HC Deb 22 October 2003 vol 411 cc573-4W
Mr. Lidington

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what guidance he has issued to the Highways Agency and local authorities to encourage the use of recycled rubber in road building and surfacing. [132669]

Mr. McNulty

The Code of Practice for Maintenance Management, of which the Department is a co-author, strongly recommends local authorities to maximise the use of products made from recycled materials in order to develop and support local markets for these.

The Government are actively fostering the development of new applications for tyre crumb in both asphalt and concrete roads, through research by the Universities of Dundee, Liverpool, and Nottingham. Additionally, the Highways Agency is supporting a project monitoring, the performance of recycled shredded tyre toppings in French drains.