Shell has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Connect Plus - a consortium that includes Edge Orbital Holdings Ltd, Balfour Beatty and Egis Investment Partners, to develop and deploy solutions and technologies to decarbonise road paving in the UK by extending the life of pavements.

Shell and Connect Plus share a perspective that collaboration across the highways and construction value chain is necessary for the decarbonisation of the sector. By working together, the companies will aim to unlock new and innovative solutions and practices to help improve road performance and encourage progress towards a net-zero road paving industry.

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The agreement will see the companies explore solutions to extend the pavement life of the M25 or London Orbital Motorway, the second longest orbital road in Europe. Connect Plus has a 30-year contract with National Highways, signed in 2009, to operate, maintain and manage the M25 and its key arterial link roads. The M25 is one of the busiest motorways in Europe, used by over 200,000 vehicles a day, while linking people and freight through two major container seaports and five international airports.

As part of the agreement, Connect Plus will trial Shell Cariphalte AgeSafe, Shell’s new polymer-modified bitumen product that increases the lifespan of roads. The companies will also work together to understand road surface texture development, explore alternate pavement design strategies, and develop pavement failure models from field measurements relevant to the UK.

The agreement between Shell and Connect Plus will begin immediately.