Following earlier pilot projects, the government’s Geospatial Commission has appointed Atkins to deliver the Build Phase of NUAR, initially providing what is described as “a production minimal viable product” for the North East of England, Wales and London before the scheme is rolled out more widely. It will cover gas, water, electricity and telecommunications.
It’s estimated that accidental strikes on underground pipes and cables cost the economy around £2.4bn a year, inaccurate location information being a common cause. Once operational, NUAR is expected to deliver around £350m per year in benefits by avoiding accidental asset strikes, improving the safety and efficiency of works and better data sharing.
Atkins will be supported by 1Spatial, a Cambridge-based specialist in managing location data. A recurrent challenge when combining data from many sources is that they are not mutually compatible. 1Spatial will build on its existing software to develop...