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MORRISON UTILITY SERVICES DEVELOPS

INNOVATIVE VIRTUAL TRIAL HOLE SOLUTION

MORRISON UTILITY SERVICES (MUS),
the UK’s largest dedicated utility service
provider and part of M Group Services,
is undertaking a potentially ground-
breaking 12-month trial of Virtual Trial
Hole Assistant (VTA) software. The trial
aims to demonstrate benefits that could
revolutionise the process of planning and
executing underground excavation work.
MUS has developed the system
with Elgin, a leading road network
management software provider. VTA
utilises Elgin’s one.network platform THE VIRTUAL TRIAL HOLE ASSISTANT
to plan, monitor, communicate and
analyse traffic disruptions. It displays This solution can reduce the number failures and FPNs. All of which affects
comprehensive information about of aborted jobs and costly delays that can operational timescales and can have
current and planned streetworks across result from concurrent excavation works significant financial implications.
the UK, along with relevant operational due to digging on wrongly located mains. “So many potential benefits can be
data including lane rental scheme VTA will also increase the opportunity reaped from VTA. It will enable our
networks, Section 58 restrictions, for workers to collaborate using the operational teams to conduct more
bridges and structures, public transport same excavation, further reducing comprehensive risk assessments and
stops and routes, etc. occupation on the road network and offer a more environmentally-friendly
By integrating ESRI mapping data, potentially reducing permitting costs. way of working, which is a huge
the platform allows asset information MUS Head of Operational Change consideration for our organisation and
relating to planned work to be overlaid James Hatt said: “Previous working the clients we work on behalf of.”
as an additional operational layer. methods have meant that 10-15 per During an initial trial in Southend-
Automated clash detection provides an cent of replacement schemes were on-Sea, more opportunities were
overview of where and when works are deferred or delayed as the location of identified to use VTA in the future.
taking place and an integrated alerts existing assets beneath the ground did Should ongoing trials prove successful,
system notifies planners of any third not tally with the plans provided. The VTA could have the potential to be
party or statutory undertaker work resulting delays can have a significant introduced for other MUS gas, water
scheduled to take place above or near impact in terms of aborts, re-plans, and electricity clients, broadening the
underground assets owned by Morrison overruns, temporary reinstatements, scope for more collaborative excavation
Utility Services clients. traffic management compliance work in the future.

STEVE VICK INTERNATIONAL EMPLOYEE WINS valuable member of the development

ENGINEERING APPRENTICESHIP AWARDS Team. She has especially excelled
in her role during customer facing
meetings and she has been able to
STEVE VICK INTERNATIONAL’S Nicole joined SVI in August 2017 fully support the training of clients in
Nicole Fever, R&D Technician as an apprentice in the research the use of products that she herself
Apprentice, has won two awards and development department. She has helped design. I am delighted that
in recognition of her outstanding had already achieved an L3 BTEC Nicole has won these awards and her
commitment to her studies throughout Engineering qualification and so was hard work has been recognised.”
her Level 4 Higher Engineering well placed to take on the higher-level
Apprenticeship in Manufacturing. apprenticeship.
Nicole was first awarded Engineering Nicole’s tutor said: “Throughout
Apprentice of the Year, but then her apprenticeship, Nicole always
went on to win the highly prestigious responded fully to the actions/targets
Outstanding Apprentice of the Year, at agreed at each assessor visit. She
the Wiltshire College Apprenticeship was a pleasure to work with, and the
Awards 2020. portfolio of evidence that she produced
Nicole studied the apprenticeship was of excellent quality.”
at the Wiltshire College & University Richard Ditte, Senior Project
Centre alongside her role at Steve Vick Manager at Steve Vick International, SVI’S NICOLE FEVER HAS WON TWO AWARDS
International (SVI). said: “Nicole has proven to be a FOR HER OUTSTANDING COMMITMENT

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IGEMNews_IndAffliates.indd 2 12/03/2020 12:31