Mention Daleks and a ruthless race of extraterrestrial robots intent on universal domination spring to mind. But 'The Dalek' is also the nickname of a £200,000 machine that is exterminating potholes 30 times as fast as the conventional method of repair. The machine is capable of filling in the craters in just two minutes, which could mean that in the future, millions of motorists will not have to travel over terrain worthy of an off-road driving experience. Scroll down for video . Exterminate! The dalek machine (pictured) is capable of filling in troublesome potholes in just two minutes, which could mean that in the future, millions of motorists will not have to  travel over rough terrain, risking the integrity of their car's suspension . The imposing machine is being tested on the roads of central Bedfordshire and is successful, motorists may see more Daleks on the road in future – and enjoy smoother journeys. Millions of motorists will battle potholes over the Easter weekend as 3.4million Britons are expected to go on staycation. As well as being faster than current methods of repair, the machine makes the job safer for workers as the driver can complete the process from inside the vehicles’ cab, using a computer-style joystick. Like the Doctor Who characters it has a robotic arm at the front, which extends from the cab over the damaged road and fills it with material to fill in the crater. Saviour of motorists? The imposing machine is being tested on the roads of central Bedfordshire and is successful, motorists may see more daleks on the road in future - and enjoy smoother journeys . Fully armed: The machine has a robotic arm, which extends from the cab over the pothole and fills it with material to fill in the crater (pictured) The machine blows away the dust and loose debris, sprays a tar-like glue over the hole, then lays gravel on top. The real deal: The pothole-busting machine has been nicknamed the Dalek. An original space character from Dr Who is pictured . It is already used in the U.S. where it is known as the Pot Hole Killer and Central Bedfordshire Council is the first authority in England to trial the machine. ‘Maintaining our roads is a really key priority for the council, although we're conscious that there is a balancing act between keeping the roads safe and minimising disruption for our residents, as well as keeping our highways teams safe while they work, said councillor Brian Spurr, executive member for Sustainable Communities, Services. ‘We're constantly investigating new ways to keep up to speed with road improvements and trying out innovative technology like this ticks all the boxes to help us keep the road network moving. ‘The road patcher is still going through a trial phase but could potentially be another way that we can improve the service for our residents.’ Margaret Seear, from leading public services provider Amey, which has rolled out the new machine as part of its Highways Agency contract for the East of England, said: ‘Things like potholes can be a real headache for drivers and we are pleased to provide an efficient solution that has real benefits for our customer, our employees and road users.’ The trial comes as an annual report suggests the estimated cost of returning roads in England and Wales to a reasonable condition has increased to £12 billion. The Asphalt Industry Alliance survey of local authorities said the cost has risen from £10.5 billion in 2013 and it it could take local authorities a decade to fix the roads. Two million potholes in England and Wales were filled during the past 12 months. However, motoring groups said this is just a ‘sticking plaster’ approach and in the long run it would be cheaper to invest the £12billion to fix them properly. Compensation claims for car damage and injury caused by  potholed roads are rising sharply and now cost taxpayers £32million a year. It would take 12 years to clear the road repair backlog in England and Wales, and 14 years in London, according to the annual local authority road maintenance survey carried out by the Asphalt Industry Alliance. David Bizley, of the RAC, said  it was ‘no great surprise’ that  the catch-up cost of fixing roads had risen. ‘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,’ he said. The cost of filling a pothole ranges from £52 in most of England and Wales to £70 in London, where it has gone up by £8 in a year. The machine blows away the dust and loose debris, sprays a tar-like glue over the hole (pictured), then lays gravel on top . Game on: As well as being faster than current methods of repair, the machine makes the job safer for workers as the driver can complete the process from inside the vehicle's cab, using a computer-style joystick .
The £200,000 machine is on trial in central Bedfordshire where it is filling in potholes 30 times faster than conventional methods .
It has a robotic arm, which extends from the cab over the pothole and fills it with material to fill in the crater .
The machine blows away the dust and loose debris, sprays a tar-like glue over the hole, then lays gravel on top .
It is named after the Dr Who villains who exterminate problems in their path .
Millions of motorists will battle potholes over the Easter weekend as 3.4million Britons are expected to go on staycation .
Mention Daleks and a ruthless race of extraterrestrial robots intent on universal domination spring to mind. But 'The Dalek' is also the nickname of a £200,000 machine that is exterminating potholes 30 times as fast as the conventional method of repair. The machine is capable of filling in the craters in just two minutes, which could mean that in the future, millions of motorists will not have to travel over terrain worthy of an off-road driving experience. Scroll down for video . Exterminate! The dalek machine (pictured) is capable of filling in troublesome potholes in just two minutes, which could mean that in the future, millions of motorists will not have to  travel over rough terrain, risking the integrity of their car's suspension . The imposing machine is being tested on the roads of central Bedfordshire and is successful, motorists may see more Daleks on the road in future – and enjoy smoother journeys. Millions of motorists will battle potholes over the Easter weekend as 3.4million Britons are expected to go on staycation. As well as being faster than current methods of repair, the machine makes the job safer for workers as the driver can complete the process from inside the vehicles’ cab, using a computer-style joystick. Like the Doctor Who characters it has a robotic arm at the front, which extends from the cab over the damaged road and fills it with material to fill in the crater. Saviour of motorists? The imposing machine is being tested on the roads of central Bedfordshire and is successful, motorists may see more daleks on the road in future - and enjoy smoother journeys . Fully armed: The machine has a robotic arm, which extends from the cab over the pothole and fills it with material to fill in the crater (pictured) The machine blows away the dust and loose debris, sprays a tar-like glue over the hole, then lays gravel on top. The real deal: The pothole-busting machine has been nicknamed the Dalek. An original space character from Dr Who is pictured . It is already used in the U.S. where it is known as the Pot Hole Killer and Central Bedfordshire Council is the first authority in England to trial the machine. ‘Maintaining our roads is a really key priority for the council, although we're conscious that there is a balancing act between keeping the roads safe and minimising disruption for our residents, as well as keeping our highways teams safe while they work, said councillor Brian Spurr, executive member for Sustainable Communities, Services. ‘We're constantly investigating new ways to keep up to speed with road improvements and trying out innovative technology like this ticks all the boxes to help us keep the road network moving. ‘The road patcher is still going through a trial phase but could potentially be another way that we can improve the service for our residents.’ Margaret Seear, from leading public services provider Amey, which has rolled out the new machine as part of its Highways Agency contract for the East of England, said: ‘Things like potholes can be a real headache for drivers and we are pleased to provide an efficient solution that has real benefits for our customer, our employees and road users.’ The trial comes as an annual report suggests the estimated cost of returning roads in England and Wales to a reasonable condition has increased to £12 billion. The Asphalt Industry Alliance survey of local authorities said the cost has risen from £10.5 billion in 2013 and it it could take local authorities a decade to fix the roads. Two million potholes in England and Wales were filled during the past 12 months. However, motoring groups said this is just a ‘sticking plaster’ approach and in the long run it would be cheaper to invest the £12billion to fix them properly. Compensation claims for car damage and injury caused by  potholed roads are rising sharply and now cost taxpayers £32million a year. It would take 12 years to clear the road repair backlog in England and Wales, and 14 years in London, according to the annual local authority road maintenance survey carried out by the Asphalt Industry Alliance. David Bizley, of the RAC, said  it was ‘no great surprise’ that  the catch-up cost of fixing roads had risen. ‘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,’ he said. The cost of filling a pothole ranges from £52 in most of England and Wales to £70 in London, where it has gone up by £8 in a year. The machine blows away the dust and loose debris, sprays a tar-like glue over the hole (pictured), then lays gravel on top . Game on: As well as being faster than current methods of repair, the machine makes the job safer for workers as the driver can complete the process from inside the vehicle's cab, using a computer-style joystick .
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