Keeping local authorities moving

Keeping the roads moving and services running can be hard enough but when there are continuous roadworks finding ways around them can seem impossible. Shane O’Neill, chairman of ELGIN, pictured, explains how local authorities are using internet tools to guide services around roadworks and keep traffic flowing.

Local roadworks information remains locked away in the Streetworks Registers of local councils or as outdated lists on Council websites. That is the reason why both the Prime Minister and the Chancellor have made clear commitments to opening up local roadworks information in 2012 . But while Whitehall civil servants may be wondering about how to effect this policy objective, scores of local councils are doing it.

Over 50 Local Authorities are participating in the re-launch of Roadworks.org, formerly known as www.elgin.gov.uk, later this month. ELGIN (Electronic Local Government Information Network) is a web-based system, which harvests information from local Streetworks Registers, and provides it to Utilities, contractors and the public.

Among the new features of the re-launch is a new Roadworks Alert feature, which sends map based information about forthcoming roadworks in their area to local Councillors and Parish representatives. It’s a service that Local Traffic Managers were keen to deliver to their local members.

Opening up local roadworks information is sometimes inhibited by a natural fear that inaccuracies will be exposed. This is a theme taken up by Warwickshire’s Jane Inman again: “Exposing the data encourages both ourselves and Utilities and their contractors to keep the information up to date”.

Accountability and transparency may be big drivers but so too is efficiency saving.  Opening up information and sharing it is the very basis of attempts to coordinate the forward planning of works and the savings of millions of pounds lost to the economy by traffic disruption. In July 2010 the Local Government Association  reckoned that greater coordination of works, produced by data sharing efforts like ELGIN , would save the economy millions of pounds in fuel savings alone!

The third plank of the Government’s Transparency agenda is that opening up public information will stimulate innovation and growth.

Lucas Wildervanck, former Business Development Director at TOMTOM comments: “Areas of western Europe have integrated roadworks information down to quite a granular level – the UK situation is highly fragmented and a disincentive to the development of freight services and other traffic applications”. None of it appears in SatNav systems or other transport applications. ELGIN’s recent pilots with Nokia and Google may soon see reliable and official roadworks information pulsing through the bloodstream of the traffic navigation industries for the first time.  Perhaps Norman Baker will take note when he hosts his SatNav summit in March.

Isle of Wight’s decision to open up its roadworks presented an opportunity for Isle of Wight Radio in January 2012. Programme Director Paul Topping saying: “Getting timely and reliable public sector information like this, in intelligent format, helps us swiftly to build innovative and useful services.”

There is a national message here – one which combines the Big Society message of central Government with the realities of efficiency saving. Keith Davenport, Traffic Manager for Warwickshire: “For too long Local Authorities have been locked into expensive and inflexible asset management systems. Having a web based system produces real savings both in direct costs and the indirect benefits of better coordination of works, as well as better information for drivers”.

Leave the last word to Mark Kemp, until recently Chair of the National Traffic Managers Forum: “Roadworks.org is now at 1.7m roadworks annually the largest database of works in the UK. It is a great practical example of Open Data driving accountability, efficiencies and innovation without need for central Government direction”.

Shane O’Neill, chairman, ELGIN