East Renfrewshire roads could be fantastic with plastic

East Renfrewshire Council is piloting roads repairs using plastic-based material, otherwise destined for landfill.
The road repairs will be carried out using plastic based materials.The road repairs will be carried out using plastic based materials.
The road repairs will be carried out using plastic based materials.

The council is undertaking the carriageway resurfacing of Eaglesham Road, Clarkston, in two phases, as part of the pilot into this new technology.

The asphalt material used to create these roads contains an additive made from plastics, and is considered a greener alternative to traditional methods.

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Work began this week with programmed completion for mid-August 2018.

Phase one (until July 29) will see the area between the roundabout at the entrance to Williamwood High School and 175 Eaglesham Road resurfaced with the new plastic road technology.

Phase two (July 30 to mid-August) will tackle the resurfacing between the junctions of Ashfield Road and Cartsbridge Road, using traditional materials.

Councillor Alan Lafferty, convenor for environment, said: “We are delighted to be trialling this new technology and if it is a success, it will be good news for our roads and our environment.

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“As the two phases are adjacent and subject to similar traffic loading, weather and laying conditions it will allow us to analyse and monitor the performance of each material against the other more accurately.

“This will enable our roads team to consider whether it will be beneficial to our residents and communities to adopt plastic roads more widely.”

Cllr Lafferty continued: “If the plastic roads prove to be as durable and cost effective as we hope, our ambition is to use plastic from East Renfrewshire households to build our own roads.

“Whilst we were the first local authority in Scotland to recycle more than 60 per cent of its household waste, we are always looking to improve these figures and this scheme is another unique way to contribute to this.”