipeline without prior agreement. 16. Directional drilling, thrust boring or other trenchless techniques will be considered as an alternative method of crossing the pipelines subject to certain conditions being fully adhered to. 17. High voltage electric cable crossing may require special consideration.

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Appendix 4 Steering , Working & Technical Group members at 1st July 2007 Steering Group Name James Brayshaw Ellen Duffy Mike Farrimond Les Guest Marc Hobell Andrew Jackson Nigel Mason Frank O Dwyer Chris Overton Representing Institution of Civil Engineers and Institution of Civil Engineering Surveyors Department for Transport UK Water Industry Research National Joint Utilities Group and HAUC(UK) Ordnance Survey - NUAG Convenor Pipeline Industries Guild Association for Geographical Information County Surveyors Society and National Street Works Highways Group NUAG Facilitator

Working Group Name Ian Ackerman David Blyth Graham Cocksey Paul Gomez Jonathan Harrod Booth Marc Hobell Bob Lloyd Karen Mears Organisation Hampshire County Council EDF Energy The Clancy Group Anglian Water Highways Agency NUAG Convenor Worcestershire County Council National Grid Highways Utilities Gas and Electricity Representing Highways Utilities - Electricity Contractors Utilities Water and Waste Water Highways

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Name Chris Overton Matthew Rowlatt Andrew Sherry Alexandra Spence Shirley Carrick Graham Shaw

Organisation NUAG Facilitator Three Valleys Water Transport For London Leeds City Council BT Network Rail

Representing

Utilities Water and Pipelines Highways Highways Utilities Utilities Telecoms Rail

Technical Group Name Anthony Beck John Brown Jonathan Harrod Booth Nigel Mason Graham Mills Chris Overton Clare Phillipson Ted Volpe Organisation University of Leeds WRc Highways Agency AGI Sitechnics Ltd and Subtechnics Ltd NUAG Facilitator Linewatch Three Valleys Water Utilities - Pipelines Utilities - Water Representing VISTA EToN Highways NUAG The Survey Association

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