DORSET’S head of highways has turned off the main road and taken the route to retirement.

The man who knows almost everything about blacktop and road drainage was praised for more than 36 years service to the county at a county council cabinet meeting.

Andy Martin, Service Director for Highways , spoke passionately at the meeting about the county he instantly fell in love with when almost 37 years ago to the day he came down from his native Scotland for a job interview as a technician at the Long Burton depot.

He told councillors he had only intended to stay two years and then move on but Dorset’s beauty got to him.

“I have been very fortunate to live in Dorset and feel very lucky to have managed to stay here and have a career,” he said, thanking councillors and his colleagues for what he said had been many happy years.

Cabinet brief holder Daryl Turner credited Mr Martin for the creation of the Dorset Works organisation and managing the maintenance of the county’s highways to a high standard on a decreasing budget.

Council leader Rebecca Knox said Mr Martin would be sadly missed, both by councillors and colleagues: “I know that highways get a huge amount of letters and you seem to reply to them all. Councillors will also know that you also seem to do so at odd times of the night.”

Council chairman Hilary Cox said that Mr Martin had taught her more about blacktop and highway drainage than most people knew: ”I have enjoyed working with you …you will be missed by councillors and your team, who have the greatest respect for you.”