How we prioritise the highways maintenance programme

We are responsible for the maintenance and repair of all 1,400 kilometres of Denbighshire roads which provide access to jobs, schools, services and businesses. It is essential that we spend our Capital funds in the most cost-effective way possible and therefore prioritising roads that need works require thorough consideration.  Our approach uses a number of criteria including:

• Skid resistance issues – these are identified by the annual surveys
• Road priority – greater priority given to A and B roads due to their greatest usage and speed limits so risk to users is greater
• Communities – to have at least one good quality road
• Isolated properties – access when there is a risk of them being cut off

The programme will include a variety of methods:

• Surface dressing and Micro asphalt to prevent deterioration – these save money in the long run ‘a stitch in time saves nine strategy’
• Jetpatcher to treat localised areas
• Patching of other roads to save deterioration

This criteria and method of treatment ensures that the available funding is used on roads that are in greatest need of treatment in a fair and consistent manner across the county, whilst also fulfilling our statutory duty to keep roads safe. The draft programme is discussed at Member meetings for their feedback and once agreed is developed into the programme for the year and publicised on our website.

Below are some examples of works that have been undertaken in the County.