NUAR is becoming law – How does this affect you?

The National Underground Asset Registry (NUAR) got its legislative footing today as the Data Use and Access Bill passed through Parliament and will soon become law.

This is a significant moment for the UK infrastructure sector, especially if you’re an asset owner. You have new responsibilities and fees you need to prepare for.

What’s Changed

Under this new law, there are critical new requirements that now impact owners of subterranean infrastructure:

• Mandatory Data Sharing: Asset owners are required to upload information about their underground apparatus to NUAR and to keep it updated.
• New Fees: The Act gives the Secretary of State powers to impose membership fees, which may force asset owners to contribute to NUAR’s ongoing running costs.
• New Enforcement: The Act introduces penalties for non-compliance, covering failures to share or update data properly or to pay required fees

The Bottom Line for Asset Owners

For asset owners, the message is simple, NUAR has now become a requirement that needs to be considered carefully. You’ll also need to put in place clear processes for data publishing and regular updates.

Asset owners will also need to factor in a fee scheme into budgets and governance, so you’re not caught off guard when invoices land or, worse, stuck with a penalty.