Yesterday, 8th June, Transport for Buckinghamshire and
transport cabinet member Mark Shaw were out and about on the highway to launch
the summer programme of works that we’ll be carrying out on the roads and
pavements. We’re now two months in to the new financial year, but the number of
road works schemes carried out during the day are set to increase in the coming
months. Mark Shaw explained:
‘Where possible, works are scheduled to
take place overnight in an effort to minimise disruption. However, to really
make progress our guys do have to be out there working on it during the day
too.
We’re spending roughly £16 million on
improving the roads and pavements this coming year, and we hope that very soon
the residents of Buckinghamshire will start to see the good results of the 200-plus
schemes we’ve got on the to-do list!’
The launch event was a chance for Mark, along with deputy Paul Irwin and
some members of the press, to see the work in action and learn a bit more. The
scheme in question yesterday was a one-and-a-half mile stretch of Peters Lane,
between Princes Risborough and Great Hampden, where contractors are patching damaged
sections of the road before surface dressing the whole stretch.
In coming months, approximately 68 miles’ worth of roads will be treated
as part of the summer programme – that’s a stretch long enough to stretch
between the northernmost and southernmost edges of the county. However, with a
road network of 1,900 miles, choosing which roads to prioritise is a big job. The roads on this summer’s programme have been
selected based largely on local priorities, but safety is always the most
important criterion. Data on road surface condition, which is gathered on a
regular basis using condition surveying, is the biggest factor in ensuring that
the roads most in need of treatment get seen to as a priority.
So look out for our hi-vis teams out on the roads this summer, working
on making the roads smoother, safer, and generally nicer to drive on. We are
grateful for the patience of the public while we carry out these essential road
improvements.
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The
three types of road surfacing explained:
Surface dressing – the most cost-effective way to
extend the life of a road, that hasn't deteriorated too far. It restores skid
resistance and seals cracks to stop water seeping under the surface. It
protects the road against the majority of severe winter weather damage. Micro-surfacing – a fast, effective and economical way to preserve and protect the surface, used where a full depth reconstruction is not needed. The surface, ready for use just hours after application, improves skid resistance without producing loose chippings, fills small cracks, and smooths bumps.
Re-surfacing – replacing the whole surface where it
is so badly damaged, micro surfacing or surface dressing won't be effective. It
involves removing the worst affected areas of the road surface and laying new
hot bituminous material.
