Surface Dressing - Sunningdale Estate, Grantham - Find a freedom of information request

Detail regarding the Surface Dressing on the Sunningdale Estate, Grantham as follows:

1. What do you intend to do to make the roads good?

2. How long is it going to take?

3. Who do residents send cleaning bills to? As this ash has been carried into houses and on carpets.

The decision to undertake resurfacing works at this location is based on the fact roads wear out over time and surface dressing is a highly cost effective way of extending their life and delay the need for more expensive work. Due to oxidisation of bitumen around 20-30 years life is the optimum time to apply surface dressing. Surface dressing costs about 1/5 of the price of simple resurfacing and, bearing in mind the underfunding, enables LCC to improve the condition of road network year on year, by prolonging the life of the highway network. Minor cracks and potholes had also been observed, and the first pothole repairs e.g. Lindrick Close and Ascot Drive had also become evident.

As part of the surface dressing aftercare obligations LCC undertake several routine sweeps to remove the excess chippings. Three sweeps have been completed to date, 24 April, 12 May & 12 July. However, LCC are disappointed to learn that the first two sweeps were not completed in accordance with the Council's contractual obligations and LCC are raising this separately with the contractor.

During the period of early to mid-July we have recently experienced road surface temperatures in excess of 40+ degrees; and as a result this has caused some evidence of surface bleeding within the area. This can lead to picking up binder on car and cycle tyres and by pedestrians. Therefore to protect the newly laid dressing and to supplement LCC's aftercare regime, it is accepted good practice to treat any melted sections with a fine 3mm down granite dust applied to the surface by a winter maintenance gritter in accordance with the "ADEPT Guidance Note on the treatment of melted Surface Dressed roads". Whilst Lincolnshire County Council recognises this doesn't guarantee the most even spread, the use of a mechanical vehicle allows full coverage of the annual surface dressing programme which encompasses just short of 500 sites in a timely manner. LCC have noted as part of its on-going inspections of the area that the dusting treatment could have been better targeted, and it is the Council's intention during the next warm spell to manually apply the dust to treat the affected areas of concern.

To submit a claim you can access Lincolnshire County Council's claim form at:

http://www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/makeaclaim

Please complete the form fully and include any supporting evidence you may have such as photographs. For property damage claims you will need two written estimates if possible and all receipts and invoices.