The RAC has reacted to statistics showing an increase in the amount of surface dressing carried out on the UK’s roads, calling it good news, because it should prevent potholes.

The Road Emulsion Association reported an increase in the manufacturing, sale, and use of bitumen emulsions for surface dressing for the first time in 12 years, with around 38.5 square metres of surface dressing applied over the surface treatments season in 2024.

RAC head of policy Simon Williams said: “It’s very good news for drivers that more roads were surface dressed between April and September this year than in 2023 as this should prevent thousands of potholes appearing. 

“We hope the preventative road maintenance tide has well and truly turned as last year’s surface dressing figure dipped to a 12-year low. The fact so little surface dressing was carried out last year helps explain why drivers are so angry and frustrated with potholes, something we’ve seen very clearly seen in research for this year’s RAC Report on Motoring with 56% of drivers listing the poor state of local roads as their number-one motoring concern. 

“Surface dressing seals roads from the damaging ingress of water, extending their lives by preventing potholes appearing in the first place. Positively, we’ve also noticed the Government heeding our call for councils to do more preventative maintenance. We believe greater use of surface dressing and other preventative maintenance treatments can finally bring an end to the degradation of our much-relied-on local roads.”

(Picture – REA)