The head of the body representing utilities and their contractors on street works issues has called for a ‘new standard for collaboration and engagement’ between his sector and highway authorities.
The call follows the ‘play-fair dictum’ that arose in the sector during the pandemic.
Writing on the Street Works UK website, the organisation’s CEO, Clive Bairsto CBE, said that after looking at the pandemic response by utilities and contractors and the interaction with local authorities, ‘what clearly emerges from all sides is that the level of collaboration and cooperation by those involved in monitoring, planning, and delivering street works from the utility and authority base during COVID was of a very high order'.
He added that it is ‘good to take stock of what significant strides we can and could take forward, what we should leave behind, and understand how we lock in these wins’.
Mr Bairsto argued that from a utility, and utility contractor perspective, there is an opportunity to build upon the ‘play-fair’ dictum introduced and widely publicised by utilities and authorities within HAUC (UK), the joint body between his organisation and the Joint Authorities Group (JAG (UK)).
He wrote: ‘This does not involve any relaxing of rules, requirements, or safety demands. But it does involve a framework be applied to the sensible and proportionate interpretation of those rules and regulations.
‘Central to this will be the proportionate application of sanctions and greater trust between local authorities and utilities. This will transition what is too often labelled a culture of mistrust and challenge into one that fosters collaboration and incentivises even better works and responses where issues emerge.’
Mr Bairsto concluded: ‘There is perhaps an even greater role for Street Works UK and JAG(UK) to communicate a new standard for collaboration and engagement between our sectors that fosters this approach, challenges our industries to meet it, and sets a path out for how we achieve it.’
As an example of the difficulties sometimes faces by utilities firms, Mr Bairsto cited differing views of the quality of works by the same team from adjacent local authorities, despite ‘working to the same direction, guidance, and contractual demands of the utility HQs’.
He said that differing interpretations of legislation around issues including re-instatement, site layout and what charges should apply can cost utilities hundreds of thousands of pounds across an authority boundary, ‘with some reflecting sizable bills for the most minor of modest infractions’.
Gas works in a residential street in Felixstowe, Suffolk, June 2021
Mr Bairsto wrote that utilities have taken considerable steps forward with quality assurance processes and safety demands ‘echelons above’ where they were five years ago.
‘What must be recognised is that utilities and highway authorities are more similar than ever in terms of encouraging and demanding "performance", and share the same desires to deliver good works and avoid conflict.’
