Highways service provider 'first' for Ringway Jacobs

Company awarded ISO 55001 International Standard for asset management on Cheshire East contract

RINGWAY Jacobs have become the first highways service provider to receive the prestigious ISO 55001 accreditation from the British Standards Institution (BSi) for the effective management of highway assets on their Cheshire East Highways contract.

ISO 55001 is an international standard for asset-management systems that recognizes the proactive management of assets to benefit efficiency and effectiveness.

The road network is Cheshire East Council’s most valuable asset, amounting to a total value of over £5 billion. Accreditation was received for the asset-management system in place to maintain roads and pavements.

Asset management allows Cheshire East Highways to plan and deliver works to ensure that the borough’s road network benefits from the right treatment, in the right location, at the right time.

By utilizing an asset-management approach, customer reports of road defects in need of repair in Cheshire East have fallen by 70% since 2013.

Formal recognition of this is said to be essential for the contract’s ongoing efforts to maximize highways funding that is available from the Department of Transport (DfT)’s Incentive Fund and to ensure that the right treatment occurs at the right time.

Ringway Jacobs’ approach was praised by the lead auditor, who commented: ‘The development of the AMS (asset-management system), supported by visual aids and in-depth communication to all stakeholders/interested parties, creates a clear line of sight that can only be described as impressive.’

Mike Notman (pictured), Ringway Jacobs’ managing director, said: ‘I’m extremely proud that, working with Cheshire East Council, we are the first highways service provider to be formally recognized for asset management through ISO 55001.

‘This accreditation demonstrates our collaborative approach with our local authority clients and how, through shared goals, we deliver our clients’ objectives in an efficient and effective manner.’