NEWS RELEASE
6th December 2007
Withdrawn for review, back by demand
The National Joint Utilities Group’s Publications are now online
Following a review, the National Joint Utilities Group (NJUG) - the UK industry association representing utilities on street works issues – has updated its publications to provide revised and relevant guidelines to people working on the streets.
In 2006, NJUG launched a review of all its historic publications as many had never been reviewed. The original publications were withdrawn from circulation while the review was carried out for copyright reasons. Ever since the publications were placed under review, there has been a high demand for their return.
NJUG is now in a position to offer an initial four volumes for free download from its web site and are currently working on the final two volumes. The four volumes discuss NJUG Guidelines on the Positioning of Underground Utility Apparatus for New Development Sites; NJUG Guidelines For The Planning, Installation And Maintenance Of Utility Apparatus In Proximity To Trees; Guidelines on the Positioning and Colour Coding of Underground Utilities' Apparatus and NJUG Guidelines on the Management of Third Party Cable Ducting. As live documents they can be quickly amended to incorporate the many and varied changes which occur within the utility industry from time to time.
Mr Mark Ostheimer, Director of Safety and Policy at NJUG led the initiative. He gathered a team of experienced NJUG practitioners from Virgin Media, Openreach, Thus, Balfour Beatty, National Grid, CE Electric, United Utilities, Skanska McNicholas and Thames Water to form the NJUG Publications Group. The group reviewed every existing publication, many of which were deemed time expired or not suitable in their current format.
The group agreed that a total of six volumes were all that was required to give appropriate guidelines on all aspects of undertaking street works, including creating a brand new publication on managing third party ducting independently led by Keith O'Brien, Membership Director at NJUG.
Mark Ostheimer said, “Thorough research and comprehensive planning is carried out by NJUG members to compile these publications. The combined guidance of the publications deals with the technicalities of street works operations and forms an integral part of the NJUG Vision. NJUG’s Publications cover safety procedures including minimising damage to underground assets, best practice, quality, sustainability and greater co-ordination of street works. NJUG’s Publications support the delivery of our Vision for Street Works giving practical advice on matters of safety, quality and sustainability.”
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Notes to the Editor:
For further editorial information or to arrange an interview please contact pressoffice@njug.org.uk or telephone 020 7609 1900.
About NJUG Publications
The NJUG Publications were first made available in 1992 to explain the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991 and its implications. With new laws coming in, the guidelines regarding roadworks had changed from the older Public Utilities Streetworks Act 1950. To provide proper guidelines to utilities, contractors and road workers - NJUG presented some standard guidelines in the form of these Publications.
The NJUG Publications are intended as guidance only, and are not legally binding.
About The National Joint Utility Group (NJUG)
The National Joint Utilities Group (NJUG) is the UK industry association representing utilities on street works issues. Including members through trade associations, NJUG represents forty-one utility companies. Its focus is on promoting safety, quality and sustainability of street works, alongside the sharing of best practice, and working together with stakeholders to minimise disruption. NJUG is also the utility arm of the Highway Authorities and Utilities Committee, HAUC(UK), working collaboratively with local authorities to better standards of road and street works in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
Our members include the Energy Networks Association (representing electricity and gas companies), Water UK (representing water companies), National Grid, BT, Cable and Wireless, Virgin Media and THUS plc. We also have five Associate Members – contractors Balfour Beatty, Skanska McNicholas, Clancy Docwra, Morrison and Morgan Est.
We all rely on gas, electricity, water and telecommunications being delivered to our homes and businesses and being available all of the time. To maintain that level of reliability requires major asset investment programmes and therefore utilities to carry out works in the street. But we recognise the need to further improve co-ordination of works to continue to reduce the regrettable disruption that our essential works sometimes cause.
Utilities undertake essential street works for four main reasons – safety, security of supply, to connect or enhance consumer supply, or to divert apparatus to facilitate transport or urban regeneration schemes.