176,000 square metres of road to be resurfaced, treated or repaired

A programme to resurface, treat and repair thousands of square metres of road will begin next week.

35 roads covering 176,000 square metres have been included on our planned maintenance programme for 2025/26.

Find out which roads we’re going to be treating.

In April 2025, Cabinet agreed to spend more than £8 million on improving roads, pavements and transport infrastructure.

• Almost £4 million will be spent on improving our roads
• An extra £2.1 million will be spent on addressing immediate problems on our roads, including potholes
• £620,000 on improving pavements
• More than £3 million will be spent on improving safety and accessibility and creating space for active and sustainable travel.

Image: Hillside in Bevendean was resurfaced earlier this year as part of the 24/25 programme

Fixing roads most in need

Councillor Trevor Muten, Cabinet member for Transport and City Infrastructure, said: “Improving the condition of our roads is a key priority for this council. The programme for 2025/26 will see 176,000m2 of road treated, which I know will be welcomed by residents and road users.

“We’re going to be working very hard in the coming months to fix roads that have fallen into an unacceptable condition following years of underinvestment. Brighton & Hove has up to £1.6 million more this year compared to last year to spend on roads, pavements and other highway assets.

“This plan will see us prioritise the areas most in need of improvement over the next 12 months. With more we will do more.”

More information

Using our data-led approach, roads are resurfaced, treated or repaired based on criteria such as its condition, importance to the network and proximity to key services, as well as site assessment, affordability and coordination with other planned work.

The kind of work can vary – we aim to give the road the right treatment at the right time to prevent potholes and damage forming in the first place.

This ‘prevention is better than cure’ approach is also more cost-effective. It can cost on average £200/m2 to repair a pothole in a failed road, but just £10/m2 to treat a good road.

Types of treatment

Micro-asphalt - Applying a layer of micro-asphalt makes the surface smoother, skid-resistant and watertight and can extend the life of the road by around 10 years, reducing the need for ongoing pothole repair.

Machine patching - This is used to repair damaged sections of a road surface such as potholes or cracks. Small areas are repaired to restore the road's integrity and improve its condition.

Carriageway resurfacing - The existing road surface is replaced with new asphalt or macadam (tarmac). The existing road construction is removed to the required depth before being reinstated with new material.

Reclamite - This is a spray treatment that reverses the detrimental impact of weather on our roads, preventing cracks and defects, which lead to potholes.

As well as the work to improve the roads, we’ll also be treating almost 9,000m2 of pavement to help seal cracks and holes, smooth the surface and extend its life by around 10 years.