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The LSBUD (Line Search Before You Dig) organisation, which offers an online asset search facility to UK civil engineering firms for underground pipes and cables, has conducted an industry-wide survey to identify the greatest concerns which remain around the Government’s new digital UK map of underground pipes and cables (broadband, water etc.), ahead of its integration.
Just to recap. The new National Underground Asset Register (NUAR) – developed alongside Ordnance Survey (OS) and Atkins – has recently been placed on a statutory footing with the passage into law of the Data Use and Access Act 2025 (here). This reflects a digital UK map of underground pipes and cables that is partly designed to help reduce accidental damage.
However, the ISPA and other organisations have previously expressed concern about putting the NUAR on a statutory footing before it’s fully ready for prime time, which is relevant considering that it’s still in somewhat of a beta stage and slowly advancing beyond the level of a Minimum Viable Product (MVP). Nevertheless, more than 600 asset owners will now be required to share their data with NUAR.
The new survey indicates that universal access is still a top concern. When asked about the level of access needed, 87% of the “safe digging community” agreed that everybody taking on a digging project, from large-scale construction to digging in a garden, should have access to NUAR’s data – something which is currently “being worked on but has had no confirmation from the Government up to this point“.
Mind you, we’re not sure about the state security implications of sharing out access to such a system so easily.
The Top Identified NUAR Concerns
1. Uncertainty over who can access NUAR
2. Potential of increased risk to assets and workers
3. Increased cost
LSBUD’s survey also found that 74% agree it should be integrated alongside existing safe digging services to better reduce risk and improve overall safety, rather than acting as a standalone system (obviously LSBUD has a vested interest in this outcome). In addition to this, 92% of “industry professionals” believe that a full formal consultation should take place before the service is rolled out to better understand the financial impact of the new service.
Richard Broome, MD of LSBUD, said:
“Over the past few months, there has been a lot of positive progress made between NUAR and the safe digging community. However, our latest research illustrates that there is still some fundamental concerns that are either yet to be addressed or currently being worked on.
National Safe Digging Week provides an excellent opportunity for the community to voice their most burning questions about its integration and impact on safety, and it is clear there is still more work to be done. We encourage all members of the safe digging community to actively engage with the Government as it looks to make NUAR a long-lasting service to ensure the safest possible outcome is achieved for all.”
The catch is that today’s survey doesn’t reveal any details about its methodology or sample size, which would have been useful to know.