The Road Surface Treatments Association (RSTA) has launched its first Pothole Prevention Week campaign, running from 16-21 September.
The campaign will talk 'exclusively about the solutions' the RSTA said, 'not only to fix potholes, but more importantly, to the stop them forming in the first place'.
New chief executive Mike Hansford called for a more proactive approach to prevent water ingress using surface treatments, rather than relying on traditional asphalt replacement alone.
He said: 'It is a pleasure to be able to launch the first year of the campaign, highlighting the solutions available to local highway authorities and other road operators in preventing potholes from forming.
'I know from my own experience working at Dorset Council that by taking a proactive approach and effecting timely interventions to road surfaces, local highway authorities can prevent cracks and potholes from forming in the first place.
'This preventative approach complements highway authorities’ end of life asphalt replacement programme and can provide a maintenance platform that enables highway authorities to keep roads in better condition for longer and free of potholes.
'There are a number of surface treatments at our disposal in the UK, provided by specialist contractors, which seal the road surface and prevent the damaging effects of water ingress, which can be applied to road surfaces as the surface starts to deteriorate.'
Applying surface treatments through a preventative maintenance strategy to prolong the life of assets can also offer significant cashable savings, whilst also delivering a lower carbon approach, he added.
A collection of case studies from the RSTA, highlighting the practical benefits of surface dressing can be found here.
