The UK’s underground infrastructure management is set for a transformation with Ordnance Survey (OS) assuming responsibility for the National Underground Asset Register (NUAR).
- The transfer of the NUAR management aims to streamline access to vital information on the location of underground assets, reducing utility strike incidents.
- Transitioning services from AtkinsRéalis to OS represents a strategic move towards standardised, secure data access for infrastructure planners and excavators.
- By operating the NUAR, OS leverages its extensive experience in national mapping to enhance infrastructure safety and efficiency.
- This development underscores a significant collaboration between the private sector and government entities to ensure economic and operational benefits.
The UK government has announced a pivotal transfer of responsibility for the National Underground Asset Register (NUAR) to Ordnance Survey (OS), heralding a new phase in the management of underground infrastructure. OS, renowned for its national mapping expertise, will operate the NUAR as part of its public task, ensuring that essential information about underground pipes and cables is readily accessible, while retaining the Geospatial Commission’s oversight on policy and performance.
This transition involves the gradual shift of responsibilities from AtkinsRéalis, the original developer in collaboration with the Geospatial Commission, to OS. NUAR is designed to provide instant access to detailed maps of underground assets across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. This service is crucial given the estimated four million kilometres of buried utility pipes and cables, which include crucial telecoms, internet, gas, water, and electricity infrastructure.
Every year, approximately 60,000 utility strikes occur, posing risks to construction workers, delaying projects, disrupting traffic, and causing significant service interruptions. Such incidents have a massive economic impact, reportedly costing the UK economy £2.4 billion annually. Currently, streetwork contractors face the daunting task of contacting multiple organisations and enduring long waits of over six days to acquire necessary data. The NUAR offers a streamlined solution, providing instantaneous access to crucial data, thus enhancing efficiency and safety.
The transition to NUAR as a public beta service marks a significant leap forward, offering standardised, secure, and immediate data access. Guy Ledger from AtkinsRéalis describes it as “a really exciting moment”, indicating the service’s potential to revolutionise how planners and excavators carry out their work. Baroness Jones of Whitchurch highlights the government’s commitment to harnessing data for reducing public disruption and supporting economic growth by minimising accidental damage to utility networks.
Nick Bolton, CEO of Ordnance Survey, expressed enthusiasm about extending the agency’s mapping expertise beneath the surface to support national infrastructure. This initiative, Bolton notes, exemplifies how successful collaboration between the government and private sector can deliver substantial economic benefits and acknowledges OS’s enduring capabilities as a trusted operator of critical national assets. Similarly, Northumbrian Water Group CEO Heidi Mottram welcomed the move, reflecting on collaborative efforts to develop NUAR’s predecessor, affirming its role as a public sector managed asset benefitting both utilities and customers.
OS’s management of NUAR marks a promising step towards reducing infrastructural disruptions and fostering economic stability.
