Road treatment programme announced in Buckinghamshire

Buckinghamshire County Council has outlined 43 schemes that will be treated as part of its ‘We’re Working on it’ road treatment programme.

The roads to be worked on have been individually assessed over the winter by Transport for Buckinghamshire’s (TfB) team of engineers to find the most suitable and cost effective way to repair each road. The roads will either be surfaced, surfaced-dressed or micro-surfaced. The selected roads are currently in the process of being programmed, with work scheduled to take place between April 2014 and March 2015. A further 23 roads from last year's programme will also be completed.

In addition to the roads selected by county councillors, an increased budget of approximately £6 million has been allocated to treat a number of strategic routes across Buckinghamshire. These routes are still to be confirmed; however, a four-staged approach is being considered and sites are still being identified:

Just in time – using technical data to identify preventative treatment on roads which are on the edge of further deterioration meaning that a more significant and expensive treatment would be required.

Predict and prevent – identify roads which provide the best value for money when considering the cost and the benefit to the condition of the road in the long term.

Minimum service – targeting key pothole sites across the county based on recorded condition and performance. The minimum level of service would be set initially based on the available budget and then raised progressively until an acceptable level is achieved.

Route strategy – choosing key routes to be progressively improved over a period with the right treatments at the right time.

Janet Blake, cabinet member for planning and transportation, said: "With a budget of £65 million having been confirmed for road and footway repairs over the next four years and following the wettest winter on record, it is good news that we can make a positive start on repairing some of the damage that has been caused to our county’s roads."