Wide-ranging research has found that keeping roads well-maintained not only saves money but reduces traffic CO2 emissions reports Paul Boss, Chief Executive of the Road Surface Treatments Association (RSTA).

Implementing planned programmes of preventative road maintenance is far more cost effective than repairing potholes. It costs £3 to £5 per m2 to surface dress and maintain a road but costs on average over £50 per m2 to repair potholes. Savings for stretched highways budgets is not the only benefit. A wide pool of research proves that well maintained roads can also help to reduce the carbon emissions of road traffic. With transport now accounting for the majority of UK emissions -26% of all emissions – the contribution that a well-maintained road network can make towards to their reduction should be recognised and pursued.

Research has found that this contribution can be significant. A technical report ‘Analysis of the relationship between road pavement maintenance condition, fuel consumption and vehicle emissions’ published earlier this year by the Brussels-based Smart Transport Alliance found that good road surface conditions result in reductions of fuel consumption and CO2 emissions of up to 3.5% for light vehicles and 4% for heavy vehicles. Meanwhile, the European Automobile Manufacturers Association believes that maintaining the European road network with planned programmes of surface dressing could result in a CO2 emission reduction of 5% by 2035.

Similar findings were reported by research led by the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Rutgers University – New Brunswick. This found that the improved road surface condition resulting from preventative maintenance programmes can save highway authorities spending by 10% to 30%, reduce greenhouse gases by up to 2%, and allow drivers to reduce their fuel consumption by 2% to 5%. Whilst of survey over 5,000 lane-miles of Virginia’s interstate highway system by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Concrete Sustainability Hub (CSHub)  found that the maintenance of just a few lane miles allows for significant performance improvement, along with lowered environmental impact, across the entire network. Maintaining just 1.5 percent of the roadway network would lead to a reduction of 10 percent in greenhouse gas emissions statewide.

The research carried out by a variety of universities emphasises how a road surface maintained in good condition promotes a smoother and more efficient ride and it is this that reduces fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. This should be an important consideration for highway authorities for, in addition to meeting public expectations of improved environmental efficiency, local authorities have a statutory duty under their NI 185 and NI 186 obligations to reduce their carbon emissions. Implementing proactive programmes of road surfacing and road maintenance can help them meet those obligations. 

ESPARGARÓ, SAVADORI AND SMITH WITH APRILIA RACING IN THE 2021 SEASON

Aleix Espargaró, Lorenzo Savadori and Bradley Smith will be the Aprilia Racing riders for the 2021 MotoGP World Championship season.

The forced loss of Andrea Iannone, and above all, the vast amount of time his ordeal took, severely damaged Aprilia Racing, whose only “fault” was remaining loyal to their rider and rightfully trusting in reasonable times for the conclusion of the proceedings.

Over the last few weeks, the names of several riders have been associated with Aprilia Racing, as always happens in the negotiating phase. Some of the possibilities evaluated did not come to fruition independently of Aprilia Racing’s desires, so between the situations that were actually feasible and the possibility of continuing with the three riders who rode the RS-GP this season, the latter was chosen.

Given the clear growth of the RS-GP, which was improved in every area and continued to improve significantly in the final part of the season, this will provide continuity to the project for the upcoming season, which will be crucial in preparing for the subsequent five-year period, during which Aprilia intends to put more bikes on the track and implement a rider search and assessment policy.

MASSIMO RIVOLA - APRILIA RACING CEO
“It’s no secret that we offered three young riders an opportunity because we felt that our project could be very interesting for talented young riders, but they did not yet feel ready for the leap and, at the same time, the teams that have already signed them for the 2021 season preferred to keep them. We respectfully acknowledge their decision. We prefer to continue with our riders, rather than choosing solutions that are still open but about which we are not entirely convinced. Even in the difficult conditions of this season, particularly penalising for a fledgling project, the bike improved greatly and significantly reduced the gaps both in the races and in practice on basically all the circuits. Aleix finished on a high note and, even in the race yesterday, was lapping with the same times as the leaders. Lorenzo has also shown significant progress in just three races and we know that we can count on Bradley’s professionalism and experience. Aleix will obviously be our top rider. The roles of second rider and test rider will be decided at the end of the winter test schedule.”

APRILIA RACING AND (RED) TOGETHER AGAIN FOR THE FINAL RACE OF THE SEASON

IN 2020, THE UNTIRING COMMITMENT TO FIGHTING NEONATAL AIDS IS JOINED BY THE BATTLE AGAINST COVID-19

AN IMPORTANT CHALLENGE FOR ALL MOTOGP FANS

For the fifth year in a row, the Piaggio Group and Aprilia Racing dedicate the final race of the MotoGP season to supporting the work of (RED), the association founded in 2006 by Bono and Bobby Shriver.

From its inception, (RED) has been active in the fight against neonatal HIV/AIDS and, in this difficult 2020 year, also against COVID-19.

(RED) and Aprilia Racing are together to raise awareness with the vast audience of MotoGP fans on issues such as AIDS, often underestimated or even forgotten, and the extremely current battle to prevent the spread of Covid. These are social awareness battles that the entire motorcycling community and all motorcycling enthusiasts can join, participating in the Shopathon campaign launched Wednesday where PRODUCT(RED) items are produced, the sales of which contribute directly to supporting the Global Fund. One of these products is the UMask, worn specifically by all the team throughout the Portimão race weekend.

(RED) brings the most iconic global brands and millions of people together in a monumental challenge, to definitively stamp out diseases such as HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. From its foundation, (RED) has contributed 650 million USD to the Global Fund for the fight against AIDS and the help provided by (RED) has had an impact on the entire population, thanks to activities of prevention, care, consulting and assistance service.


ALEIX ESPARGARO'
"I am proud to see that my team, Aprilia Racing, is once again side by side with (RED) this year for such an important purpose. This has been a complicated year and initiatives like (RED) are the concrete hope of being able to win the battle against pandemics."

LORENZO SAVADORI
"MotoGP has a huge following all around the world and all the fans of our sport can help us support an important initiative like the one that (RED) carries out and to which I am honoured to contribute to."

DAVIDE ZANOLINI - PIAGGIO GROUP MKTG & COMMUNICATION MANAGER
"Especially in this extremely difficult year, the Piaggio Group could not fail to provide its constant support to RED and the Global Fund, not only with Vespa, as we do throughout the year, but also with the Aprilia Racing team which, for five years now, has offered, voluntarily and with a great spirit of collaboration, to raise awareness with the entire racing world about major health problems such as AIDS and now COVID-19 as well, particularly for children in the most disadvantaged areas of our planet."

Mitas, part of the Trelleborg Group, celebrates 2020 FIM Speedway Grand Prix World podium finish with Polish hero Bartosz Zmarzlik, Great Britain’s icon Tai Woffinden and Swedish star Fredrik Lindgren, all of which ride Mitas Speedway Competition tyres.

Gustavo Pinto Teixeira, Vice President Two Wheels and Specialty Tyres, says: “We are pleased to see another great achievement by our riders in the 2020 season. Speedway racing has always had a special place in the heart of Mitas, being the origin of our motorsport activities. We are delighted that the greatest Speedway riders still recognize Mitas as the best choice.”