APRIL 2014
Providing the right information at the right time
Public sector technology provider Civica recently claimed the ‘green agenda’ was increasingly being cited as the reason local government organisations were moving to the cloud. Taking data centres and server rooms off site may contribute to carbon reduction programmes but is it really the reason councils are looking for hosted solutions? Technology writer Faith Clark talks to some of the councils who have already made their minds up and joined the hosted revolution
One of the essential components of street works management is communication. Whether this is between statutory undertakers and council street works departments or between street works departments and local residents; the fl ow of information is essential to minimise the disruption caused by works on the highway. As the restrictions and fi rewalls put in place to protect council systems and data become more secure and effective it potentially becomes more diffi cult to implement, manage and support street works software that is necessary to fulfi l all legal and operational responsibilities and maintain this fl ow of information.
One solution, increasingly being adopted by street works teams is to host software externally. One of the earliest adopters of this solution, Brighton and Hove City Council, cited compliance with government legislation, improved communication and increased operational effi ciencies as their reasons for moving to the cloud.
“Understandably, the restrictions and fi rewalls put in place to protect council systems and data are becoming more secure and effective,” commented Jeff Elliott, highways and traffi c manager at Brighton and Hove. “Unfortunately that can cause problems fulfi lling our statutory obligations, especially in the provision of street works coordination, as required under the Traffi c Management Act. By transferring both the systems and data to a specialist service provider, such as Yotta, we are now able to communicate openly and effectively with utility companies and other highways contractors helping
to minimise the disruption to road users and pedestrians.”
Lane rental
Kent County Council, innovators in street works with the fi rst UK DfT approved works permit scheme and the fi rst county to introduce a lane rental scheme, also use hosted street works software. David Latham, roadworks and enforcement manager at Kent County Council, said: “Our hosted solution means we can benefi t from improved system reliability and more timely upgrades. It gives the right people the right information at the right time meaning we can make informed decisions based on up to date and reliable information.”
Bracknell Forest Council recently went to tender for new street works software. The outline requirement was for a hosted IT solution. Invitations were requested from suppliers whose systems complied with the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991 and the technical specifi cation for the Electronic Transfer of Notices (EToN), and were capable of supporting a permit module at a later date. The invitation to quote issued by the council also requested evidence of system specifi cation and references sites.
“We knew we wanted a managed service in order to reduce downtime and improve system support,” explained Wayne Scott, traffi c manager at Bracknell Forest Council. “Our chosen solution – Yotta’s Mayrise Street Works – provided this. The look and feel of the software was also appealing and the cost, both initial purchase and ongoing support, was also competitive.”
So, the hosted revolution is happening but not perhaps for environmental reasons. The examples quoted above
show system performance, reliability, support and of course value for money; all essential considerations in the move to cloud.
However hosted solutions can also help extend the use of essential management systems into the fi eld with the quick and easy deployment and management of a mobile solution. Mobile solutions empower fi eld workers; allowing inspectors and engineers to access live service information and process routine tasks without returning to the offi ce. The increasingly popular combination of mobile and online, further improves staff productivity, information accuracy and customer service levels. It may also help reduce carbon emissions through a reduction in unnecessary commutes between offi ce and fi eld.
“We are now able to
communicate openly and effectively with utility companies and other highways contractors”
Jeff Elliott
Brighton and Hove Council
www.highwaysmagazine.co.uk
Bracknell Forest Council use Yotta’s Mayrise Street Works
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