A+B Council increases spend on roads

The amount of money to be spent on roads in Argyll and Bute in the current financial year has been increased by £1.5million. The Council’s Executive Committee took the decision today to accelerate the capital spend on roads in 2009/10 from £4.5million to £6million – a 33% increase. Councillors heard how a national road condition survey last year had concluded that Argyll and Bute Council had the highest percentage of roads needing attention of any Scottish local authority. However, Argyll and Bute’s variation to the Scottish average is already reducing, and the gap is now likely to narrow further with the extra money committed this year. The Council’s spokesperson for Transportation and Infrastructure, Councillor Duncan MacIntyre, said: “The key performance indicators showed that the condition of our roads network improved by 5.2% between last year and the year before, but we obviously still have some way to go. “Roads maintenance is a priority for this Council. Argyll and Bute has nearly 2,500 kilometres of roads, the vast majority of which are A and B classifications, and for several years we have significantly increased the amount of money we spend on maintaining them.  “Even before the extra £1.5million agreed today, we were spending more than double what was being spent four years ago in this area. “By accelerating the work yet further, we are ensuring that the roads maintenance backlog is being tackled now, rather than waiting for future years.” Councillor MacIntyre added that Argyll and Bute is also constantly looking at new, innovative solutions to roads maintenance.  “Recent work at in Helensburgh and Dunoon involved methods such as COLAS Repave which are not only cheaper and faster, but which are more effective, look better and are carbon neutral,” he said. “We will continue to investigate all possible options in terms of improving our roads system as quickly and efficiently as possible.” A 10-year maintenance strategy for the roads network across Argyll and Bute is currently being drafted and will be put to Councillors later this year. The extra £1.5million will come from the capital budget for the next financial year (2010/11). The Colas Repave process involves hot in-situ recycling of carriageways, with the existing road surface heated to 150º C. Shallow cuts are then made to a depth of 30mm before an oscillating, floating screed re-profiles and corrects levels for the required crown or crossfall.  The process is completed by the immediate application of either a 25mm bituminous wearing course, hot rolled asphalt with 20mm pre-coated chippings, high stone content asphalt or a proprietary thin surfacing.  Material is recycled in-situ, cutting lorry movements, considerably reducing the use of new aggregates and minimising waste material.