LSBUD, the online safe digging resource, finished 2022 with 3.75 million search enquiries for underground pipes and cables passing through its central system. This is a 12% increase on the previous year.
The portal also registered 43,190 new Users in 2022. This represents a 14% increase compared to 2021, and is 35% up on 2020.
Richard Broome, MD at LSBUD, comments: “In 2022, our portal received more search enquiries than we take breaths. It’s absolutely extraordinary. At the start of 2022, our aim was to break through the 3.5 million enquiries barrier, so to achieve 3.75 million is credit to those safe digging industries who are more committed to best practice than ever before.
“People operating within the farming, construction, highways, telecoms, water, gas and electricity sectors need to be praised for their part in this substantial growth, as do UK consumers who are increasingly undertaking home projects with greater care than ever before.”
Growth in coverage was also seen across all industries, in particular the gas sector, with Northern Gas Networks joining the collaborative portal in 2022. This means LSBUD now has complete coverage of the UK’s major gas distribution networks, with 100% of them collaboratively sharing their data on the free-to-use, central portal.
Fibre networks also jumped on the safe digging momentum, with Voneus, Ogi, Wildanet and Toob joining the likes of broadband key players Gigaclear, Gamma, Neos Networks and Zayo, in recognising the importance of having their asset data shared on a central portal.
Richard Broome concludes: “2022 was the best ever year for the safe digging community. Pipes and cables were better protected than ever before, and those working near them were safer. Of course, there is room for improvement, and that is what we push for, however we wanted to extend a thank you to every farmer, construction, highways, telecoms, water, gas and electricity worker, that searches before they dig. It is good practice, it is safe, and it is sensible. Remember, always search before you dig.”
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