We are responsible for maintaining 1,250km (780 miles) of roads and pavements of adopted highway (technically known as carriageways and footways respectively).

Maintaining the highway network involves assessing its condition, identifying problems and then prioritising and carrying out the most appropriate work with the resources.

Further information can be found in the highway inspections policy and highway asset management page.

Highway maintenance programme

The programme is determined from priorities set by various considerations including independent condition surveys, technical officer assessment and recognition of views received from the public.

Although the programme represents the current assessment of priorities, it should be noted that the funding available will determine the final programme and emerging issues may need to be considered from time to time.

The highways maintenance programme shows an indicative break down of how the next 3 year's highway maintenance budgets will be spent.

Sometimes, the Department for Transport makes additional funds available for highways maintenance works.

Highway structural maintenance programme 2023/24

Start dates to be confirmed unless stated otherwise.

Resurfacing

Resurfacing is the traditional replacement of existing road surface with new, usually restricted to the upper layers of the road construction. Due to budget restraints this type of work is generally carried out on our classified road network and only used on our unclassified (residential) Roads in exceptional circumstances.

Some high stress sites such as roundabouts are resurfaced with grouted asphalt to provide greater resilience. See our video of the Mannings Heath roundabout improvements for an example of this work.

We are also coordinating additional resurfacing works with the Transforming Cities Fund schemes that are currently being implemented and providing support wherever needed.

A35 Commercial Road footpaths

Last year we esurfaced the A35 Commercial Road carriageway from the Civic Centre gyratory up to the signal junction at Church Road. The footpaths were intended to be resurfaced at the same time as the carriageway however a number of utility companies made us aware of their plans for the area so the footpaths were delayed.

Most of the repair works have been completed in collaboration with the utility companies and these are now complete.

On Monday 4 September, our operatives commenced footpath resurfacing operations on the A35 Commercial Road, between the Civic Centre gyratory and up to and including Telephone House, (opposite the Post Office). All being well the work is expected to take 5 weeks to complete, then we’ll stop and return after Christmas to complete the works.

The work will be carried out in sections to minimise disruption to all businesses. Initially, we’re widening the footpath outside Telephone House to add a new bus shelter, during the works a temporary bus stop will be sited a short distance away. Then we will commence resurfacing footpaths.

One or two days preparation work will be carried out during the normal working day. Access will be maintained to all shops, businesses and residential properties during these works, then at a time to minimise disruption the footpath will be resurfaced. When resurfacing outside daytime businesses like estate agents, the resurfacing will be carried out in the evening or on the weekdays when they’re closed. Outside bars and restaurants, the resurfacing will be carried out in the morning so the footpath will be open when they are.

Grouted asphalt resurfacing works

Resurfacing works on Gervis Road/Meyrick Road roundabout start on Monday 16 October and will last for 5 days. During this time a road closure will be in place effective 24 hours daily until the work is complete. Immediately adjacent roads will remain open apart from on the approach to the roundabout itself.

Resurfacing works on the West Howe roundabout (junction of A348 Ringwood Road, Poole Lane and Knighton Heath Road) start on Monday 23 October for 5 days. During this time a road closure will be in place effective 24 hours daily until the work is complete.

Restrictions to traffic:

• No traffic will be allowed to head south from the Bear Cross roundabout towards the West Howe roundabout. 

• Junctions of Anchor Close and Holloway Avenue with the southbound side of A348 Ringwood Road will be closed. 

• No traffic will be allowed to head north from the Mountbatten roundabout on the A348 Ringwood Road towards the West Howe roundabout apart from residents of the adjacent cul-de-sacs. These residents have been provided with passes that they will display on their dashboards so that site staff manning the gated entrance can let them in. These residents will be able to exit their roads via High Howe Close.

Diversion:

A temporary diversion for through traffic will be in place via:

• A341 Magna Road, A341 Queen Anne Drive, A349 Gravel Hill, A349 Waterloo Road, A3049 Dorset Way, A3049 Canford Way, A3049 Ringwood Road, Mountbatten roundabout and A3049 Wallisdown Road.
• Traffic approaching from the Dorchester direction on the A350 Upton By-Pass that wish to head north will be guided to the Holes Bay roundabout, A3049 Broadstone Way, A3049 Cabot Lane and A349 Waterloo Road.

Temporary access will be provided:

• Access to the retail park will be via Poole Lane near Lidl, with vehicles then exiting onto the A348 Ringwood Road. 
• We will have temporary arrangements in place north of the West Howe roundabout to access to the ‘Shoulder of Mutton’ pub adjacent to A348 Ringwood Road during the works. A diversion will be in place to facilitate this. 
• The small parade of shops and take away restaurants next to the West Howe roundabout will have a temporary access provided to allow vehicles to come in and out via High Howe Lane.

2023/24 planned works

• A341 Wimborne Road (Ferncroft Road to Northbourne roundabout)
• Holdenhurst Road (Station roundabout to Kings Park roundabout) - phased scheme with work to footways starting November 2023 and carriageway expected to start in April 2024
• Ensbury Park Road
• A35 Wimborne Road (Daisy Close to New Inn signal junction) - work complete
• Tower Park roundabout  - work complete
• Gervis roundabout – work postponed until October 2023 due to ongoing emergency works in Grove Road
• Cudnell Avenue – work complete
• Wimborne Road Service Road (Bear Cross) – work complete
• St Valerie Road (Wimborne Road to St Winifreds Road) - in progress
• Lancaster Drive
• Southbourne Overcliff Drive (Marine Road to Southbourne Cliff Road roundabout)
• Jumpers Road
• Clarence Park Road.

Forward resurfacing programme

We hope to be carrying out major resurfacing works to the following sites during the next three years with more to be announced soon:

• Poole Road (St Michaels roundabout to A338 Wessex Way)
• Stoney Lane roundabout
• West Howe roundabout
• Seamoor Road
• Lake Road (Blandford Road to Coles Avenue)
• Ringwood Road/Herbert Avenue/Mannings Heath Road double roundabout
• Kinson Road/Turbary Park Avenue/Columbia Road double roundabout
• Nuffield Road
• Columbia Road
• York Road (Lytham Road to Northbrook Road)
• Field Way
• Parkside
• Mansfield Road
• Mansfield Close
• Hunt Road (Somerford)
• Wooton Mount
• Mudeford.

Preventative maintenance

Preventative Maintenance is extending the life of the existing road surface by preventing pot holes and follows Department for Transport guidance that 'prevention is better than cure'. Surface treatments are laid directly on top of the existing road without removing the original material.

Micro asphalt

Also referred to as ‘Slurry Surfacing’, micro asphalt is a cost effective treatment that protects the existing road surface with the application of a thin layer of asphalt. After the road is patch repaired, micro asphalt is applied as a quick drying wet slurry and serves to prevent pot holes and helps regulate or smooth out some of the bumpier roads. This process is commonly used where a surface dressing or carriageway sealing solution is not appropriate. The work is carried out using temporary road closures of 1-4 days duration with parking suspensions in place from 8am to 6pm daily.

This process is weather dependant and the following suggested starts dates are indicative only. Residents will receive a letter with more information shortly.

Bournemouth

• Burnaby Road - starts March 2024
• Sandbourne Road – March 2024
• Studland Road – starts March 2024
• Earle Road – starts March 2024
• Surrey Road from Prince of Wales Road to No.78a – starts 25 October

Ensbury Park

• Barnes Road – starts March 2024

Southbourne 

• Carbery Avenue – starts 20 October.

Westbourne

• Westbourne Park Road – starts 31 October
• Tower Road – starts 2 November
• Pembroke Road – starts 31 October.

Winton

• Richmond Park Avenue – starts 30 October.

Hamworthy

• Redhorn Close – starts 29 October
• Maryland Road – starts 29 October
• Keysworth Road – starts 29 October
• Fitzworth Avenue – starts March 2024
• Russel Gardens – starts 29 October.

Boscombe

• Knole Road – starts 28 October.

Kinson

• Horsham Avenue – starts 16 October.

Oakdale

• Stenhurst Road – starts 27 October
• Old Farm Road (nr junction with Dale Valley Road) – starts 27 October
• Nansen Avenue – starts March 2024
• Bright Road – starts 27 October.

Whitecliff

• Twemlow Avenue – starts March 2024
• Orchard Avenue  – starts March 2024.

Surface dressing

Surface dressing is a cost effective means of preventing water penetration, improving skid resistance and arresting the disintegration of the carriageway, typically using a bituminous layer with one or more layers of small stone chippings laid over the top. This work is generally focused on our unclassified road network but can be used on main roads. The final programme for this can be affected by utility and developer activity. 

No surface dressing works are planned for 2022/23.

Carriageway sealing (asphalt preservation)

A quick, cost effective method of preventative maintenance by extending the lifespan of the existing road surface by enriching the asphalt and preventing water ingress. The material sets rapidly in all but the very warmest weather conditions and the process is normally completed within hours. Poor weather is creating delays with the delivery of this work, please check the signs for updates of when the work will be done. We apologise for the inconvenience and refer you to our letter for more information.

• Amberwood Drive (Highcliffe) - work complete
• Amberwood Gardens (Highcliffe) - work complete
• Colemere Gardens (Highcliffe) - work complete
• Denham Drive (Highcliffe) - work complete
• Dunbar Crescent (Highcliffe) - work complete
• Talbot Drive (Highcliffe) - work complete
• Bluebell Close (Highcliffe) - work complete
• Braemar Drive (Highcliffe) - work complete
• Buttercup Drive (Highcliffe) - work complete
• Clover Close (Highcliffe) - work complete
• Thursby Road (Highcliffe) - work complete
• Westfield Gardens (Highcliffe) - work complete
• Yarrow Close (Highcliffe) - work complete
• Celandine Close (Highcliffe) - work complete
• Honeysuckle Way (Highcliffe) - work complete
• Saffron Drive (Highcliffe) - work complete
• Sorrel Way (Highcliffe) - work complete
• Vetch Close (Highcliffe) - work complete
• Chichester Walk (Merley) - work complete
• Cockerell Close (Merley) - work complete
• Brabazon Road (Merley) - work complete
• Hawker Close (Merley) - work complete
• De Haviland Close (Merley) - work complete
• Sopwith Crescent cul-de-sacs, not including numbers 26 to 90 (Merley) - work complete
• Sopwith Crescent, from Chichester Walk to Merley Lane (Merley) - work complete
• Cobham Way (Merley) - work complete
• Harrier Drive (Merley) - work complete
• Lynwood Drive (Merley) - work cancelled
• Countess Close (Merley) - work complete
• Egdon Drive (Merley) - work complete.

More sites will be announced in due course.

Drainage improvements

Schemes to help alleviate surface water flooding on the Highway, various sites involving investigation and mitigation measures if appropriate. Please note that funding for such schemes is under extreme pressure and can result in a very long waiting period before implementation. All cases are assessed individually with priority given to those considered to be at greatest risk. We are only responsible for the maintenance of it's highways drainage assets and not responsible for protecting private property. 

Small footway schemes

The refurbishment or slurry sealing (pot hole prevention) of footway only. 

Works are carried out with minimal disruption wherever possible unless the site requires a road closure.

• Argyle Road – starts 14 November
• Asquith Close – starts 19 October
• Baldwin Close – starts 20 October. Road closed for 5 days from 8am to 6pm daily.
• Bub Lane – starts 3 November
• Buccaneers Close – starts 25 October
• Coastguard Way – starts 15 November
• De Haviland Way – starts 4 December
• Disraeli Road – starts 19 October
• Grafton Close– starts 24 October
• Harbour Crescent– starts 14 November
• Johnstone Road – starts 3 November
• Mudeford – starts 16 November
• Mudeford Lane – starts 25 October
• Palmerston Avenue – starts 23 October
• Pauntley Road – starts 27 November
• Pelham Close– starts 20 October
• Purewell Close– starts 24 October
• Russell Drive– starts 16 October
• Stanpit – starts 6 November
• Northbrook Road – starts 21 February
• Renault Drive – starts 5 March
• Stoborough Drive– starts 28 February
• Keighley Avenue – starts 1 March
• Witchampton Road – starts 27 February
• York Road – starts 6 February
• Mission Road – starts 20 February
• Whitby Crescent – starts 29 February
• Mudeford Lane.

The programme of works listed above is subject to constant review depending on out turn costs of individual schemes, changing priorities indicated by routine highway inspections, or particularly adverse deterioration due to factors such as severe winter weather, flooding, etc. All dates are provisional and subject to change.