Coating will help prolong life of Plymouth’s roads

Roads across Plymouth will be treated with a protective coating in an effort to prolong their life.

The City Council’s roads contractor Amey will start a programme of work on Thursday (8 August). The work is designed to prevent further damage to road surfaces that are already suffering with deterioration.

The local authority says the micro-asphalt surfacing will be used on roads that are "structurally sound but starting to deteriorate" to guard against costly future repairs.

The process involves mixing cold bitumen and aggregates together in a specialist lorry before applying it to the road.

It seals the surface, eliminating water penetration so potholes do not generally form and slowing down the rate of road deterioration.

According to the Plymouth Herald, Amey will carry out the work alongside the current resurfacing programme and the council's day-to-day road maintenance.

Councillor Mark Coker, cabinet member for transport, said: "This micro-asphalting is further good news for Plymouth's roads. It is a cost-effective way of preventing or slowing down deterioration of road surfaces and causes minimal traffic disruption. Preventative measures like this are key if we are to improve the highways network in the longer term."