The current heatwave means that local highway authorities have one eye on the thermometer and the other one on their road surfaces as the current high temperatures are causing some to melt.

With temperatures topping 30C, the bitumen in some road surfaces may soften and rise to the top. This makes the road surface sticky and more susceptible to pressure loads from heavy vehicles resulting in surface ridging and rutting.

Most roads will not begin to soften until they hit a temperature of around 50C. However, even a sunny day in the 20Cs can be enough to generate 50C on the ground as the dark asphalt road surface absorbs a lot of heat and this builds up during the day. The response for local highway authorities is to send out the gritters to spread granite dust or sand to absorb the soft bitumen and so stabilise the road surface and make it less sticky.

“Drivers may be bemused to see the gritters out in the summer when they are usually spreading grit and salt during the winter”, said Howard Robinson, chief executive of the Road Surface Treatments Association. “However, this is effective standard practice for keeping a road surface safe during extreme hot temperatures.”

He continued: "Asphalt is like chocolate - it melts and softens when it's hot, and goes hard and brittle when it's cold - it doesn't maintain the same strength all year round.”

Following a heatwave in 1995, the road industry introduced a new asphalt specification introducing the use of polymer modified binders in hot rolled asphalt (HRA). These polymers raise the asphalt road surface softening point to around 80C which prevents it from softening under extreme got weather. Other asphalt products such as thin surface course systems also normally contain polymer modified binders. Modified asphalts tend to be more expensive and are generally only used on heavily-trafficked roads. Robinson estimates that less than 5% of all the UK’s road surfaces contain polymer modified asphalt.  Surface dressings which are sued to seal road surfaces and restore skid resistance also now predominantly contain polymer modified binders which will resist softening during periods of hot weather.

“Melting of some roads is not surprising during this heatwave but they can be quickly treated and revert back to normal once temperatures decline,” said Robinson.

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Harley-Davidson Sportster at 60 Celebration
St Ives Festival of Motorcycles
Goodwood Festival of Speed
Summer Solstice Rock Fest
Romney March Classic Motorcycle Show & Bikejumble
Cock O'The North Continental Road Races
Wildfire Festival
Bikerdown London
West Cornwall Motor Show
Herefordshire on the Edge
All Day Triton & Cafe Racer Day @ Ace Cafe
Big Bike Sunday
Wessex Ale and Cider Fest
Cassington Bike Night 
Lincolnshire Show
Summer Solstice Rally
The Riders Rally
Husbands Bosworth Festival
Rainbow Summer Solstice Festival
Meriden Motorcycle Megaride

See more details (and more events) on the main WHAT'S ON section for June

What would happen to congestion, parking problems and the stress levels of drivers if just 10% of people switched to a motorcycle or scooter?

If just 10% of motorists swapped their car for a motorcycle or scooter, there could be huge benefits for all road users.  These include 20% more parking spaces, a 40% reduction in congestion for all road users and a reduction in the financial impact of congestion. 

Wear and tear on roads would be less, rider safety would improve and importantly – 10% less car drivers would be miserable!

40% reduction for all

A Belgian study, which modelled the traffic for one of Europe’s most congested roads, found that if 10% of motorists swapped their car for a motorcycle, scooter or moped, then congestion was reduced for all road users by 40%. When 25% of drivers swapped, congestion was eliminated altogether. [Ref 1]

More people could park

Three motorcycles or scooters can fit into the same space one car takes.  This means if just 10% of car spaces were given over to riders, then 20% more people would be able to park.  The National Travel Survey shows that 87% of car commuters drive to work alone, so there is huge capacity to increase the number of spaces available to people who swap to a motorcycle or scooter. [Ref 2]

10% less stressed commuters

Motorcyclists generally report higher levels of happiness in surveys about commuting and this was confirmed in a one-off survey by the Office for National Statistics.  It found that riding a motorcycle, moped or scooter had no negative impact on journeys of up to half an hour and after that it was negligible.  This was in contrast to users of most other modes of private and public transport. [Ref 3]  

Knock on cost benefits

There are many calculations estimating the cost of congestion to the UK economy.   The INRIX Global Traffic Scorecard recently calculated this to be around £30 billion a year.  This would naturally reduce if congestion was cut by 40%. [Ref 4]   Road maintenance would reduce too, as motorcycles and scooters are lighter than cars and vans, so impact less on road surfaces.

Gain four days holiday a year

According to the most recent INRIX Scorecard, UK drivers spend an average of 32 hours a year in traffic jams. 

Steve Kenward, CEO of the Motorcycle Industry Association, which organises Ride to Work Week, says a driver could gain the equivalent of an extra four days holiday a year, if they switched to a motorcycle or scooter:

“Motorcyclists and scooter riders don’t waste 32 hours a year watching the bumper of the car in front, as they can filter.  This means they tend to move through congested traffic at the same rate you would expect to move through free-flowing traffic.  

“32 hours is the equivalent of four working days, which equates to an extra four days holiday each year.  No wonder riders are the happiest commuters!”[Ref 5]

Try for free

Try a motorcycle or scooter for free with a qualified instructor at a Get On event. They are held throughout the year across the UK. 

Find out if there is one near you.