Utility and infrastructure contractors Network Plus have announced multi-year partnership to deploy RodRadar’s Live Dig Radar® (LDR) technology across its entire national fleet.

Serving major UK asset owners including Severn Trent Water, Cadent Gas, National Grid, and UK Power Networks, Network Plus will roll out RodRadar’s LDR Excavate™ technology across its repair and maintenance fleet of more than 200 machines over a multi-year programme. The planned rollout marks a decisive shift toward eliminating underground utility strikes, an industry- wide safety challenge across UK construction.

According to University of Birmingham research, the UK suffers over 60,000 utility strikes every year, costing the economy an estimated £2.4 billion annually in project delays, traffic gridlock, and severe safety risks to site crews.

The partnership traces back to Machinetech, RodRadar’s exclusive UK distributor, which identified Network Plus’s strike-risk challenge and introduced the contractor to LDR. Recognising that the highest density of shallow, high-risk utilities is found in congested urban environments, Network Plus challenged RodRadar to scale down its proven technology.

In response, RodRadar engineered the Type 0 LDR Excavate, the world’s first-ever 30cm (12″) wide digging bucket embedded with live, intelligence-driven ground-penetrating radar. Following successful field trials supported by Machinetech, the system proved it delivers real-time, AI-classified alerts directly to the operator the moment a utility is detected.

Dave Fleming, Head of Plant at Network Plus, commented:

“Utility strikes are a costly, high-risk disruption, and preventing them is a priority across our operations. RodRadar’s LDR technology is a complete game changer for risk management. By rolling this out across our fleet, we will not just protect our crews and assets, we will guarantee a best-in-class, uninterrupted service for our clients and the millions of UK citizens who rely on their infrastructure.”

Yuval Barnea, VP Sales and Marketing at RodRadar, stated:

“Network Plus operates at a scale that demands the absolute pinnacle of site safety and operational efficiency. We are incredibly proud they have chosen our field-proven Live Dig Radar to protect their workforce and their
customers’ infrastructure. This massive nationwide deployment brings us a giant step closer to making ‘Zero Strikes’ the global industry standard.”

(Picture: Network Plus)