Powering through the crisis with smart, collaborative working

Collaborative working practices have allowed many highways schemes to continue throughout 2020. Although the housing industry has slowed significantly, road building and asphalt supply has remained strong throughout 2020. Careful adjustment to working practices and transport arrangements have minimised the risk of transmission, while allowing work to continue. Some local authorities have found that the smaller gang sizes associated with using innovative SMA type materials in place of alternatives like HRA and chips has made site logistics and Covid safe working practices easier. Tarmac asphalt plants have also adopted a …

Tarmac launch their online Guide to Pothole Repairs

To mark National Pothole Day on 15 January, Tarmac launched an online guide to pothole repairs. Timely intervention and choosing the right material can help prevent serious deterioration in the condition of a road and help extend its life. The online guide helps highways teams to choose from the range of repair materials on offer, from packed cold lay asphalts and longer lasting hotbox materials to specialist bagged asphalts for use in mobile asphalt heaters. Take a look at our Guide to Pothole Repairs

Way behind on Warm Mix

Warm mix asphalts offer big savings in carbon emissions, but the UK is still way behind the US in the use of this technology. Despite over 300 local authorities declaring a climate emergency in 2019 and Warm Mix Asphalt getting the backing of The All Party Parliamentary Group [APPG] on Highways in their ‘Working for Better Roads’ a report, warm mix asphalt still represents just 5-6% of asphalt volumes in the UK. This compares to almost 50% in the United States. Warm mix asphalts generally support carbon dioxide savings of …