New technologies which allow utilities and their contractors to replace underground cables without needing to dig up the road; mapping the location and condition of underground pipes; and directing traffic remotely via cameras in temporary traffic lights were among those innovations which have won accolades at the Street Works UK Awards 2017.
The winners of the Street Works UK awards, sponsored by Virgin Media, have been unveiled at a ceremony held in Parliament on Wednesday 15th November. The event was hosted by the former Chair of the House of Commons Transport Select Committee, Louise Ellman MP. Also speaking were Bob Gallienne, Chief Executive of Street Works UK, and Chris Matthews, Commercial Director at Virgin Media.
The Street Works UK Awards have become a fixture in the street works industry calendar and have once again showcased examples of industry innovation and best practice, with the aim of encouraging practices that drive up standards and reduce disruption.
The awards also recognised a number of individuals who have showed an outstanding contribution to the industry through their long service or mentoring skills. All winning entries will be used as examples of best practice throughout the road and street works industry.
Submissions to the Awards were received from utilities, contractors, local authorities, and research bodies. The winners were chosen by an independent panel of experts including representatives from Utility Week, The Campaign for Better Transport and London First.
Street Works UK Chief Executive Bob Gallienne said:
“I would like to congratulate the winners and everyone shortlisted for a Street Works UK Award. It is so important and enjoyable to bring together these examples of innovation, collaboration and excellence, and to celebrate the work that is going on right across the industry.
High quality street works play a vital role delivering and maintaining UK infrastructure which is critical to improving UK productivity, competitiveness and balanced economic growth. So it is to the industry’s credit and UK plc’s benefit that we continue to deliver excellence and push forward the bounds of how street works are delivered.
I would also like to thank our sponsors Virgin Media, Louise Ellman MP, former chair of the Transport Select Committee, for hosting the event, and all of our judges.”
Chris Matthews, Virgin Media said:
“Virgin Media is proud to be a founding member of Street Works UK and sponsor for this event. We have embarked upon the single biggest private investment in UK internet infrastructure in over a decade with our expansion aiming to reach an additional 4 million premises amounting to a total of 17 million homes and businesses connected throughout the UK.
A civils engineering programme of this scale is dependent on the ongoing success of the UK street works industry. We are proud to champion the Street Works UK vision, which is key to the continued success of street works.”
Innovation Excellence
Winner
Intelligent Traffic Lights- I-light
Kier/Pike Signals/A plant/Bristol Water/AGD
Shortlisted
New Cable Strike Avoidance Tools
Affinity Water
CID T-Cover …. Keeping the Footpaths Open!
CID Group
roadworks.org Pro Real-Time Traffic
Elgin/TomTom
Street Works Future
Winner
Oxford Plastic Systems Ltd, TRIIO, Cadent, and Wales And West Utilities Replacement for Steel Plates in Driveways
Oxford Plastic Systems Ltd
Shortlisted
Site Safety system for the Visually impaired
Balfour Beatty / Cusack
Customer Excellence on the GDSP (Gas Distribution Strategic Partnership) contract North West & West Midlands
Balfour Beatty
Mobile Training Vehicle
KN Group/Openreach
Communication Leaders
Winner
Customer communication in Hatton Garden
eight2O alliance with Thames Water
Shortlisted
Going above and beyond with stakeholder engagement
Cadent Gas/tRIIO/Copper Consultancy
Customer and Stakeholder Impact Assessment for Gas Mains Replacement Projects
Cadent in Partnership with Balfour Beatty
Chudleigh Surface Water Sewer Separation
SWW Delivery Alliance H5O
Team of the Year
Winner
Street works compliance team
United Utilities
Shortlisted
Recognition of Year on Year Improvement
Kier/ South West Water
Sustainable Methods
Winner
Non‐Intrusive Cable Extraction (NICE)
JSM Group
Shortlisted
Closed loop recycling
eight2O alliance with Thames Water
Kier collaborative recycling with roadmender
Kier
The original soil stabiliser allowing 80% as dug material to be Recycled and Reused
Permasoil
Best Collaborative Work
Winner
FINDIT: Not just mapping – measuring
RSK / BT / University of Birmingham / Geomatrix Earth Science
Shortlisted
It’s better together
Cadent Gas, tRIIO and Copper Consultancy
SGN and LSBUD – Best collaborative works
SGN and LSBUD
Long Service
Winner
Howard Lewis
Affinity Water
Shortlisted
Tom Lambert
Balfour Beatty and Cadent
David Turnbull
Openreach
Outstanding Contribution
Winner
Safe Dig Mentor
Amey
Shortlisted
Paving the way for Permits
HAUC England – Permits Guidance Group
Exceptional Contribution to Street Works UK
Winner
Samantha Brothwell
SWUK/Western Power Distribution