Calls for more evidence before ‘plastic’ will be used to fix Aberdeen’s potholes

Roads bosses have said they need further evidence before recycled plastic pellets are used to repair Aberdeen’s roads.

Lib Dem councillor Steve Delaney has called on Aberdeen City Council to research the “plastic roads” scheme in a bid to re-use waste and cut costs.

The move would see recycled pellets added to an asphalt mixture to fill potholes and resurface roads.

But a new report has urged councillors to agree that further evidence and consideration is needed before adopting the scheme in Aberdeen.

It states that a recent question was asked of the Secretary of State for Transport asking what steps have been taken to encourage the use of recycled plastic materials for road repairs.

Keep up to date with the latest news with The Evening Express newsletter

The report said: “The key message from the response is that, at present, the use of this material is not widespread and the trials undertaken will continue to be monitored and any outcomes, positive or negative, will be noted by the Department for Transport.”

It adds that ideally research would be led at a national level and would look at the longevity of the product, its durability, and any financial benefits from using it.

At present, positive research into the product comes from countries such as India and Ghana, which roads bosses argue have very different climates and traffic conditions to the north-east of Scotland.

The roads service has said they will continue to monitor the industry for new developments.

Members of the operational delivery committee will be asked to agree further evidence is needed when they meet on Thursday.