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Carbon Steering Group bulletin Winter 2025 |
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Welcome to the MHA+ Carbon Bulletin
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This bulletin is published by the MHA+ Carbon Steering Group, chaired by Chris Green of Leicestershire County Council.
What we cover. We provide regular updates on carbon reduction initiatives across the highways sector, featuring: - Practical innovations and trials from member authorities
- Latest policy developments and technical guidance
- Industry events and learning opportunities
- Case studies demonstrating measurable impact
Why it matters. MHA+ represents 35 local authorities responsible for managing significant highway networks across England. Collectively, our members are well positioned to drive meaningful carbon reduction in the highways sector.
Get involved. To contribute articles, share your authority's work or learn more about the Carbon Steering Group, contact Ian Bamforth (mobile 07842 034616) or Kay Smith.
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Contents and quick links |
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CSG Activity: Recent Developments and Opportunities |
Previous bulletins
Access past editions of this bulletin available on the MHA+ website for case studies, technical updates and sector developments.
FHRG Carbon Leadership Programme: 51 authorities enrolled
The Future Highways Research Group, working with ADEPT and DfT, has launched its Carbon Leadership Programme with strong uptake across the sector. Three cohorts are planned to accommodate demand.
Biochar innovation: Simon Wilson presented the group's collaboration with Nottingham University on biochar produced from green waste for use in housing developments. Early trials indicate significant carbon savings alongside potential revenue generation for authorities.
CEDR Knowledge Bank: Now live. The Centre of Excellence for Decarbonising Roads (CEDR) - from ADEPT Live Labs 2 - has launched its Knowledge Bank, a practitioner-led platform for sharing real-world insights on materials, products and processes.
This isn't a sales platform. It's designed for honest peer-to-peer knowledge sharing: what works, what doesn't, and lessons learned from actual projects. Your contributions will help colleagues across the sector make better-informed decisions.
How to contribute: Read more with further links from our LinkedIn post. Create a free account and share your trial results, case studies and practical experience. Contact info@decarbonisingroads.co.uk for support.
Industry site visits, events and supplier carbon updates
Recent: Aggregate Industries (Holcim UK) hosted a well-attended open day at their Croft Depot in Leicestershire in May, demonstrating recycling processes and carbon reduction initiatives. You can read about it in our LinkedIn post
Upcoming: Colas is offering members the opportunity to visit their Emulsion Plant in Warrington in early 2026. Register your interest with Kay Smith.
2026 programme: The CSG will host a series of technical presentations on carbon reduction, resilience and related topics throughout 2026. Details to follow.
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Spotlight on the AIA ALARM Survey by Paul Binks, Highways Asset Manager, Lancashire County Council and CSG Vice Chair |
The AIA ALARM survey has expanded in recent years to include questions on climate change, recycled materials and low-carbon alternatives. AIA's recent Sharing Best Practice event reinforced this focus, featuring presentations on low-carbon materials, approaches and resilience strategies.
MHA+ members: Progress and barriers The survey confirms strong commitment to tackling climate change across member authorities. However, results reveal persistent barriers to maximising carbon reduction potential, particularly around material confidence and carbon impact assessment.
AIA has provided MHA+-specific data, highlighting both achievements and challenges:
Current adoption rates
- Warm Mix Asphalts: 92% of members
- Recycled content in newly-laid asphalt: 50% average specification
Key barriers to adopting lower-carbon asphalt
- Cost concerns: 57% of respondents
- Lack of performance data: 52% of respondents
Shifting priorities: From carbon to climate resilience
Member responses indicate a broadening focus beyond carbon reduction to encompass wider climate adaptation. When asked to identify top climate change issues:
Surface water flooding and drainage - Ranked 1st priority: 58% of respondents
- Ranked 2nd priority: 25% of respondents
Accelerated road deterioration due to climate change - Ranked 1st priority: 33% of respondents
- Ranked 2nd priority: 42% of respondents
These findings have prompted the Carbon Steering Group to consider expanding its remit and name to explicitly include resilience and efficiency alongside carbon reduction.
Looking ahead As we enter the ALARM survey period and develop capital programmes for the coming financial year, now is an opportune moment to assess our progress on lower-carbon highway maintenance - and identify how much further we can go.
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Asphalt Rejuvenation Programme is a first for Via and Nottinghamshire County Council |
Via East Midlands and Nottinghamshire County Council have completed an asphalt rejuvenation trial to use advanced pavement life-extension technology across multiple sites.
The technology
Roadtechs Group applied Reclamite, a spray-on surface rejuvenation treatment and the only BBA HAPAS-approved asphalt rejuvenator in the UK. The technology, known in the United States as Maltene Replacement Technology (MRT), extends pavement lifecycle by rejuvenating the asphalt binder at an early stage, before significant deterioration occurs. |
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Programme delivery
The treatment was applied to 4 sites across Nottinghamshire: Arnold Lane, Colliery Way, Plains Rd and Gedling Rd. These sites were selected based on their current good condition, making them ideal candidates for preventative treatment that will extend their operational lifespan. The programme treated 52,600 square metres of carriageway across 4 shifts, with all works completed during off-peak hours to minimise network disruption. |
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Early results and next steps
Pete Wells, Senior Highways Asset Manager at Via East Midlands, commented: "It was great to see the asphalt rejuvenation process up close. The application of Reclamite was very quick, so quick that if you blinked, you might miss it.
"Roadtechs did a great job. We will monitor all the sites, but we feel the process can have a future role and have been encouraged by the results. I'm really pleased to have been involved and want to thank Keagan Cooke, Senior Maintenance and Developments Manager, Project Engineer Ben Talbot, and all the colleagues who worked to make this project a success." |
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The trial represents a potential shift towards more preventative maintenance strategies that could extend asset life whilst reducing whole-life carbon impact compared to traditional resurfacing interventions.
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Sector updates from regional and national organisations |
What’s happening with other key organisations? A brief round up of interesting and useful items. |
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Carbon Footprint Toolkit: Development underway on a comprehensive toolkit including a Climate Change Assessment component. Expected release soon Carbon Leadership Programme: Now live following close collaboration between FHRG, ADEPT and DfT. See earlier section for details on the 51 authorities already enrolled Street lighting review: Multi-authority project examining value for money and provision models to inform future investment decisions Emerging priorities: FHRG is developing workstreams on local government reorganisation and artificial intelligence applications in highways.
For more information contact Ian Bamforth. |
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- Carbon-negative model for green infrastructure management (West Sussex County Council)
- Smart flood management solutions (Staffordshire County Council/KaarbonTech)
- Collaborative innovation in transport decarbonisation (Coventry City Council)
Ongoing programme: LCRIG maintains an active schedule of webinars and events. Recent topics have included AI applications in severe weather management. |
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Climate adaptation case study – Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames: Kingston has established a cross-service working group comprising over 20 teams, including Highways and Transport, to coordinate adaptation strategies. Access the case study in the LGA database.
Depot decarbonisation guidance: The LGA's ‘Renewable Energy Good Practice Guidance’. provides practical advice on reducing carbon impact and long-term costs at depots and other key buildings, including information on solar PV installation and relevant policy changes. Visit the Climate Change Support Hub.
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Carbon learning and related content from MHA+ learning gateway |
MHA+ and CIHT Partnership in Carbon Literacy Training (CLT)
The Chartered Institute of Highways & Transportation (CIHT) has a suite of bespoke highways-focused training, which is relevant to our members.
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MHA+ has put in place arrangements (working in partnership with CIHT) for our members to have free access to the following 3 online courses:
Carbon Literacy - Accounting Introduction to Transport Decarbonisation Introduction to the FHRG Carbon Calculation & Accounting Standard (CCAS)
You can request to complete these modules via the MHA+ Learning Management System (LMS). |
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Other learning and training content
A range of training content and presentations from MHA+ partners and suppliers is available via the MHA+ Learning Gateway. They include: |
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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 Delivering our net zero commitments - a presentation by Dave Allen of Waterman Aspen 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 - a presentation by Stephanie Upton of Waterman Aspen |
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ICE provide a series of lectures covering a vast range of civil engineering topics and subjects.
Use the search bar to refine, but there are over 165 carbon related lectures. |
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Industry news and developing best practice across the UK |
Resilience, Climate change, Adaptation |
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Electric and Hydrogen Vehicles, and Infrastructure
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MHA+ Service Improvement Groups (SIG) |
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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.
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For enquiries about this bulletin or to suggest any future articles, please contact Ian Bamforth.
If you have any colleagues who may not have received this email, please share it with them. They can email us at Midlands Highway Alliance Plus to confirm they wish to receive our bulletin. Alternatively, if you wish to unsubscribe from this bulletin, contact us via the same email. |
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