Modernising Highway Asset Management processes with AMX

Wrexham Council embarked on a tender process to reduce the number of disparate applications used across the organisation. Previously, the Council had relied on a competitor’s system, which often failed to provide a complete and accurate picture of asset data, making fault response slower and less efficient. In adopting AMX, the Council successfully modernised its highway asset management processes, dramatically reducing the reliance on paperwork through the system’s mobile functionality. This feature allows inspectors to access and update data in real-time, improving the speed and accuracy of inspections. Since implementing AMX, scheduled inspection rates have significantly improved, demonstrating a clear uplift in operational performance and accountability. The transition has marked a significant step forward in how the Council manages and responds to infrastructure issues.

How AMX is Used

The flexibility of AMX's configurable dashboards has enabled data to be tailored and presented in a way that is appropriate for different teams. The ability to attach photographs to defect reports has significantly enhanced the process, encouraging inspectors to engage with the system fully. Outstanding customer service from AMX has been vital throughout the transition, with prompt support, collaborative meetings, and the development of tailored patches and fixes. Although not all requirements were immediately apparent, the trial-and-error process uncovered new and valuable applications for AMX within the Council's workflows. Paperwork previously used by street inspectors has been replaced with clear, customisable dashboards and graphs that show asset conditions and fault locations. Inspectors can now access not just daily tasks, but also plan future work based on defect severity.

The Benefits of AMX

Wrexham Council is transferring to the new AMX Web application, which allows data sharing between laptops and mobile devices in the field. This mobility has significantly enhanced the Council’s ability to defend claims, with a current success rate of over 80%, aiming to achieve 100% coverage in the future. Before AMX, poor data made it impossible to determine which highway assets required resurfacing due to the limitations of the data reporting quality. Advanced categorisation within AMX allows highway assets to be prioritised based on the volume and severity of surface defects. For example, highway assets can be ranked by the severity of the fault (in this case, potholes), and they are then placed in a league table based on the urgency of repair and scheduling. A larger, more dangerous pothole can be ranked as a higher priority fix vs a more minor, less impactful fault. A highway asset with a larger number of minor, lower-category faults can be manually reviewed and prioritised for maintenance. This process has greatly improved the response to defect reports from the Council. Thanks to AMX, Wrexham Council can now analyse up to 5,000 highway assets at once – a significant improvement over the previous limit of around 100. This comprehensive overview allows inspectors to label, escalate, and prioritise defects effectively.

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Crucially, the Council can link related jobs in the same area, leading to more strategic funding proposals based on solid, actionable evidence. While AMX has already proven highly adaptable, the Council is excited about the potential for even more uses in the future. They anticipate uncovering new ways to use the system, supported by its intuitive design and the proactive training and support from the AMX team, which will further enhance their asset management process. Additionally, integrating third-party niche applications has enhanced workflows, creating a more connected and efficient asset management process. Wrexham Council rates AMX as one of the best customer service experiences, particularly valuing the honest and understandable guidance on system capabilities and potential workarounds.

 

​The Future With AMX

Wrexham Council has ambitious plans to deepen and expand its use of AMX. Key initiatives include:

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• Further integrating Street Words and Eton systems to streamline data management and improve asset tracking.

• Extending Structures coverage within AMX and building more functionality around flood risk management.

• Incorporating person-hours and material costs into the system to improve project costing and resource allocation.

• Expanding AMX's capabilities to manage new areas such as open spaces and tree management.

• Developing bespoke solutions within AMX for bin management and highway maintenance.

• Enhancing gully maintenance scheduling to strengthen flood risk mitigation strategies.

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These developments underline Wrexham Council’s commitment to building a more efficient, data-driven, and future-proofed approach to asset management with AMX at the heart of their operations.

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"AMX is by far one of the best customer service companies I've worked with in terms of development engagement and partnering. It's all there. If we've had an issue, the AMX team has been quite patient in terms of us getting our required solution together, while also guiding us and helping us get it right. They have helped with what the system can and can't do, or what the workarounds to the can't-dos are. That's been exceptional for us, and it's been put to us in a way that's understandable at our level."

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​Jason Fletcher

Projects Officer, Environment and Technical Department, Wrexham County Borough Council.