Bucks Council announces five Aylesbury roads scheduled for resurfacing works

Bucks Council has named five Aylesbury roads that will be shut for resurfacing works in the near future.

The local authority has scheduled works at Wigmore Road, Grafton Road, Belgrave Road, Cottesloe Road, and Fremantle Road.

In total 14 Buckinghamshire roads will be receiving an upgrade. Bucks Council estimates that an area the size of 12 rugby pitches is being resurfaced overall.

The council is using a technique known as micro-surfacing, it predicts that can extend the life of a road surface by up to 10 years.

It works by sealing the surface, preventing water getting in and slowing down deterioration, the local authority says.

Bucks Council advises that the method has additional safety benefits in terms of improving vehicle stopping distance.

It also states that using this method costs a quarter of the amount of conventional road resurfacing.

Councillor Steven Broadbent said: “This programme is a good example of the planned and proactive approach that we take to maintaining and improving the highways of Buckinghamshire. By finding cost-effective ways to extend the life of our roads we can continue to keep Buckinghamshire moving. At the same time, we are able to respond quickly where repairs are required, prioritising in line with our safety criteria.”

Micro-surfacing involves spraying sticky bitumen onto the existing road surface, then putting a layer of small stone chips on top which are rolled into the surface and which traffic using the road then continues to bed in. At this stage of the work, it requires traffic to drive more slowly over the surface, so signs are put up asking motorists to keep their speed down. After two weeks, the road is inspected, then white lines are repainted and gullies and inspection covers are reset.

Councillor Broadbent added: “Micro-surfacing works involve a different technique to some of our other roadworks and so we do ask drivers to pay attention to any signs which may ask them to slow down whilst the works are taking place. This helps the resurfaced material to bed in effectively and ensures a longer lasting finish which is both more cost effective and less disruptive for residents in terms of the frequency of works needing to take place.”

More details on how the council is planning to improve Bucks roads can be found on its website here. Bucks Council has committed £105 million to road improvement projects.

The other nine roads scheduled for improvement works are:

-Abbotswood, Speen

-Back Lane, Chalfont St Giles

-Fleetwood Close, Chalfont St Giles

-Captain Cook Close, Chalfont St Giles

-Croft Road, Chalfont St Peter

-Honor Road, Great Missenden

-Lye Green Road, Chesham

-Sedgmoor Road, Flackwell Heath

Tedder Road, Wendover

Twice in 2023 Bucks Council has used emergency powers to authorise additional road repairs. The local authority has linked a spate of potholes and surface issues reported throughout the county to an extended period of cold weather in the UK prior to the summer.

Latest data from the authority showed over 20,000 roads had been repaired since April.