Durakerb demonstrates long-term durability after 18 years in North Yorkshire
The A162 Barkston Ash footway in North Yorkshire was one of the early installations of Durakerb. It was completed before January 2008 for North Yorkshire County Council, as an innovation trial run with Jacobs and the BBIS Innovation Group. In July 2026, Duraproducts revisited the site for a visual inspection to record how the kerbing has performed, following a discussion with Leeds City Council about the longevity of recycled polymer kerbing.
The original trial
The trial covered approximately 450m of footway and set out to assess whether polymer kerbing was suitable for highway use. The partners looked at how quickly it could be installed, what it was made from and how it would hold up over time with constant use.
The recycled and recyclable kerb units used on the scheme weighed 6kg, which reduced manual handling and completely removed the need for mechanical lifting equipment. The project partners recorded time savings during installation and concluded that the kerbs were suitable for use.
About Durakerb
Durakerb is a recycled polymer kerbing system designed as a direct alternative to precast concrete kerbs. Each unit is made from 88% recycled polymer, and the range extends to kerbside and surface drainage products.
The units interlock to hold an accurate alignment, and they can be cut with hand tools using familiar kerb-laying methods, following our installation guidance. They are laid in the same way as concrete kerbs, on a bed and backing, and they weigh considerably less. Polymer also does not release respirable crystalline silica when cut, which removes one of the dust hazards associated with cutting concrete on site.
Durakerb has a published Environmental Product Declaration. For the standard 5.6kg HB2 unit assessed, it records 88% post-consumer recycled content, made up of 4.92kg of recycled polypropylene and polyethylene, and a production-stage carbon footprint of 3.81kg CO₂e. The product also holds BBA HAPAS certification for highway use, and polymeric kerbs are recognised within the National Highways Manual of Contract Documents for Highway Works under CC207.
Still in action
Two years after opening, the Histon Road project continued to receive positive feedback from residents, councillors, and regular users of the route, reflecting the lasting impact of the improvements delivered along this key transport route.
When the scheme was reviewed in July 2026, the A162 Barkston Ash footway had been in service for more than 18 years, and the Durakerb installed during the innovation trial remains in service along the footway adjacent to the live highway in North Yorkshire. The kerb line was straight along its length and the joints between the linked units were still tight and aligned, which indicates that the kerbs have kept the position in which they were laid through nearly two decades of weather and traffic.
No significant movement was observed in the kerbing, and there was no widespread impact damage, which matters on a live highway where kerbs are regularly exposed to vehicle strikes and general wear. Some vegetation had established within the channel, and this appears to be a matter of routine maintenance rather than any deterioration of the kerbs themselves.
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