PLANNED surfacing works on roads across Argyll and Bute can continue despite the recent high temperatures, council officials have said.
The heatwave led to reports of sand being used on roads during spells of extreme heat in parts of England.
However, a report to councillors has said that surfacing work in Argyll and Bute is not affected, with temperatures not as high as seen down south last week.
The document, by the council’s roads and infrastructure services department, is available through the council’s website.
It said: “Recent media coverage has highlighted some road authorities in southern England spreading sand on carriageways during periods of extreme heat.
“This is generally done where existing road surfaces become hot enough for the bitumen binder to soften, which can lead to ‘bleeding’, reduced surface texture, or material being picked up by vehicle tyres. Spreading sand can help absorb excess binder and restore some surface grip in the short term.
“In terms of laying asphalt, warm weather is normally helpful rather than problematic, as it assists with workability and compaction.
“Issues usually arise only during exceptional heat, where very high surface temperatures, direct sunlight or slow-moving heavy traffic can affect the behaviour of bituminous materials.
“Current temperatures locally are not at the levels seen in parts of southern England, and planned surfacing works can continue to be assessed and delivered in line with normal operational judgement.”
The report added: “A number of roads operatives have been on Bute this week undertaking JCB operator training. The programme will help increase plant operating capability and resilience across the service.”
