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CASE STUDY

StreetScore

Enhancing Street Work Accessibility & Safety

Impact:

Transformational

Key benefits/themes:

Customer Vulnerability, Customer Service, Health & Safety, Financial

Project partners:

Steer Energy, Northern Gas Networks, Northern Powergrid, Scottish & Southern Electricity Networks, Cadent, Wales & West Utilities and SGN

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The Challenge

Networks need to ensure that signings, lightings and guarding used around street works conform with strict standards as stated in Safety at Street Works and Road Works: A Code of Practice. However, the public, particularly customers in vulnerable situations, still often find it challenging and inconvenient to navigate through and around street works.

 

The networks have an ambition to improve accessibility and reduce disruption experienced by customers when navigating street works without compromising existing standards.

Data gathered by Steer Energy in March 2021 as part of an NIA funded project, StreetScore Phase 1, indicated that vulnerable individuals, carers and advocates were particularly affected by street works. The impact ranged from being inconvenienced and / or denied access during works to customer dissatisfaction with the existing approach to designing and overseeing street works.

 

While the public recognises the necessity for street works, it was evident that their patience wanes when obstructions could have been prevented or clearer signage used.

The Solution

The StreetScore Phase 2 project produced a range of prototypes / concepts that prevent members of the public from being placed in vulnerable situations by street works. Selected concepts were validated with the support of key stakeholders through workshops, trials and tests. Insights into the specific challenges faced by customers were used to make recommendations to the Highway Authorities & Utilities Committee (HAUC) about updates required to its Code of Practice, also referred to as the Red Book.

Phase 2 followed a successful Phase 1 project, which originated from a Call for Innovation launched by the EIC. With the support of the EIC, the project scope was extended to focus on electricity, in addition to the gas sector. The EIC also encouraged the involvement of more network operators and supported the development of a project plan and contract agreement in accordance with the NIA framework.

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Project Partners

Steer Energy was the innovator for this project and project delivery was funded collaboratively by Northern Gas Networks, Northern Powergrid, Scottish & Southern Electricity Networks, Cadent, Wales & West Utilities, and SGN. Multiple stakeholders and charities, such as Transport for All (a disability rights organisation advocating on behalf of disabled and older people to increase street space and accessible transport across the UK) participated in the project.

 

The delivery of the project was supported by the EIC in accordance with the Network Innovation Allowance (NIA) framework; this funding mechanism has been instrumental in its successful development. 

The Project

The aim of StreetScore Phase 2 project was to improve the accessibility and experience of street works for customers in vulnerable situations and the wider public. The focus was on prototyping and validating concepts that could minimise disruptions experienced during street works, before potentially undertaking further developmental and testing activities that facilitates the transition to Business as Usual (BAU) deployment(s).

a construction worker drilling into a road during ongoing roadworks

The Impact

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Customers

Improvements in accessibility and safety around street works, particularly for customers in vulnerable situations.

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Community engagement

Improved engagement between network operators and third parties like community groups and charities.

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Health and safety

Potential to reduce the number of incidents for customers when navigating street works.

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Financial

Improved guidance in working around street works thus reducing instances of fines for networks.

The Project

The aim of StreetScore Phase 2 project was to improve the accessibility and experience of street works for customers in vulnerable situations and the wider public. The focus was on prototyping and validating concepts that could minimise disruptions experienced during street works, before potentially undertaking further developmental and testing activities that facilitates the transition to Business as Usual (BAU) deployment(s).

Streetworks SGN

Workshops were also held to facilitate active engagement between network operators and key stakeholders, such as community groups, charities and advocacy groups. These sessions allowed network operators to develop a greater understanding of the challenges faced by customers in vulnerable situations and provided valuable insights into how customers adapt their behaviours and lifestyle around street works. The feedback gathered has also helped to inform the shortlisting of potential prototypes and concepts for future development.

Streetworks SGN

The Impact

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Customers

Improvements in accessibility and safety around street works, particularly for customers in vulnerable situations.

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Community engagement

Improved engagement between network operators and third parties like community groups and charities.

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Health and safety

Potential to reduce the number of incidents for customers when navigating street works. Learnings from the project have also enabled recommendations for changes or updates to existing regulations.

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Financial

Improved guidance in working around street works thus reducing instances of fines for networks.

The Impact

EIC icons white-04

Customers

Improvements in accessibility and safety around street works, particularly for customers in vulnerable situations.

EIC icons white-10

Community engagement

Improved engagement between network operators and third parties like community groups and charities.

EIC icons white-40

Health and safety

Potential to reduce the number of incidents for customers when navigating street works.

EIC icons white-08

Financial

Improved guidance in working around street works thus reducing instances of fines for networks.

Next steps

In collaboration with Transport for All, Steer Energy is developing a training workshop for network field operatives so they can better understand the needs of vulnerable consumers.

A pilot of this training was successfully delivered in November 2023 and planning is now underway to establish how this can be rolled out to other networks. Additionally, several projects are being considered to further develop and test specific concepts identified in the StreetScore Phase 2 project. 

street signs showing traffic into one lane during roadworks
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