Twelve rural roads are being reconstructed in Dorset this autumn thanks to the Department for Transport’s Pothole Fund.

Dorset Highways has identified roads that have evolved from tracks and have very little construction, and have significant cracking, undulation or pothole damage, for permanent repair.

This programme of work will use in-situ recycling to strengthen the foundation of the road before a double surface dressing is applied to seal the roads from water damage and provide a textured surface for vehicles.

Jack Wiltshire, Dorset Council Head of Highways, said: “These roads have become so damaged they require extensive repairs to ensure that homes and businesses can continue to be safely accessed. They have little to no foundation, and under the road surface is essentially the gravel track they have evolved from over many years.

“Our contractor will use a specialised machine to simultaneously crush the existing carriageway and mix it with cement to create a hydraulically bound material for the road foundation. This process is around a third of the cost of a conventional carriageway reconstruction method and is also a more sustainable treatment – by reusing material already in place and producing zero waste from the site.”

He added: “Without the money we’ve been awarded from the DfT’s Pothole Fund we would have to continue with costly reactive, piecemeal, short-term repairs on these roads, which isn’t good enough.”

Due to the large machinery and the nature of the work, and for the safety of all road users, the roads will need to be closed while insitu-recycling and surfacing takes place.

Access will be maintained to properties and businesses as best as possible but this may mean a short wait while equipment is moved, or the use of an alternative access point onto the road.

These works are being carried out by Colas Ltd on behalf of Dorset Council. Roads will have some restricted access during the three working days prior to insitu-recycling for preparation works to be completed.