What is GN22 and how will it affect lighting asset management?

August 2023

The Institution of Lighting Professionals, together with the UK Lighting Board of the UK Roads Liaison Group, Highway Electrical Association and Transport for London published Guidance Notes 22, Asset-Management Toolkit: Minor Structures in 2020.
 

What is the new standard GN22?

As outlined by the ILP, GN22 guidance is a mandatory standard, designed to support everyone who has a responsibility for assets such as lamp posts, traffic posts, traffic signal poles, signs, CCTV, WiFi, floral decorations or similar across infrastructure including highways, rail, transportation, navigable waterways, docks and harbours. (LP Guidance Notes 22 Asset Management Toolkit: Minor Structures (ATOMS)).

GN22 provides the guidance and tools to effectively manage these assets in line with the UK Roads Liaison Group ‘Well-Managed Highway Infrastructure’ Code of Practice.
 

What has happened to TR22?

TR22 has been withdrawn and replaced with GN22 to align with the latest Code of Practice “Well-Managed Highway Infrastructure (Oct 2016)”.  This Code of Practice aims to promote good asset management practice through a risk-based approach.
 

What should Asset Managers be doing?

ATOMS document foreword states “there is a requirement for all highway authorities to have implement[ed] a full risk-based approach contained in WMHI by October 2018”.

Continuing to use TR22 (or not undertaking GN22) will fail to meet the requirements of the CoP and you would need to be able to provide evidence of why and how your alternative approach satisfies the CoP.

Additionally, the Design Manual for Roads and Bridges defines lighting supports as Minor Structures and specifically states that lighting columns are to be inspected “in accordance with” GN22.
 

WDM Lighting Management System (LMS) is fully compliant with GN22 to manage all works requirements to recognised standards in one place.

For more information on our HIAMS lighting Management System, please visit: https://www.wdm.co.uk/software/lighting

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