More miles to receive pothole preventing surface dressing

Norfolk County Council's annual spring and summer road surface dressing programme is due to start on 21 April and will see Norfolk's roads get a new seal to help prevent potholes forming and extending the life of roads with a new skid-resistant surface to reduce the risk of accidents. The work continues through until September, to take advantage of the warmer weather. 

This year 351 miles of Norfolk roads will be dressed, up from 320 miles last year. The total programme will cost around £12.31m and is a proven pro-active approach to highways maintenance. 

Grahame Bygrave, director of highways, transport & waste, said: "We're treating more miles of road this year helping to keep local routes in good condition, which is all part of our preventative maintenance strategy. Surface dressing is a practical way to reduce potholes and improve safety, and it means we can look after more of Norfolk's roads in a cost effective way. We appreciate residents' patience while the work takes place and hope these improvements make everyday journeys smoother for communities across the county." 

Surface dressing uses a waterproofing seal which consists of a thin layer of bitumen and stone chippings which is laid onto the road. This helps prevent water penetration and reduces the number of potholes forming when it freezes. 

People living along the routes which are due to be treated will receive notification a day or two before the crews arrive. They will be asked not to park on the road on the day of the surface dressing work, or on the following day when surplus chippings will be swept up. People are urged to drive slowly and considerately across the new surface until it is bedded in, and Highway Teams return to sweep up the loose chippings. This is because the passage of vehicles over the new surface plays an important part in helping the new surface to settle in. 

A 20mph speed restriction is imposed during work and on freshly laid surface dressing for safety reasons. 

The first roads that will receive this treatment this year will be Mill Lane in Fleggburgh and Lyon's Green in Scarning. 

The work will be carried out by Norfolk County Council's Infrastructure Department and their contractors.