UK
Ireland
Scotland
London
Construction News
09/04/2019
Firms Urged To Use Emerging Asphalt Innovations For Potholes
Utilities firms across the UK are being urged to utilise emerging asphalt innovations to tackle the increasing number of potholes on national roads.
This call comes after new research was published from the Asphalt Industry Alliance (AIA) revealing that the number of potholes filled in over the last year jumped by a quarter, from 1.5 million in 2018 to 1.86 million so far in 2019.
The research adds to a consultation launched by the Department for Transport (DfT) in March which proposes that gas, electricity and communications firms must fix potholes which form within five years of work that requires breaking and repairing a road. This would be an increase to the current two-year guarantee, with the DfT hoping the new standards will push contractors to use better quality asphalt materials.
Aggregate Industries has welcomed this move, calling it "crucial" to extend the current lifetime of road repairs. This includes making use of the latest advances in asphalt such as SuperCurve, a high performance 10mm polymer modified asphalt, which has been specifically designed and engineered to provide an enhanced surface course for higher stressed areas.
In line with recommendations made by the AIA, Aggregate Industries is also calling on the government to create a more robust investment strategy for maintaining the long-term condition of local roads through regularly resurfacing programmes, which it says is the best way to prevent potholes from forming.
Chris Hudson, Managing Director of Asphalt and Readymix at Aggregate Industries, added: "Potholes are symptomatic of poorly maintained roads and potential underlying structural issues. All councils have seen a significant decrease in road surfacing frequency in recent years to once every 67 years when ideally they should be resurfaced between 10-20 years.
"Rather than having a reactive programme of providing local authorities with last-minute funding to patch up potholes after bouts of bad weather, what we as an industry really need is a long-term funding framework. Crucially, this will allow councils to implement a full resurfacing programme, which will go a long way in preventing potholes from forming in the first place."
(CM/MH)
This call comes after new research was published from the Asphalt Industry Alliance (AIA) revealing that the number of potholes filled in over the last year jumped by a quarter, from 1.5 million in 2018 to 1.86 million so far in 2019.
The research adds to a consultation launched by the Department for Transport (DfT) in March which proposes that gas, electricity and communications firms must fix potholes which form within five years of work that requires breaking and repairing a road. This would be an increase to the current two-year guarantee, with the DfT hoping the new standards will push contractors to use better quality asphalt materials.
-- Advertisement --
Aggregate Industries has welcomed this move, calling it "crucial" to extend the current lifetime of road repairs. This includes making use of the latest advances in asphalt such as SuperCurve, a high performance 10mm polymer modified asphalt, which has been specifically designed and engineered to provide an enhanced surface course for higher stressed areas.
In line with recommendations made by the AIA, Aggregate Industries is also calling on the government to create a more robust investment strategy for maintaining the long-term condition of local roads through regularly resurfacing programmes, which it says is the best way to prevent potholes from forming.
Chris Hudson, Managing Director of Asphalt and Readymix at Aggregate Industries, added: "Potholes are symptomatic of poorly maintained roads and potential underlying structural issues. All councils have seen a significant decrease in road surfacing frequency in recent years to once every 67 years when ideally they should be resurfaced between 10-20 years.
"Rather than having a reactive programme of providing local authorities with last-minute funding to patch up potholes after bouts of bad weather, what we as an industry really need is a long-term funding framework. Crucially, this will allow councils to implement a full resurfacing programme, which will go a long way in preventing potholes from forming in the first place."
(CM/MH)
Latest Construction News
29/01/2025
Caddick Construction has been awarded a £43 million contract to deliver the first phase of Cole Waterhouse's flagship regeneration scheme in Digbeth, Birmingham.
The project, known as Upper Trinity Street, marks a significant step in the area’s transformation.
Spanning 182,986 square feet, the re
29/01/2025
McLaren Construction has been appointed by O&H Properties to deliver the first phase of a £60 million Foster & Partners-designed development at the corner of New Bond Street and Grafton Street in London’s West End.
The seven-storey, 5,400 square metre prime retail and office scheme will feature ret
29/01/2025
GMI Construction Group has been awarded a contract to develop three high-specification warehouse units totalling over 175,000 square feet at Precedent Drive, Milton Keynes.
The £20 million project, commissioned by DV5 Last Mile Developments (UK) Ltd, a joint venture between Coltham and Delancey Re
29/01/2025
Plans for 106 sustainable new homes in Southville, a neighbourhood in South Bristol, have been approved as the city seeks to increase housing delivery to address growing demand.
Top 10 award-winning housebuilder The Hill Group will create a £60 million development on Raleigh Road, on land that was
29/01/2025
Bouygues UK has reached a major milestone in the fourth phase of the Hallsville Quarter regeneration project in Canning Town, London.
The project, part of the £3.7 billion Canning Town and Custom House Regeneration Programme, recently held a topping out ceremony, marking the completion of the 11-s
29/01/2025
Willmott Dixon Interiors is carrying out a significant upgrade to the roof of the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich, one of London's most iconic cultural landmarks.
As part of the £12 million project, the company is installing over 23,000 square feet of sun-protected glazing above the museum’s
29/01/2025
Equans has been appointed by Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Councils to carry out crucial decarbonisation work across the councils' housing stock, using funding secured through the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund (SHDF).
The councils used the South East Consortium's Zero Carbon Framework to s
29/01/2025
In the world of construction, the quest for energy efficiency and sustainability is ever-evolving. Among the array of solutions available, EPS (Expanded Polystyrene) insulation stands out as a versatile and effective option for enhancing the thermal performance of buildings, particularly when used f
29/01/2025
BCP Council has completed significant coastal protection works at Hamworthy Park, ensuring its resilience against erosion for the next 20 years.
A 200-metre stretch of sea wall along the eastern promenade has been reinforced using low-carbon concrete, while new steps have been constructed to improv
29/01/2025
Geo-environmental consultancy and remediation contractor, The LK Group, has strengthened its team with a trio of recruits.
The multidisciplinary company's latest raft of hires comprises a new director, associate director and remediation manager.
The geo-environmental specialist, headquartered i
