Preventative road maintenance means looking beyond the next pothole repair.
Councils and contractors need to address immediate defects while keeping existing road surfaces in good condition for as long as possible.
In the past, the main challenge was keeping up with pothole repairs and maintenance schedules within budget. Planned maintenance brought a more
systematic approach, with road surfaces treated at regular intervals rather than only when defects appeared.
However, a worn section does not always mean the entire surface needs replacing. Where the road condition allows, repairing damaged areas can
preserve sections that are still serviceable and avoid unnecessary material use.
Finding damage early gives maintenance teams an opportunity to act before more extensive repairs are needed. The treatment chosen should reflect
the condition of the road, the type of defect and the work required.
For further background, read the Local Government Association’s guide to improving highways maintenance productivity.
Preventative road maintenance in Practice
Measure: Plan preventative work alongside reactive pothole repairs, using regular inspections to identify damaged areas early.
Benefit: Treating suitable defects before they worsen can help extend road surface life and reduce the need for larger repairs.
Any savings in materials, energy and disruption depend on the road condition and treatment used.
The pothole season: Rain, freezing temperatures and thawing conditions can contribute to road damage. When a pothole appears, it needs
repairing. But fixing that individual defect does not deal with weakened areas elsewhere on the road.
With limited budgets, visible potholes often take priority. Preventative work is less noticeable, but both need a place in the maintenance programme.
A planned find-and-fix campaign brings the two together. Teams repair existing potholes, inspect nearby areas and treat suitable damage before
it develops further.
Modern spray injection patching (SIP) machines can support preventative road maintenance by treating localised defects.
Targeted patching does not replace resurfacing where it is needed, but it gives teams another option for maintaining the existing surface.