Dalek bid to exterminate potholes

22 Apr 2014 at 11:57

'Daleks' could be the answer to solving Britain's estimated £12 billion pothole crisis.

A new robotic arm system, that has been given the same name as Dr Who's infamous arch enemies, fits onto the front of a truck and fills holes in the road with tar and gravel in under two minutes - 30 times faster than normal.

Known as the Pothole Killer in the US, the system is currently being trialled in Bedfordshire and could be extended nationwide if it proves a success.

It has been dubbed the Dalek, as like the most famous of TV baddies it features a front robotic arm operated by highway staff from the cab of the vehicle it is fixed to. It is hoped that the Dalek could speed up the urgent repairs needed on the UK's roads that were recently estimated to cost £12 billion.

RAC spokesman Simon Williams said: "Patching, while necessary for safety reasons, is nothing more than a short-term solution that will ultimately cost the taxpayer more money. We need the most permanent repair possible to be carried out rather than simply pouring tarmac into holes and hoping for the best.

"What's really needed is proper resurfacing but failing that high quality repairs over small sections of road which will stand the test of time.

"Ultimately, if you don't resurface roads properly at regular intervals and reconstruct them when they reach the end of their design lives you end up with roads riddled with potholes, endangering lives and costing motorists millions in vehicle repairs."

Copyright Press Association 2014