Somerset Council and new partner Kiely Bros are launching a major programme of road repairs across the County’s network this month. 

Road surface treatment specialists Kiely Bros were awarded a four-year contract from 1 April to carry out a wide range of services, including surface dressing. 

This year Kiely Bros will be introducing a pioneering new piece of machinery known as the Multipatcher to Somerset’s roads, which is a vehicle that can carry out small scale surface dressing works, but also quickly and efficiently repair a range of other defects with just a driver and small team managing traffic.

Following extensive surveys the team is did 17,000 m2 of pre-patching across the network throughout April. These advance works will tackle visible defects such as potholes, cracks or subsidence. It is essential to fill these defects and cracks to avoid water getting in, otherwise when it freezes and expands further potholes and cracks are formed. 

Once this preparation work is done, the surface treatments programme, which includes surface dressing, starts in July. 

Surface dressing is a nationally recognised maintenance technique for sealing a road, improving skid resistance, and preventing water getting under the surface. This is crucial to help stop potholes forming. It works by coating an existing road surface with bitumen, covering it with stone chippings and then rolling it. It can only be carried out in dry weather, so the programme is flexible, and dates can change at short notice. 

Somerset Council’s Lead Member for Highways and Digital, Councillor Richard Wilkins said: “We are delighted to welcome the Kiely Bros team on board. 

“Surface dressing and surface treatments are critically important in keeping our highways running efficiently and Kiely Bros have a fantastic record for innovation, efficiency and cost-effectiveness.” 

(Pic – Kiely Bros)