LASERS, video cameras, satellite technology are all helping to build up a comprehensive picture of the state of County Durham's road network.

Durham County Council is the first authority in the country to use the array of technological wizardry on board a specially-designed vehicle.

Known as Tracs - traffic speed condition surveys - it is building an accurate picture of the condition of major roads from which engineers can draw up an efficient maintenance plan.

"The £500,000 vehicle which belongs to our partners, Babtle, is surveying A-class roads while travelling at the same speed as other traffic,'' said Chris Tunstall, the county council's deputy chief executive.

Mr Tunstall said the council was the first authority in England to use the system "Tracs enables us to produce data that meets Government requirements for automated high-speed surface condition surveys,'' he said.

The vehicle's collection of gadgetry includes 18 lasers at the front, a strobe light at the rear, four video cameras and a global positioning satellite (GPS) antenna.

It can collect a range of data, including road geometry, survey speed, wheelpath rutting and cracking.