Highland Council has appointed Thermal Road Repairs for a two-year patching repair contract - the authority did not disclose the full value but said the deal was 'worth a seven-figure sum'.
The company will 'provide an additional resource for repairing surface defects such as potholes, cracking and deteriorating surfacing joints,' the council said, with the works due to begin this summer.
Cllr Ken Gowans, chair of the Economy and Infrastructure Committee, said: 'After a successful trial last year, I’m delighted that we will be making use of thermal technology moving forward. It offers an efficient way to repair our roads using less material and will allow us to carry out permanent pothole fixes in all seasons.'
The thermal repair process involves using 'an infrared heating system' to make the road material malleable. It is then reworked with additional material to repair the defects. The use of heat reduces the chance of weak points at the edges of the repair caused by cold joints.
Cllr Gowans continued: 'Thermal Road Repairs have a wealth of experience and their technology provides a fast, permanent fix to potholes but with the added benefits of low emissions and minimal waste due to less plant and materials being required. Infrared patching is a low noise and low impact technique with only one vehicle which creates minimal disruption for road users, and it is also a very quick process with approximately one square metre repaired every 5-9 minutes.'
He added: 'The contract is part of a £2.1bn capital investment agreed in our Highland Investment Plan which will help to maintain over 4,000 miles of roads and ensure a sustainable approach to investment and contractor procurement. The Highland Investment Plan will provide 20 years of funding for roads and transport, schools, offices and community facilities throughout the Highlands.'
