A TOTAL of 140 miles of Somerset roads will be surface dressed this summer to improve the surfaces for motorists and prevent potholes from forming.

Somerset County Council has published a full list of every road which will be dressed between now and September.

Work may continue after this date in the event of bad weather.

A total of 138 separate roads will be treated this summer, with work being carried out with mobile teams to reduce the impact on motorists.

The council has stated surface dressing can increase the lifespan of a given road by up to ten years.

Surface dressing works by coating the road with bitumen, covering it with stone chippings, rolling it to press the chips in, and then sweeping the road to remove any debris.

This process seals the road to prevent water getting under the surface to form potholes, and also improves skid resistance for braking vehicles.

Councillor John Woodman, cabinet member for highways, said: “Surface dressing is one of our best weapons in the ongoing fight against potholes.

“The process is often misunderstood and dismissed as a cheap alternative to resurfacing. In fact, that is a myth – they are very different processes, much like painting wooden windows to stop them rotting, rather than simply replacing them.

“We use surface dressing on roads which are in relatively good condition, which is proven to ensure they last much longer before more costly and more disruptive resurfacing is required.”

The council’s surface dressing teams are mobile, meaning large-scale road closures are not necessary.

However, because the work cannot be carried out in wet or overly hot conditions, the dates for each individual road are all subject to change.

Drivers are also advised to drive at slower speeds (20mph is advised) immediately after a road has been dressed, to prevent any loose material from damaging their vehicles.

A council spokesperson said: “We purposely lay more chips than required to ensure that the whole surface is covered and we don’t end up with bare patches.

We leave the loose chips for a short period to be embedded by traffic, after which any surplus chips are swept clear.

“Advisory speed limit signs are left out for a few days until most of the loose chips have been removed. This is to maintain the safety of the highway user, protect the new dressing and to prevent damage to vehicles.

“Depending on the weather, we may carry out additional sweeping or dusting to minimise the effect on traffic.”

Surface dressing teams are mobile and the work is weather dependent so cannot take place in wet or hot conditions. This means the rolling programme is highly flexible and dates can change at short notice.

Here is the full list of all the roads which will be subject to surface dressing this summer:

Mendip

A371 Wells Road, Draycott

A371 Wells Road, Westbury-sub-Mendip

Ashels Batch, Chewton Mendip

B3134 Burrington Road, nr Priddy

Bell Hill,  Chewton Mendip

Bell Road, Chewton Mendip

Breech Lane, West Pennard

Charity Lane, nr Kilmersdon

Chesterblade Road, nr Evercreech

Church Street, nr Cranmore

Church Street to Lower Lane, nr Cranmore

Cockpit Lane to Lodge Farm Lane, nr Cranmore

Cole Hill, nr Frome

Court Barn Lane, West Pennard

Coxton End Lane, Priddy

East Woodlands Road, nr Frome

Ford Lane, Chewton Mendip

Green Lane, nr Leigh-upon-Mendip

Greendown Lane, Chewton Mendip

Harptree Lane, Chewton Mendip

Haygrove Lane, nr Cranmore

Haygrove Lane to Long Lane, nr Cranmore

Hembridge Road, Wraxall

Hillgrove Road, Priddy

Hoares Lane, Kilmersdon

Lime Kiln Lane, nr Leigh-upon-Mendip

Lipyeate Cross to Luckington Cross, nr Kilmersdon

Little Green, nr Leigh-upon-Mendip

Lodge Farm Lane to Haygrove Lane, nr Cranmore

Manor Farm Road, Charterhouse

Mells Green, nr Leigh-upon-Mendip

Newtown Lane, West Pennard

Paywell Lane, Charterhouse

Priddy Green, Priddy

Priddy Mill Drove, Priddy

School Hill, Priddy

Shepherds Lane, nr Frome

Shepherds Lane to Feltham Lane, nr Frome

Shepherds Lane to Woodlands Church, nr Frome#

Small Down Lane, Westcombe

Somers Hill to Mells Green, nr Leigh-upon-Mendip

Tellisford House To Bath Road, Tellisford

Tellisford Lane, Tellisford

Tellisford Lane to Church Farm Lane, Tellisford

Tellisford Lane to Rode Hill, Tellisford

Tellisford Road, Tellisford

The Batch, Priddy

Timbers Hill, nr Frome

Townsend, Priddy

Tynings Lane, Charterhouse

Velvet Bottom, Charterhouse

Wells Road, Priddy

West Bradley Lane, West Bradley

Withial Lane, West Bradley

Withy Wood Lane, Cranmore

Woodlands Church to New Church Farm, nr Frome

Sedgemoor

A38 Bristol Road, Shipham

A38 Main Road/ Pawlett Road, Huntspill

A39 North Street, Bridgwater

A39 Quantock Road, Bridgwater

A39 Wembdon Road, Bridgwater

Adscombe Lane, Nether Stowey

Alston Sutton Road, Weare

B3135 Cliff Street/ Roemead Road/ The Cliffs/ The Cliffs Road/ Yoxter Road, nr Cheddar

B3139 Burnham Road, Highbridge

B3140 Berrow Road, Berrow

B3140 Brent Corner/ Brent Road/ Burton Row/ Ham Road / Station Road, Brent

B3151 Blakeway/ Mudgley Hill, Mudgley

Banklands, nr North Newton

Banklands Lane, nr North Newton

Barford Road, Enmore

Blackmore Lane, nr Cannington

Bincombe Combe, Nether Stowey

Bourton Lane, nr Axbridge

Brightstowe Road, Berrow

Broomfield Road, Broomfield

Buncombe Hill, nr Broomfield

Church Road, Bridgwater

Court Grove, Puriton

Crickham, Cocklake

Cross Moor Road, Axbridge

Greenhill Lane, Weare

Haddons Lane, Shearston

Ham Lane, nr West Huntspill

Horsey Lane, nr Bridgwater

Houlgate Way, Axbridge

Howells Lane, Shearston

Main Road, Shapwick

Mill Lane, Weare

Mill Stream Close, Axbridge

Shearston Lane, Shearston

Lodes Lane, Broomfield

Over Stowey Road, Nether Stowey

Plainsfield Road, Nether Stowey

Rackhouse Lane, nr Courtway

Rhode Lane, Bridgwater

Rhode Lane, Rhode

Rughill, Cocklake

Sparrow Hill Way, Weare

South Lane, Nether Stowey

South Lane to Over Stowey Road, Nether Stowey

Station Road, Shapwick

Stretcholt Lane, nr West Huntspill

Walnut Close, Axbridge

Woolmersdon Road, Rhode

Somerset West and Taunton

A39 Bircham Road, Minehead

A39 Station Road, nr Washford (two separate stretches)

Adcombe Hill, Corfe

Adcombe Lane, Corfe

Ash Road, Stoke St Mary

B3187 Milverton Road/ Station Road, nr Wellington

B3190 Raleigh’s Cross to Beulah Chapel, Raleigh’s Cross

B3190 Raleigh’s Cross to Sticklepath, Raleigh’s Cross

B3190 Sticklepath to Fair Cross, Sticklepath

B3224 Beulah Chapel to Withiel Hill, Raleigh’s Cross

B3224 Luckwell Bridge, nr Wheddon Cross

B3224 Raleigh’s Cross to Elworthy Burrows, Raleigh’s Cross

B3224 Raleigh’s Cross Road, nr Combe Florey

B3227 Wiveliscombe Road, nr Cotford St Luke

Bickenhall Lane, Hatch Beauchamp

Bury Hill, nr Dulverton

Cothelstone Road/ High Street, Cothelstone

Dragons Cross to Old Cleeve, Old Cleeve

Gerbestone Road, nr West Buckland

Greenway, North Curry

Helland Hill, North Curry

Holway Road, Taunton

Honiton Road, Churchinford

Langford Budville Road, Langford Budville

Lipe Lane, Creech St Michael

Louisa Gate To Lyddons Cross, nr Dulverton

Lower Bilbrook Lane, nr Washford (two separate stretches)

Lyddons Cross To White Post, nr Dulverton

Marsh Lane, Dunster

March Street, Dunster

Newport Road, North Curry

Old Cleeve to Blue Anchor, Old Cleeve

Pockeridge Bottom Road, nr Waterrow

Royston Road, Churchinford

Sanctuary Lane, Brompton Regis

Sandhill Lane, Withycombe

Severidges Road, nr Waterrow

St Michael Road, Creech St Michael

Station Road, Dunster

The Ford, Corfe

Upcott Road, Upcott

Upper Holway Road, Taunton

Vinnicombe Strait, nr Exton

West Sedgemoor Road, North Curry

White Street, North Curry

Willey Road, Stoke St Gregory

Wiveliscombe Road, Fitzhead

South Somerset

A359 Bruton Road/ Cuckoo Hill/ Frome Road/ Quaperlake Street, Bruton

A359 Camel Street/ Marston Road/ Marston Magna Road, Marston Magna

A359 Mudford Road, Yeovil

A37 Ilchester Road, Yeovil (two separate stretches)

A371 Cary Hill, Castle Cary

A372 Ridley Hill/ Beer Road, Aller

Atherstone Lane, Whitelackington

B3081 Dropping Lane/ Station Road, Bruton

B3081 Stoney Stoke to Redlynch Cross, Redlynch

Back Lane, nr Shepton Beauchamp

Belmonds Cross Road, Cucklington

Bere Mills Lane, Sea (nr Ilminster)

Broad Street, Charlton Adam

Camp Road, Henstridge Marsh

Church Street, Keinton Mandeville

Church Street, Podimore

Combe Lane, Charlton Adam

Common Lane, Keinton Mandeville

Darvole Road, nr East Coker

Fairhouse Road, Stoford

Foxcombe Hill, Galhampton

Higher Bullen, Stoford

Higher Swell, Fivehead

Hurcott Lane, nr Shepton Beauchamp

Kings Hill, nr Chilthorne Domer

Lower Burrow, Stembridge

Lower Swell, Fivehead

Main Street, nr Combe St Nicholas

New Road, Stoford

Newton Road, Yeovil

Palmers End Lane, Stembridge

Parrett Works, nr Martock

Pitway Hill, South Petherton

Podimore Lane, Podimore

Pretty Oak, nr Combe St Nicholas

Silver Street, South Petherton

Smiths Lane, Fivehead

Steart Hill, Steart

Steart Lane, Steart

Steart Road, Steart

Stocklinch Road, nr Shepton Beauchamp

Tengore Lane, nr Huish Episcopi

Tintinhull Road, Chilthorne Domer

Vagg Hill, nr Chilthorne Domer

Vagg Lane, nr Chilthorne Domer

Victoria Park, Castle Cary

Victoria Road, Castle Cary

Wagg Drove, Huish Episcopi

Yeovil Road, Tintinhull

For more information on surface dressing and the schemes in your area – including a map showing each precise stretch, visit www.travelsomerset.co.uk/surface-dressing.