Resurfacing is a road maintenance technique. It involves the removal of the top layer of a road surface and replacing it with a new layer.

Surface dressing is a cost-effective road maintenance technique that involves applying a thin layer of bitumen and stone chippings to the surface of a road. Sometimes it is necessary to fill in deeper potholes and defects first, before this process is completed. This is known as patching.

Retread is a recycling process which reconstructs the entire carriageway surface to a depth of 75mm, recycling the existing carriageway surface without having to remove it from site.

This involves laying a new surface over the existing road surface. This is sometimes done when the existing structure is suitable and the kerbs are high enough.

Micro asphalt surface treatment is a preventative maintenance treatment. This is used to seal the existing road surface and help to improve the texture of the road. Micro asphalt involves applying a base and top layer of slurry to the existing road surface. This treatment acts as a liquid when first applied, but quickly dries ready for traffic movement.

• Safety: potholes can be hazardous for all road users. They can damage vehicles, cause accidents, and pose risks to cyclists and pedestrians. By filling them promptly, we reduce these safety risks.
• Preventing further damage: potholes form when water seeps into cracks in the road, freezes, and expands, causing the pavement to break apart. If left unrepaired, these cracks can grow larger and deeper, making the damage more extensive and costly to fix in the long term.

An emergency pothole is typically a pothole that has grown large or deep enough to pose an immediate danger to road users on a carriageway. It needs urgent attention, often defined by specific size and depth criteria (deeper than 40mm and wider than 150mm in diameter).

Emergency potholes are a priority for quick repair, usually within 24 hours of being reported, depending on their severity and location. Roads with high traffic or near essential facilities often get a quicker responses.

• Resurfacing is a lot more expensive than filling individual potholes. Pothole repairs are used to address immediate issues.
• Filling a pothole is quicker and minimises traffic disruptions. Full resurfacing is a larger project, needing more time, traffic management, and resources.
• We prioritise resources for the most critical roads, often main routes, which may be slated for resurfacing on a schedule. Pothole filling allows our roads to remain usable until they are due for resurfacing.
• Weather conditions - during certain seasons, especially winter, resurfacing may not be feasible due to weather constraints. In such cases, pothole repairs provide a temporary fix until full resurfacing can be carried out in better conditions.