£3.4m surface dressing programme set to improve roads across Westmorland and Furness

A large-scale road maintenance programme aimed at preventing potholes and extending the life of highways is now underway across Westmorland and Furness.

Westmorland and Furness Council is investing £3.4 million in a surface dressing programme that will see around 67 miles of road treated by the end of August. The preventative treatment is designed to improve road surfaces and delay the formation of potholes for up to 10 years.

The scheme covers 60 roads across the area, all of which have already undergone preparation work and permanent patching ahead of the surface dressing process.

Over the coming weeks, more than 650,000 square metres of carriageway will receive treatment.

Surface dressing helps preserve roads by sealing the surface and preventing water from penetrating the underlying structure. This protection is particularly important during winter months, when freezing temperatures and wet weather can accelerate road deterioration and contribute to pothole formation.

The process involves applying a layer of hot bitumen to the road surface before covering it with stone chippings, which are then rolled into place to create a durable finish.

Motorists are expected to experience only limited delays while works are carried out. Traffic is typically allowed back onto treated roads immediately, although temporary reduced speed limits are used to help embed the chippings. New road markings are then reinstated following a final sweep approximately one week after completion.

Residents living near scheduled works will be informed through advance roadside signage installed around two weeks beforehand, while leaflets will also be distributed locally before construction begins.

Because the treatment can only be applied during dry conditions, start dates remain weather dependent and may be adjusted at short notice.

The roads selected for this year’s programme were identified through routine inspections that highlighted early signs of wear and deterioration. By intervening before significant damage develops, the council hopes to avoid more expensive repairs such as full resurfacing projects and reactive pothole maintenance.

The surface dressing programme forms part of the council’s wider £32 million highways investment package for 2026/27, which also includes resurfacing schemes, pothole repairs and improvements to footways, cycleways, drainage systems, bridges, retaining walls and other highway infrastructure.

Councillor Peter Thornton, Westmorland and Furness Council Cabinet Member for Highways and ICT, said:

“The severe weather and freezing temperatures we face here takes its toll on the condition of our roads, which is why we have made proactively maintaining and improving our network a priority.

“Our surface dressing programme protects from the impacts of winter, preventing minor issues from escalating into bigger problems, like potholes, which understandably causes frustration for everyone.

“This treatment is not only a fast and effective way of maintaining our network, it enables us to reduce our impact on the environment and get the most out of every pound that we spend. After each scheme completes, we sweep and collect the spare chippings from the roadside and re-cycle them for use in future programmes, such as this year, where we are using 2,500 tonnes of recycled chippings from our 2025 works.

“Surface dressing is only a small part of our overall highways investment, which is delivering improvements across the area, including full road resurfacing and repairs to pavements and bridges.’’

The programme will be delivered by specialist contractor Kiely Bros Ltd. The 2026 works follow a series of previous surface dressing projects that have improved more than 200 miles of roads across the region since 2023.

Mike Kiely, Managing Director of Kiely Bros Ltd, said:

“We’re pleased to once again be delivering an extensive surface dressing programme across Westmorland and Furness this year. Working in partnership with a council that takes a long-term, proactive approach to maintaining its highway network ensures investment is targeted where it can deliver the greatest benefit for local communities.

“Surface dressing remains one of the most efficient and economical maintenance treatments available, helping to preserve road surfaces, improve skid resistance and reduce the likelihood of potholes forming. The completion of this year’s programme will play an important role in protecting and enhancing the condition of the network for years to come.”

Further information, including the full list of roads included in the 2026 programme, is available from the council.