New company begins work to extend the life of Yorkshire Dales roads

The surface dressing programme begins this month (May) and continue into the summer.

Surface dressing is a quick, efficient and cost-effective way of maintaining skid-resistant and waterproof road surfaces. It helps to prevent deterioration, extends the life of the road and restores a uniform appearance. The process involves spraying the surface with bitumen, then spreading stone chippings on top and rolling these into the bitumen. Once the bitumen has set, the road is swept to remove any loose chippings.

This year’s programme, which will cover about 200 miles, will be the first delivered by NY Highways, the roads maintenance company created by the county council last year. NY Highways has employed a new contractor, Kiely Bros.

Ross Bullerwell, Managing Director of NY Highways, said: “Over the past four months we have worked with Kiely Bros to prepare them for the contract, to make sure they understand what we demand in terms of finish and quality. The company has already been providing white lining services for us and we have received good local feedback about their work.”

Barrie Mason, Assistant Director Highways and Transportation, added: “We know the value of surface dressing from experience. It is vital in maintaining the condition of our roads network. That’s why it is a key component of our annual roads maintenance programme.

“Year after year, through the programme we enhance the quality of sections of our road network. This is crucial in ensuring that businesses, residents and visitors can travel with confidence. The accumulative impact of this programme is there for all to see.”

The contractor will put up signage at each location before work starts to alert residents and drivers.

Mr Mason added: “The contractor carries out the work quickly, and the programme can be affected by weather. This can makes communicating exact dates challenging, so we urge residents to check the advance site signage regularly. The contractor will amend this to highlight any change in the schedule.

“After a stretch of road has been treated, it is important for drivers to heed the temporary speed limit put in place while the new surface stabilises to prevent damage to their own vehicle and those of other road users.”

Find out more information about surface dressing, including what to do if surface dressing takes place on your street.