Infrared technology repairs over 7,000 square metres of Highland roads

Earlier this year, Highland Council appointed Thermal Road Repairs for a two-year infrared patching repair contract worth a seven-figure sum. The contract commenced in July 2025 with 7,402 square metres of road repaired across Ross and Cromarty, Skye and Raasay, Inverness, Badenoch and Strathspey, Nairn and Lochaber.

Chair of Highland Council’s Economy and Infrastructure Committee, Councillor Ken Gowans, said: “The Council has invested significantly in road maintenance as part of a broader program to improve Highland roads. Almost £0.5 million has been spent repairing our roads since the summer and this technology has allowed us to deliver permanent repairs first time. The contract has provided an additional resource for repairing surface defects such as potholes, cracking and deteriorating surface joints.”

The thermal repair process involves using an infrared heating system to heat existing road material which then becomes malleable and can be reworked with additional material to create a defect-free surface. The use of heat means that the repair is free of cold joints and therefore has no weak points at the edges resulting in a more effective repair that can also be carried out in colder conditions.

Work has involved utilising multiple teams to cover numerous areas at one time as well as night works in Inverness to minimise disruption to traffic. Works throughout Caithness and Sutherland will commence in early spring 2026.

The patching repair contract forms part of The Council’s £2.1 billion Highland Investment Plan which will provide 20 years of funding for roads and transport, schools, offices and community facilities throughout the Highlands.