A digital map of underground pipes and cables – the National Underground Asset Register (NUAR) – has gone live in an initial beta form. It will be outlined in a ‘Coffee with NUAR’ webinar with Chris Chambers, Deputy Director for NUAR Delivery, who will present the progress of NUAR over the past year, the latest developments and what is planned for the future. The webinar is on Thursday 30 November at 11am and registration is here.
The NUAR is being built by the Geospatial Commission, part of the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology. The emerging service is improving the efficiency and safety of underground works by providing secure access to privately and publicly owned location data about the pipes and cables beneath our feet. The digital map gives planners and excavators standardised access to the data they need, when they need it, to carry out their work effectively and safely. It also includes features to keep data secure and improve its quality over time.
The beta ‘minimum viable product’ (MVP) is now live across England and Wales. The MVP includes all core functionality to meet the ‘safe dig’ use case, allowing users to plan for future adoption and provide feedback to enhance the service further. It includes data from all of the major energy and water providers, such as Welsh Water, Cadent Gas and UK Power Networks, several major telecommunications companies, including CityFibre and Virgin Media O2, as well as smaller providers of these services, transport organisations and local authorities.
Contractor 1Spatial said Some of the positive impacts of NUAR could include:
• Providing workers with immediate access to all the data they need, when they need – reducing time taken from six days to 60 seconds.
• Improving the efficiency and safety of street works, by providing secure, instant access to comprehensive privately and publicly owned location data about underground assets.
A discovery project is being launched to explore the potential of widening access to NUAR. This could include supporting the rollout of electric vehicle charge points, flood risk planning, emergency response and conveyancing.
Once fully operational, NUAR is envisaged to deliver £490 million per year of economic growth through increased efficiency, reduced asset strikes (when underground pipes and cables are accidentally damaged) and reduced disruptions for the public and businesses.
Claire Milverton, 1Spatial chief executuve, said: “1Spatial is delighted to be part of the team that are delivering the National Underground Asset Register (NUAR), which demonstrates our world leading geospatial capabilities and our ability to deliver on complex projects at scale. Our 1Spatial platform is responsible for transforming, validating, and maintaining the data from all contributing asset owners, demonstrating our world leading technology and skilled team.
We are excited about the project to explore widening access to NUAR, which could enable further economic benefit to be realised from the asset. It could also provide an upside opportunity for our 1Streetworks solution.”
More webinars are scheduled for asset owners in November and December.
Being an Administrator on NUAR on Wednesday 29 November
Contributing Data to NUAR on Wednesday 6 December
Our Legal Framework for supplying asset data on Wednesday 13 December
‘What is NUAR and how do we get onboard?’ Friday 15 December
Sign up here