Webinar looks at EV impact on roads and decarbonisation agenda
A new webinar featuring experts on sustainability across the highways and transport sectors is now available to view online.
The webinar was hosted by the content director of the Local Councils Roads Innovation Group (LCRIG) and Transport and Energy, Alec Peachey, and featured a panel of experts and industry figures discussing the decarbonisation of transport and the impact of EVs on highways maintenance regimes.
Featured on the webinar were Matthew Eglington, Highways Maintenance and Innovation Policy Manager, Local Infrastructure, Department for Transport (DfT); Steve Smith, Assistant Director of Infrastructure at Shropshire Council; Andrea Fitzgerald, Regional Head Business Management London & South East, Crown Commercial Service (CCS); Adrian Hadley, Head of Technical Aggregates and Asphalt, Hanson.
Hadley kicked off the discussion, focusing on sustainable materials, before discussion about innovations around electric cars, stating that we are due to see an increase in the use of such vehicles following the banning of petrol and diesel sales from 2030.
He said: “One of the areas we have to be told to look at is the area of self charging cars. Very early days, but we are working with our parent company Heidelberg Cement looking at innovative solutions such as a charging coil in the road connecting with a charging coil in the vehicle to charge the battery.
“We are looking at innovations which will come into effect in 2030. We are doing a lot of research behind the scenes and it is very exciting technology which will have an impact with the petrol and diesel ban.”
Steve Smith from Shropshire Council discussed the carbon-neutral maintenance scheme that the local authority was doing. Smith described the work as ‘eye opening’ with a demonstration of recycled materials on roads and local offsetting of carbon emissions to drive forward net-zero.
Peachey also discussed with Smith the impact of hydrogen and electric vehicles on highways maintenance. Smith said ‘this will be an impact’ on maintenance – and wholelife costing was required to understand strategy. He explained how electric buses did impact the road surface significantly – and they were re-assessing what they used as a result.
The conversation also covered production techniques and materials, alternative delivery mechanisms, the decarbonisation of transport, meeting environmental targets and the climate change challenge.
