Surface Dressing FAQs
What is surface dressing?
Surface dressing is preventative work to significantly extend a road’s life. It costs
less than a tenth of full resurfacing and means that more money is available to invest
in resurfacing where it is most needed.
Why do we use surface dressing treatments?
Surface dressing restores skid resistance, seals the road to prevent water getting in
and reduces the likelihood of potholes. It involves spraying hot bitumen - a tar like
substance - on to roads, applying chippings and then rolling the road. The chippings
bed down as traffic uses the road.
How will I know if my street is going to be surface
dressed?
Signs are put up to say that the work will take place on the roads. The council will
also send you a notification letter in advance of work starting. This will include:
how you can access your property during the works
if any road closures or diversions are needed
what the expected start and finish dates are
what the site working hours will be
what type of work we will carry out
what will change or improve.
Signs are put up to say that the work will take place. We will also send you a
notification letter in advance of work starting. They will also put up signs explaining
what is going on and containing their contact details. Sometimes weather conditions
prevent surface dressing. For the latest information on programmes for works please
visit https://www.wokingham.gov.uk/roadworks-and-outdoor-
maintenance/roadworks-and-road-maintenance/
My family owns and parks several cars on the street.
Will there still be space for us to park?
You will have to remove the vehicles if your street or its footways are being surface
dressed. The letter you will receive will say when your vehicles will need to be off the
road and for how long. We rely on people co-operating with us during the works. This
helps us to avoid delays and extra expense. No one has a legal right to park on a
road regardless of lines or boxes. Tow away schemes are in operation during
surface dressing.
