A machine that recycles and re-lays old asphalt to resurface footpaths and patch roads is on a two-week loan from Cornwall Council. The VEB Hot Asphalt Recycler is currently being used on a trial basis on two footpaths in North Dorset.

The machine works by taking up existing layers of asphalt from the footpath and rejuvenating it so that it can be re-laid on the same footpaths.

On Thursday 15 October 2009, the county council held a demonstration day in Shaftesbury to which it invited members of its highways and transportation teams as well as those of neighbouring authorities, including Borough of Poole and Somerset County Council, to see the recycler in action.

The recycler typically works in conjunction with a JCB, which skims off the old asphalt layer and loads the broken up material into the feeder or hopper of the recycler.

A small amount of extra Bitumen or 'rejuvenator' may then be added to the recycled asphalt, which is heated and re-laid on the pathway or as a patch on the road. The machine is capable of producing up to 10 tonnes of recycled asphalt per hour.

The county council also has on trial a new routine maintenance process that takes an unconventional approach to repairing potholes.

The process, known as 'velocity patching', is much faster than traditional methods and as a result would increase productivity and cause significantly less disruption to road users.

Both machines would save money on purchasing construction materials, reduce transport and waste costs and support the county council's aims to do more with what resources it has and reduce its impact on the environment.

Andrew Martin, head of the county council's in-house contracting division, Dorset Works Organisation, said:

"These trials highlight our need to carry out more work using new techniques that could reduce costs and the impact we have on the environment. We are very encouraged by the results of the trials and look forward to working in conjunction with Cornwall Council and velocity patching companies to bring these processes to Dorset."