Using Old Tyres to Make New Roads - in the London Borough of Barnet

Collaborative working

This wide, tree lined street in the London Borough of Barnet, required a new surface course. The client were also looking for a more sustainable and lower carbon solution to help meet their climate change commitments. The new surface course would also need to be installed with minimal disruption to residents and road users.

Collaborative working between client Barnet Council, and term maintenance contractor Tarmac Kier JV, Riney the surfacing contractor and Tarmac the material supplier helped deliver a more sustainable outcome for the client and local residents.

Lower Carbon emissions

Tarmac’s Rubber Modified SMA incorporates recycled rubber from end-of life tyres and uses warm mix asphalt technology to achieve a lower carbon footprint, typically 8% lower than the equivalent conventional SMA.

85% recycled or secondary materials

The use of recycled rubber crumb and steel slag aggregate meant that approximately 85% of all the materials in the asphalt were recycled or classed as secondary.

Less disruption to residents and road users

As well as reducing carbon emissions, warm mix asphalts also offer proven gains in productivity. Requiring less time to reach trafficking temperatures, they allow more work to be completed within a given operating window. This enables fast, efficient resurfacing with reduced road closures and disruption to traffic.

‘The future of road surfacing…’

The client was impressed with the results of this collaborative working between the term maintenance team and materials supplier which allowed them to benefit from this innovative approach: “This is the future of road resurfacing in Barnet…. Materials technology in road resurfacing has moved forward and really significant improvements in the sustainability of road resurfacing is being achieved with our new joint venture contractor and Tarmac’s material skills” Councillor Peter Zinkin, Barnet London Borough Council.