PAS 2161 and the Road Ahead: Modernizing Condition Monitoring for Local Authorities
by Henry Brocklehurst , Sales Manager - RoadAI
The publication of #PAS 2161 in September was welcome news for the Vaisala Xweather team. We first approached the Department for Transport about road condition data standards and accreditation back in 2018, when we began offering AI-powered road condition survey technology in the UK. We are now supporting local authorities as they transition to meet the new data standard, as well as exploring a range of other benefits that the new standard can enable for data-driven asset management.
What is PAS 2161?
Publicly Available Specification (PAS) documents aim to establish best practices and facilitate standardization within a given technical field. PAS 2161, published by the British Standards Institution (BSI), is the new standard for Road Condition Monitoring (RCM) and specifies the requirements for RCM data for reporting categories of road condition.
The PAS assigns each sub-section of carriageway a 1-5 rating based on the level of maintenance considered necessary:
(Source: PAS2161:2024, The British Standards Institution.)
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What has changed?
The PAS stipulates how the data must be reported, but this new “end-result” scoring method means that data providers do not have to report specific defect or condition parameters. Critically, the PAS does not dictate the type of technology or process that can be used to obtain RCM data, as long as the supplier meets the standardized 1-5 output. Previously, the only permitted survey method was SCANNER (Surface Condition Assessment for the National Network of Roads), which is conducted by dedicated survey vehicles and has not changed significantly since its introduction in 2000.
What does this mean for local authorities?
Councils now have more control over which survey type and technology they choose to report road conditions; this allows them to select a method and supplier that best fits their broader asset management needs—as long as the supplier has demonstrated their ability to accurately and consistently provide RCM data in the required format. Local authorities can even use multiple technologies to provide data from different parts of their network—whatever best suits their objectives.
The opportunity
In recent years, there have been significant advancements in how local authorities obtain up-to-date, detailed road condition data across their networks. The new PAS acknowledges that alternative survey technologies have been evolving rapidly, allowing for a wider variety of methods to be utilized to provide RCM data to the DfT. Ultimately, this is a shift away from the need to commission an external supplier to conduct machine-based surveys and will encourage councils to adopt approaches that provide more frequent data at lower costs. Importantly, significant efficiencies can be achieved by implementing solutions that provide additional datasets—for example, pothole data, traffic sign inventory, and road marking conditions—all from the same survey that provides RCM data, delivering further benefits for both planned and reactive maintenance. An excellent example of such a comprehensive solution is RoadAI. Powered by computer vision and a reliable methodology, RoadAI accurately assesses road surface conditions, enabling you to access up-to-date road asset information faster, more frequently, and at a fraction of the cost compared to manual surveys.