Mayrise mobile mapping technology makes streets safer in Torbay 

Torbay Council has implemented real-time mobile computing system to pinpoint potholes, loose paving and other hazards to improve carriageway and footway safety at the popular holiday resort.  Using live-connected mobile devices displaying electronic street maps, the highways inspection system is part of an integrated highways management solution from Mayrise Systems.

The mobile devices are used by Torbay's Highways Inspectors to capture detailed information in the field.  For defects that pose a safety hazard, the system alerts maintenance contractors automatically to help enable and ensure quick repair work.  The system eliminates traditional paper forms to increase the accuracy and consistency of fault reporting and Torbay expect the systems to improve the overall efficiency and management of the Council's highway maintenance programme.

"By using Mayrise to automate and manage our routine inspection programme we are able to increase the number of inspections per month by an estimated 25%. The Inspectors can now concentrate on what they do best - inspecting, rather than the time consuming task of form filling or data entry," said Patrick Carney, Service Manager. "This is good news for everyone as it means that we can be more proactive with our highway maintenance."

Inspection schedules, generated by the central management software MAYRISE Highways, are automatically transmitted to each device using mobile phone technology. Inspectors can then create optimised daily itineraries and detailed inspection routes using the handheld devices that incorporate MapNow, the instant map to view software from Mayrise.

While in the field Inspectors are guided by the on screen mapping and prompted for information by a series of drop down menus and standard electronic forms. Hazards or defects recorded in the field are accurately positioned using GPS technology and then automatically transmitted back to the central management system where they are allocated a priority against a set of defined parameters, responsible officer and target completion date.

"By having an integrated field and office solution our reports are more accurate, more consistent and more up to date," said Patrick Carney. "We no longer have to interpret subjective phrases like 'next to, to the side of, close by', we can communicate more effectively with our contractors and by grouping reactive maintenance by geography we can be more efficient."