A TOTAL of 140 miles of Somerset roads will be surface dressed this summer to improve the surfaces for motorists and prevent potholes from forming.
Somerset County Council has published a full list of every road which will be dressed between now and September.
Work may continue after this date in the event of bad weather.
A total of 138 separate roads will be treated this summer, with work being carried out with mobile teams to reduce the impact on motorists.
The council has stated surface dressing can increase the lifespan of a given road by up to ten years.
Surface dressing works by coating the road with bitumen, covering it with stone chippings, rolling it to press the chips in, and then sweeping the road to remove any debris.
This process seals the road to prevent water getting under the surface to form potholes, and also improves skid resistance for braking vehicles.
Councillor John Woodman, cabinet member for highways, said: “Surface dressing is one of our best weapons in the ongoing fight against potholes.
“The process is often misunderstood and dismissed as a cheap alternative to resurfacing. In fact, that is a myth – they are very different processes, much like painting wooden windows to stop them rotting, rather than simply replacing them.
“We use surface dressing on roads which are in relatively good condition, which is proven to ensure they last much longer before more costly and more disruptive resurfacing is required.”
The council’s surface dressing teams are mobile, meaning large-scale road closures are not necessary.
However, because the work cannot be carried out in wet or overly hot conditions, the dates for each individual road are all subject to change.
Drivers are also advised to drive at slower speeds (20mph is advised) immediately after a road has been dressed, to prevent any loose material from damaging their vehicles.
A council spokesperson said: “We purposely lay more chips than required to ensure that the whole surface is covered and we don’t end up with bare patches.
We leave the loose chips for a short period to be embedded by traffic, after which any surplus chips are swept clear.
“Advisory speed limit signs are left out for a few days until most of the loose chips have been removed. This is to maintain the safety of the highway user, protect the new dressing and to prevent damage to vehicles.
“Depending on the weather, we may carry out additional sweeping or dusting to minimise the effect on traffic.”
Surface dressing teams are mobile and the work is weather dependent so cannot take place in wet or hot conditions. This means the rolling programme is highly flexible and dates can change at short notice.
Here is the full list of all the roads which will be subject to surface dressing this summer:
Mendip
A371 Wells Road, Draycott
A371 Wells Road, Westbury-sub-Mendip
Ashels Batch, Chewton Mendip
B3134 Burrington Road, nr Priddy
Bell Hill, Chewton Mendip
Bell Road, Chewton Mendip
Breech Lane, West Pennard
Charity Lane, nr Kilmersdon
Chesterblade Road, nr Evercreech
Church Street, nr Cranmore
Church Street to Lower Lane, nr Cranmore
Cockpit Lane to Lodge Farm Lane, nr Cranmore
Cole Hill, nr Frome
Court Barn Lane, West Pennard
Coxton End Lane, Priddy
East Woodlands Road, nr Frome
Ford Lane, Chewton Mendip
Green Lane, nr Leigh-upon-Mendip
Greendown Lane, Chewton Mendip
Harptree Lane, Chewton Mendip
Haygrove Lane, nr Cranmore
Haygrove Lane to Long Lane, nr Cranmore
Hembridge Road, Wraxall
Hillgrove Road, Priddy
Hoares Lane, Kilmersdon
Lime Kiln Lane, nr Leigh-upon-Mendip
Lipyeate Cross to Luckington Cross, nr Kilmersdon
Little Green, nr Leigh-upon-Mendip
Lodge Farm Lane to Haygrove Lane, nr Cranmore
Manor Farm Road, Charterhouse
Mells Green, nr Leigh-upon-Mendip
Newtown Lane, West Pennard
Paywell Lane, Charterhouse
Priddy Green, Priddy
Priddy Mill Drove, Priddy
School Hill, Priddy
Shepherds Lane, nr Frome
Shepherds Lane to Feltham Lane, nr Frome
Shepherds Lane to Woodlands Church, nr Frome#
Small Down Lane, Westcombe
Somers Hill to Mells Green, nr Leigh-upon-Mendip
Tellisford House To Bath Road, Tellisford
Tellisford Lane, Tellisford
Tellisford Lane to Church Farm Lane, Tellisford
Tellisford Lane to Rode Hill, Tellisford
Tellisford Road, Tellisford
The Batch, Priddy
Timbers Hill, nr Frome
Townsend, Priddy
Tynings Lane, Charterhouse
Velvet Bottom, Charterhouse
Wells Road, Priddy
West Bradley Lane, West Bradley
Withial Lane, West Bradley
Withy Wood Lane, Cranmore
Woodlands Church to New Church Farm, nr Frome
Sedgemoor
A38 Bristol Road, Shipham
A38 Main Road/ Pawlett Road, Huntspill
A39 North Street, Bridgwater
A39 Quantock Road, Bridgwater
A39 Wembdon Road, Bridgwater
Adscombe Lane, Nether Stowey
Alston Sutton Road, Weare
B3135 Cliff Street/ Roemead Road/ The Cliffs/ The Cliffs Road/ Yoxter Road, nr Cheddar
B3139 Burnham Road, Highbridge
B3140 Berrow Road, Berrow
B3140 Brent Corner/ Brent Road/ Burton Row/ Ham Road / Station Road, Brent
B3151 Blakeway/ Mudgley Hill, Mudgley
Banklands, nr North Newton
Banklands Lane, nr North Newton
Barford Road, Enmore
Blackmore Lane, nr Cannington
Bincombe Combe, Nether Stowey
Bourton Lane, nr Axbridge
Brightstowe Road, Berrow
Broomfield Road, Broomfield
Buncombe Hill, nr Broomfield
Church Road, Bridgwater
Court Grove, Puriton
Crickham, Cocklake
Cross Moor Road, Axbridge
Greenhill Lane, Weare
Haddons Lane, Shearston
Ham Lane, nr West Huntspill
Horsey Lane, nr Bridgwater
Houlgate Way, Axbridge
Howells Lane, Shearston
Main Road, Shapwick
Mill Lane, Weare
Mill Stream Close, Axbridge
Shearston Lane, Shearston
Lodes Lane, Broomfield
Over Stowey Road, Nether Stowey
Plainsfield Road, Nether Stowey
Rackhouse Lane, nr Courtway
Rhode Lane, Bridgwater
Rhode Lane, Rhode
Rughill, Cocklake
Sparrow Hill Way, Weare
South Lane, Nether Stowey
South Lane to Over Stowey Road, Nether Stowey
Station Road, Shapwick
Stretcholt Lane, nr West Huntspill
Walnut Close, Axbridge
Woolmersdon Road, Rhode
Somerset West and Taunton
A39 Bircham Road, Minehead
A39 Station Road, nr Washford (two separate stretches)
Adcombe Hill, Corfe
Adcombe Lane, Corfe
Ash Road, Stoke St Mary
B3187 Milverton Road/ Station Road, nr Wellington
B3190 Raleigh’s Cross to Beulah Chapel, Raleigh’s Cross
B3190 Raleigh’s Cross to Sticklepath, Raleigh’s Cross
B3190 Sticklepath to Fair Cross, Sticklepath
B3224 Beulah Chapel to Withiel Hill, Raleigh’s Cross
B3224 Luckwell Bridge, nr Wheddon Cross
B3224 Raleigh’s Cross to Elworthy Burrows, Raleigh’s Cross
B3224 Raleigh’s Cross Road, nr Combe Florey
B3227 Wiveliscombe Road, nr Cotford St Luke
Bickenhall Lane, Hatch Beauchamp
Bury Hill, nr Dulverton
Cothelstone Road/ High Street, Cothelstone
Dragons Cross to Old Cleeve, Old Cleeve
Gerbestone Road, nr West Buckland
Greenway, North Curry
Helland Hill, North Curry
Holway Road, Taunton
Honiton Road, Churchinford
Langford Budville Road, Langford Budville
Lipe Lane, Creech St Michael
Louisa Gate To Lyddons Cross, nr Dulverton
Lower Bilbrook Lane, nr Washford (two separate stretches)
Lyddons Cross To White Post, nr Dulverton
Marsh Lane, Dunster
March Street, Dunster
Newport Road, North Curry
Old Cleeve to Blue Anchor, Old Cleeve
Pockeridge Bottom Road, nr Waterrow
Royston Road, Churchinford
Sanctuary Lane, Brompton Regis
Sandhill Lane, Withycombe
Severidges Road, nr Waterrow
St Michael Road, Creech St Michael
Station Road, Dunster
The Ford, Corfe
Upcott Road, Upcott
Upper Holway Road, Taunton
Vinnicombe Strait, nr Exton
West Sedgemoor Road, North Curry
White Street, North Curry
Willey Road, Stoke St Gregory
Wiveliscombe Road, Fitzhead
South Somerset
A359 Bruton Road/ Cuckoo Hill/ Frome Road/ Quaperlake Street, Bruton
A359 Camel Street/ Marston Road/ Marston Magna Road, Marston Magna
A359 Mudford Road, Yeovil
A37 Ilchester Road, Yeovil (two separate stretches)
A371 Cary Hill, Castle Cary
A372 Ridley Hill/ Beer Road, Aller
Atherstone Lane, Whitelackington
B3081 Dropping Lane/ Station Road, Bruton
B3081 Stoney Stoke to Redlynch Cross, Redlynch
Back Lane, nr Shepton Beauchamp
Belmonds Cross Road, Cucklington
Bere Mills Lane, Sea (nr Ilminster)
Broad Street, Charlton Adam
Camp Road, Henstridge Marsh
Church Street, Keinton Mandeville
Church Street, Podimore
Combe Lane, Charlton Adam
Common Lane, Keinton Mandeville
Darvole Road, nr East Coker
Fairhouse Road, Stoford
Foxcombe Hill, Galhampton
Higher Bullen, Stoford
Higher Swell, Fivehead
Hurcott Lane, nr Shepton Beauchamp
Kings Hill, nr Chilthorne Domer
Lower Burrow, Stembridge
Lower Swell, Fivehead
Main Street, nr Combe St Nicholas
New Road, Stoford
Newton Road, Yeovil
Palmers End Lane, Stembridge
Parrett Works, nr Martock
Pitway Hill, South Petherton
Podimore Lane, Podimore
Pretty Oak, nr Combe St Nicholas
Silver Street, South Petherton
Smiths Lane, Fivehead
Steart Hill, Steart
Steart Lane, Steart
Steart Road, Steart
Stocklinch Road, nr Shepton Beauchamp
Tengore Lane, nr Huish Episcopi
Tintinhull Road, Chilthorne Domer
Vagg Hill, nr Chilthorne Domer
Vagg Lane, nr Chilthorne Domer
Victoria Park, Castle Cary
Victoria Road, Castle Cary
Wagg Drove, Huish Episcopi
Yeovil Road, Tintinhull
For more information on surface dressing and the schemes in your area – including a map showing each precise stretch, visit www.travelsomerset.co.uk/surface-dressing.
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