Wetter winters and major infrastructure projects drive demand for temporary roadways

Ross McDermott

Managing Director at Spencer Quantum.

Chartered Geologist and experienced SHE Advisor.

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As more frequent and prolonged wet ground conditions continue to affect site access and construction programmes here in the UK, we are finding that large infrastructure projects, particularly across the renewables and water sectors, are driving increased demand for temporary roadways.

Spencer Quantum, part of RSK Group, has been providing specialist geotechnical, site and land services to local authorities and blue-chip clients in the highways, construction, environmental and utilities sectors for over 30 years.

In response to this recent upswing in demand, we have expanded our temporary mat fleet over the past decade. This includes an accelerated investment of more than £5 million in the last three years in response to sustained demand and increasingly challenging ground conditions. Our business now operates one of the UK’s largest temporary access mat stocks, supporting projects across the highways, utilities and environmental sectors, with around 12,000 mats creating up to 15 miles (24 km) of roadway.

Growth in solar farm development across the UK is a key driver of this increased demand, alongside wider major infrastructure activity – we have even supplied temporary roadway mats for music and arts festivals.

The Spencer Quantum versatile mat system is manufactured from strong, durable high-density polyethylene (HDPE), enabling it to withstand significant loads and high volumes of traffic while remaining light enough for efficient handling and transport. This makes the system suitable for a wide range of applications, including temporary pedestrian walkways, special events, concerts, film sets, heavy construction and crane lift pads.

In the past, creating access routes often required excavation of topsoil, extensive use of plant and machinery, importing hauled stone and subsequent reinstatement works. Temporary roadway mats provide a more efficient alternative, reducing both programme time and cost.

With a lifespan of 15 years or more when used correctly, the mats are also a more sustainable option than traditional haul roads, with less impact on the environment.

They can also be installed quickly. Each mat weighs around 219 kg, and our installation teams can lay up to 150 mats per day, enabling rapid creation of access routes and haul roads. This is particularly valuable on constrained or environmentally sensitive sites, as well as for emergency or reactive works.

The system works by distributing loads across a wider surface area, helping to reduce ground pressure and minimise rutting, settlement and damage to underlying soils during construction and installation. Importantly, the mats maintain ground integrity even under significant plant and vehicle movements on soft or unstable ground, with the capacity to support loads of up to 280 tonnes per square metre.