Ask any motorist and they will tell you exactly where all the potholes are on their normal route, so launching a satellite to search for them may seem a crazy idea, but it may not be as mad as it may seem.
Although the idea which has been put forward by Worcestershire County Council will certainly look for potholes, the idea behind the space technology is to monitor motorists’ behaviour, see where traffic congestion is prevalent and improve traffic flow.
The idea is in the embryo stages at present with Council leaders holding talks with scientists about the plans; they are also in discussions with a specialist U.S manufacturer to create the micro-satellites, which are known as CubeSats, which will record live details on congestion data while in orbit. They will also have the advantage of informing highway chiefs to potentially car-damaging potholes and road erosion.
As you might expect, the idea has been met with a mixed reaction and with local residents feeling the brunt of £30m council cutbacks, one person commented that: “Spending taxpayers’ money on satellites to look for potholes sounds almost amusing, but it is a barmy idea.”
The Tax Payers’ Alliance was lukewarm to the idea, although they did not condemn it entirely, suggesting that if the new technology was employed, it would have to show savings elsewhere. Jonathon Isaby the spokesman for the group said: “It’s important to embrace new ideas that can help improve efficiency, but it’s equally important to only do so when it works.”
So it could come to come to pass that “Big Brother” may be watching you as you motor through Worcestershire!
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