LSBUD’s Digging Up Britain Report

Digging Up Britain 2026: A Milestone for Safe Digging

The Digging Up Britain 2026 report marks the ninth edition of LSBUD’s annual review, highlighting a record-breaking year for safe digging across the UK. Searches exceeded four million for the first time, reflecting growing awareness and adoption of “search before you dig” practices.

Driven by increased domestic works, infrastructure investment and energy transition projects, excavation activity is rising rapidly, alongside the need to protect underground assets. Over 170 organisations now contribute to LSBUD, helping safeguard more than 2.5 million kilometres of networks.

While progress is clear, challenges remain, with gaps in asset data and ongoing incidents highlighting the need for continued industry collaboration. The report’s message is simple: momentum is building, but safe digging must remain a non-negotiable for everyone.

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“Particularly during the challenges that we have all faced over the last 18 months, it is critical that we can ensure our customers and contractors are able to access our records remotely with an immediate response. This enables them to work safely and also protects our assets. These customers are diverse and wide ranging across a wide section of industry from infrastructure building to domestic works. Through the use of the LSBUD system we look forward to helping them work safely during the continual increase in works across our operational area over the coming years”

Steve Fraser

Chief Executive

“The 2021 LSBUD Digging Up Britain Report is a must-read and powerful insight for all utilities and contractors engaged in any kind of excavation work for street and road works. It is good to see that LSBUD goes from strength-to-strength in its coverage of almost 100 asset owners. The report complements well Streetworks UK’s own survey work in 2020 around excavation working practice, and further reinforces the need to share information on LSBUD’s world class platform.

Mind you, we should be concerned that 500 000km of underground assets remain unregistered, particularly when the infrastructure boom – so neatly described in this Report – is now breaking over us. The Geospatial Commission leadership would do well to read this report closely, and ensure its forthcoming work is additive to existing systems.”

Clive Bairsto

Chief Executive

Streetworks

“While most of the gas network is underground and out of sight, it plays a central role in the daily lives of people across Wales and south west England. From heating homes and powering businesses, to keeping the lights on, 7.5m people rely on our network – now more than ever. We’re committed to protecting the gas network to keep the gas flowing safely. So we’re pleased to be working with LSBUD to enhance the support we can provide groundworkers and civils contractors, helping them and others easily access our plans at the same time as they search for other services in the area.”