Innovative pothole fix Elastomac could help ease ‘pothole crisis’

Damage to the UK’s A and B routes is contributing to British commuters spending up to four days in traffic every year, and the problem appears to be getting worse. Digital driving app Waze has reporting an increase in potholes by 40 per cent over the past month, with 11,558 alerts made in the UK. Potholes cost British motorists £4bn every year according to Green Flag.

Having been underfunded to deal with the issue for years, councils have remained forward thinking in their approach to finding cost-effective and innovative methods to tackle the potholes. Harry Pearl, CEO of Roadmender Asphalt – a leading SME innovator for road infrastructure solutions – explains why new durable asphalts such as Elastomac can relieve stress off of local authorities by ending the pothole crisis.

The five most complained about roads in the UK

1. Bath Road, Hounslow – 828 complaints over the past two years
2. Seven Hills Road, Walton on Thames – 628 complaints
3. Oxford Street, London – 530 complaints
4. Burnley Road, Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire – 465 complaints
5. A390, Truro/Chiverton – 391 complaints

“The underfunding of councils and the declining standards of bitumen in current road asphalts has been a cocktail made in hell. Councils have been ill-equipped to tackle the palpable issue of potholes across the breadth of the nation. Alongside this, the materials used to fill these potholes have been frail and of poor quality. Now however, with a new government agenda, we expect that money flowing into councils from the forthcoming budget will provide adequate support in order for British motorists to wave goodbye to mounting road-induced motoring bills.

“In addition to this, continuing their vein of blue sky thinking, local authorities are starting to invest into new asphalt techniques becoming available to them. Elastomac by Roadmender Asphalt for example is one such way that councils are deploying sustainable, environmentally friendly materials to road mending. Comprised of over 65 per cent recyclable material, this product builds upon the new rubber integrations with asphalts that have seen Tarmac so heavily praised. For every tonne of Elastomac produced, there are 11 rubber tyres within the composite.

“This makes new road mending products far more durable to both the elements and vehicular wear and tear, meaning that the great fear of potholes for councils and motorists alike are firmly in the rear-view mirror.”