Council announces 'fast, efficient and cost effective' thermal pothole repair trial at Thurso
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Highland Council announced that a three-week trial of a "fast, efficient and cost effective" thermal process for pothole repairs will be taking place in Thurso.
An external contractor, Thermal Road Repairs (TRR), has been appointed to undertake the trial before the end of the 2023/24 financial year.
The thermal repair process uses existing material onsite which is recycled and added to as necessary. This reduces material costs and the carbon footprint of the works.
Chair of the council’s economy and infrastructure committee, councillor Ken Gowans, said: “I’m delighted that arrangements are in place to start the trial as soon as possible. The company Thermal Road Repairs have a wealth of experience. The system they use provides a high output but has low emissions and creates no waste when providing a permanent fix to potholes.
"Their range of equipment is designed to suit many different situations from roads defects and joints to pavements, utility trenches and hard to reach areas. We look forward to seeing the results and getting feedback on how the trial in Highland goes.”
The company will meet with council roads staff onsite to agree the works. They will then programme them and provide details once work is completed.
During the trial, repairs are expected to be undertaken in Thurso, Dingwall, Inverness and Fort William, weather dependent.
TRR says that unlike other methods, its system produces a homogeneous repair with a seamless thermal bond, stopping water ingress and failures. "Our process is fast, efficient and cost effective and can be used on any asphalt type," states the company website.
"With no cutting, sawing or jackhammering we are not only great for use in built up areas, but we offer low HAVS and noise pollution. We recycle 100 percent of material in the pothole or asphalt defect, meaning there is no waste produced or taken from site, with only a minimal amount of asphalt added to replace any that is missing from the area.
"And because there is just 1 self-contained vehicle it means we limit any impact on the road and avoid multiple vehicles travelling to and from the site."
