Osiris Subsurface Detection Systems Ltd (OSDS) has been named the January winner of the 2014 Merseyside Innovation Awards.

The Woolton firm has devised a revolutionary new way to dig up road surfaces to repair cables and pipework underneath which reduces the likelihood of potholes and the time and cost of making repairs.

The process could save local authorities and utility companies tens of thousands of pounds on costly road surface repairs.

Speaking about the process, Stephen Dunmore said he got the idea from the National Grid: "In 2008 OSDS was invited to a tender by the National Grid. They were looking to adopt a technique from the USA where gas leaks were repaired by carving a ‘keyhole’ in the surface of the road.

"The process was an improvement on traditional methods of getting under the road surface but it required two vehicles – a diamond coring vehicle to cut into the surface and a vacuum excavator to remove the loose sandy debris underneath the tarmac.

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"I began thinking about the possibility of putting the two together and creating one vehicle to do the whole job, extracting the hard top surface and the softer There are now seven prototype vehicles in service with Scotia Gas Networks and local authorities are showing interest in the vehicles, which can remove and replace a core in less than an hour.

He is now working with Northern Gas Networks until the end of March testing the combination of his vehicle with an acoustic camera which can visually detect pipe damage and hear leaks, reducing the time from detection to complete repair from four days to just a few hours.

"I hope to improve health and safety within utility companies by reducing the need for an operator to enter a potentially dangerous excavation, minimise the presence of traffic cones and road works and enable any utility company or local authority to repair and reinstate a road within a day,” said Stephen.

Making the presentation to Stephen, judging panel member Lesley Prichard of WP Thompson Intellectual Property said: "The judges agreed that this was a unique vehicle which could deliver major benefits.

"By reducing traffic disruption and congestion for the public it would ease the negative effect roadworks can have on the local business economy. There are also the reduced emissions of using a single vehicle, the neatness of the sealed surface after the work and the possibility that this business could grow to be a significant regional employer."

The Merseyside Innovation Awards are open for entries, with a winner chosen each month by the judging panel.

(MH/IT)