The National Joint Utilities Group (NJUG) published their revised NJUG Vision for Street Works at their seventh annual Awards in Parliament last week, which saw speeches from Transport Minister Robert Goodwill MP and Louise Ellman MP, Chair of the Transport Select Committee.
The revised Vision updates NJUG’s 2010 Vision for Street Works and sharpens NJUG’s focus on innovative ways of working, new technologies, materials and equipment. The revised Vision continues to emphasise the importance of all those involved in the planning and delivery of street works to drive up standards and minimise disruption.
NJUG first launched its Vision in April 2007 and since then it has become a focal point and catalyst for driving up standards in the delivery of street works. It has helped ensure that 99% of street works are now completed within their agreed time and around 80% of works are now completed on a first time permanent basis. It has improved communication before and during works and encouraged greater co-ordination of works between highway authorities and utilities, and forms a crucial part of NJUG’s commitment to excellence in the delivery of street works, comprising seven key points:
The revised NJUG Vision for Street Works, the HAUC(UK) Code of Conduct; the LGA ‘What Good Looks Like’ and the annual NJUG Awards demonstrate NJUG and its members’ continued efforts to deliver world class street works that deliver for businesses, consumers and the Government.
Commenting, NJUG CEO Bob Gallienne said:
“With the UK population expected to reach 73 million people by 2035, as outlined in the Armitt Review, and traffic levels predicted to increase by 43% between 2010 and 2040, as outlined in the DfT’s Road Transport Forecast 2013, together with little increase in local road capacity, it is clear that local authorities, utilities and their contractors need to work even harder to minimise road occupation. In order to meet the challenges of tomorrow, the NJUG Vision for Street Works has been updated to sharpen its focus on innovation and continues to emphasise the need for utilities, local authorities and their contractors to work even harder to minimise road occupation where safe and practical to do so”.
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Notes to editor:
NJUG is the UK industry association representing utilities and their contractor’s solely on street works issues. NJUG represents 43 utility companies and 15 utility contractors. Its focus is on excellence in the delivery of street works and working with national and local governments to drive up standards, minimise disruption and develop proportionate and effective regulation where necessary.
NJUG is the utility arm of the Highway Authorities and Utilities Committee representing street works in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales known as HAUC(UK). Please see http://www.hauc-uk.org.uk/ for further information.
Utilities undertake street works for four primary reasons – safety, security of supply, to connect or upgrade customers’ supplies, or to divert apparatus to facilitate major transport or urban regeneration projects. Examples include Crossrail, the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics, tram projects, or new urban and housing developments.
For more information about the NJUG Vision for Street Works, please contact pressoffice@njug.org.uk or 020 3397 3315.