Westminster City Council have recently been shortlisted for an award by the National Joint Utilities Group (NJUG) for their use of intelligent trench technology which captures information about street works and all underground utilities exposed.

Westminster City Council co-ordinates 50,000 street works per year in a critical area of London’s road networks, encompassing some of the most famous sites in London. Already taking the initiative with their “Considerate Roadworks Scheme”, Westminster knows how frustrating it can be for the public when contractors have to open up the streets to work on underground utilities. Contractors digging in the wrong place (known as “dry digs”), further adds to the disruption. 

Dry digs cost Westminster £6M-plus a year

Martin Low, City Commissioner of Transportation for Westminster City Council explained:

“Dry digs can happen in excess of 20% of the time which is estimated to waste over £6 million per year in Westminster alone”. 

Under the Traffic Management Act, powers are available to Local Authorities to drive better performance in this area, enabling them to fine utilities and contractors for overstays or non-compliance.  In London, more than £3 million in fines were administered last year alone. 

Rather than rely on solely punitive measures, Westminster City Council is now adopting a technology-led solution for street works planned on Pall Mall, Grosvenor and Leicester Square, in order to address the root cause of the problem.

Known as Intelligent Trench, the solution enables street works and utility details to be recorded in a simple, transparent and precise way.  In order to provide positional accuracy that GPS cannot affordably and consistently achieve on its own, innovative RFID underground markers are used together with purpose-built field GPS software to precisely locate street works at a future point, even when the tarmac surface has been re-instated

Photographs, surveys and utility information are captured in a format prescribed by the National Underground Assets Group (NUAG) and are shared on a central database, accessible to all contractors in future.  Any new street works in the same location then benefit from simple and clear records, making “dry digs” truly unnecessary.

The RFID Markers most commonly used to record open trench excavations are unique, patented self-righting Marker Balls.  Smaller, Near Surface Markers are also used to record the position of non-invasive Virtual Trial Holes or similarly surveyed utility routes. Both operate without the need for battery power supply, requiring no future maintenance and are activated when a suitable signal is transmitted by a Locator from ground level. These revolutionary systems will continue to provide accurate position and unique identification detail ensuring that only information appropriate the individual RFID Marker is accessed, reducing any opportunity for human error.

Martin Low describes a recent successful trial in Whitehall. 

“Intelligent Trench is essential practice in order to dig safely, and also brings many cost benefits.  Dry digs and the need for exploratory digs can be reduced and avoided.  The cost associated with rectifying failed reinstatements is also much reduced, saving the taxpayer money.  The public benefits further from increased life of roads and a decrease in congestion”. 

The trial deployed RFID Markers in conjunction with works undertaken by J Murphy & Sons during September 2009, to both renew the Victorian water mains and install anti-terrorism bollards.  Using Virtual Trial Holes the detailed locations of adjacent utilities were cost effectively surveyed.  Now the data has been collected it will be possible to access the records online or at the location in future, accurately pinpointing the relative position of the utilities using the RFID marker.

 The National Joint Utilities Group (NJUG), who focus on promoting best practice, safety, quality and co-ordination of works shortlisted Westminster City Council for a 2010 award in both the “Avoiding Damage” and “Safety” categories.