Council responds to residents’ concerns over resurfacing works
IT’S BEEN hailed as the biggest resurfacing programme ever undertaken by Reading Borough Council, but residents have expressed concerns that it’s one of the worst.
In February, the council announced that 281 residential roads would be treated over a four-month period as part of a £9 million programme to enhance road quality.
It is the end of a three-year programme that has seen major roads and pavements also updated.
The council has used a micro-asphalt process, which they said is quick to apply and causes less disruption. They said at the time that it was both cost-effective and a way of prolonging the life expectancy of the roads.
But social media has been full of people complaining about the results, with sections left untouched, sewer coverings left exposed, and surfaces left with a gritty finish.
The roads also have to be left for a few weeks to settle before yellow lines and parking bays can be repainted, meaning a free-for-all with residents leaving vehicles on corners of roads, or on both sides despite the roads being too narrow for vehicles to pass.
A spokesperson for Reading Borough Council said that the micro asphalt surfacing solution is the correct material for this type of road, but the material does take time to settle and requires traffic to assist with the compaction.
They added: “The roads are opened up to vehicles as soon as the material was set to avoid inconvenience for residents, but may seem rough, gravelly and messy while the material settles down, which takes a couple of weeks, and will improve further given time to settle and with traffic running on it.
“After that we will close the road again to sweep the loose material, raise low iron works such as manholes, and paint road markings.
“Only at that point will residents see the finished article and the benefit of our road improvement scheme for which this is one of 436 roads completed over three years.”
They added: “Residents receive letters in advance of the works, alongside an infographic, explaining the process and pointing out that the initial work will be greatly enhanced by the finishing process.
“The Council has also carried out an extensive ‘pre-patching’ programme in advance of the works to provide a structurally sound road base to overlay. This programme addressed all defects irrespective of their size.
“All loose bitumen material will seal the bitumen and will fade to match the surrounding roads over time.
“We will ensure that the contractor re-visits roads and should any defect require attention, they will deal with it as part of their remedial works.”