Seventy road across Central Bedfordshire set for a facelift

Central Bedfordshire Council is upgrading the condition of more than 70 roads across the county, repairing some of the damage caused by cold and wet conditions.

The council is trialling an innovative surface dressing known as Lockchip, being used on a selection of roads across the network. It improves both the appearance and performance of the surface dressing and stops the formation of loose chippings.

Surface dressing is a preventative treatment to prolong the life of the road. It’s a nationally recognised maintenance technique for sealing a road, improving skid resistance and preventing water from getting under the surface.

Councillor Simon Ford, Executive Member for Highways and Waste, said: "This year our new Lockchip method will help to improve both the appearance and performance of the roads and reduce the creation of loose chippings.

“We’re always looking at ways to improve our public engagement so that we can ensure our road network is safe for everyone. If you do spot a problem on one of our roads or pavements, you can alert us quickly and easily by reporting it on our website www.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk/reportit.”

Yellow advance warning signs will be put up 10 days prior to any works starting. Residents can receive road closure updates at https://us.one.network/ or by the Highways Twitter account https://twitter.com/CBC_Highways.

Urban roads can be completed within two to three hours, whilst rural sites will usually take less than a day. It can only be carried out in dry weather conditions, so the programme is flexible, and dates can change at short notice.