17 routes in Preston have been given a the surface dressing technique in recent weeks which County Hall claims is a better way to prevent potholes.
Lancashire County Council is out treating more than a million square metres of roads across Preston, Chorley, South Ribble and Burnley as a priority.
They say double the amount of road surface is being treated compared to previous years as they and the government pump more money into road maintenance. A total of £72million is being spent across Lancashire this year with an additional £5million recently approved.
Read more: Evening and Sunday £1 bus journeys to be scrapped from September
Surface dressing is a technique where the road surface is sealed and prevents water getting in. A layer of bitumen is put down followed by stone chippings. Highways chiefs say it also improves grip for drivers.
Repairs to potholes are carried out before the surface dressing is applied.
Surface dressing is only used on suitable roads in good condition, where it can help prevent deterioration, and isn’t appropriate for heavily damaged roads or high‑stress areas like busy junctions.
Last month we reported how drivers had been left baffled when Garstang Road was treated with surface dressing but the busy Black Bull Lane crossroads itself was left.
And County Hall has been under intense pressure over the state of the city, and county’s roads, which they blamed on a ‘wet winter’ although the Met Office said the winter has been no worse than usual.
Blog Preston has regularly reported on how residents have been left frustrated at reporting multiple potholes, only to see them ignored or closed without any repair work on the Love Clean Streets app which is where all reports need to be made. In the Spring the county council sprung into urgent action after Garstang Road was left in such a state while works were scheduled to take place on nearby side roads – leaving opposition county councillors and local residents baffled by how roads were being picked for repairs.
Cabinet member for highways and transport at the Reform-led administration, county councillor Warren Goldsworthy, said: “We know the condition of roads is important to residents, and surface dressing is one of the most effective ways we can look after them.
“It allows us to treat roads at the right time, helping to prevent potholes forming and reducing the need for bigger, more disruptive repairs later on.
“While the process can look unusual at first, it plays a vital role in keeping roads in good condition and improving grip for drivers.”
“We want people to feel proud of where they live, and investing in our roads is a key part of that.
“That’s why we’re continuing to invest in maintaining and improving roads across Lancashire, so communities can see and feel the difference in their local area.”
Which roads have seen surface dressing in Preston?
Moor Lane was the most recently surfaced road but other roads to see the works have been Sedgewick Street, Farringdon Lane, Longsands Lane, Park Road, Victoria Road and surrounding roads, Garrison Road, Chapman Road and Lower Bank Road, East Road, Higher Bank Road, Albert Road, West Road, Greaves Town Lane, Larches Lane, Larches Avenue and Garstang Road.
