TWO hundred miles of Somerset’s roads will be repaired through surface dressing over the summer months.

Somerset County Council has published a full list of roads which will be treated across the county this year.

Work will begin on June 11 and the programme will be staggered over a 14-week period, although it may take longer if there is bad weather.

Unlike major resurfacing projects, surface dressing is designed to be carried out quickly, with roads remaining open to traffic wherever possible.

The process involves spraying the road with bitumen, followed by a layer of stone chippings. This is then rolled with a layer of finer chippings on top to embed the chips into the surface, and the road is then swept to remove excess chippings.

Surface dressing is designed to prevent frost and water damage, which can cause potholes to emerge.

The council has said that surface dressing can extend the life of a given road by up to ten years, and the surface will lead to improved skid resistance, making it safer for drivers.

Andrew Turner, the county’s strategic manager from highways, revealed at a meeting in Taunton last week that the council spent £8 million last year on surface dressing.

He defended the spending, stating that surface dressing could be effectively used to avoid more costly repairs in the longer term.

He said: "We are seeing the benefits on the network of surface dressing, intervening to avoid more costly maintenance later on."

Sites in the Free Press area to be dressed include: the A39 Minehead Road at Selworthy; A396 Cutcombe Hill, A396 Timberscombe bypass and A396 Timberscombe to Cutcombe Hill; Beech Tree to Broadwood, Bonniton Lane and Broadwood Road, Dunster; Bowden Lane, Oak Lane and Rodhuish Hill Lane, Withycombe; Broad Oak to Roebuck Gate Lane, Broad Oak Hill, Roebuck Gate Lane to Leigh Farm, Station Road and The Avenue, Crowcombe; Chilcott Lane, Dulverton; Deans Cross to Broad Oak and Whitemoor Lane, Stogumber; Doverhay, Porlock; Dyche Road, Holford; Exton Lane, Exton; Kilton Road and Pardlestone Lane, Kilve; Kilton Road and Plud Farm Lane, Stringston; Lower Bilbrook Lane, Old Cleeve; Marshclose Hill, Withypool and Hawkridge; Oare to Malmsmead Bridge and Oare to Oare Post; Old Mineral Line, Nettlecombe; Treborough to Sminhays Cross, Treborough; Trackfordmoor Cross to Riphay Cross, Brushford; Week Lane, Exton; Currypool Lane, Durborough Farm Lane and Spur, and the lane through Aisholt, Spaxton; Steart Drove, Steart; Stogursey Lane, Nether Stowey; Andrews Hill, near Dulverton; B3224 Raleighs Cross Road, Combe Florey; B3227 Wiveliscombe Road, Milverton; and Pockeridge Bottom Road, Bathealton.

For more information on surface dressing and the schemes in your area, visit www.travelsomerset.co.uk/surface-dressing.