UK roadworks get electronic tracking system

UK transport minister, Glenda Jackson has launched a system for local authorities to coordinate work carried out on roads by utility companies.

East Sussex is the first county council to get the system up and running. Jackson launched the service by sending an email from BT in St Paul's, London, to the council's offices in Lewes, East Sussex.

Chris Walker, assistant director of the transport and environment department of East Sussex County Council, said: "We have 50,000 trenches dug up in the county every year. Each utility must inform the relevant highway authority what it is up to - so everyday there are literally hundreds of pieces of paper flying round the country."

The new system will ensure all power and water companies have to notify local authorities by email before they lay cables and pipes, or carry out maintenance. The request will be routed by email through a BT server in Cardiff.

Walker told Silicon.com that East Sussex County Council will take the project a step further and set up a Web site so the public can access the information and re-route journeys to avoid delays.