New CCTV Survey Vans ‘Set The Standard For Years To Come’

Drainage and wastewater specialist Lanes Group has introduced a new survey van being hailed as one of the most advanced service vehicles of its kind in Europe.

The new van has been reimagined from the bottom up to give the UK’s largest drainage and water utilities specialist more advanced capabilities across all sectors it operates in.

No improvement has been considered too small to add value to a vehicle that is expected to set the benchmark for drainage surveying excellence in the UK.

More space for extra services

With solar panels that allow silent and zero-emissions operation without the engine running, 5G antennae that connect the vans to Lanes Group’s national survey centre, and extensively remodeled workstations, the vans are the most sustainable, safe and productive drainage survey vehicles ever to hit the road.

More efficient use of space is also supporting the delivery of new services, with the new vans able to carry GPS survey equipment and digital manhole scanning systems.

Lanes Group has been introducing at least two of the new main line CCTV vans into its fleet every month for the last year, a process that represents an investment of well over £3million per annum.

The vehicles are aligned with the company’s strategy to deliver highly-flexible, data-driven services that can be seamlessly configured to meet the needs of any customer, in any sector, anywhere in the country.

Technique used in elite sport

Chris Wilde, Head of Group CCTV at Lanes Group, said: “Conventionally, specialist vehicles are improved incrementally. However, Lanes Group’s business model and growth plan required a more intensive approach.

“In effect, we’ve concentrated five or more years of development into a few months, to create a step change in overall performance. Learning from this fast-track process allows us to introduce even more advances as we go along.

“It’s the same principle as elite sport. We’re showing multiple small improvements can lead to big performance gains. I wouldn’t quite align us with F1 racing teams, or British cycling in its heyday, but the process is similar.”

Chris Wilde and his team have been working with supplier Minicam to develop the new vans. Between them, they have been able to apply many decades of experience in building or working in CCTV drainage vans to create scores of improvements.

‘One of best’ survey vans in Europe

Minicam Managing Director Stephen Harris said: “Together, we’ve pulled the concept of a CCTV van apart and put it back together in a better way. I’d say it has to be one of the leading survey vans in Europe. It’ll set the standard for others to follow for years to come.

“Chris and his team presented us with a huge challenge, but we’ve enjoyed rising to it. Most customers want one or two changes. But Lanes Group’s vision for improving customer service, and its desire to reinvent what’s possible, are taking things to a new level.”

Asset investigation is the starting point for any drainage and wastewater project, which is why these vehicles are contributing to big advantages for Lanes Group customers, Chris Wilde explained.

Creating performance uplift

He added: “The better our vans are at helping us deliver high quality survey reports, as quickly and cost-effectively as possible, the easier it is for customers to plan next steps in maintaining or developing their drainage assets.

“Better sight lines and lighting systems improves communication, safety and productivity. Better working conditions improve morale. All this is contributing to an uplift in performance we’ve seen since these vehicles started to be introduced.”

Colleagues across the company have contributed ideas for more than 100 specific improvements incorporated into the new van, or helped test them in the field.

Among them have been senior transport manager Andrew Smith, CCTV systems manager Matthew Stark, plus CCTV operators at depots and utility hubs across the UK.

Most capable equipment as standard

A solar roof panel extends the life of onboard batteries, and allows surveys to be carried out without the engine running, eliminating noise disturbance and reducing Lanes Group’s carbon footprint, especially for longer surveying projects.

The vehicle has additional R65 LED warning lights to improve its visibility, plus extra 360-degree scene lighting, and puddle lights at access points to reduce the risk of slips and trips.

The data processing suite is DSE-compliant, with the operative sitting on an office chair, rather than a bench. Bespoke barriers protect the space, and contribute to improved hand holds for entering and leaving the vehicle.

The vehicle carries upgraded equipment – its push-rod camera now has a 100m rod and the robotic camera has 0.5km of cable as standard – plus the latest WinCan survey processing hardware and software.

Digital tech boost for customer service

Even the position of the van’s microwave has been improved to make it easier to use, away from operational space. A hot and cold handwash basin has also been upgraded, with the van now holding all its dirty water for later disposal.

Development of the vehicle has progressed hand-in-hand with other elements of service improvement that have also contributed to the transformation of CCTV services at Lanes Group.

The company now operates Europe’s largest national CCTV survey centre of excellence in Manchester. Its OS19X-qualified technicians process thousands of survey reports every month, with data transferred directly from survey sites via the cloud.

Bespoke technology built into the vans is enabling the use of digital systems to monitor and maintain equipment and the vans themselves. CCTV operators can now use augmented reality tools to trouble-shoot and receive advice on equipment use.

Both these initiatives are resulting in a major reduction in vehicle and equipment downtime. This is slashing maintenance costs, shrinking Lanes Group’s carbon footprint, and improving productivity.