Geospatial data describes where places, objects and people are in relation to a geographic location. These data are important across the economy and in the delivery of public services.
We are the digital centre of government. We serve the public, central government departments and the wider public sector. Government Digital Service is part of the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.
The winner of the Digital and Transformation Project of the Year 2025 is the National Underground Asset Register (NUAR), delivered by the Geospatial: Government Digital Service! 🗺️
The NUAR addresses the significant challenges with managing underground infrastructure in the UK. It provides instant, secure access to underground asset location data across England, Wales and Northern Ireland, reducing data access time from days to seconds, with an anticipated £400m annual economic growth.
Well done to everyone involved in this crucial work! 🏆
#GovernmentProjectDeliveryAwards2025#ProjectDeliveryProud
In January, the Secretary of State for the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology announced a new digital centre of government. This centre will bring together expertise from GDS, the Central Digital and Data Office, the Incubator for AI, and the Geospatial Commission into one unified home.
The Government Digital Service will lead the delivery of a blueprint for a modern digital government https://lnkd.in/eEYua4qP. This change from the Independent Commission to the new digital centre in setting the UK Geospatial Strategy highlights the crucial role of geospatial data in supporting government missions.
The Board of Commissioners held their final meeting in January, after seven years of advocating for geospatial data in Government. Our team, as part of the Government Digital Service, will continue to drive innovation and enable a modern digital government through the application of geospatial data.
#DigitalTransformation#Innovation#GeospatialData#ModernGovernment
Today we've published a blueprint for modern digital government.
A long-term vision for digital public services, a 6-point plan for reform, and the role of the expanded Government Digital Service - the new digital centre of government.
Find out more 👇
https://lnkd.in/eEYua4qP
The National Underground Asset Register (NUAR) will ensure that critical works like repairing power lines and fixing water mains can happen, improving worker safety, reducing delays, and benefiting the economy over £400 million per year.
NUAR will provide a comprehensive and standardised view of underground assets, that can be accessed by authorised users. NUAR will help to reduce the 60,000 accidental strikes on pipes and cables each year, making construction safer and more efficient, reducing disruptions on our roads.
NUAR will safeguard Christmas for years to come 🎄
Find out more: https://lnkd.in/ds2PCkt9
Congratulations to our National Underground Asset Register (NUAR) team who yesterday won the prestigious Creative Solutions Award at this year's Civil Service Awards. 🏆 🎉 👏
This award recognises innovation and creativity, and translating it into real world benefits - which pretty much sums up what our NUAR team does every day.
#CSAwards
Bringing together the public sector geospatial community and OS Partners at the Geospatial Commission Public Sector & PSGA Events is one of the highlights of our year 🥳 This year's series closed in Cardiff last week.
If you missed the opportunity to attend the events in person, keep an eye out for our webinars in the new year.
"Events such as these which enable people from across our industry to get together, share experiences and successes are invaluable. The insights and learnings everyone is able to gather makes us all more effective when returning to our desks" - Dean Paulley#GCxPSGA24
🚨 NUAR project update alert 🚨
It's been a busy year for the National Underground Asset Register! We are on track to deliver over £400M per year of economic benefit for the UK and have delivered major updates across the service this year, including:
🤝 Expanding the coverage of the minimum viable product (MVP) to include Northern Ireland
🦺 Progressing plans to update existing legislation, as part of the Data (Use and Access) Bill
🚀 Sharing our intent for NUAR to be used operationally by eligible users from spring ’25
Find out more:👇
https://lnkd.in/edjUJDmm
Award-winning Journalist, Vlogger, Podcaster, Live Show / Event Host, Content Creator & PR / Communications Specialist, owner of Contentforindustry.com, correspondent for Earthmovers and other industry magazines
A game-changer for avoiding buried utilities and much more, introducing NUAR, the National Underground Asset Register.
At Highways UK, I caught up with NUAR expert Holger Kessler of AtkinsRéalis for an in-depth look at how it will transform the industry.
Holger: “Simply put, NUAR is a National digital map that consolidates all buried infrastructure, including electricity, water, gas, drainage, internet cables, district heating networks, and more.
“It’s secure, interactive, and real-time, aiming to make excavation safer, more efficient, and less disruptive.
“With its creation, we finally have a centralised system that will continuously be updated to alert workers about underground assets before they dig, and it will ultimately help to save lives, time, and resources.”
“What NUAR won’t do is replace the need to continue to follow the proper procedures of scanning before you dig, and of course, it will rely on the quality of the data entered into it, which will continue to improve and develop over time.
“For example, workers onsite will be able to contribute to improving the map by uploading photos or reporting discrepancies through NUAR’s observation layer. And surveyors/engineers will be able to upload 3D models as they creat them, improving the data quality.”
When it comes to accessing NUAR, Holger added: “We are currently in the initial launch phase where NUAR is transitioning from development to a public beta, which will be managed by Ordnance Survey, by spring 2025. It will then scale to thousands of users daily, including utilities, local authorities, and contractors.
“Over time it will also lead to more collaborative planning of works and greater efficiencies by optimising resources. Ultimately NUAR will grow to become a key resource for anyone wanting to dig a hole in the ground.”
Here are some simple steps to using and supporting NUAR:
- If you’re in the industry, contact your utility administrator, who will be able to grant access to NUAR for your team.
- Engage with the Geospatial Commission link to its blog below or email geospatialcommission@dsit.gov.ukhttps://lnkd.in/e7uwZsAb
- Start using NUAR by uploading observations and verifying data, and remember to promote its use across your projects.
#NUAR#GeospatialCommission#surveying#surveydata#utilitystrikes#undergroundutilities#surveyors#leadership#geospacial
Next week we will be publishing our annual project update for the National Underground Asset Register (NUAR).
To find out more, join our special ‘Coffee with NUAR’ webinar, presented by Chris Chambers, Deputy Director for NUAR Delivery, on Friday 29 November.
Find out about the latest developments and what is planned for the future. We will also be answering your questions.
Register now: 👇
https://lnkd.in/eFJbAp3s
