CITY of York Council's highways team are looking at innovative trials taking place across the world to improve roads.

These include the use of environmentally friendly low carbon tarmac, plastic road surfaces and kerbs, and trials adding graphite to asphalt to increase the strength of the road.

A report prepared for a council meeting on Tuesday says: "[The] key to achieving the best from our resources is to ensure our own workforce have the information required and the autonomy to make decisions out on site.

"We are investing in technology to improve and aid their productivity in repairing the highway."

The report says the Department for Transport is piloting plastic kerbs and roads in some parts of the country, but that there are concerns about micro plastics being released into the environment.

It adds: "In addition a number of innovations are emerging which have yet to be proven. For example solar roads are being trailed in Paris to generate electricity for street lighting.

"Micro generation of electricity for street lighting is also being explored using wind power. Some trials of induction charging for electric vehicles built into the road is also being explored."

York is part of a project using cameras to review road conditions.