CEMEX Contributes to Reduced Traffic and Improved Road Safety in England

December 8, 2016

The Bedale Bypass in North Yorkshire was delivered two months ahead of schedule using CEMEX solutions.

Is there anything worse than sitting in traffic? With more cars joining already full roads in Yorkshire every year, the North Yorkshire Country Council, with the support of England’s Roads Minister, decided to construct the Bedale Bypass to ease congestion and improve travel times to neighboring towns. A project with such benefits to the community needed to be constructed with the best materials, with the support that CEMEX’s expertise could readily provide.

The previous Bedale road went through the towns of Bedale, Leeming Bar and Aiskew, sending 14,000 vehicles through every day. The new Bedale Bypass was designed to offer an alternative route to reduce traffic flow by half. The 3-mile (almost 5 kilometer) bypass includes two roundabouts and two rail bridges and connects midway to the A1 highway, one of the longest numbered roads in the United Kingdom, which connects London with Edinburgh.

Ground conditions were challenging, especially in the high embankments on the bridges’ approaches, so great care was taken in choosing the materials. The bypass was laid out in three layers: an initial base, Cement Bound Ganular Material (CBGM) sub-base, and finally one of three specialty asphalt overlay surfaces chosen to the specifications of that portion of the road.

In total, CEMEX supplied 20,000 tons of CBGM and 25,000 tons of asphalt overlay for this project.

“Our local ready-mix plants couldn’t supply the entirety of the high volumes that were required, so our CEMEX Paving Solutions set up a mobile batching plant based at Leyburn Quarry during the scheme,” said Matthew Crowder, Business Manager for CEMEX Paving Solutions in the northern United Kingdom.

One of CEMEX’s specialty Thin Surface Course Systems was overlaid on different parts of the bypass, offering multiple benefits including helping reduce noise and keeping Britain’s drivers safe with its highly skid-resistant surface and by reducing spray in wet conditions. Our CBGM Mixture, used throughout as a structural layer, is a cost-effective alternative to conventional asphalt construction that improves whole-life costing. CBGM can be laid up to 60% thinner that traditional sub-bases, so it does not require as much excavation and muck shift work prior to construction, reducing project duration and in turn creating cost savings.

The Bedale Bypass opened two months ahead of schedule, and within budget.

"The much-needed bypass will improve the community's lives by cutting traffic, improving air quality and road safety,” said Roads Minister Andrew Jones at the ribbon-cutting ceremony. “The tourist industry will also benefit as journey times to the beautiful Yorkshire Dales will be reduced. The government is making a record investment in roads, such as the Bedale bypass, speeding up people's journeys and boosting the economy."

CEMEX is a global building materials company that provides high quality products and reliable service to customers and communities in more than 50 countries. Celebrating its 110th anniversary, CEMEX has a rich history of improving the well-being of those it serves through innovative building solutions, efficiency advancements, and efforts to promote a sustainable future.