Over 400 asset owners join NUAR’s UK map of underground cables and pipes

A year has passed since Ordnance Survey (OS) took responsibility for the Government-backed National Underground Asset Register (NUAR), which is a “secure” digital map of underground UK pipes and cables (broadband, water etc.) that is partly designed to help reduce accidental damage. Some 400 asset owners (e.g. Openreach and others) have now added added data to show their infrastructure, but that’s not all.

The government continues to see huge potential for NUAR’s mapping to help improve the way that national infrastructure is planned, built and managed (e.g. future full fibre and 5G/6G mobile networks). Previous claims suggested that the map could help to cut the amount of accidental damage that occurs to existing infrastructure (estimated by some studies to cost up to £2.4bn each year) and boost economic growth by “at least £400m” per year due to increased efficiency, fewer asset strikes and reduced disruptions.

However, the effectiveness of the NUAR means little without the full backing of major infrastructure builders, which is why it’s so important that more than 400 asset owners – across both the public and private sectors – have already joined and begun sharing data to show the location of their underground infrastructure.

According to the latest update, use of the platform has grown by 115% since OS was awarded the operation of NUAR by the government in 2025 and over 230 supply chain contractors can now access underground asset information securely on behalf of asset owners. The figures include 100% of Distribution Network Operators (DNOs) in electricity, and water companies, among many others.

The data in NUAR is currently said to cover over 80% of all known underground infrastructure in England, Wales and Northern Ireland – reflecting over 3.2 million kilometres of pipes and cables that have been mapped. In addition, over 70% of local authorities and 90% of highway authorities have signed up to share data on their critical assets and OS claims that it now takes 60 seconds for users to access the data and visuals on the system.

OS’s Chief Product Officer, Ash Wheeler, told ISPreview:

“It’s great to see NUAR delivering on the potential identified eight years ago when the idea was first conceived.

NUAR is having a significant impact on collaboration across industries that work underground and has demonstrated the power of bringing all this rich data into a service.

The growing number of asset owners contributing data and using the platform, alongside supply chain contractors accessing it on their behalf to deliver projects, is a huge step forward.

Collaboration is key, and the more users in the underground telecommunications and utilities sectors who engage with the platform, alongside existing safe dig practices, the more it will make life safer for people excavating under the ground.”

From a statutory point of view, the Data (Use and Access) Act, under which NUAR sits, became law in 2025. This put NUAR on a statutory footing and updated the existing legislation which governs the sharing of underground asset information. The next phase is to establish NUAR as a comprehensive statutory register, ensuring underground asset information is recorded and maintained consistently.