Road building material which has been supplemented with RAP produces cost efficient and long lasting surfaces with a greatly reduced environmental impact. The material can also continue to be reused at the end of a carriageway's life, offering further savings in the future.

The hangar at Carnsew will allow RAP to be stored in relatively dry conditions conducive to a much more efficient mixing process. It will now no longer need to be 'super-heated' to drive off moisture, as it was when previously stored outside and subjected to the full force of the weather.

The industry figure for drying RAP for inclusion into asphalt is: For every 1% of moisture per tonne of RAP an additional 0.7 litres of fuel will be required in the drying process.

Quarry Manager, Andrew Constantine said: "Significant savings can be made on fuel usage -  approximately 3.5 litres per tonne by keeping the material dry. This ensures two benefits - firstly, production costs are reduced, and secondly, natural resources are used in a more sustainable way."

He also said that future plans at Carnsew include harvesting rainwater from the roof to use as dust suppression around the yard.

Following three years of co-operation with the client they have designed and built a new form of their decorative seafront lighting known as 'Sticks of Rock'.

The original lights were standard flood lights with colour chromatic filters added to give special lit effects down the column beneath the functional lighting.

The new lighting is radical, it features LED colour changing capabilities and enables ultimate control from remote locations via radio transmission.

The lighting (Philips Colorburst Compact) will allow any combination of colour or movement and can even be set especially for events e.g. the Queens jubilee - red white and blue.

Colas Electrical Business Manager, Ron Collins said: "The project involved some problem solving which took into consideration the existing column structural loading and integrity. During installation attention was also given to bracket design and manufacture to accommodate all equipment without drilling, as well as aesthetics and light pollution." And he continued:

"Switched on by Hastings Mayor, Councillor Kim Forward at a ceremony attended by council and Colas representatives, the scheme immediately exceeded expectations. So far the new lighting has achieved vast energy savings over the original lighting - the older lighting used around 342 watts per column compared to the new only using 59 watts (including transmission/receive system) per column.

This means there will be an average saving of 37.31 kW per annum equating to carbon (CO2) savings of 20.03 Kgs."

• Reduced need for operating space on site
• High quality control in factory conditions and much higher spec finish than possible on site.
• Rapid installation saving programme time - approximately 1 week for traditional installation achieved in 1 day
• Reduced labour needed on site
• Reduced safety risks on site - eliminating extensive temporary support work and materials handling
• Improved environmental performance through reduced site waste and lower overall carbon footprint.
• Use of up to 85% secondary aggregates

The precast units provide a robust wall that is directly linked to cast in situ reinforced foundations and is far superior to previously available products. The bespoke design will ensure that there are no vulnerable joints and edges which could be readily damaged by the aggressive nature of recycled waste material handling. Wherever possible the wall units will be in a single length giving a seamless high quality durable finish.

The team intend to increase the use of this system providing affordable high quality solutions for our clients. For many similar schemes we will be able to install the retaining wall structures within one week after completion of necessary ground-works and foundations.

One of our existing clients has specifically requested we install the new system at their site in Hampshire.

With the aid of the manufacturers' technicians from Spain, the team has successfully started mixing trials in advance of the upcoming works.

The 280 tonne per hour capacity plant will ensure that a quality Marshall Asphalt product is mixed on time to fulfil our contract requirements.

As well as the new Intrame plant, Colas' Airfields have also taken delivery of a brand new Vogelle 1803-2 paver, to ensure that the three surfacing crews destined for Gatwick have the most up to date and reliable equipment on the market.

This new paver is an addition to our existing fleet of Vogelle 1803-2 pavers which support asphalt laying operations for the Airfields division.

Joint venture partners Colas and VolkerFitzpatrick have been awarded the contract for two major Midlands construction projects, the A45 Transport Corridor Improvement Scheme and the Runway Extension at Birmingham Airport.

The two projects are being developed in conjunction due to their close proximities and timeframes, and will provide a number of benefits for both contracting parties. The benefits include increased purchasing power, combining utility diversion works, reducing construction overhead costs and minimising the need to export and import earthworks materials.

The A45 Transport Corridor Improvement Scheme will regenerate the A45 Coventry Road between Damson Parkway and M42 Junction 6. It will reduce congestion, improve safety and accessibility, and is a major catalyst for investment.

On completion, the 405m runway extension will enhance the airport's capability, as well as helping to take pressure off airports in the overheated South East.

Speaking on behalf of Colas, Divisional Director Airfields Asphalt & Projects, Carl Fergusson said: "We're delighted to be chosen as preferred bidder and to be involved in these projects. Both organisations are pleased to continue their long standing relationships with the key stakeholders. We recognise the strategic importance of this significant infrastructure project to the region and look forward to its successful delivery."

John Morris, head of industry and government affairs for Birmingham Airport said: "By meeting local demand, the Airport will reduce unnecessary long distance surface journeys to other UK airports and generate sustainable long-term economic growth inside its own local area."

The estimated commencement date of the A45 Transport Corridor Improvement Scheme is July 2012, with works expected to be completed by summer 2013. The estimated start date for the runway extension scheme is June 2013, with an operational date of spring 2014, following full commissioning and flight testing.

Carl Leckey MBE, who lives in New Brighton, and is a Churchill Fellow, has worked - with his wife Rose - to supply a series of plaques which will be placed at appropriate points along the Mersey to commemorate fatalities on the river from service and civilian life.

The plaques, which each detail local events that led to the tragedies, will initially be placed along the riverfront from New Brighton to Seacombe, and have been funded by Mr Leckey using royalties from his book sales.

Mr Leckey, who retired from his job with British Waterways in 1995, said: "During wartime the Irish Sea and the approaches to the River Mersey were a hunting ground for U-boats and enemy bombers. The public will be surprised when the plaques reveal how many ships were sunk and how many crew members lost their lives in the Mersey when they finally reached what they presumed to be a safe haven.

There is a tragic story behind every ship sunk. Many of the casualties' remains were never recovered. The plaques will indicate the war graves of these lost crew members. It is my sincere hope the plaques will make the public aware of the great sacrifice these brave crew members made on their behalf despite the fact that they were classed by the government as civilians."

As well as wartime fatalities, there will also be plaques remembering others who died on tugs in accidents and major incidents during peacetime on the Mersey. Mr Leckey is particularly keen to commemorate the sacrifices of the Merchant Navy, who he says are often overlooked.

"The plaques will be placed along the river as near as possible to where the tragedies took place. They will commemorate the memory of the merchant seamen, both British and foreign, tugboat crews and all other dock and river workers that risked and sometimes lost their lives in war and peace, while following their lawful employment on this great River Mersey," added Mr Leckey.

The author, who was awarded an MBE for services to British Waterways in 1995, has been praised for providing the plaques by Wirral Council and their term maintenance contractor, Colas - who installed them along the riverfront.

Cllr Dave Mitchell, Wirral's Cabinet Member for Streetscene and Transport Services said: "Mr Leckey's public spirited actions are all the more poignant in light of the fact that many of the fatalities involved in these river tragedies have no known graves. It is to his credit that there will now be some record of where these events took place and their final resting place."

And Richie Collins, Performance Manager, Colas, Wirral, commented: "Colas are very pleased to be associated with such a worthwhile cause as this."

The event, run by the Lincolnshire branch of the Education Business Partnership network, was attended also attended by three other prominent corporations and focused on alternative methods of entry into the workplace other than via the traditional college/university route.

HR Advisor, Laurent Genin, who attended on behalf of Colas said: "Using our employees as examples I spoke to them about how apprenticeships or 'in work' qualifications could help to develop their careers further within a company like ours."

"I explained how apprenticeship schemes could be a great way to further qualifications and told them about some of our own apprentices who have achieved exam passes and gained proficiencies since they have been with Colas."

The company's attendance at this event follows on from a previous visit to the school last year and is another example of its dedication to raising the infrastructure industry's profile to youngsters.

The Education Business Partnership organisation manages, co-ordinates and delivers programmes for young people from ages 4 to 19 and, through the creation of links between the worlds of business and education, aims to form real opportunities for them to develop the skills they need for adult life.

During the course of the first day the graduates gave short presentations about their experiences within Colas' current and recent contracts such as Gatwick Airport, Newquay Airport and Leeds City Council. 

There were also presentations from managers to update them on Colas' strategy - including the company's recent rebranding exercise, its involvement with communities, commitment to sustainability, and its health and safety targets.

On the second day the graduates were joined by Annie Silver, Membership Development Officer from the Institution of Civil Engineers who gave a presentation which included updates to the ICE training scheme and the key elements required for the preparation of their Professional Reviews. 

Many of them are aiming to sit their reviews within the next twelve months, so they were also given the opportunity to meet with Annie individually to go through their experiences and written reports to ensure that they are fully prepared.

Feedback from the graduates was that the event was a great success - providing them with an opportunity to meet their colleagues at Rowfant, network with each other to share their experiences, and to increase their understanding of Colas' strategy for the next 12 months.

Colas' Deputy CEO and Director of Products and Processes, Stewart Struthers, said of the occasion: "It was particularly pleasing to see the graduate's presentations illustrating that they were actively involved in delivering a diverse range of Colas projects. It was also good to see that they had a good grasp of our values, with an emphasis on safety and the environment clearly evident."

The Colas safety team developed the course in partnership with Macnaughton and Mcgregor Ltd. It is split into two separate sessions - one for management and supervisors and the other for operational employees -  and it is now starting to be rolled out across the business.

Assistant Health and Safety Manager, Claire Heywood explained: "The course includes various drama based scenarios which look at the work we carry out and the hazards our people encounter daily.

"It takes into account procedures already engrained within Colas' safety management system like conducting an effective 'Management Safety Observation' and how to hold a 'Safety Conversation',  as well as our ongoing 'Take Action Now' campaign which encourages employees to approach their colleagues and speak out when they witness something hazardous and possibly prevent an incident occurring."

Colas' first Behavioural Safety programmes were piloted in Portsmouth and Newcastle last year and since then some extremely positive feedback has been received.

"The plan is to eventually have all employees trained in the Behavioural Safety principles so that everyone looks out for each other" said Claire, "therefore making a positive cultural change across the whole company."

The theory behind Behavioural Safety is that only when the 'attitude' of people within an organisation is right a real and long-lasting change can take place - and in turn, Colas hope that such a change of attitude will ensure that they remain top of the game when it comes to workplace safety.

The client was keen to use Repave over some of the more conventional surfacing options following a number of successful schemes administered by Colas on other motorways in recent years.

In particular the process is lending itself well to the motorway environment due to its ability to be applied quickly over large areas. For the duration of this scheme the carriageway of the M1 between junction 35 and 35A was closed for just three nights as works took place and reopened with minimal disruption to users of the road.

The Highways Agency was also interested in the environmental benefits offered by the Repave process caused by fewer lorry movements, considerably reducing the use of new aggregates and minimising waste material and cost.

This project further consolidates Colas' growing foothold as a provider of first class sustainable upgrades to the major networks sector  and thanks are due to A-one+ for their promotion of the Repave process as a viable surfacing option for Area 12.