Shropshire Highways would like to make you aware that Site 266 De-Restriction to Birch Road End of is programmed to be surface dressed between 16th June and 24th June 2021.

The work is currently programmed to take place as follows: –

16th – 18th June – Road Closed from 09:30am to 16:00pm for Surface Dressing.

The road will have an initial sweep within 24 hours of the new surface being laid. The sweeper returns after about 7 days to remove any residual loose chippings.

23rd – 24th June – Road Closed from 09:30am to 16:00pm for white line replacement.

Gatemen will be on site to assist whilst works are taking place. Please liaise with site supervisor for access requirements.

Signs will be erected in the street/road prior to commencement of the works and the work will be completed as quickly as possible. A fully signed diversion route will be in place whilst work is carried out.

During the closure access to the works area will be restricted to:

• Essential Highway Personnel,
• Local residents who live and reside within the road closure,
• Businesses located within the closure (if applicable),
• Pedestrians, Dismounted Cyclists and Equestrians,
• Emergency Service Vehicles

Please do not hesitate to seek guidance during the undertaking of the above work from the operatives on site.

Your help will also be required in keeping the road free of vehicles while we are carrying out the works and sweeping. Your assistance will be greatly appreciated.

The programme is liable to change in the event of unforeseen circumstances or adverse weather. All changes will be highlighted on the Advance Warning signs.

Should you have any queries or wish to discuss any of the above please do not hesitate to contact Shropshire Council’s Highways Customer Services Centre on 0345 6789006.

Alternatively, full details of the works to be carried out in the area can be found on https://one.network/tm

Why use Surface Dressing?

 Surface dressing is a quick and cost-effective way of improving the road surface and reducing the rate at which a road deteriorates by sealing the road to prevent water ingress, which is a major factor in road deterioration and potholes.

Surface dressing is most effective when used for preventative maintenance and applied just before the onset of major deterioration; therefore, we may be treating some roads that appear not to require attention while there may be other roads in the local area that are in a worse condition.

However, a timely intervention of surface dressing can be extremely cost effective by avoiding more costly repairs (up to 5 times more costly per sqm) in the future and thus, forms a crucial element of our long-term maintenance strategy. For example, the surface dressing that was completed in 2020 protected around 300 miles of road from deteriorating to a poor condition, if that investment had been directed towards roads in poor condition, this would have resulted in just a fraction of this length of road being treated whilst the majority of this length of road would have been deteriorated further.

The process

• Hot bitumen emulsion is sprayed onto the road surface using a calibrated tanker.
• Chippings are applied onto the bitumen emulsion from a metered spreader.
• The new surface is rolled, please note after rolling there will be loose chippings.
• The surface is subsequently swept within 24hrs, after 48 hrs and again after 7 days to remove any surplus chippings.
• Sweeping continues if necessary, until the surface is secure.

Advice to motorists:

• Drive carefully over the new surface to prevent damage to vehicles: –
  • DRIVE AT LESS THAN 20MPH
  • KEEP YOUR DISTANCE
  • DO NOT OVERTAKE
• A proprietary tar remover may remove accidental soiling on vehicles.

Yours faithfully,

Shropshire Highways