Midlothian Council has became the first authority in Scotland to adopt a lower temperature asphalt to develop a series of link roads.

UltiLow is to be used for developing roadways around the council's waste treatment facilities in Edinburgh and Midlothian.

Working alongside Tarmac, the scheme is part of a council initiative for improvements in sustainable development and carbon reduction.

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Low temperature asphalt technology has the potential to reduce the embodied carbon of asphalt by up to 25% compared to usual hot mixes.

The idea behind UltiLow is lower temperatures are used to manufacture the material, using less energy and therefore emitting less carbon.

In addition, the material cools and sets faster, allowing road projects to be delivered on a faster timescale.

Brian Kent, Tarmac's Technical Director, said: "The use of Ultilow by Midlothian is a breakthrough for Scotland and reflects the growing popularity of this solution across the UK as recognition of its benefits grows."

(LM/CD)