The introduction of new Covid-19 measures will have far reaching effects that may not initially spring to mind.
For one, since the outbreak of COVID-19 and the subsequent lockdown measures, councils and local authorities up and down the land have worked diligently to tweak and amend Britain’s road networks to prepare them for a new and more sustainable outlook.
After the pledge of £2.5 billion in funding for filling potholes in the Spring Budget, councils took to the roads to mend significant backlogs of potholes, making good use of the decreased levels of traffic during lockdown. However, the deployment of resource to fill potholes hasn’t been the only way in which local authorities have transformed our networks.
As Britain aims to meet its ambitious targets to become net zero carbon by the year 2050, councils have been using the lockdown period to provide road networks with a face-lift, introducing initiatives aimed at making British roads more environmentally friendly. These have included:
- Integrated cycle lane expansion in London, helping an increase of cyclists by 120% in the city
- The opening of the UK’s first ‘Dutch-style’ cycling roundabout
- First proposals for a nation wide ‘e-highways’ network, alleviating HGV emissions
- Pop up cycle lanes with pavement extensions to focus on greater pedestrianisation of city centres
Working with councils for new, sustainable and cost-effective potholes repairs, Roadmender Asphalt have been working at the forefront of road upgrades with councils across the UK. Harry Pearl, CEO of Roadmender Asphalt, has commented on the vision of councils to upgrade road provisions.
“After a decade of austerity, councils have naturally gravitated towards innovation and have helped launch R&D hubs, working with innovative SMEs. Together, SMEs and councils have started to ask why road improvement tasks can’t now be fulfilled with innovative and modern practices. We are now finding with councils that these innovations are trickling down into all aspects of road upgrades.
Pothole repairs were traditionally filled with the same materials made to build roads. Now however, we can fill potholes with materials made specifically for the job, that may prove to be significantly more efficient and cost-effective.”