42 STREET WORKS & UTILITIES
DECEMBER 2013
Working together to deliver essential services
Utilities and their contractors have a major role to play in supporting growth by investing billions of pounds each year. The National Joint Utilities Group (NJUG) promotes best practice in this area
This government has rightly made infrastructure investment a key priority, and street works are essential to deliver this multi- billion pound infrastructure and restore growth.
Superfast broadband rollout, the Olympics, HS2 and enterprise zones simply would not be possible without utility providers being able to improve and create the underground assets required to deliver the essential services we rely on.
Utilities, local authorities and central government appreciate that for homes and businesses to receive and enjoy essential services, it is in everyone’s interests to co-ordinate works, operating in partnership wherever possible. That is where the National Joint Utilities Group (NJUG) comes in. We promote best practice, self- regulation and a two-way relationship with government and other relevant stakeholders to ultimately reduce any unfortunate disruption that sometimes arises from utility works.
“The joint works were completed on schedule, saving time, money and resources, and limiting costs to the consumer”
NJUG is the utilities arm of the Highways, Authorities and Utilities Committee UK (HAUC UK). HAUC UK works to bring local authorities, utilities and government together with the aim of working safely and smartly to reduce the impact of street and roadworks on members of the public throughout the UK. HAUC UK works with regional and central governments striving to ensure that processes, systems and legislation do not hamper the travelling public whilst continuing to maintain and
improve the essential services that the utility companies provide.
This partnership approach helps ensure that works get done at minimum cost and with the least possible disruption to residents and road users. One example is the Dudley Town Centre joint working scheme. This saw South Staffordshire Water, National Grid and Western Power Distribution working with Dudley Council to carry out a co-ordinated, 18 month programme of combined utility works in the town centre.
When submitting plans to the council, it was realised many of the streets in the scope of the works were on the council’s programme for maintenance and resurfacing. Both utilities and council representatives organised joint maps, traffi c management plans, and workfl ows. All this data, as well as council requirements, was used to develop a programme of works for approximately 40 streets, and co-ordinated communications for affected residents. The whole scheme was completed with minimal disruption to local businesses, residents and travelling public, with very few complaints registered through the designated helpline.
As a result, the joint works were completed on schedule, saving time, money and resources, and limiting costs to the consumer. Furthermore this approach strengthened working relationships between the local authority, utilities and their contractors. This model has been adopted all over the country and won an award at the NJUG Awards 2012 in Parliament. The NJUG Awards 2013 are taking place on 10 December, where the latest street works industry best practice will be celebrated and winning case studies shared throughout the industry.
NJUG promotes robust self-regulation and working in partnership as the best
way forward in terms of delivering the highest standard of street works. In 2007 NJUG launched its Vision for Street Works which was designed to, and is widely accepted as, being a catalyst for driving up the standards of street works in the UK and in reducing disruption that sometimes arises from essential works. The vision comprises of six key goals; safety, high quality, a partnership approach, communications, sustainability and avoiding damage, which are refl ected in the NJUG award categories. NJUG has several resources and case studies on best practice which are available on our website and we distribute these across utility providers, contractors and local authorities who share our aim of working together to deliver essential services and world class street works.
The National Joint Utilities Group (NJUG) is the UK industry association representing utilities solely on street works issues. The 38 utility companies and 18 contractors we represent work to deliver gas, electricity, water and telecommunications to both individual consumers and UK plc
For further information visit
www.njug.org.uk
www.highwaysmagazine.co.uk
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