Roads get new surface to protect against potholes

About 320 miles (515km) of a county's roads are getting a new surface to protect against potholes.

Norfolk County Council said a thin layer of bitumen and stone chippings would be laid on highways to extend their life and offer a skid-resistant track.

Motorists have been urged to drive slowly while the new surfaces bed in, as the £12m project began on Monday.

Grahame Bygrave, the council's director of highways, transport and waste, said the roads would be given "a new lease of life".

The annual work is due to continue until September and has been partly funded by the Department for Transport (DfT).

Main roads and popular tourist areas were due to be completed ahead of the busy summer season.

Norfolk County Council said it was responsible for 6,000 miles (9,656 km) of roads in the county, excluding private and trunk roads such as the A11 and A47.

A 20mph (32kmh) speed limit would be in place on the affected roads and on freshly laid surfaces, the council said.

Mr Bygrave added: "Maintaining our roads is key to enabling the Norfolk economy to both function and grow, as our highways are vital to every resident, business and visitor to Norfolk."

People living along the affected routes would be notified "a day or two" before crews arrived, the local authority said.

Surface dressing uses a waterproofing seal consisting of a thin layer of bitumen and chippings.

It helps to prevent water penetration and reduces the number of potholes forming in freezing conditions.