Major highways improvement programme to run through summer

Cheshire East Council is delivering an intensive programme of highway improvement works at a number of locations across the borough over the summer.

The £1.44m large-scale works will include the A500 Shavington Bypass which covers nine miles, the longest stretch of road in the borough to ever receive surface dressing treatment. 

The programme of surface dressing is designed to both increase skid resistance and seal the road surface, preventing water getting in – the major cause of potholes. This work is being funded jointly by the council’s capital investment programme for highway maintenance 2024/25 and central government grants. 

The surface dressing work started this week and will continue until 23 August. It will take place at these six locations: 

• A49 Whitchurch Road, Spurstow
• A500 Shavington Bypass
• A5022 Holmes Chapel Road, Brereton
• A533 Middlewich Road/London Road, Sandbach
• A54 Buxton Road
• A34 Wilmslow Bypass MacLean Way

Surface dressing adds a new layer on top of an existing road surface and is a well-established, cost-effective preventative maintenance treatment. Highways officers visit the road to prepare it on multiple occasions, carry out the surface dressing and then return to sweep up the excess chippings and reinstate the road markings to ensure that every road surface has a clean, consistent finish.

The process is very weather dependent and subject to change, as it can’t be undertaken in high temperatures or when it rains. Signs will be displayed nearby to inform the public of road closures and dates. Times and duration of the works will also be provided. Emergency vehicles will be able to pass through work sites at all times.

Councillor Mark Goldsmith, chair of Cheshire East Council’s highways and transport committee, said:

“This year will see the largest section of surface dressing undertaken for several years. Fortunately, it is a quick process, so disruption to the network should be kept to a minimum even though just over 250,000 square metres of carriageway – the equivalent of 35 Wembley football pitches – will be treated. 

“We are aware that some of the roads we plan to treat such as the A500 Shavington Bypass – where works are scheduled to begin next Wednesday – are busy routes and we will be keeping everyone updated with how works are progressing."

You can read more about the programme of surface dressing and view the exact locations and scheduled dates for the works on our website.

Surface dressing forms part of the council’s annual road improvement programme where a range of resurfacing road treatments are used.  

Up-to-date information can also be found here: 

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