Carbon Steering Group bulletin

May 2025

Introduction

Welcome to the MHA+ Carbon ‘Net Zero’ bulletin, hosted by the MHA+ Carbon Steering Group (CSG), chaired by Chris Green from Leicestershire County Council.

This bulletin is designed to provide a focus and update for MHA+ members about the wide and varied work going on in relation to the carbon reduction agenda across the Highways sector.

The MHA+ and its membership of 36 Local Authorities has a major effect in relation to carbon impact. This also provides a strong opportunity to make a difference in terms of reducing our carbon footprint in the highways sector.

If you want more information about the bulletin, to contribute, or to learn more about the MHA+ Carbon Steering Group, please contact Ian Bamforth (mobile 07842 034616) or email Kay Smith.

CSG activity and upcoming events

The CSG continues to provide a focus for all things related to carbon reduction and net zero for MHA+. So, what’s going on in the CSG?

Carbon News

• If you want to take a look back at key items and articles of interest, previous CSG bulletins are available on the MHA+ website.

Future Highways Research Group (FHRG) Carbon Calculator Accounting Standard (CCAS) and a scheme-based approach

• Simon Wilson from FHRG presented to the CSG providing a very interesting update on the next iteration of the ADEPT/FHRG CCAS, which will provide for a refined and streamlined version. In addition, he covered the early development of a ‘scheme’-based element which MHA+ via the CSG will look to work with FHRG in its development, and the FHRG’s work on the ADEPT/DfT Carbon Leadership Programme.

ADEPT Live Labs 2 – Centre of Excellence for Decarbonising Roads (CEDR) 

• CEDR is actively working with Holcim in Coventry and Tarmac in Walsall to create up to 4 trial “supersites”, focused on demonstrating combinations of various low carbon binder and surface course materials to allow direct comparisons. The supersites are the main trials in the North Campus this summer.

• The North Campus is also delivering a supersite trial concept using in-situ recycling techniques and various low carbon surface course materials.

• Potholes ‘phase 2’ trials are underway. These trials are looking to comprehensively compare various thermal repair systems versus a traditional hand lay gang. The trials will compare the cost, carbon and efficiency of the systems over a 3-week period.

• Another topic of interest is reinforced fabric with surface dressing and second generation micro asphalt products. The team are currently identifying suitable trial sites across the West Midlands.

• Cores from the asphalt rejuvenation and preservation trials are currently being assessed by the University of Nottingham, with results due to be released in the next month or so.

• The Learning Labs 2 CEDR Knowledge Bank is also due to be released in the coming months. In preparation for this we are contacting as many local highway authorities as possible to build a community and collect data and share feedback for the knowledge bank.

Value for Carbon and CQC/NHT 

• The CSG in liaison with the Term Community SIG and the Measure to Improve Team are looking at the development of a project for securing data across the range of VfC, NHT and CQC activity by MHA+ members. We will then use this to focus in on where member authorities are performing well or indeed not, so we can share good practice and knowledge on these topics for our members enabling learning opportunities for improvement in key areas of activity and delivery.

Open day at Croft Depot with OCL Regeneration

On 14 May, MHA+ members visited Croft Quarry in Leicestershire. 20 colleagues from 8 local authority highways teams enjoyed the tour of OCL Regeneration Limited's Croft Quarry that showcased innovative and sustainable practices in highways maintenance:

• Progressive site restoration through inert waste management

• Tour of the asphalt and aggregate materials plant

• First-hand look at the CDM handling facility

• Behind-the-scenes exploration of depot operations producing Foamix for Leicestershire and Warwickshire projects.

Spotlight on a CSG member’s carbon reduction activity

Pete paid a visit to the Hazel Road site to see JRS laying their recycler foam, which consists of 92 per cent RAP. The existing surface and binder courses were removed and replaced with 60mm of recycled foam binder and a 40mm SMA 10 warm mix asphalt surface course with 10 per cent RAP.

Pete said: “Foamix is not a new process for us, but what is positive about this scheme is that the JRS batching facility is one mile from the site. This significantly reduces vehicle movements and miles travelled on the scheme.”

Another major benefit of this project is that the road’s existing tar bound material has been recycled by JRS, which would otherwise have been disposed of as a hazardous waste. Asphalt is 100 per cent recyclable but the management of Asphalt Waste Containing Coal Tar (AWCCT) does have restrictions and must be carefully managed.

Warm mix asphalt itself is low carbon material, as it is mixed at a lower temperature requiring less energy, but this is the first time 10 per cent RAP has been specified in a surface course.

“A big thank you goes out Benjamin Talbot, Project Engineer, Design Maintenance, who organised and oversaw this scheme and to everyone involved in making it happen!”

You can read further details on the Via East Midlands’ approach to recycling tar bound materials on their website.

Regional and national organisations update

What’s happening with other key organisations? A brief round up of interesting and useful items.

• Development of the Carbon Footprint Toolkit which will include a Climate Change Toolkit Assessment. This is due out in 2025.

• Carbon Leadership Programme. FHRG and ADEPT are liaising closely with DfT over the development of this programme and more will be announced shortly.

• A review of streetlighting provision with a broad number of local authority members, looking at value for money and type of provision.

• Future topics the FHRG are looking to focus in on include, local government reorganisation and AI.

If you want to find out more, please contact Ian Bamforth.

Latest news from the LGA includes:

• A Regulatory Services Partnership has produced an excellent case study on managing air quality issues and the world’s first ‘low emissions zone’ for construction. Read about the case study on the LGA website.

• If you’re looking at reducing your carbon impact at depots and other key buildings, then a great help with organising this will be LGA’s ‘Renewable Energy Good Practice Guidance’. This guide provides useful information for PV solar panel info and detail on policy changes and other key information.

• The LGA hosted an adaptation and resilience roundtable on 11 March 2025 for officers and councillors. Notes are available via their Sustainability Hub.

• Want to find out more on LGA's considerations on Climate Change? Then take a look at the Climate Change Support Hub.

Carbon learning and related content from MHA+ learning gateway

MHA+/CIHT Partnership in Carbon Literacy Training (CLT)

MHA+ members via the Programme Board and CSG had raised the issue that there was limited Highways-specific CLT available for members. After some research we identified that the Chartered Institute of Highways & Transportation (CIHT) had a suite of bespoke highways-focussed training, which is relevant to our members.

If you do not have a MHA+ LMS account and want to complete these learning modules: head to https://mhaplus.vc-enable.co.uk. If you already have a MHA+ LMS username and password, click login to your MHA+ LMS account.

• Design optimisation carbon impact assessment - an ORIS and AECOM collaboration.

• PSP 3 spotlight on carbon management plans.

• PSP 3 climate change action and supporting documents.

• Green Team and sustainability at home.

• Waterman Aspen – Delivering our net zero commitments. A presentation by Dave Allen.

• Delivering Biodiversity Net Gain training module.

• Lunch and learn. Highways: Nature based, low carbon solutions for soil erosion, control and habitat – a presentation by Alex Clark from Salix RSK.

• An introduction to sustainability and carbon Management, presentation by Stephanie Upton of Waterman Aspen.

Industry news and developing best practice across the UK

Net Zero/ Decarbonisation/ Government Guidance/ Plans and Policy

Climate Change Committee states that one third of UK roads at risk of flooding, reports Highways News

Materials/Maintenance

International definitions produced for low carbon cement and concrete. Read about these new low carb cement definitions on Construction Index.

One of UK’s first for carbon capture material trial, blog post on Safer Highways

HS2 “Green Bridge” being constructed, news on Construction Index.

Largest Sustainable Drainage Scheme in central London, blog post on TfL's largest SUDS scheme.

Recycle8 joins low carbon concrete collective, story on Construction Index.

National Highways and Tarmac complete cutting edge carbon reduction project showing 75% carbon reduction on A64 Project, posted on Safer Highways.

"Net Zero push with road treatments" argues RSTA in their Carbon Reduction report via Highways Magazine.

Electric and Hydrogen Vehicles infrastructure

Portsmouth & Hampshire councils highlight success with First Solent Electric Buses, in Highways News.

Highways News report on Banbury station in Oxfordshire winning environmental award.

JCB and Tata Steel look to the future with low carbon steel.

Electric Vehicle market share improves but hampered by private demand, says Highway News.

Active travel

MHA+ Service Improvement Groups (SIG)

With 16 SIGs (listed below) and over 500 members, there is massive potential to tap into our collective expertise and reduce carbon across all areas of highway services.

If you would like to join any of these Service Improvement Groups please email us at MidlandsHighwayAlliancePlus@leics.gov.uk. New members are always welcome.

Update from the Highways Asset Management SIG

The Highways Asset Management SIG discussed a variety of carbon-related themes. A presentation on contaminated planings by Bill Larner, Materials Engineer at Lancashire County Council, was a highlight. Integrating planings across the Lancashire road network saved £300,000 on the 2023/24 capital programme compared to the disposal costs – together with a significant carbon reduction.

The discussion also explored the promising wider application of Holcim's Foamix Eco for managing planings. SIG attendees learned that trials have demonstrated the addition of biogenic binders doesn't compromise performance, opening doors for more sustainable material usage. However, the session also highlighted the need for a seasonal approach, acknowledging that the effectiveness of Foamix can be affected by wet conditions.

The presentation provided valuable insights into the new ADEPT policy on managing reclaimed asphalt and detailed Lancashire County Council's experience in managing TAR over the past few years. For Alliance members seeking more in-depth information, the presentation slides are available for download on the MHA+ Information Sharing Platform.

For enquiries about this bulletin or to suggest any future articles, please contact Ian Bamforth.

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