Shining a light on the importance of street works

The demand for street and road works has risen at a rapid rate, and this trend looks set to continue.

72% of all work on roads is carried out by Street Works UK members – the estimated four million holes our operatives dig each year are critical in helping connect communities to the water, broadband, energy and heating they need.

There remains a huge volume of work that needs to be undertaken in order for the UK achieve its ambitious infrastructure targets, from net zero to gigabit broadband. As we enter an election year, both parties have made significant commitments to reform the country’s infrastructure to achieve national and local growth and will be looking to industry and businesses to be the vehicle to help deliver this.

Now more than ever, it remains crucial to highlight the important work that the sector does, in order to create a favourable working environment so that we can build the infrastructure of tomorrow.

This ambition has driven the development of our new thoughts leadership platform – “What goes into a hole” – to decode the extensive planning, training, investment, innovation behind our member’s work – a leading example of best practice across the industry.

What goes into a hole?

We know that making the infrastructure of tomorrow happen is a complex process and that operatives face many challenges to ensure that infrastructure improvements and maintenance are delivered.

Before operatives begin work, a significant amount of planning must take place – sometimes taking months or years – in order to abide by the 146 laws, codes of conduct, permit schemes and regulations.

Street works operatives are responsible owners of their projects: they come in, get the job done and get out – minimising impact on the public wherever they can. They are highly trained, technical specialists, utilising cutting-edge tools and processes where possible to boost efficiency.

After work is completed, our members are subject to a close level of scrutiny and assessment. We are held accountable by legislation to the highest possible standards, with data on our work kept by Government. Street Works UK helps amplify this best practice across the entire industry – from utilities giants to SMEs.

Looking ahead to 2024

To continue to deliver the fast, efficient, and effective street works that best serve our communities we need the right policy and regulation that enables rather than restricts, the best people with good training and support, and the right partnerships with local authorities, central government and the suppliers that can help us innovate.

Street Works UK members are invited to share What goes into a hole? across your networks to explain in a concise, visually appealing way, the vital role street works operatives play in delivering the infrastructure of tomorrow, and to help facilitate smart thinking, insight and new ideas to improve the way we work and the overcome challenges on how we face up to the future.

What goes into a hole? PDF

What goes into a hole? Social media graphics