All the roads in Somerset which will be surface dressed this summer

NEARLY 150 roads across Somerset will be surface dressed this summer as Somerset Council and its new highways contractor embark on a lengthy programme of repairs.

Road surface treatment specialists Kiely Bros was awarded a four-year contract by the council effective from April 1 to carry out a range of highway services, including surface dressing.

The company, which is based in Birmingham, has been using its ‘multipatcher’ technology to carry out small-scale surface dressing work and repair other minor defects with minimal disruption to local traffic.

The council has now published its full surface dressing programme for the summer months, which will see hundreds of miles of roads repaired in a cost-effective manner.

Surface dressing is a nationally recognised maintenance technique for sealing a road, improving skid resistance, and preventing water getting under the surface – thereby preventing potholes from forming.

The new multipatcher being used to repair and surface dress Somerset's roads. (Image: Somerset Council)

The technique works by coating an existing road surface with bitumen, covering it with stone chippings and then rolling it.

Because this can only be carried out in dry weather, the programme is flexible, with the dates for any given section being subject to change at short notice.

Councillor Richard Wilkins, portfolio holder for transport and digital, has welcomed the programme which will see numerous rural roads upgraded – including a significant number within his Curry Rivel and Langport division.

Speaking in mid-May (before the general election was called), he said; “We are delighted to welcome the Kiely Bros team on board.

“Surface dressing and surface treatments are critically important in keeping our highways running efficiently and Kiely Bros have a fantastic record for innovation, efficiency and cost-effectiveness.”

While most of the surface dressing will focus on rural roads across the county, the 2024 programme includes a number of main roads which are used by residents or holidaymakers, and a number of sites near major housing developments.

These include:

• The A30 Yeovil Road between Crewkerne and Haselbury Plucknett

• The A361 Haygrove Lane to Marston Road around Nunney (between Frome and Shepton Mallet)

• The A37 Fosse Way between Babcary and Lydford-on-Fosse

• The A39 Quantock Road in Bridgwater, near the Centenary Heights development of 675 homes

• The A371 Prestleigh Road in Evercreech, past the Royal Bath and West Showground

• Several sections of the A38 between Highbridge and Bristol Airport

Here is the full list of all the roads which will be subject to surface dressing this summer:

• Stanmoor Road, Athelney

• A37 Fosse Way, Babcary to Lydford-on-Fosse

• Back Lane, nr. Baltonsborough

• Red Road, Berrow

• Greenway Road, Bishop’s Lydeard

• Red Road, Brean

• B3190 Beulah Chapel to Robbery Gate, Brendon Hill

• A39 Quantock Road, Bridgwater

• A359 Cuckoo Hill/ Frome Road/ Quaperlake Street, Bruton (near the Cubis Bruton site)

• B3081 Creech Hill Road, Bruton

• Park Wall, Bruton

• Moorland Road, Burrowbridge

• Riverside, Burrowbridge

• River Road, nr. Burrowbridge

• Shepherd’s Drove, Burrowbridge

• Harepits Lane, Butleigh

• A39 Main Road/ New Road, Cannington

• Enmore Road/ Park End Road, nr. Cothelstone

• A30 Yeovil Road, Crewkerne (north of the Crewkerne Key Site)

• Chard Lane, Cricket Malherbie

• Cricket Lane, Cricket Malherbie

• Pinkham Lane, Cricket Malherbie

• Baskets Lane, Cucklington

• Common Road, Cucklington

• Lear’s Lane, Cucklington

• Long Hill, Cucklington

• School Hill, Cucklington

• New Lane, Cudworth

• Redscript Lane, Cudworth

• Sprays Hill, Cudworth

• Fieldgate Lane, Curry Mallet

• Headway, Curry Mallet

• Marshway, Curry Mallet

• Pestlefield Lane, Curry Mallet

• Silver Street, Curry Mallet

• Crapnell Lane to Sleight Lane, Dinder

• Folly Cottages to Arthur’s Bridge, Ditcheat

• Main Street/ Oxenford Lane, Dowlish Wake

• Hollam Lane, Dulverton

• A370 Bridgwater Road, East Brent

• A370 Weston Road, East Brent

• A38 Bristol Road, East Brent

• Jarvis Lane, East Brent

• B3224 Hartrow Gate Cross to Willett Hill Cross, Elworthy

• A371 Redlands Farm Lane To Prestleigh Road, Evercreech

• Hele Manor Lane, Exebridge (up to Devon border)

• Cathanger Lane, nr. Fivehead

• A358 Flaxpool Hill, Flaxpool

• Park Lane, Goathurst

• Westmoor Lane, Hambridge

• Anchor Hill/ Old Bristol Road, Holton

• Stowell Lane, Horsington

• Broadway Hall/ Hanning Road, Horton

• Canal Way, Ilminster (near the Persimmon development site)

• Maundown Road, Langley Marsh

• A361 Slait Hill, nr. Leighton

• Hollybush Lane, Leigh-upon-Mendip

• Leigh Road, Leigh-upon-Mendip

• Quarry Lane, Leigh-upon-Mendip

• Liscombe to Spire Cross, Liscombe

• Shortwood Lane, Litton

• Church Lane, Long Load

• Cross Lane, Long Sutton

• A38 Bristol Road, Lower Weare

• Horsecombe Lane/ Thorne Lane, Luckwell Bridge

• B3139 Blackford Road, Mark

• East Street, Martock

• Foldhill Lane, Martock (near the Stonewater development site)

• Stoke Road, Martock

• Oborne Road, Milborne Wick

• Wick Hill/ Wick Road, Milborne Wick

• B3081 Bruton Road, Milton Clevedon

• Hassage Farm Lane, nr. Norton St. Philip

• Quarry Lane, nr. Norton St. Philip

• A361 Haygrove Lane to Marston Road, Nunney

• Ridgeway Lane, Nunney

• Quantock Rise, Pawlett

• A38 Bristol Road, Rook’s Bridge

• A38 Exeter Road, nr. Sampford Arundel

• Burnthouse Drove, nr. Shepton Mallet

• Cabbage Lane, South Cheriton

• Pightley Lane, Spaxton

• B3099 Marsh Road, Standerwick (up to Wiltshire border)

• Stathe Road, Stathe

• Burrow Way, Stembridge

• Little Lane, Stembridge

• New Cross Hill, Stembridge

• Water Lane, nr. Stogumber

• Church Road, Stoke St. Gregory

• Curload Road, Stoke St. Gregory

• Hancox Farm Lane, Stoke St. Gregory

• Woodhill Road, Stoke St. Gregory

• Stoke Trister Road, Stoke Trister

• Rawling’s Lane, Stone Allerton

• Rectory Hill, Stone Allerton

• Stowell Hill, Stowell

• Green Lane, Stratton-on-the-Fosse

• A3027 Staplegrove Road, Taunton

• A3259 Priorswood Road, Taunton

• A358 Obridge Viaduct, Taunton

• A358 Priorswood Road, Taunton

• Cresswell Avenue, Taunton

• Galmington Road, Taunton

• Lipe Hill Lane, Taunton

• Langlands Lane, nr. Thornfalcon

• A38 Adsborough Hill/ Taunton Road, Thurloxton

• Balls Lane, Thurloxton

• Farringdon Lane/ Howells Lane, Thurloxton

• Honiton Road, Trull

• A39 Williton Road, Washford (near the Tropiquaria solar farm site)

• A38 Wellington relief road, Wellington

• A371 Bishop’s Park Way/ East Somerset Way, Wells

• Lipe Hill Road/ Stoford Lane, nr. West Buckland

• Compton Lane, West Compton

• Knowle Lane, West Compton

• Summerhill Lane, West Compton

• Winter’s Hill Lane, West Compton

• Church Lane, West Hatch

• West Hatch Lane, West Hatch

• A38 Bristol Road/ Pawlett Road, West Huntspill

• Burrow Farm Lane, West Lambrook

• New Road, nr. West Lambrook

• Owl Street, West Lambrook

• Lynch Lane, Westbury-sub-Mendip

• Old Ditch, Westbury-sub-Mendip

• Slowhand Lane, Westbury-sub-Mendip

• Southfield House Lane to Old Wells Road, Whatley

• A396 Wheddon Cross to Bridgetown Road, Wheddon Cross

• B3224 Dunkery Road, Wheddon Cross

• A38 Exeter Road, nr. White Ball (up to Devon border)

• A358 Taunton Road, nr. Williton

• A39 Priest Street, Williton (near the Lovell Homes site)

• A39 Williton Road, nr. Williton

• Common Road, Wincanton

• Moor Lane, Wincanton (up to Dorset border)

• Shaftesbury Lane, Wincanton

• Eastcott Lane, Withiel Florey

• Withiel Lane, Withiel Florey

• Grants Lane, nr. Wiveliscombe

For more details on each of the surface dressing schemes in your area, visit www.somerset.gov.uk/roads-travel-and-parking/surface-dressing.