Recycled tyres used as tarmac on Bradford road

A section of Otley Road in Eldwick, between Warren Lane and Spring Lane, is the first in the region to have been resurfaced

The road being tarmacked
Author: Hannah NorburyPublished 2nd Sep 2021

Bradford Council is the first local authority in the region to lay a road surface containing recycled tyres.

A section of Otley Road in Eldwick, between Warren Lane and Spring Lane has been resurfaced using used tyres.

Around 700 tonnes of the greener rubber asphalt was laid at the site by Bradford Council’s Highway Maintenance North team.

Seven tonnes of recycled rubber were used - keeping 1,000 tyres out of landfill or incineration.

The used tyres would otherwise go to landfill or incineration.

It also has lower carbon emissions, as it is manufactured and supplied at lower temperatures, saving on average 3.5kg of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) per tonne.

It's also been approved for use on motorways and the strategic road network and also offers lasting texture and skid resistance for road users.

Councillor Alex Ross-Shaw, Portfolio Holder for Regeneration, Planning and Transport, said:

“We have a duty to reduce waste and tackle climate change which is having a devastating effect on our planet. Using this innovative new product from Tarmac is a positive step in terms of decarbonising our operations.

“We will continue to work with suppliers and contractors to ensure that using materials like this becomes standard practice.”

Tarmac’s Ian Carr, Senior Technical Manager – Contracting, said: “We are delighted to have been working with Bradford Council over recent months to find a high-performing solution that meets road users’ needs but also, importantly, offers lower carbon emissions.

“It’s great to see the authority embrace innovative new products like this which deliver real benefits to both residents and the environment.”

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