Council implements new technology for road repairs
14th February 2015
The Highland Council has been trialling new technological means of repairing and maintaining roads, according to a report into the Roads Innovation Fund by the Director of Community Services.
Techniques to be used for the repair of potholes include use of "Jetpatcher" equipment, a process by which a high velocity air stream is used to clear any debris in the pothole and also to lay and compact new asphalt, filling it. Highland Council has been working with three contractors and Moray Council to trial this system.
Trialling the use of a small, mobile, two-tonne hot box for bituminous surfacing material has demonstrated the efficiencies which can be achieved in repairing potholes during winter. This permits permanent, rather than temporary, repairs to be made. More cost effective use of resources means more funding can be used for innovation.
The council has also put into effect a recycling pilot, during which technology has been used to reduce both time and spending when undertaking road surface regulation and overlay techniques. Specifically, the council has been trialling road recycling equipment which turns existing asphalt into re-usable material. During trials, this new system of road recycling delivered savings between 25% and 50% against the conventional technique.
The Highland Council is the largest (in geographical size) local authority in the UK and has 6,752 km of regional roads and 1,700 km of footways.
Cllr Graham MacKenzie, Chairperson of the Community Services Committee, said: "I am extremely pleased with the findings of these trials so far. This report highlights the importance of keeping up-to-date with technology and I am confident that the final results of the trials will be positive when they are completed in full."
Related Businesses
Related Articles
Today, Morrison Construction introduced some of their local apprentices who are working on the UK Governments' Levelling Up Funded refurbishment project at the Northern Meeting Park in Inverness. All these apprentices have been recruited from the Highland area.
The by-election to elect a councillor to represent Ward 19 - Inverness South on The Highland Council has been won by Duncan Cameron McDonald - Independent who was one of the eight candidates who contested the vacancy. Voters in the ward went to the poll yesterday (Thursday 11 April) and the by-election count was held this morning in The Highland Council Headquarters in Inverness.
The Technology Placement Programme offers funding to businesses in the Highland Council area to cover up to 70% of the cost of employing a student or graduate. The Technology Placement Programme offers funding to businesses in the Highland Council area to cover up to 70% of the cost of employing a student or graduate.
Following the success of its Business Digital Grant scheme launched last year, The Highland Council is delighted to announce further funding. This is to help Highland companies access digital support alongside other business growth support.
The Highland Council is delighted to confirm a highly successful second year for Public Service Obligation (PSO) flights between Wick and Aberdeen. The period from April 2023 to March 2024 has seen a substantial increase in passenger numbers, with several months seeing over 1,000 passengers using the service, and overall the service has seen year on year growth of 25%.
Members of Highland Council, who met on Thursday 14 March 2024, approved a corporate Digital Ambition, which has been designed to deliver significant organisational change across Council services, recognising the current priorities within the organisation. The Strategy, which is embedded within the wider Council Delivery Plan, has been developed to focus attention and resources on areas of change which will deliver the greatest benefit to the Council.
The Council remains committed to supporting mentoring in our schools, including the support that is currently delivered through the MCR Pathways programme. Highland Council is currently undertaking a review of Employability Support provided by a number of different council services and how these relate to the work carried out by external partners and in our schools.
Highland Council members have considered and agreed a revised draft Highland Outcome Improvement Plan. The partnership plan has been reviewed and updated by the Community Planning Partnership.
Members at today's (14 March 2024) meeting of The Highland Council agreed the local authority's new draft Community Wealth Building Strategy. They were also asked to note that a period of public engagement on the draft will now begin, with a final strategy returning to full Council for consideration in September.
Plans to invest up to £60m new Capital in Highland roads and infrastructure have been approved by Members at the Council meeting on 14 March 2024. The decision will see an additional £40m Capital investment in roads and transport infrastructure.
