Road Maintenance Programme

When and where we're performing scheduled maintenance on our roads.

You can report potholes or other non-emergency problems related to roads or utility works on our report a problem page.

On this page:

Highway Improvement Programme

All road maintenance work scheduled to be carried out by West Berkshire Council is listed in our Icon for pdf Highway Improvement Programme [273KB] .

Roadworks that are not listed in our programme are most likely being carried out by another organisation, such as a utility company.

You can check all current (and some future) roadworks using our Roadworks in West Berkshire interactive map. The map includes contact details for the companies carrying out the work.

Please note: to view future scheduled work on the interactive map, adjust the drop down menu in the top right of the map to the time period you would like to view.

Our duty and responsibilities

With the exceptions of the M4 Motorway and A34 Trunk Road, which are maintained by National Highways, West Berkshire Council is responsible for maintaining all of the adopted roads and pavements in the district.
(An adopted road is a highway that was privately-owned but has become a public road, managed and maintained by the local highway authority).

Under the Highways Act 1980, we have a duty to maintain our local road network in a safe and usable condition. We follow national guidelines and standards by carrying out routine safety inspections on roads in our area.

If safety issues are found or reported, for example potholes, we will firstly assess the report. If necessary, we will aim to make these safe within 2 to 24 hours (depending on the severity of the defect) from the time the repair instruction is passed to our contractor. Temporary repairs to potholes are then followed up with a permanent repair within 28 days, unless the road is due to be fully resurfaced as part of our Icon for pdf Highway Improvement Programme [273KB] in the near future. Our pothole guidance [225KB] gives more information on what we do to repair potholes in West Berkshire.

In addition to the routine safety inspection, we carry out more extensive repairs in order to improve the condition of the local road network. These works include resurfacing and surface dressing, and we have included further information on routine maintenance below.

How sites are chosen

Our asset management team make sure regular condition surveys of our roads are carried out. This is to comply with the requirements set by the Department for Transport.

The data from these surveys is combined with other known information, such as the amount of reactive maintenance that has taken place. The team will then use this information to help identify the areas that need work.

See our Icon for pdf Highway Asset Management Plan [1004KB] for more information.

Treatment types

Works will generally fall into one of the following categories:

Carriageway resurfacing

This is the replacement of the surface of the road with a new surface layer (between 30 to 105mm of new asphalt). Sometimes the existing road will be overlaid with the new surface, but generally the existing surface will be removed and a new surface put in its place.

Carriageway structural repairs

This involves replacing the structure of the road. Repairs can be as much as 450mm deep. Often these repairs will specifically target the edges of roads, referred to as 'carriageway haunch repairs'.

Carriageway surface treatments

These are surface applied treatments intended to help prolong the life of the carriageway by sealing it to prevent water damage. In some cases the treatments also help to restore skid resistance. There are many different types of surface treatments, including:

surface dressings
asphalt preservations

These are all quickly applied and are efficient, cost-effective methods of treating roads.

Footway resurfacing and preservation

We resurface and preserve our footways, kerbs, blocks and slabs where necessary, depending on their condition, usage and defects. We use a variety of treatments, from applying a thin surface, such as slurry sealing, to a full reconstruction.

Footway resurfacing

Similar to carriageways, footway resurfacing is the most expensive treatment option available and involves the replacement of the surface course and substructure where it has deteriorated extensively. The existing layers are removed and a new surface is laid.

Footway preservation (slurry seal)

Footway preservation (slurry seal) is a low-cost, preventative maintenance process, designed to seal in the surface of a structurally sound footway and extend its life. It fills in minor depressions and voids and provides a more even surface, improving the quality.

Slurry is a mixture of bitumen emulsion, aggregate and water, which is spread over the existing footway. Before laying, we may have to prepare the existing surface by cleaning, weed spraying, minimal patching and raising ironwork.

Drainage

The cleansing of highway gulleys (drains) is performed routinely based on the risk of blockage.

Drainage works can vary but will involve:

investigating and identifying defects
replacing existing damaged highway surface water systems
replacing soakaways or ditches
highway pond maintenance

Not all surface water systems are our responsibility, and maintenance of almost all ditches in the district, including roadside ditches, are the responsibility of the landowner. Foul water systems are mainly under the ownership of water authorities.

Road emergencies

A dedicated two-man emergency team in a specialist vehicle is on standby 24 hours a day to deal with issues or emergencies, such as:

removal of fallen trees which are blocking the highway
removal of debris following traffic accidents
clearing oil and diesel spills
replacing or arranging replacement of missing or broken manhole covers
attending to knocked down street lights and bollards
removal of dead animals
filling or making safe dangerous potholes

If you encounter an issue on the highway which you believe is hazardous, please report it to us.