Highway preventative maintenance works

Highway preventative maintenance works are a less costly and less disruptive way to extend the life of a road by about ten years, longer on less busy roads.

Each year, we spend in the region of £1 million on preventative maintenance works. Investing in preventative maintenance helps extend the life of existing road surfaces, preventing major deterioration and reducing the formation of potholes - prevention is better than cure.

We also spend around £3.5 million per year on highway resurfacing schemes.

2024-2025 highway preventative maintenance programme

This is our prioritised annual programme of preventative maintenance works.

Roads listed in the programme may be subject to change if on further inspection a road surface is found to be unsuitable for the process due to further deterioration. Where this is the case the road will be considered for resurfacing instead, subject to available funding. Safety repairs will be carried out, if required.

Types of preventative maintenance works

Road surface dressing

One of the ways Bury’s roads are maintained is by surface dressing. This is a quick, efficient and cost-effective way of restoring the road surface and sealing it in one process. Surfacing dressing also:

improves skidding resistance which makes the roads safer
helps to make a road waterproof
prolongs the life of the road and protects it against frost and water damage

Road surface dressing is suitable for a variety of roads, including rural roads, town centre roads, and main (‘A’) roads.

Work is usually undertaken between April and August because the process requires warm, dry weather to allow the dressing to become established. The treatment cannot be applied to wet or cold roads or during high air humidity levels or very high road temperatures.

Patching works are often carried out prior to applying a surface dressing.

Surface dressing process

The Road Surface Treatment Association (RSTA) provide a video which explains the surface dressing process, its benefits, aftercare and using the road safely afterwards.

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The road is swept and cleared in preparation.
Bitumen is spread across the full width of the road.
Chippings are spread over the bitumen and embedded using a roller (after the road has re-opened, the movement of traffic also helps the chippings to embed).
Initially, traffic signs will be left in place advising of the risk of loose chippings and showing an advisory speed limit.
Surplus chippings are removed by a suction sweeper, usually within 24 to 48 hours after the work.
A second application of bitumen may then be applied within seven days
Depending on traffic levels, further sweeping may be necessary if there is continued stone loss - it can take up to six months for the chippings to embed and for the road to reach its finished state.
All road markings will be reinstated by our road marking contractor; however, we do wait a few weeks before reapplying the markings to ensure the new surface has sufficiently bedded in and no further sweeping is required. This work is weather dependent as road markings cannot be applied in wet conditions which may lead to delays.
When the chippings are embedded and no longer loose, any temporary signage will be removed from site.

When surface treatment works are planned, notices will be erected along the road to let residents know when the works are expected to start.
When work is due to start, vehicles should not be parked on the road or footway.
When the work gets underway, traffic control measures will be in place to ensure everyone's safety.
Surface treatment dressing works will usually be carried out between 8am and 6pm and on-street parking will not be permitted during these times.
The material will remain wet for between 15 and 40 minutes after it has been laid, depending on the temperature and humidity (the surface should not be driven or walked over until the surface chippings have been spread).
Vehicular access to properties will be possible for most of the time, but there may be delays while the work is either in progress or immediately after the material has been laid.
Drivers should take extra care and travel slowly when travelling on a road with a new surface dressing.
Pedestrian access to properties will be maintained throughout the works.
Our workforce will be happy to help if you require any assistance.

For a short time, particularly if the weather is warm, there may be small areas of bitumen that are still soft. If you must walk on the new surface, please take care and check your shoes before entering your house or getting into your car. Pets should also be checked.

Surface dressing process in pictures

Road surface before surface dressing is applied

The damaged parts of the road surface are removed

New tarmac is laid (patching works)

A road with surface dressing applied

Micro-asphalt surfacing

Micro-asphalt is a material used to provide a new surface layer to an existing road. It contains bitumen emulsion, fine aggregate, cement and water. It is a surface treatment applied over an existing road surface.

It is most suited to roads that are in a reasonable condition because the process does not involve removing or replacing the old surface.

Micro-asphalt is a way of extending the life of a road by applying a new top layer which seals out water. It consists of a thin layer of bitumen, fine graded aggregates and a filler which is pre-mixed and applied cold. The depth of the treatment depends on the condition of the road at the time. Once the new surface coating has settled it improves grip and creates a new waterproof top layer.

The road is closed to vehicles using traffic management such as signs and cones (pedestrian access is unaffected).
Ironworks are taped such as drains and manhole covers.
The road is swept to remove debris.
The micro-asphalt base coat is laid directly onto the road (using specialist machinery).
A second coat of micro-asphalt is laid on top of the first, usually on the same day as the base coat.
The tape used to mask ironworks is removed.
Signs are erected warning road users to take care until road markings can be reinstated.
Traffic management such as signs and cones are removed and the road is reopened to vehicles.
All road markings will be reinstated by our road marking contractor.

Please note:

The micro-asphalt layers typically take between 15 and 30 minutes to dry, dependent upon temperature and humidity.
The new surface can generally be driven on within 30 minutes of completing the application.
We do wait a few weeks before reapplying road markings to ensure no further sweeping is required. This work is also weather dependent as road markings cannot be applied in wet conditions which may lead to delays.

The new surface may initially appear rough after it is laid but it will settle within a short time.

Our workforce will return after the works to sweep any loose stones from the surface.

Additional works take place on the road in the weeks following the micro-asphalt surfacing.

Within one week- the road surface will be swept to remove loose stones.
Within two to four weeks - iron works that are lower than the new surface are raised to the correct level (any left covered by the new surface will be uncovered and raised).
After the road surface has bedded in and sweeping is no longer required (usually a few weeks) - all road markings will be reinstated by our road marking contractor

Please note:

Timescales may vary due to weather or operational requirements
Road marking works can be delayed during periods of wet weather because they cannot be laid in wet conditions

Co-ordinating works on the highway

We co-ordinate our resurfacing and preventative maintenance programmes along with the activities carried out by utility companies.

We ensure work we plan to carry out is known to utility companies in advance, so that they can carry out any work prior to us laying a new surface where that is feasible. This also allows us to then restrict utility companies from digging up a road we have carried out work to for a period of 6 months to 3 years. However, the extent of this restriction is dependent on the type of work that has been completed and emergency or urgent utility works must be allowed to go ahead.

Utility companies have a statutory right to place and maintain their equipment on or in the highway. We work closely with them to try to minimise disruption, but unfortunately, some disruption is inevitable.

Street works on a map

Street works across Greater Manchester can be viewed on a map at gmroadworks.org. This map has been specifically designed to allow easy access to information about ongoing road works anywhere within the area.

View street works on a map

Other types of road maintenance

We also carry out:

Pothole repairs

Highway preventative maintenance works

Main content area

2024-2025 highway preventative maintenance programme

Roads in the current preventative maintenance programme