Extensive footway resurfacing programme gets underway

An extensive footway resurfacing programme is due to get under way in Plymouth on Monday 10 August.

Around 60,000 square metres of ‘slurry seal’ will be laid in 61 locations across the city, on footways that are showing the first signs of deterioration.

Slurry sealing is used as a preventative measure; as well as filling defects, levelling the surface and making it waterproof, it also protects against future damage and the need for complete reconstruction at a later date.

The work will be carried out by the Council’s highways contractor Amey, alongside its year-round footway repair programme. A separate eight-week programme is also under way on more damaged footways, where the whole surface is removed before being reconstructed using paving slabs or bitumen macadam.

Councillor Brian Vincent, Cabinet Member for Streetscene, said: “Much like micro-asphalting on our roads, slurry sealing is a cost-effective way of stopping damage in its tracks and extending the life of our footways, as well as providing safer, trip-free surfaces for pedestrians. It makes more financial sense in the long run to seal whole footways than to keep refilling individual defects.”

Work is being carried out on the following roads during August:

Lipson Road
Monday 10 to Friday 14 August

Greenbank Avenue
Thursday 13, Friday 14 and Monday 17 August

Gascoyne Place
Monday 17 and Tuesday 18 August

Beaumont Place
Tuesday 18 and Wednesday 19 August

Gaskin Street
Tuesday 18 and Wednesday 19 August

Tothill Avenue
Wednesday 19 to Friday 21 August

Tothill Road
Thursday 20 and Friday 21 August

Desborough Road
Friday 21 August

Grenville Road
Friday 21 and Monday 24 August

Brentor Road
Monday 24 and Tuesday 25 August

Cathcart Avenue
Monday 24 and Tuesday 25 August

Regent Street
Tuesday 25 to Thursday 27 August

Fort Austin Avenue
Wednesday 26 to Friday 28 August

Footways will be pressure-washed and verges cleared of vegetation before slurry seal is applied. Works will be carried out from 8am to 5pm on all days. In most cases access for pedestrians will be maintained, either on existing footways or via a temporary walkway.

The programme is expected to be completed by October.