Britain’s government is mapping underground cable and pipes
They are at risk from accidental strikes, and malign attacks
Every seven seconds someone in Britain digs a hole. That may sound harmless, but beneath the ground lies some 4m km of cables and pipes—enough to go to the moon and back five times. The problem is that no one knows exactly where they are. That means diggers accidentally sever sunken lines, causing power outages or leaks of gas, water or worse; it also makes it harder to guard against hostile attacks. A new initiative aims to help.
Explore more
This article appeared in the Britain section of the print edition under the headline “Subterranean assets”
Britain August 17th 2024
- Britain has many levers for controlling migration. Which ones should it pull?
- Britain’s justice system has responded forcefully to the riots
- Britain’s government is mapping underground cable and pipes
- Winston Churchill’s urinal shows Britain’s hang-up with heritage
- Britain’s oil and gas industry faces an uncertain future
- NHS dentistry is decaying
From the August 17th 2024 edition
Discover stories from this section and more in the list of contents
Explore the editionDiscover more
Are British voters as clueless as Labour’s intelligentsia thinks?
How the idea of false consciousness conquered the governing party
The best British companies to work for to get ahead
A new ranking of firms by pay, promotions and hiring practices
How the best British employers find and promote their staff
No degree? Some employers care much less than others
A tiny island fights the scourge of plastic on the beach
A Northern Irish experiment in recycling
A sticking-plaster policy for Britain’s strained courts
Magistrates get more power. Will they get punch-drunk on it?