Work on a £3.3 million scheme to reduce potholes on 53 roads in east and South Cumbria by August has begun.
The 66 miles of roads in Westmorland & Furness have been prepared and permanently patched, ready to be sealed with the treatment that enhances road surfaces for up to 10 years.
Westmorland & Furness Council said work has already been completed on 20 rural roads.
Starting next Monday, June 30, another 33 main routes will be surface dressed, with the programme scheduled to finish in August.
The sites set to benefit from this year’s investment have been prioritised based on council inspections, which use an artificial intelligence software, Vaisala, to detect when a road is showing early signs of deterioration.
The council said: “By catching small issues early, it prevents them turning into big problems which require more costly solutions such as full resurfacing or reactive pothole repairs.”
Surface dressing significantly extends the lifespan of a road by sealing the surface to prevent water from seeping in. It protects treated roads from freezing and wet winter weather, the leading cause of road damage across the area, which typically becomes visible in spring as temperatures begin to rise.
The process sees a coating of hot bitumen sprayed on to the surface, followed by a layer of stone chippings which are then lightly rolled and pressed to form a hard-wearing surface.
Minimal delays are expected while the works are being carried out and traffic is immediately allowed on to the new surface, at a reduced speed, to help embed the chippings into the road. Once complete, the roads receive new markings following the final sweep which takes place seven days after completion.
Residents will be notified about upcoming work by on-street signs installed two weeks in advance. Leaflets will also be delivered to nearby homes three days before work begins.
The treatment can only be carried out in dry weather, so scheme start dates are flexible, the authority said.
The programme forms a part of Westmorland and Furness Council’s £37.7 million investment plan that will see thousands of improvements delivered to highways assets including pothole repairs and the resurfacing of roads, gullies, footways and cycleways, bridges, retaining walls and other structures.
Cllr Peter Thornton, Westmorland and Furness Council cabinet member for highways and ICT said: “The severe weather and freezing temperatures we face here takes its toll on the condition of our roads.
“Our surface dressing programme will protect roads from the impacts of winter, preventing minor issues from escalating into major problems, like potholes, which understandably causes frustration for everyone.
“This treatment is not only a fast and effective way of maintaining our network, it enables us to reduce our impact on the environment and get the most out of every pound that we spend. After each scheme completes, we sweep and collect the spare chippings from the roadside and recycle them for use in future programmes, such as this year, where we are using 2,500 tonnes of recycled chippings from our 2024 work. ”
Specialist contractor Kiely Bros Ltd is managing and delivering this year’s programme.
What roads are included?
Eden area
Roads in the Eden area under the programme include:
- 175m south west of Renwick Junction to Scarrowmanwick
- 646m south east of Priorsdale Junction to Shieldhill plantation, near Alston
- Bedlands Gate Crossroads to A6 Shap Beck
- Blackhause, Stainmore
- Cliburn Mill Bridge to A66 via Bolton
- Colby Lane, Appleby
- Crossrigg to Kings Meaburn
- Ellonby to Little Blencow
- Hazel Gill junction to area boundary at Newbiggin
- Meaburn Hall junction to Sleagill Crossroads
- Newlands Mill junction to Sowerby Row Junction
- Oak Road, Penrith (Carleton Road to Chestnut Close)
- Oak Road, Penrith (Parklands Cresent to Brentfield Way)
- Scarrowmanwick to Hazel Gill junction
- Skelton to Ellonby
- Temple Sowerby to Crossrigg
Furness area
Roads in the Furness area under the programme include:
- Broughton Road
- Central Drive, Barrow
- Dalton Lane between junction of Yewdale Avenue and Bay Horse Pub, Barrow
- Lindal to Marton (A590 to Tarn Flatt)
- Park Drive, Barrow
- Ulverston Rd, Dalton
South Lakeland area
Roads in the South Lakeland area under the programme include:
- Tottlebank to A590
- Gatebeck to Crooklands
- Crooklands to Milnthorpe
- Little Urswick to area boundary via Gleaston
- Kirkstone Road, Ambleside
- Pease Close Lane to Cartmel
- Rowlandson Ground, Hawkshead
- Grassgarth Lane, Ings
- Natland to Force Cottages
- Gilpin Lake House to Crosthwaite
- Kiln Road, New Hutton
- Alpine Road
- Outgate to Drunken Duck
- Knott End to Yeat House
- Mere Syke, Elterwater Locker Lane, Allithwaite
