The deal will see the companies explore solutions to extend the pavement life of the M25.

Connect Plus has a 30-year contract with National Highways, signed in 2009, to operate, maintain and manage the M25 and its key arterial link roads.

As part of the agreement, Connect Plus will trial Shell Cariphalte AgeSafe – new polymer-modified bitumen product that increases the lifespan of roads.

The companies will also work together to “understand road surface texture development, explore alternate pavement design strategies, and develop pavement failure models from field measurements relevant to the UK.”

The agreement between Shell and Connect Plus will begin immediately to “enable delivering progress on the decarbonisation of road paving in the UK.”