Achieving agile and data-led decision making
Decision support and analysis are important because they help individuals and organisations make better, faster, and more informed decisions. Through collaborative and client focused services, our experienced engineers and asset management consultants will support you in finding optimum solutions to your short term objectives and long-term strategic plans. We can deliver decision support & enhanced analysis services across several areas:
- Works Programming & Scheme Analysis
- Local Authority Skid Resistance (LASR) Analysis & Collision Reviews
- Asset Valuation
- Lifecycle Planning
- Condition Projection Modelling
- International Road Assessment Programme (iRAP) Road Safety Analysis
- Active Travel Analysis
- PAS 2161
Our decision support and analysis services
Works Programming & Scheme Analysis
Supporting scheme identification, management and operational delivery
Through our XA© Scheme Assembler module, functionality supports our clients in scheme identification, management and implementation. XA© Scheme Assembler will assist in the management of all schemes, allowing users to progress a scheme from initial identification as a length requiring intervention, through the practical design phase, and into operational implementation. Scheme support within XA© includes:
- Carriageways
- Footways
- Structures
- Street Lighting
- Trees
- Section 106
- New Developments
- Statutory Undertakers
Each defined scheme can be validated on-site and designed on a map as detailed polygon areas of treatment, and at this stage of scheme management, users can take advantage of features such as building a bill of quantities, costs, dates, contractor details, and documents with image attachments.
Having the most effective systems, strategy, and data now means that putting prioritised programmes of work together becomes much simpler and accurate against budgets. All programme and scheme development is overseen by a qualified engineer. Services include:
- Prioritised inspection-led programming
- Scheme selection & validation (including on-site validation support)
- Scheme merging
- Budget breakdowns & value management
XA© Scheme Assembler enables existing inventory to be visualised against each scheme. Each inventory item can be selected for renewal, replacement, or removal. New inventory assets may also be included in the overall scheme design. Scheme building incorporates the following:
- Scheme design
- Bill of quantities / cost frameworks
- Scheme progress management & sign off
- Scheme integration with asset data
After completion, users can set up their scheme management system to record and compare out-turn costs against estimated / budgeted costs. This information can be securely stored within XA© for future reference. XA© Scheme Assembler delivers added value for clients by offering a comprehensive and fully configurable bill of quantities module. This is pre-loaded with all the items defined in the Design Manual for Roads & Bridges (DMRB).
Local Authority Skid Resistance (LASR) Analysis & Collision Reviews
Network risk management tailored to local roads
LASR is an award-winning joint research project representing 5 years of extensive research including a 3-year pilot study on 168 sites covering 13 Local Authority networks. The LASR approach supports local authorities in effective network risk management through:
- Focusing on the relationship between skid resistance & collision risk
- Justifying treatment and investment priorities through an evidence-based approach
- Delivery of comprehensive data analysis and detailed site investigations
Within the XA© Risk Management module, clients can access a number of features including:
- Detailed collision reviews to understand the route cause of recorded collisions, which in turn feed into maintenance prioritisation
- Processing of detailed investigations and Skid Assessment Lengths (SALs) to produce prioritised treatments / actions in line with client skid policies and procedures
Collision Reviews
XAIS-PTS with our partners Derby City Council and Enodamus Ltd presented a supplementary study to our LASR project at the PIARC World Congress in October 2023. The study recommended a strategy to undertake a thorough collision review on all sites at or below investigatory levels with one or more wet collisions also recorded.
Collision data should play an integral role within the prioritisation of skid deficient sites for further investigation and by undertaking thorough collision reviews, this enables treatments to be targeted at the sites more likely to deliver real-world safety benefits.
Through our XA© software, detailed collision reviews can be delivered by our experienced consultants as part of enhanced skid analysis services. Alternatively, if the Council wishes to undertake collision reviews in-house, you will be provided with system access and practical training.
Asset Valuation
Asset valuation to underpin sound asset management practices
Conducting regular, annual valuations ensures accurate tracking of asset values, supports informed budgeting and maintenance decisions, and enables the production of robust, auditable financial statements. Standard and advanced asset valuation methodologies have been developed by HAMFIG and CIPFA resulting in the CIPFA-published Code of Practice on Transport Infrastructure Assets.
Through our XA© system, asset valuation reports are fully aligned with CIPFA’s advanced reporting methodologies, supporting Gross Replacement Costs (GRC), Depreciated Replacement Costs (DRC), and Annual Depreciation for carriageways, footways and other paved assets (e.g. cycleways and verges). Asset valuation can also be undertaken on various other asset types such as trees, structures, lighting, traffic management & signals, and all street furniture. The information produced is collated in CIPFA and HAMFIG toolkits and results can be interpreted through a series of reports, certificates, and visualised outputs.
Lifecycle Planning
Managing the full asset lifecycle
XAIS-PTS supports highway authorities in effective lifecycle planning through tailored workshops that define long-term asset management strategies, from construction to end-of-life. By modelling future performance based on investment scenarios and maintenance strategies, we help determine what treatments are needed, when they should be applied, and how to budget accordingly.
Through client-focused workshops we review key asset data, including available treatments, treatment costs, asset conditions, and expected treatment lifespans. This approach covers a wide range of assets including carriageways, footways, cycleways, structures, drainage, street lighting, traffic management systems, and street furniture, ensuring informed, sustainable decisions throughout the asset lifecycle.
Condition Projection Modelling
Future-proofing today's asset management decisions
Condition projection modelling, delivered through XAIS-PTS’s powerful XA© asset management software, builds on the insights gained from lifecycle planning by forecasting how asset conditions will evolve over time. Using current condition data from surveys, combined with information on treatment options, costs, and performance trends, the software helps project the condition of assets over varying periods of time. It estimates how the network will deteriorate and highlights potential maintenance backlogs.
XA© also enables highway authorities to test various budget scenarios, showing how different investment levels will affect future condition, which in turn supports data-driven strategic decision making. Through advanced modelling and scenario analysis, our consultants will support you in delivery of optimised asset management outcomes.
Practical applications of the modelling for highway authorities include:
- Prioritising maintenance interventions based on projected asset deterioration, ensuring the most critical issues are addressed first
- Understanding the impact of increased or reduced budgets — helping teams balance investment, risk, and long-term network performance
- Identifying patterns from historical condition data to highlight locations needing special attention or tailored treatment plans
- Planning asset maintenance schedules by forecasting when and where asset performance will become problematic, and optimising crew productivity
- Forecasting asset condition across the network to support funding bids, programming, and long-term planning
- Quantifying future maintenance backlogs makes it easier to communicate needs and justify investment decisions
International Road Assessment Programme (iRAP) Road Safety Analysis
Safety management at the forefront
International Road Assessment Programme (iRAP) is a system designed to evaluate and improve road infrastructure safety globally. The aim is to reduce road traffic fatalities and injuries by identifying and addressing high-risk areas, as well as improving road design and management. The iRAP safety assessment evaluates roads based on several factors including:
- Road design and geometry - features such as curves, intersections, lane widths, and road surface conditions
- Traffic volume and types - including vehicle types and pedestrian presence
- Asset inventory - ensuring there are appropriate road signs, signals, protective barriers, line markings and more
- Road user behaviour - analysing how the infrastructure interacts with traffic behaviours, like speeding or unsafe pedestrian crossings
Practical applications include:
- Inspect high-risk roads and develop iRAP Star Ratings and risk maps for motorists, motorcyclists, cyclists and pedestrians
- Track road safety performance and evaluate investment and maintenance decisions
- Integrate iRAP data with other established processes including SCRIM® / skid analysis and LASR crash modelling, to deliver balanced network safety management outcomes
- Incorporate data within XA© Scheme Assembler to deliver safety focused maintenance. We utilise iRAP safety ratings in our scheme prioritisation as standard
- Minimise the need for engineer site visits
- Complete road safety improvement planning or active travel analysis
Active Travel Analysis
Driving sustainability and social mobility
Active travel management involves the planning, delivery, and monitoring of walking, cycling, and wheeling infrastructure and initiatives, to encourage more people to choose these modes for everyday journeys. It aims to create safe, accessible, and convenient routes, reduce reliance on cars, and support wider goals in public health, sustainability, and transport efficiency.
Through active travel analysis, which is completed through desktop reviews and on-site inspections, asset management and maintenance activities can be integrated with active travel considerations such as wheelchair accessibility and the provision of cycleway infrastructure.
PAS 2161
Delivering innovations in survey technology
The recent introduction of PAS 2161:2024 presents a generational opportunity for developing industry practices, and a key feature of PAS 2161 is its flexibility regarding the technologies used for data collection. This approach encourages innovation and enables the integration of new solutions as they become available.
At XAIS-PTS, we are seizing this opportunity by leading the way in infrastructure assessment technology, providing a range of survey solutions designed to meet the specific needs of your network type, technological requirements, internal policies, and budget. Our surveys and analysis align fully with the new PAS, and can provide a range of additional data streams.
We will work collaboratively with you to define the best survey solution, and through our accredited XA© system and asset management support services, we can deliver an end-to-end solution in accordance with PAS requirements and your local asset management needs.
Why choose XAIS-PTS?
At XAIS-PTS our team has a wealth of experience, and we deliver comprehensive decision support and analysis services in support of our surveying, software, materials testing, certification, and design services.
If you have any questions or queries about our services, please contact us today – our team will be more than happy to have a conversation with you regarding your project requirements!