Train Arrives at the Transport Network Station

17 April 2008, 5:05pm

The NSG (National Street Gazetteer), the definitive source of road information for the notification and coordination of street works has been substantially enhanced by asset data supplied by Network Rail. The NSG now includes details of every bridge, tunnel or level crossing, owned and managed by Network Rail, which interface with the public road network. This will provide valuable information regarding the location and nature of Network Rail’s assets. It will assist in the planning and execution of works performed by Highway Authorities, public utilities such as electricity, gas, telecommunications and water companies, or their contractors by facilitating consultation and coordination of work on the nation’s roads.

For the last 5 years a team of dedicated staff at Network Rail have been compiling a unique database of ‘Additional Street Data’ (ASD) for inclusion in the NSG. This database now contains details of every bridge (12,000+), level crossing (1600+) and tunnels owned and managed by Network Rail that have a direct interface with the public road network. ASD identifies the exact location of every railway asset, geo-referenced to the National Grid and more importantly to particular roads or streets held in the NSG using that road or street’s USRN (Unique Street Reference Number); it is quite common to reference an asset to more than 1 street, and in the case of one tunnel there are over 25 separate streets involved.

Any work carried out by Network Rail on one of its bridges, level crossings or tunnels could have an impact on traffic and public safety. By the same token any roadwork undertaken by Highways Authorities or street works conducted by any one of over 300 other ‘Statutory Undertakers’ could affect the safety of road users and railway passengers. It could also affect train operation, the integrity of the track, or the crossing itself plus any overhead or underground conduits or cables serving the railway. Highway Authorities and ‘Statutory Undertakers’ can now make use of Network Rail’s ASD data to ensure that all interested parties are aware of potential implications of intended works and provide Network Rail advanced notification of activities that might affect the railway.

“After 5 years of painstaking work we have arrived at a point where we can say our asset dataset is substantially complete,” said Davy Crockett Network Rail’s National Highways Interface Manager. Our data is now available to all Highways Authorities and any company using the NSG to reference street works notifications. This will have a positive impact on the consultation process, improve safety and help ensure that road and street-works are properly planned and co-ordinated, continued Crockett.

“The completion of Network Rail’s ASD is a crucial step in the advancement of the NSG as the definitive dataset for the effective coordination of street works across England and Wales,” said Nick Turner the NSG custodian. “Highways Authorities and Statutory Undertakers who might have been previously unaware of Network Rail’s contribution to the NSG now have complete access to their asset data and links to their Outside Party Engineers. The quality and currency of the NSG has improved enormously over the last eighteen months to a point where we can justifiably say that it is fit for purpose and the best source of highway information available,” said Turner.

Intelligent Addressing contacts:
Nick Turner, NSG Custodian
Gayle Gander, Head of Marketing
0207 747 3500 E-mail: queries@thensg.org.uk
www.intelligent-addressing.co.uk
www.thensg.org.uk
www.nlpg.org.uk

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