UK's ESN delay questioned

The chair of the UK’s Public Accounts Committee, Meg Hillier, has expressed concerns over delays to the introduction of the country’s Emergency Services Network (ESN).

“The Committee are extremely concerned that the ESN programme has been delayed by a further 6 months,” Hillier wrote 14 March in a letter to Sir Philip Rutnam, permanent secretary of the UK Home Office.

“Since our first evidence session on this subject, in November 2016, the programme has gone from being ‘slightly delayed’ to now being a minimum of 15 months behind schedule. It is clear that from the start, the Department was complacent about the risks involved in the programme.

“Given the longstanding concerns, the high-level strategic review of the programme and extensive re-planning exercise you are carrying out are vital but long overdue. Until these exercises are completed and a timetable for delivery is finalised it is difficult to gauge whether the developments outlined in your letter constitute real progress or not,” she added.

“I also understand that the programme director for ESN, Gordon Shipley, is to step down at the end of the month, with reports suggesting this is due to the delays in the programme. I am concerned this adds to the challenges facing the programme and would like reassurance from you on how this leadership change will be managed.”

Hillier went on to say that following “the serious concerns raised previously by the Committee around the viability of the existing network service, Airwave, beyond March 2020 it is encouraging to hear that an agreement seems to have been reached between Motorola and Vodafone to ensure Airwave can continue in service”.

But she added that, “We expect the Department to monitor this agreement closely. It is essential that there is no interruption in the ability of emergency services to communicate before the ESN finally comes into service.”

Hillier wrote that finalising the timetable, confirming how much the programme will cost, clarifying who will be responsible for paying which costs, proving the technology works through vigorous testing and ensuring the network provides the required coverage “are all crucial for building confidence in the emergency services who you are hoping will sign up to the new system”.

“In your 13 February letter you told us that the Department is considering different delivery models that would roll out capability incrementally and allow users to see the progress made,” she wrote. This alternative approach will involve a substantial amount of work with suppliers and emergency services and amounts to a reset of the entire approach for delivering the ESN programme.

Hillier said that she had also regularly “raised concerns around ESN’s capability on underground transport systems and air-to-ground coverage”.

“I note from your letter that work has started on London Underground, but… we were told that problems remain for other metro systems around the UK… [and that] we were also told that areas that are yet to be finalised are how in-vehicle solutions will work and the air-to­ ground solution, where procurement for this has just started,” she wrote.

“This throws yet more uncertainty into the programme and needs to be closely monitored.”

Hillier pointed out that the Committee has been given to expect that a high-level review and re-planning exercises would be completed by the end of July.

“You will be aware that the Comptroller and Auditor General has said he will then be looking again at the ESN programme,” she wrote.

“Be assured that we will continue to watch this closely and will examine progress again on the back of the Comptroller and Auditor General’s report.”

Image credit: ©stock.adobe.com/au/Kzenon

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