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The work forms part of the council’s Out When It Counts campaign, which runs year‑round to ensure crews are on the network at the right time - whether responding to winter weather or carrying out planned maintenance once the colder months are over.

Councillor Richard Overton, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Highways, Housing and Enforcement said: “With winter now behind us, the focus of our programme shifts to early intervention works that protect road surfaces and prevent smaller issues from becoming major problems.

“We’re fixing and protecting roads early, before problems like potholes appear. By treating the road surface sooner, we can keep it safer, slow down wear and tear, and make it last longer instead of waiting for it to break down.”

One of the main treatments being used is surface dressing, sometimes known as tar and chip. This seals the road surface, protects it from water damage and restores skid resistance.

The council’s surface dressing programme begins this week and is expected to take around three weeks to complete, and all sites have already been patched to prepare the road surfaces for treatment with kerbs replaced, including drop kerbs where necessary.

The work involves applying an initial layer of tar and chippings, followed by embedment and sweeping to bed the surface in, a second ‘lockdown’ application to secure the chippings, and finally the reinstatement of road markings once the treatment is complete.

This type of maintenance helps roads last longer by slowing down surface wear, maintains grip, cuts down on major disruption by avoiding large‑scale resurfacing work, and offers better value for money because treating roads early costs far less than carrying out full repairs later on.

Temporary traffic management will be used where needed to keep road users and crews safe while the work is carried out.
The surface dressing programme will take place on Southall Road (from Southall Way to Brookside Avenue), Mosclay Road, Hadley Road, Pemberton Road Estate in Admaston, Crowdale Road Estate in Shawbirch, Station Road and Blacksmith Hill in Wrockwardine Village, Aston Lane from the B5061 in Aston, Bluebell Lane in Walcott up to the boundary near the missing bridge, and Main Road in Waters Upton. Residents are thanked for their patience while these works are completed.

Much of Telford’s highways infrastructure, built rapidly during the New Town era of the 1960s and 70s, is now reaching the end of its original design life. As a result, key structures, junctions and commuter routes across the borough are undergoing targeted renewal to ensure long‑term safety and performance.

The project is part of a major programme of road improvements planned for 2026, focused on safer streets and better journeys across the borough, supported by £91 million of funding.

The Council added that this approach contributes to accolades such as being one of the top eight local authorities for reducing potholes over the last four years and at the same time, achieving top rankings for several years including 2025 in the National Highways and Transport (NHT) survey.~

Residents can check current and upcoming works at Telford & Wrekin Council | Planned highways and transport projects