What is asphalt

Asphalt is a mixture of aggregate (crushed rock, sand, gravel), binder (bitumen) and filler materials.It is a surfacing material and is used for over 95% of all UK roads as well as for footpaths, playgrounds, cycle ways, car parks and airport runways.Its inherent qualities of flexibility, efficiency of construction, ease of maintenance and value for money make it the number one choice with more than 20 million tonnes of asphalt produced each year in the UK.

Sustainability and innovation in asphalt

The pace of product development is rapid, and the UK industry is driving innovation towards more sustainable asphalt solutions, while maintaining high performance and durability – in an effort to help the UK meet its net zero ambitions.This includes reducing energy consumption and carbon emissions during production and installation through the increased use of recycled materials and by lowering mix temperatures (Warm Mix Asphalt).For examples of innovation, visit our Sharing Best Practice page.

Benefits of asphalt

  • Enhances road safety by maintaining high skid resistance and reducing spray
  • Reduces tyre/road surface noise
  • Improves ride comfort
  • Durable – design life of many decades
  • Quick and easy to lay, cutting down on lengthy roadworks
  • 100 per cent recyclable back into roads
  • Use of lower temperature and/or reduced energy asphalts cut carbon emissions

FAQs

  • What is asphalt?
  • Is asphalt black because it contains tar?
  • What are the benefits of using Warm Mix Asphalts (WMAs)?
  • Why don’t we use concrete to surface our roads in the UK?
  • Is asphalt sustainable?

UK Funding

National Highways is responsible for the country’s 4,300 miles of motorways and major A roads, known as the strategic road network (SRN). It will receive £27.4 billion from the government between April 2020 to March 2025 for operations, maintenance, renewals and enhancements.