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Project Overview

The A417 Missing Link is one of the South West's most vital infrastructure upgrades, designed to resolve longstanding issues of congestion, safety, and connectivity between Gloucester and Swindon. Strategically important for both local communities and national travel routes, the project addresses a notorious bottleneck at the Air Balloon roundabout—boosting regional economic resilience and improving journey times. As part of this landmark development, over 500,000m² of Lotrak® 160 Non-Woven Geotextile was supplied and installed—delivering robust, engineered separation performance in demanding ground conditions.

Challenge

With a complex site footprint and a requirement for dependable sub-base stabilisation, the contractors needed a high-performance geotextile solution that could prevent intermixing of aggregate and subgrade soils while ensuring long-term durability and ease of installation across expansive areas.

Solution: Lotrak® 160 Non-Woven Geotextile

Supplied through our trusted local merchant partner, Civil Store, Lotrak® 160 was selected as the separation geotextile of choice. The product’s proven technical properties, combined with dedicated support from Don & Low, ensured it met and exceeded the project’s rigorous design and performance specifications.

Key Benefits of Lotrak® 160 as a Separation Geotextile:

• Excellent Filtration & Separation: Prevents the mixing of granular layers and fine soils, maintaining the integrity of the sub-base structure.
• Robust Mechanical Strength: With high puncture and tensile strength, Lotrak® 160 withstands heavy construction traffic and dynamic loading.
• Long-Term Durability: UV-resistant and chemically stable, it offers lasting performance in varying ground conditions.
• Ease of Installation: Lightweight yet strong, it enables rapid deployment across large areas, reducing time and labour costs.

Collaborative Delivery – Stronger by Design

Through our Stronger by Desing Service our engineering team worked In close collaboration with Civil Store, and both regional and national contractors, to provide technical expertise on product approvals & selection to ensure seamless integration of Lotrak® 160 into the groundwork specification. Through this trusted partnership model, Lotrak® 160 was fully approved for use and deployed across the entire site, supporting platform construction, access routes, and embankment works.

Results

• Over 500,000m² of Lotrak® 160 Supplied and Installed
• Approved through Expert Technical Support from Don & Low
• Delivered Through a Local Lotrak Merchant Partner – Civils Store Ltd
• Stocked at the local depot ensuring speed and continuity of supply as and when needed

The use of Lotrak® 160 on the A417 Missing Link project exemplifies how the right product, delivered through local expertise and technical partnership, can underpin the successful delivery of nationally significant infrastructure projects.

About Lotrak® 160

Manufactured by Don & Low, Lotrak® 160 is a needle-punched non-woven geotextile designed for separation and filtration in civil engineering and infrastructure applications. It is CE marked, compliant with relevant highways standards, and widely trusted across the UK construction sector.