Norfolk County Council’s annual road surface dressing programme for 2015 starts today (Wednesday, 15 April) with gangs working in the Bradwell, Langham and east coastal areas.
Surface dressing is one of the best ways of extending the life of roads while contributing to safety by improving skid resistance and preventing potholes. The process involves laying a thin layer of bitumen and chippings on to the road, stopping water penetration and reducing the number of potholes caused by frost. This year’s planned programme is worth £9.2M.
This work takes place every year while the weather is warmer, with the holiday areas and main roads treated first. Where possible, work is planned away from busy roads during peak periods, but because it is fast-moving and may be suspended during bad weather, it is hard to give motorists early warning of where the crews will be working. The aim is to complete busier routes by the end of July.
People living along routes to be surface dressed 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 surfacing, or the following day when loose chippings will be swept up. They will have the chance to say what they think afterwards via the County Council’s website, or on a response card which will be delivered to a proportion of residents.
The County Council apologises for any inconvenience caused to local people and to motorists, who are asked to drive with care and consideration when work is taking place, and for a few days afterwards while the new surface settles. A 20mph speed limit is imposed during work and on freshly-laid surface dressing for safety reasons. The work will be carried out by Norfolk County Council’s Community & Environmental Services Dept and their contractors.
