Road improvement schemes to re-start in Northumberland with new safe working rules in place

They are part of Northumberland County Council’s investment of over £28 million in improvements to the county’s 3,000 miles of highway and pavements over the coming year.

The work will include the council’s annual programmes for resurfacing, surface dressing and micro-surfacing the county’s roads.

The surface dressing programme is carried out on more rural roads and the micro-surfacing in more residential locations - giving a smoother and hard wearing top surface. In both cases road patching is now commencing in readiness for the main treatment programmes which will start in the next few weeks.

In carrying out the planning for these essential works during the coronavirus pandemic, the council has fully considered any risks to both our workforce and the public.

Our highways team has developed and put in place extensive new safe working methods in line with government guidance for construction works during Covid 19, aimed at supporting and enabling all essential works to continue safely.

Coun Glen Sanderson, cabinet member for environment and local services, said: “It’s vital our roads and paths are kept in a good state of repair and some of this work is best done when the weather is warmer.

“However, we take the safety of the public, our employees and contractors very seriously, and will ensure that guidance on social distancing is observed during all of our construction works.

“All of our staff have been briefed on the new working arrangements and have been provided with the correct equipment and welfare facilities for the duties that will be carried out. This will enable them to work in a way that’s safe for everyone.

“We’d also ask drivers to take extra care and follow the speed limit signs on the recently surface dressed roads until essential road sweeping has taken place to remove loose road chippings.”

Surface dressing schemes in the Alnwick area include: B1337Ulgham to Widdrington Station; B6341Thropton to Flotterton; C178Whittingham 30 limits to The Avenue, Callaly; C80Denwick to Peppermoor; C390Swarland to Newton Hall; C106North End Longframlington to Alnwick Ford; C145Longwitton to Netherwitton.

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