New road surfaces..fecking awful!
Discussion
I've been motivated to write to my local council today, something I've never done before. It was to ask whether they would care to explain the appalling state of the recently-resurfaced road outside my property.
"It's not often that I'm moved to write about something, however I would like someone to take a look at the surface laid a couple of months back in xxxx Road.
Whilst the work was being carried out, I was hopeful that the new surface would be an improvement on the old one. However, what looked like a temporary surface was laid and I was surprised to find that 'that was it'! The new grey surface is far, far noisier than the old black surface, but more importantly there are now huge craters where the drains and manhole covers are. It seems the surface has been laid too thick, causing a significant impact should you be unlucky enough not to be able to avoid them.
Please could someone explain why an inferior, noisier and poorly-laid surface has replaced the quieter, smoother black tarmac from before? xxxx Road is not alone in having 'crater issues' and newer road surfaces seem to be worse than the ones they replace. Road/tyre noise in my property is significantly louder than before and I am also concerned that my car may suffer unnecessary wear and tear to the wheels and suspension due to the proliferation of 'craters' where the drains are.
I would be most heartened to hear that the surface could be replaced with a quieter proper tarmac (rather than the grey, gravelly-type that we have now) and that when the road is resurfaced that it lies lower meaning that ironworks in the road are level, not recessed. I plan to measure the depths of some of these drains as I believe that were they potholes and not ironworks, they would require 'filling in' as repairs!!
I look forward to hearing your response.
Sincerely,
Funk"
What motivated my email..? Well normally I play the 'slalom' game and avoid the craters but oncoming traffic overtaking a bike meant I couldn't use the part of my lane that I wanted to. This resulted in a horrific impact on both front and rear offside wheels, and to be frank I'm amazed it hasn't resulted in damage to the car. I can't believe that what they've done constitutes a usable road surface. I might pop out and take pics later to show how bad it is.
Are other counties guilty of shoddy road resurfacing or is it just West Sussex County Council..?
"It's not often that I'm moved to write about something, however I would like someone to take a look at the surface laid a couple of months back in xxxx Road.
Whilst the work was being carried out, I was hopeful that the new surface would be an improvement on the old one. However, what looked like a temporary surface was laid and I was surprised to find that 'that was it'! The new grey surface is far, far noisier than the old black surface, but more importantly there are now huge craters where the drains and manhole covers are. It seems the surface has been laid too thick, causing a significant impact should you be unlucky enough not to be able to avoid them.
Please could someone explain why an inferior, noisier and poorly-laid surface has replaced the quieter, smoother black tarmac from before? xxxx Road is not alone in having 'crater issues' and newer road surfaces seem to be worse than the ones they replace. Road/tyre noise in my property is significantly louder than before and I am also concerned that my car may suffer unnecessary wear and tear to the wheels and suspension due to the proliferation of 'craters' where the drains are.
I would be most heartened to hear that the surface could be replaced with a quieter proper tarmac (rather than the grey, gravelly-type that we have now) and that when the road is resurfaced that it lies lower meaning that ironworks in the road are level, not recessed. I plan to measure the depths of some of these drains as I believe that were they potholes and not ironworks, they would require 'filling in' as repairs!!
I look forward to hearing your response.
Sincerely,
Funk"
What motivated my email..? Well normally I play the 'slalom' game and avoid the craters but oncoming traffic overtaking a bike meant I couldn't use the part of my lane that I wanted to. This resulted in a horrific impact on both front and rear offside wheels, and to be frank I'm amazed it hasn't resulted in damage to the car. I can't believe that what they've done constitutes a usable road surface. I might pop out and take pics later to show how bad it is.
Are other counties guilty of shoddy road resurfacing or is it just West Sussex County Council..?
Edited by Funk on Friday 20th November 14:21
This could go on and on.....It's endemic everywhere in this country now, you seem to need to spend more time watching the road surface than the 'road ahead', trying to avoid holes and crummy repairs that last no more than a few days. Last year they 'resurfaced' the main road ('A' class) near me and resited a drain approx 3" above the bottom point of the camber. Funnily enough, it then didn't drain, and it took a local engineer resident to point the problem out. Naturally, having fixed that, they then dug up the new surface a few hundred yards away within a couple of weeks to mess about with the manhole covers again, and the repair, as always, doesn't sit level with the new surface. As for unclassified roads, where do we start?
It has got to the stage where I am now having second thoughts about really low profile tyres on any future cars as the roads are in such a state - perhaps we all need 4x4s just to stay on-road.
It has got to the stage where I am now having second thoughts about really low profile tyres on any future cars as the roads are in such a state - perhaps we all need 4x4s just to stay on-road.
Not a peep from the council yet. Probably busy wondering which expenses they can claim for now they saved some cash by laying a s
tty road surface.
I'll give them another couple of weeks (to take it to 28 days) and then write again directly to a specific councillor. I feel like one of 'those' people who have nothing to complain about, but I guess unless someone speaks up, they assume "Job's a good 'un." It's markedly noisier at night with passing traffic (it's a main route into/out of town for taxis and suchlike after kicking out time at the pubs and clubs).
tty road surface.I'll give them another couple of weeks (to take it to 28 days) and then write again directly to a specific councillor. I feel like one of 'those' people who have nothing to complain about, but I guess unless someone speaks up, they assume "Job's a good 'un." It's markedly noisier at night with passing traffic (it's a main route into/out of town for taxis and suchlike after kicking out time at the pubs and clubs).
Edited by Funk on Tuesday 8th December 19:06
Funk, What you describe is called surface dressing, it consists of a bitumen spray on the old surface and then a layer of uncoated stone laid on it which is bonded to the old surface by the bitumen. It will be 10 - 15mm thick so shouldn't have left the manhole covers too low which is surprising from what you say.
However it will be much noisier than a black asphalt surface. Modern thin surfacing materials are very much quieter than surface dressing which is mainly used because it's cheap. I would suggest you complain vigorously about the increased noise levels as quality of life perceptions are of far more concern to councils than a few damaged alloys.
However it will be much noisier than a black asphalt surface. Modern thin surfacing materials are very much quieter than surface dressing which is mainly used because it's cheap. I would suggest you complain vigorously about the increased noise levels as quality of life perceptions are of far more concern to councils than a few damaged alloys.
Vlad, you're spot on. I got an email today from the council outlining their position;
Worthing Council said:
Dear Funk,
Worthing: XXXX Road
Thank you for your enquiry regarding the surfacing of XXXX Road earlier this year. The process carried out is known as surface dressing - tar and chipping as it used to be known. This is a thin surface treatment consisting of an application of hot bitumen binder to the old road surface followed by a layer of 10mm size hard stone chippings. It is a universally used process both in this county and throughout the world: approximately 75% of local roads in the country will have this treatment. It is a versatile and cost effective way to extend the useful life of the road network and although crude in appearance is very much science based and at the forefront of bitumen technology. It seals the old road against penetration by water (the biggest factor in the cause of potholes) and provides a highly skid-resistant surface.
Costing 10% - 15% of the cost of conventional carriageway resurfacing it eliminates the need to do expensive patching and adds years of life to the existing road structure. It however does have its limitations. It does not add strength to the road and it does not provide a smooth running surface; if the road was bumpy before it was laid it will be so afterwards. New surface dressing is rougher in texture than newly laid asphalt surfaces. However in a fairly short time embedment of the stone chips takes place and the road noise is reduced.
With regard to items of ironwork, which are low in the new dressing, these are not scheduled for adjustment unless they are more than 40mm below the adjacent road surface. I have checked covers in XXXX Road, particularly in the wheel track, and although there are a number that are low they do not exceed 40mm. However a survey is to be undertaken of ironwork in all roads that have been surface dressed this year with a view to producing a programme of cover raising in the next financial year, subject to funds being available.
Yours sincerely
Mr. XXXXXXXX
Senior Engineer
Looks like they're fobbing me off for now, but that they'll be looking at it next year. What do you fine chaps think?Worthing: XXXX Road
Thank you for your enquiry regarding the surfacing of XXXX Road earlier this year. The process carried out is known as surface dressing - tar and chipping as it used to be known. This is a thin surface treatment consisting of an application of hot bitumen binder to the old road surface followed by a layer of 10mm size hard stone chippings. It is a universally used process both in this county and throughout the world: approximately 75% of local roads in the country will have this treatment. It is a versatile and cost effective way to extend the useful life of the road network and although crude in appearance is very much science based and at the forefront of bitumen technology. It seals the old road against penetration by water (the biggest factor in the cause of potholes) and provides a highly skid-resistant surface.
Costing 10% - 15% of the cost of conventional carriageway resurfacing it eliminates the need to do expensive patching and adds years of life to the existing road structure. It however does have its limitations. It does not add strength to the road and it does not provide a smooth running surface; if the road was bumpy before it was laid it will be so afterwards. New surface dressing is rougher in texture than newly laid asphalt surfaces. However in a fairly short time embedment of the stone chips takes place and the road noise is reduced.
With regard to items of ironwork, which are low in the new dressing, these are not scheduled for adjustment unless they are more than 40mm below the adjacent road surface. I have checked covers in XXXX Road, particularly in the wheel track, and although there are a number that are low they do not exceed 40mm. However a survey is to be undertaken of ironwork in all roads that have been surface dressed this year with a view to producing a programme of cover raising in the next financial year, subject to funds being available.
Yours sincerely
Mr. XXXXXXXX
Senior Engineer
Edited by Funk on Thursday 10th December 18:10
I don't think it's intended to be progress. It's a short-term solution to improving poorly-surfaced roads where lack of funds means the alternative is to leave the old decaying potholed one.....
You'd have thought they might have come up with a quick-fix for the ironworks too though, like using a 'spacer' either on top of or underneath the drain covers to raise them to the required height.
It's a reasonable response from the council, and at least you got one!
You'd have thought they might have come up with a quick-fix for the ironworks too though, like using a 'spacer' either on top of or underneath the drain covers to raise them to the required height.
It's a reasonable response from the council, and at least you got one!
grahamw48 said:
Our bankrupt country's budget doesn't prevent my local council from constructing themselves a new multi-million pound HQ though.
fking self-serving hypocrites.
Been a long time reader of these boards and see a lot of unwanted hatred towards civil servants who are for the most part performing their jobs to the best of their abilities, with the budget and bureaucratic constrictions on them.f
king self-serving hypocrites. A lot of County Councils are building new office accommodation, Staffordshire who I work for is in the process of doing so. At first I was against it but then with some knowledge found that in a few years there will be considerable savings, the rent for 5 business units on one retail park I'm told is £2.5m a year, we’re looking at relocating dozens of offices (some in Council owned accommodation) into the new building which will cost around £22m.
The Council owned buildings are in prime locations and will be sold for redevelopment/housing, partially funding the new premises, the rest coming from efficiency savings from the above rental costs and infrastructure benefits by having a modern building rather than repairing single glazed buildings with plumbing faults that are not fit for people to work in.
Hopefully savings in years to come will be put into providing better services for the public we try and serve.
'Serving the public' is about much more than saving money and giving your precious pampered staff greater comfort (don't make me laugh 
).
I come from a whole family of civil servants, and used to be one myself... so don't be too presumptuous.
Funny that, I thought councils were run by COUNCILLORS, elected by the people whose interests you are supposedly so jealously guarding.
If the govt. of this country made an effort to rid us of all the parasites currently living off the state in one way or another...like forcing the bds to work, then there would be a lot more money to spare for road repairs and maybe even aircon for those poor suffering civil servants, many of whom I do know while away their days doing practically fk all. 
I live in the real world.
).I come from a whole family of civil servants, and used to be one myself... so don't be too presumptuous.
Funny that, I thought councils were run by COUNCILLORS, elected by the people whose interests you are supposedly so jealously guarding.
If the govt. of this country made an effort to rid us of all the parasites currently living off the state in one way or another...like forcing the b
ds to work, then there would be a lot more money to spare for road repairs and maybe even aircon for those poor suffering civil servants, many of whom I do know while away their days doing practically fk all. I live in the real world.
Worth ,if reporting a pothole etc via their web site, to ask for confirmation that they have"recieved " it .Had a case some time ago where they claimed not to have recieved it ,and my local county councillor mentioned that he'd had a few problems like this recently .But it looks like the same problem exists in a few places -I've compalined recently about a raised roundabout ,where they'd surface dressed up to within three inches of the slope ,resulting in a dip just prior to the slope .In a tiddler with 14" wheels -it feels like a pothole -so much so now that I roll into the dip .Have asked them about action -they're "monitoring " it -
Edited by Who me ? on Monday 28th December 16:06
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