Innovative technology capable of resurfacing roads 10 times faster than conventional methods has been introduced to the UK for the first time on a major highway in Northumberland.

 

The machine – known as a ‘cold recycler’ – is currently being used by Highways England contractor A-one+ to resurface around 2km of the A1 at Brownieside.

 

By allowing the underlying layers of the road to be recycled, the technology allows up to 1000t per hour can be resurfaced compared to an average of 100t per hour using conventional methods. It works by churning up the old surface material, combining it with new material within the body of the machine and then laying it back down immediately on the road behind.

 

Work started at Brownieside last week, where both lanes of the southbound carriageway are being resurfaced. This process will take three weeks.

 

“This new technology is brilliant news for the thousands of drivers that use motorways and major A roads in the North East, who will benefit from smoother and safer journeys,” said Highways England project manager Steve Bishop.

 

“There are lots of benefits to using this new way of working. It means we can resurface larger areas of road and there are fewer construction vehicle trips.” He added: “The road surface is designed to last for at least 10 years, so we shouldn’t need to go back to carry out further repairs any time soon.”

 

The cold recycler allows for a 75% reduction in the amount of quarried stone used on the project and a 66% reduction in the amount of waste taken to landfill. There are also 70% fewer lorry trips required to and from site.

 

The machine has previously been successfully used in the USA, France and China.