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Ducting and Cabling Installation
Specialist ducting and cabling installation for developers, utility companies, and commercial operators who can't afford adoption delays
Every development, infrastructure upgrade, or site expansion needs utilities. But getting electricity, fibre, water, and gas to your site isn’t just about digging trenches and laying pipes.
It’s about navigating Section 278 traffic management approvals, coordinating with four different utility operators who all want access at different times, ensuring your installation meets ENA TS 12-24 standards so the DNO actually adopts it, and managing ground conditions that weren’t on the survey.
Get your utilities installed once, properly, to adoption standards
You need ducting that passes inspection first time. Routes coordinated so electricity doesn’t clash with water. Documentation that speeds adoption, not delays it.
We deliver this across the South West, South Wales, and the Thames Valley. From initial utility coordination through to as-built surveys and adoption sign-off, with full NHSS accreditation and ISO compliance.
What we can deliver for your site...
Why ducting projects overrun, blow budgets, and delay adoption
The real-world impact...
There's a better way to deliver utilities infrastructure...
Ducting installed to adoption standards, coordinated properly, delivered on time. One partner managing every utility, every approval, every detail
All utilities coordinated through one partner:
We manage electricity, telecoms, water, gas. You're not juggling four utility operators and praying they talk to each other.
First-time adoption compliance:
ENA TS 12-24 standards, correct depths, proper materials, full documentation. DNOs and highway authorities sign off without rework.
Fixed fees with no scope creep:
Transparent pricing covering design, installation, traffic management, testing, adoption documentation. Clear change control for genuine ground condition surprises, not gaps in our scope.
Utility coordination sorted before we dig:
We liaise with Western Power, Openreach, Thames Water, Wales & West Utilities upfront. Access scheduled, clashes resolved, approvals secured before mobilisation.
Traffic management expertise:
Section 278 approvals, NRSWA street works permits, Chapter 8-compliant setup. We know what highway authorities need and how long approvals actually take.
Programme certainty you can bank on:
Realistic timelines accounting for utility coordination, traffic management approvals, testing schedules. No over-promising. Just honest assessments and reliable delivery.
Why developers and commercial operators choose Highways Plus
You’re managing capital that’s tied up until adoption happens. Every week of delay is another week of holding costs, another week before you can release funds, another week your ROI timeline slips.
What sets us apart
We've untangled every utility nightmare:
Twenty-five years coordinating complex multi-utility installations. Utility clashes? Resolved hundreds. DNO rejections? Know exactly how to prevent them. Traffic management delays? We build them into realistic programmes.
Adoption management integrated:
Managing Section 278 or Section 38 adoption? We handle utilities installation alongside highway adoption – one team, one programme, one set of documentation for final sign-off.
You'll get honest timelines:
We won’t promise four-week delivery when traffic management approvals alone take eight. You get realistic programmes accounting for utility coordination, testing, approvals.
Trenchless expertise for complex sites:
Directional drilling for road crossings and congested areas. Yes, it costs more per metre – but saves thousands on traffic management, surface reinstatement, programme acceleration.
Fixed-fee adoption management available:
Backlog defects delaying scheme sign-off? We offer fixed-fee packages covering defect resolution, documentation, liaison with highway authorities. Accelerate your adoption by months.
Full compliance documentation:
As-builts, testing certificates, utility adoption paperwork, Section 278 records. Everything needed for highway adoption, warranty providers, building control.
A clear, structured process that keeps your site running
Utility installation needs thorough planning, proactive coordination with multiple operators, methodical testing and documentation at every stage.
What you get...
Most projects follow phased delivery – utility coordination and design approvals secured before any excavation begins. Traffic management mobilised only when all utility access is confirmed.
Typical timelines: 6-10 weeks for straightforward commercial sites with single utility installation, 10-16 weeks for multi-utility developments requiring Section 278 coordination, 4-6 weeks for industrial projects with minimal traffic management.
Utility coordination and design approval:
Desktop searches, liaison with DNOs and utility operators, route survey, design to ENA TS 12-24 standards. You get confirmed utility access dates and approved designs before we mobilise.
Permits and traffic management setup:
NRSWA street works permits, Section 278 approvals if needed, Chapter 8-compliant traffic management. Site ready for safe, compliant installation.
Installation to adoption standards:
Excavation to correct depths (450-1200mm for carriageways, 250-450mm for footpaths), duct laying with proper bedding and backfill, warning tape installation, surface reinstatement. DNO inspections at key stages.
Testing, commissioning, and handover documentation:
CCTV surveys, cable pulling if required, as-built drawings, testing certificates. Everything needed for utility adoption and highway authority sign-off.
Ducting and cabling installation CASE STUDY
Mixed-use development scheme, Thames Valley
The Challenge:
- Developer had 140-home scheme with Section 38 adoption delayed by 14 months. Backlog defects included non-compliant electrical ducting (wrong depth, incorrect materials), telecoms infrastructure rejected by Openreach, and missing as-built documentation.
- Highway authority wouldn't adopt roads until utilities met standards. Sales completions frozen. Developer paying £6,500 monthly maintenance bond with no release timeline.
- Original contractor had dissolved. New utility installations needed alongside defect rectification. Programme impact affecting second development phase.
Our Solution:
- Fixed-fee backlog defect package covering full survey, defect rectification, missing utility installations, coordination with DNOs and Openreach, as-built documentation.
- Excavated and reinstalled electrical ducting to ENA TS 12-24 standards. Installed compliant telecoms infrastructure with Openreach approval secured. Added missing fire hydrant connections and water service ducting.
- Phased delivery maintaining resident access. Night working for main road sections. All DNO inspections passed first time.
The Outcome:
- Backlog defects resolved and utilities installed in 11 weeks
- Section 38 adoption achieved six weeks after completion
- Developer released from £6,500 monthly bond, saving £91,000 annually
- As-built documentation enabled sales completions to resume
- Second development phase commenced on schedule
Proven delivery of ducting and cabling installation across diverse sectors
Whether you’re developing housing, expanding commercial operations, or upgrading infrastructure networks, you need utilities that meet adoption standards and support future growth.
Sectors that rely on us:
Residential and mixed-use developments:
Developers managing Section 38 adoption requiring ENA-compliant electrical ducting, FTTP telecommunications infrastructure, water service connections. Single partner from utility coordination through adoption sign-off.
Commercial property and business parks:
Office developments, retail parks, business estates needing multi-utility infrastructure with minimal operational disruption. Fixed programmes keeping fit-out schedules on track.
Industrial and logistics facilities:
Warehouse and distribution centres requiring heavy-duty electrical supplies, data connectivity, water services. Future-proofed infrastructure supporting operational expansion.
Utility network operators:
DNO frameworks, water company mains reinforcement, telecoms fibre rollout programmes. Compliant installation meeting network operator standards and adoption requirements.
Infrastructure and highways projects:
Road schemes, junction improvements requiring utility diversions, Section 278 coordination, traffic management. Utilities installation integrated with highway adoption requirements.
Public sector and local authorities:
Council developments, school expansions, healthcare facilities with strict compliance requirements and public procurement standards. Professional delivery meeting authority specifications.
Your Ducting and cabling installation questions, answered...
How long does ducting installation typically take?
Straightforward single-utility installations: 6-10 weeks. Multi-utility developments with Section 278 coordination: 10-16 weeks. Smaller commercial projects: 4-6 weeks. Timelines depend on traffic management approvals, utility operator coordination, and ground conditions. We provide detailed programmes at quotation.
What standards do your installations meet?
All electrical ducting meets ENA TS 12-24 standards for DNO adoption. Telecommunications infrastructure complies with Openreach and network operator specifications. Water installations meet Section 104 requirements where applicable. We hold NHSS accreditation and ISO 9001, 14001, 45001 certifications.
Can you handle trenchless installation and directional drilling?
Yes. We offer directional drilling for road crossings, congested areas, sites where surface disruption must be minimised. Costs 20-30% more per metre than traditional trenching but typically saves thousands on traffic management, surface reinstatement, and programme acceleration.
How do you coordinate with utility companies?
We manage all liaison with DNOs (Western Power, SSE, National Grid), telecoms operators (Openreach, Virgin Media), water companies (Thames Water, Wessex Water, Welsh Water), and gas networks (Wales & West Utilities, Cadent). Access scheduled, approvals secured, clashes resolved before mobilisation.
What if you discover unexpected utilities or ground conditions?
Our utility searches and Ground Penetrating Radar surveys minimise surprises. If genuine unforeseen conditions emerge, we stop immediately, assess implications with you, provide options with clear cost and programme impacts. No additional work proceeds without your explicit approval.
Do you handle Section 278 traffic management?
Yes. We manage NRSWA street works permits, Section 278 approvals, Chapter 8-compliant traffic management setup. Our experience with highway authorities means we know approval timelines, design requirements, and how to prevent rejection.
Can you resolve backlog defects delaying adoption?
Yes. We offer fixed-fee backlog defect resolution covering survey, rectification, missing installations, utility coordination, documentation. Specialist service accelerating Section 38 or Section 104 adoption that’s been delayed by defects.
What documentation do you provide?
As-built drawings in CAD and GIS showing exact utility locations, depths, materials. Testing certificates, CCTV surveys, utility adoption paperwork, Section 278 compliance records. Everything needed for highway adoption, warranty providers, building control, future maintenance.
How quickly can you mobilise?
Utility coordination and design: 7-10 working days. Traffic management and permit applications: 2-4 weeks depending on highway authority. Physical works start: within four weeks of scope approval for projects with straightforward approvals. Emergency mobilisation available for critical programmes.
Need utilities infrastructure that passes adoption first time?
Book a Free, No-Obligation Ducting and cabling installation Assessment
We’ll review your site, assess utility coordination requirements, identify risks affecting programme and adoption, provide a written report with fixed-fee quotation.
No obligation, no sales pressure – just expert advice from specialists who’ve delivered compliant utility installations across hundreds of development and infrastructure projects.
Call or fill out our form and we'll be in touch within 24 hours.
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