Digital Transformation of Highway Asset Management in Blackburn

Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council in the United Kingdom has implemented advanced asset management software from Mayrise Systems to strengthen oversight of its highways infrastructure. The deployment supports a broader modernization program aimed at improving service delivery, increasing operational efficiency and enhancing long-term infrastructure planning.

Partially funded through investment from the Department for Transport, the initiative focuses on building an integrated, technology-driven framework for managing road and street lighting assets across the borough.

Comprehensive Asset Tracking and Workflow Management

The Mayrise platform enables the council to maintain a detailed inventory of street lighting installations and related highway infrastructure. The system records fault notifications, schedules both routine and reactive maintenance, and monitors progress of field-based activities in real time.

A central feature of the solution is its integrated mapping capability. By linking asset records directly to geographic coordinates, council staff can accurately identify infrastructure locations and verify conditions in the field. This spatial component accelerates response times, improves task allocation and enhances overall operational coordination.

Improved Reporting and Service Responsiveness

Publicly reported issues are logged directly into the service management system and associated with precise geographic references. This integration ensures that requests are tracked systematically from initial reporting through resolution.

Advanced reporting tools provide management teams with actionable insights into maintenance trends, compliance status and resource utilization. Local managers have indicated that the implementation has strengthened adherence to statutory obligations while improving the accuracy of asset and usage records—particularly in relation to the borough’s street lighting dimming programme.

Replacing Manual Processes with Integrated Digital Systems

Prior to implementation, many highway asset management activities relied on paper-based documentation and disconnected data repositories. The transition to a unified digital platform reduces administrative overhead, enhances data consistency and aligns day-to-day maintenance operations with strategic infrastructure objectives.

By integrating spatial data, workflow automation and performance reporting within a single environment, Blackburn Council is advancing a more resilient and sustainable approach to managing its highways network. The adoption of modern asset management technology demonstrates how local authorities can leverage digital tools to optimize infrastructure oversight and support long-term service reliability.