About Us

The principals of the company are Ian Oliver and Tony Shillaker.

Company profile

Since March 2003 Ian and Tony have been Directors of Clear Route Utility Services Ltd, a subsidiary of Murphy Ltd. and have been further expanding the knowledge and applications used in their particular field or expertise.

The company has consequently expanded in line with the constantly increasing workload since the inception of the company, with fully qualified and experienced personnel being employed to fill their respective positions.

Principals History

From 1982 to 1989 date the two worked together for British Gas, where their duties consisted of working in all situations ranging from green field sites to off shore rigs within the UK. These projects included structure and ground monitoring, environmental impact surveys, 3D surveys for modular build in the off shore industry, and buried service mapping of land prior to construction, operational sites and sites in preparation for de-commissioning.

In 1989 the pair left British Gas to co-found their own location and mapping consultancy company.
During the course of the following years, their surveying methods and software were being further developed to allow random and single cross sections to be taken through the site captured 3D model containing the buried utilities.

In October 1997, AM Surveys Ltd, a Joint Venture company between their company and Midlands Electricity plc. was formed to increase the use of Trenchless Technology by Midlands Electricity in respect of all their cable laying activities. Ian and Tony became respectively Directors of Tracing and Surveying Services of AM Surveys Limited. AM Surveys Limited was fully operational by April 1998.

The further improved software showed the plan and underground section views of a proposed installation route with all identified positions of utilities equipment with safety zones, and where the utility installation is to be undertaken by trenchless methods, the possible ground heave or burst impact.

This 3D utility mapping process has won a series of prestigious awards from October 1997 including:

• UKSTT Cable Award
• UKSTT Directional Drilling Award
• UK Design Council Millennium Product.

During a series of changes of ownership of the company from 2000 to 2003, Tony and Ian remained in their respective managerial positions within the companies.

As well as working extensively throughout the whole of the United Kingdom the pair also have international experience having worked in Europe, Africa, Saudi Arabia, Hong Kong and USA. They have also presented demonstrations and seminars on Underground Utility Mapping and Trenchless Technology associated with this work in these environments.