Case studies detailing the good practice of the winners of the Street Works UK Awards 2017 have now been published. Read on to the categories below for an overview of the winners, and details of how to access the full studies.
Innovation Excellence Award
This award is aimed at an organisation, individual or team who actively seeks, promotes and adopts innovative ways of working. This could be done through employing new approaches and ideas to their overall strategic approach to street works, or to every-day working (e.g. safety).
Winner: Kier/Pike Signals/A plant/Bristol Water/AGD for Intelligent Traffic Lights- I-light
With increasing demands for control of traffic lights as seen manual control was seen as causing unnecessary disruption Kier as part of their Bristol Water area together with Pike Signals and A Plant have been working on a technology with traffic lights that will revolutionise the industry. I-lights allow for greater control and the ability to generate other data for analysis by street works teams. Find out more here.
Street Works Future Award
This award is for a product, person or organisation which is looking forward in the field of street works. This may be a concept innovation, a process change or show the ways in which the innovation can improve the way in which the industry operates and delivers improvements.
Winner: Oxford Plastic Systems Ltd, TRIIO, Cadent, and Wales And West Utilities Replacement for Steel Plates in Driveways
The submission identified that a new product was needed to address either covering access holes with heavy steel plates, blocking access for customers to their properties with barriers, or the use lower rated pedestrian trench covers needed to be challenged and changed to drive up standards. The covers developed allowed access for customers, residents and street works team, making day to day work easier for all. Find out more here.
Communication Leaders Award
This award recognises an organisation, or an individual, whose effective communication with internal or external stakeholders is a shining example of how the best in the business get their message across.
Winner: eight2O alliance with Thames Water for Customer communication in Hatton Garden
As part of their infrastructure works across the Thames Water region, eight2O have been undertaking pipe replacement works in the busy centre of London. In Hatton Garden district they have replaced old pipes with new, stronger pipes whilst keeping the public fully informed. They developed a personalised plan to meet the specific needs of local businesses like Hatton Garden’s jewellers and engaged throughout. Find out more here.
Team of the Year Award
This award recognises a team of two or more people who have demonstrated consistent care, attention and improvement in the delivery of a project, or projects, focussing on street works and how knowledge has been shared.
Winner: United Utilities for Street works compliance team
Over the last year UU have been developing its Street works compliance team and system further to capture better performance detail on all aspects of Street works. The team performs at an extremely high level and is now fully embedded in day to day activities. Find out more here.
Sustainable Methods Award
This award aims to reward those who endeavour to take all practical steps to maximise the use of sustainable methods and materials, whilst minimising the impact on the environment. They must show the ways in which the sustainable methods where able to have a positive impact on the local community in which they were implemented, or in the wider environment/industry.
Winner: JSM Group for Non‐Intrusive Cable Extraction (NICE)
Non-Intrusive Cable Extraction (NICE) and Non-Intrusive Tank Extraction (NITE) is an innovative method for removing underground decommissioned fluid filled cables without the need for traditional open cut trenching for the entire length of the cable. It provides environmental improvements as well as reducing the scale of work. Find out more here.
Best Collaborative Works Award
This award recognises achievement through multi-agency involvement to reduce the overall occupation of the highway network, as well as the reductions in congestion and inconvenience to road users and wider stakeholders.
Winner: RSK/ BT/ University of Birmingham/ Geomatrix Earth Science for FINDIT: Not just mapping – measuring
Combined years of collective experience and new research into a revolutionary sub-street mapping system, that not only locates buried utilities more accurately, but also indicates its condition (damage and blockages) and provides engineering information about the surrounding ground. Find out more here.
Long Service Award
This is to award a highly significant and long serving individual that has made a noteworthy contribution to the street works industry in their organisation over several years. This award is for both a great ambassador for the sector and someone who goes above and beyond.
Winner: Affinity Water for Howard Lewis
Howard Lewis is a Community Operations Delivery Manager at Affinity Water. He has worked within the water industry for 40 years and now leads the network teams who work tirelessly 24/7 to repair and maintain Affinity Water’s network having helped develop innovative solutions and supporting the next generation. You can find out more here.
Outstanding Contribution Award
This award is to honour an individual or team who has left their mark on the industry, going above and beyond their day job to deliver exceptional services to customers, the public or wider stakeholders.
Winner: Amey for Safe Dig Mentor
Carl Flint has a wealth of knowledge and experience on the network, and demonstrates strength in positively influencing others. He now plays the role of safe dig mentor which consists of visiting gangs across the network to coach and mentor them into safer, more effective working practice. Find out more here.