A new carbon-saving alternative to traditional methods of repairing roads is being used by Bath & North East Somerset Council to help deliver its commitment to tackling the climate and ecological emergency.

Bath and North East Somerset Council have invested in a thermal road repair system to help significantly reduce emissions as it improves and maintains roads in the area.

This new technology makes repairs using an infra-red heating process which reheats the existing road surface, bringing it back to a workable state where it can be recycled and used again. Additional material is added, mixed in and compacted to reform the road back to a high standard.

As the process reuses the existing road surface material, less new material is needed to make repairs and there is no excavation of material that then needs disposing, making the process zero waste. Also, by eliminating the need for power tools road repairs can be made faster, noise levels are reduced, and carbon emissions are significantly lower.

Further contributing to the councils’ Net Zero goals, the system and the fully self-contained vehicle it travels in are fitted with solar panels.

Bath & North East Somerset Council trialled the equipment in 2019 and 2021 before purchasing its own machine. 

Councillor Mark Roper, cabinet assistant for Neighbourhood Services said: ‘We’re always looking for new and innovative ways to deliver our essential works while still moving towards our goal of becoming carbon neutral. We know that embracing and investing in new and innovative methods like this will help us better tackle the climate emergency.

‘After successful trials using this system, we’ve seen the benefits that it can bring, and we’re excited to see it out and about improving our highways.’ 

Operatives have been training on how to use the new equipment and the council is looking to deploy the system in September and hope it will supplement existing road and footway surface repair operations.