10 March 2025

The BBC Highlights the UK's Ongoing Pothole Problem

Date

10 March 2025

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BBC Headline Highlights the UK's Ongoing Pothole Problem

Pothole in road with a car's tire beside it. BBC News headline: Pothole fixing progress to be ranked.

The televised report estimates that it would take £12-£16 billion to fix the issue, yet the newly allocated budget is just £1.6 billion — a mere fraction of what’s required.

But there’s more to the story


When constructing new roads, hot asphalt mix is commonly used. This involves heating raw bitumen until it becomes fluid, mixing it with aggregate, and allowing it to cool and harden, forming a durable surface. However, using the same material for pothole repairs is impractical.
Heating small quantities requires significant infrastructure, making it inefficient and costly.
Instead, lower-temperature alternatives are often used. These rely on the addition of petrochemicals and solvents to keep the material workable. Unfortunately, these solvents don’t fully dissipate, leading to inferior repairs that deteriorate quickly. Worse still,
these chemicals release harmful emissions and contaminate local waterways.
The harsh reality is that much of the
£1.6 billion in short-term spending will likely go toward temporary fixes that will fail within 6 to 18 months a costly and unsustainable cycle.

A Smarter Solution: Hydro Asphalt


Hydro Asphalt offers a water-based bitumen binder that requires no heat, solvents, or petrochemicals. Its advanced water-bitumen emulsion can be used for both road construction and repairs, delivering results as durable as traditional hot mix asphalt.

The Benefits?


Environmentally Friendly: No harmful emissions or solvent pollution.
Cost-Effective: Reduced material and energy costs.
Long-Lasting Repairs: Comparable durability to hot asphalt.


It’s a win-win for government budgets, UK road users, and the environment.
It's time to rethink how we tackle the pothole crisis. Let's invest in solutions that offer lasting results.


#Sustainability #Infrastructure #RoadMaintenance #GreenTech #Innovation #HydroAsphalt #Potholes #GovernmentPolicy #RoadConstruction

by Dee Thornton 2 September 2026
A great opportunity to present Hydro Road Stabiliser (HRS) at the FEG Annual Symposium A big thank you to Forestry England and the Forestry Engineering Group (FEG) for the invitation and for giving Hydro Road the opportunity to share the work being undertaken with HRS. The presentation looked at stronger forestry roads, the environmental advantages of HRS, and the experience gained through the ongoing trial at Sherwood Forest including how the trial has progressed, the lessons learned so far and the work still underway. It was a great opportunity to meet and engage with professionals from across the forestry engineering and wider forestry sector, with some really good discussions around the practical challenges faced in forestry operations. One of the recurring challenges discussed was year-round access. During the wetter months, heavy machinery can remain on site because forestry roads may not provide reliable access for moving equipment in and out. This is an accepted reality of forestry operations and something that has to be factored into planning and productivity. The question is whether it always has to be. Could better performing access extend the working window and give operators greater flexibility throughout the year? These are interesting questions and they give real context to the work currently being undertaken with HRS at Sherwood Forest. The next stages are already underway. ASTM testing is due to begin in Verona (Italy) in two weeks, while discussions are also developing around cold-climate applications, including investigating how the polymer performs in extreme conditions down to -50°C. It was a pleasure to meet and engage with people across the forestry engineering sector and have some genuinely good conversations about the challenges facing the industry and the potential for new approaches. Thank you again to Forestry England and the FEG team for the invitation, the warm welcome and the opportunity to present HRS. The Sherwood Forest trial continues and so does the question: what could be possible if we can extend the boundaries of where and when forestry operations can work? #HydroRoad #HRS #ForestryEngland #ForestryEngineering #FEG #SherwoodForest #RoadStabilisation #ForestryInnovation #SustainableInfrastructure
by Hydro Road Ltd 22 April 2026
MILHA is the defence-adapted application of Hydro Road Stabiliser (HRS) a proven civil engineering solution reconfigured for use in expeditionary and infrastructure-limited environments. Built on robust, load-bearing technology, MILHA enables rapid ground stabilisation using in-situ materials. This removes the need for extensive site preparation and significantly reduces reliance on imported aggregates and heavy logistics. Originally developed for civil engineering projects, HRS has demonstrated strong performance in creating durable, long-lasting surfaces. MILHA takes this capability further, adapting it for operational use where speed, efficiency, and flexibility are critical. Key advantages include: Up to 60% cost reduction Up to 60% faster construction Up to 80% lower CO₂ impact  MILHA is designed to support mobility, access routes, and temporary infrastructure in challenging environments—delivering reliable performance with minimal logistical burden. Learn more: www.milha-defense.com
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