Did you know that a futuristic robot is currently lurking beneath the streets of Letchworth?

Don’t panic, think less HG Wells, more Time Team. Cadent Gas has expanded its use of innovative robot technology and deployed a new ‘Gas-bot’ to help give ageing mains a new lease of life in Works Road.

This new technology has previously achieved high-profile success in London – and Cadent Gas is rolling the concept out across its networks in the east of England.

The Gas-bot works inside live mains with the gas still flowing, meaning there is no need to disrupt supplies while work is being carried out.

The technology dramatically saves the amount of time taken to carry out works by reducing the number of excavations required.

Cadent Network Engineer Shaun Perry – who is managing the project – said: “This new technology means we can work faster, smoother and more economically than if we were using traditional methods.

“This work we’re doing in Letchworth would have taken us months to complete, and required us to dig large excavations.”