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RSTA Sector Reports
Allied Industries Sector (AIS)
The aims of AIS complement those of RSTA, namely to grown the membership, develop the Toolbox Talks and build a team of specialists for media/engineer support. All companies and organisations who have an interest in maintaining roads are welcome to get involved. In this way AIS can develop to become a focal point for the industry.
AIS plans to further develop the programme of Toolbox Talks and believes that these offer the facility for the RSTA to further enhance its profile and provides RSTA members with publicity and exhibiting opportunities aimed at key market targets. In addition, AIS seeks to develop links with a wide range of professional associations and industry bodies such as the Institution of Highways and Transportation.
For further information on AIS, contact Philip Mason, email: [email protected].
High Friction Surfacing Sector
In April, the High Friction Surfacing Sector welcomed Paul Goosey from Ringway as its new Chairman and Richard Hughes from Prismo as the new Vice Chairman.
Key issues that the HFS are addressing include the BBA Installers Scheme and the reduction in Local Authority spend. HFS has been working with BBA to improve the flexibility of the Installers Scheme whilst maintaining quality. As a result, the principles of a new Scheme have been agreed. These were presented to and agreed with SG1 in November for approval. The reducing local authority spend is causing concern. The increase costs in raw materials means that local authorities are seeking alternatives to high friction surfaces. Whilst appreciating the financial situation, HFS has concerns over the reduced safety implications of these alternatives and is discussing this issue with CSS and the HA. In addition, HFS and BBA are to compile a Code of Practice for the Application of High Friction Surfaces in order to address the issue of anti-skid durability.
For further information on the High Friction Sector, contact Paul Goosey, email: [email protected].
Surface Dressing Sector
The surface dressing members of the RSTA have recently met to discuss new initiatives to help the sector move forward into what is assured to be a busy few years.
With local and central government funding for highway maintenance likely to flatten at best and more likely reduce after a change of government, clients are looking to a tried and tested approach to preventive maintenance to keep their road networks up to standard.
As funding dips, clients will still have to maintain their push towards achieving their targets within the National Indicator Set (previously known as Best Value Performance Indicators) treating areas of the highway and limiting defects. There is a strong indication that clients will revert to surface treatments and specifically surface dressing for their networks.
The surface dressing sector has always prided itself on the amount of technical involvement that has been provided to the industry through the technical committee. Through the coming months the committee will look at reviewing the Surface Dressing Code of Practice, examine issues regarding the impacts of climate change, the issues of retained texture and also protocols for recycled aggregate quality. It is hugely important that the RSTA Surface Dressing sector continues to lead specification and code of practices and be involved in the European debate, as the technical expertise for this important treatment is critical to future development.
For further information of the Surface Dressing Sector contact Rob Gillespie, email: [email protected].
Slurry-microsurfacing news
A Test Approval Installation Trial (TAIT) template addressing carriageway micro-asphalt has been drafted and placed onto the RSTA website (www.rsta-uk.org). A TAIT for footway slurry-seal has also been uploaded. Guidelines for members are under preparation to highlight the mandatory information required by the TAIT and that which is only discretionary.
A code of practice is under-development for publication later this year. A UK response to the CEN 5 year review of EN 12274 was submitted to B/510/2. Training courses have been scheduled for Grantham (11th March) and Wiltshire (23rd March) and the next Slurry-Micro Committee in on March 24th.
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