Highway maintenance

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 2022/23

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. Example of this work can be seen below:

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

2022/23 planned works

Malvern Road (Evelyn Road to Parley Road) - starts March 27 for 5 days
Yarmouth Road (A3040 Alder Road to Bourne Valley roundabout) - works complete.

2023/24 planned works

A341 Wimborne Road (Ferncroft Road to Northbourne roundabout)
Holdenhurst Road (Station roundabout to Kings Park roundabout) - expected to start in October 2023
A35 Wimborne Road (Daisy Close to New Inn signal junction)
Tower Park roundabout - starts 17 April
Gervis roundabout – starts 24 April
Cudnell Avenue – starts 10 April
Wimborne Road Service Road (Bear Cross) – starts 10 April
St Valerie Road (Wimborne Road to St Winifreds Road)
Hobbs Road
Wooton Gardens
Lancaster Drive
Southbourne Overcliff Drive (Marine Road to Southbourne Cliff Road roundabout).

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 road closures effective from 8am to 6pm.

Bournemouth

Burnaby Road
Sandbourne Road
Studland Road
Earle Road
Surrey Road.

Ensbury Park

Barnes Road.

Southbourne

Carbery Avenue.

Westbourne

Westbourne Park Road
Tower Road
Pembroke Road.

Winton

Richmond Park Avenue
Richmond Wood Road.

Hamworthy

Redhorn Close
Maryland Road
Keysworth Road
Fitzworth Avenue
Russel Gardens.

Boscombe

Knole Road.

Kinson

Horsham Avenue.

Oakdale

Stenhurst Road
Nansen Avenue
Bright Road.

Whitecliff

Twemlow Avenue
Orchard Avenue.

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. This programme of work starts on 3 April 2023. Previous start date of 20 March delayed due to forecast of poor weather over the next couple of weeks.

Amberwood Drive (Highcliffe) - starts 3 April
Amberwood Gardens (Highcliffe) - starts 3 April
Colemere Gardens (Highcliffe) - starts 3 April
Denham Drive (Highcliffe) - starts 3 April
Dunbar Crescent (Highcliffe) - starts 3 April
Talbot Drive (Highcliffe) - starts 3 April
Bluebell Close (Highcliffe) - starts 4 April
Braemar Drive (Highcliffe) - starts 4 April
Buttercup Drive (Highcliffe) - starts 4 April
Clover Close (Highcliffe) - starts 4 April
Thursby Road (Highcliffe) - starts 4 April
Westfield Gardens (Highcliffe) - starts 4 April
Yarrow Close (Highcliffe) - starts 4 April
Celandine Close (Highcliffe) - starts 5 April
Honeysuckle Way (Highcliffe) - starts 5 April
Saffron Drive (Highcliffe) - starts 5 April
Sorrel Way (Highcliffe) - starts 5 April
Vetch Close (Highcliffe) - starts 5 April
Chichester Walk (Merley) - starts 9 April
Cockerell Close (Merley) - starts 6 April
Brabazon Road (Merley) - starts 6 April
Hawker Close (Merley) - starts 6 April
De Haviland Close (Merley) - starts 6 April
Sopwith Crescent cul-de-sacs, not including numbers 26 to 90 (Merley) - starts 7 April
Sopwith Crescent, from Chichester Walk to Merley Lane (Merley) - starts 8 April - access to shops are unaffected throughout
Cobham Way (Merley) - starts 9 April
Harrier Drive (Merley) - starts 8 April
Lynwood Drive (Merley) - starts 8 April
Countess Close (Merley) - Starts 8 April
Egdon Drive (Merley) - Starts 9 April.

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.

Verona Avenue
Argyle Road
Asquith Close
Baldwin Close
Bub Lane
Bucaneers Close
Coastguard Way
De Haviland Way
Disraeli Road
Grafton Close
Harbour Crescent
Johnstone Road
Mudeford
Mudeford Lane
Palmerston Avenue
Pauntley Road
Pelham Close
Purewell Close
Russell Drive
Stanpit
Northbrook Road
Renault Drive
Stoborough Drive
Keighley Avenue
Witchampton Road
York Road
Enfield Road
Enfield Crescent
Enfield Avenue
Middle Road
Moor View Road
Greenfield Road
Old Farm Road
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.

Maintaining our roads

Highways asset management