5 Signs Your Road Needs Resurfacing

The roads of Sussex, Surrey, Hampshire and Kent frequently handle huge levels of traffic. From motorways like the M3 that see increased use over holiday periods to A roads like the A2270 between Eastbourne and Polegate that see some of the longest delays in the country, many of our roads take a pounding.

With an estimated £12.17 billion spent on roads across the 23/24 financial year and a record £1.6 billion being set aside for pothole repair in 2025, you’d think our roads are in fairly decent condition with that kind of money being spent.

Unfortunately, it couldn’t be further from the truth.  Figures released by the National Audit Office showed that only 48% of local roads in England, excluding London, were classed as being in good condition, with 17% classed as poor and 35% as adequate. These numbers alone show we are still some way from having safer and more durable road surfaces across the nation.

In our role as surfacing specialists for a host of southern counties, we witness first-hand the issues road users are facing. Some are clear problems; others may emerge slowly. So, in this blog, we’ve highlighted the key signs your road needs replacing.

1.    Potholes

We’ll start with an obvious one. Potholes are a huge problem all over the country. There are five main causes of potholes, and among them are poor road installation and a lack of maintenance. Potholes can cause injury to pedestrians as well as damage to vehicles and once present, can only get worse.

When dealt with quickly, compensation as well as repair costs can be kept minimal, leave it too late and the expense soon racks up. It’s also worth investigating what land the road was built on. Should soil be beneath the surface, you might find potholes more common than you had hoped.

2.    Cracks

Another obvious one but one that goes largely unnoticed for too long. As rainwater seeps in, cracks become larger and deeper until they present a hazard to drivers and pedestrians. It can be a slow process but the longer it is left untreated, the larger the damage will be. This process is sped up when the weather turns cold and rainwater in the cracks freezes and then thaws. The age of the road plays a large part in this too as over time, the surface wears down, eventually cracking.

3.    Poor drainage

If a road has inadequate drainage, water can pool on the surface. This can lead to flooding or large areas of surface water that compromise the ability to drive. This alone can lead to accidents, however, where water sits on the surface for a long time, it gradually erodes the surface. This can cause the stability of the road to be compromised and lead to cracks, potholes and severe degradation.

4.    Faded road markings

A simple repainting could be all it requires but faded markings and road signs could also be an indicator of when the road was last replaced or repaired. Whilst neither of these sounds like large issues, the potential confusion it could cause drivers may open the door to accidents.

5.    Rutting

Rutting commonly occurs on roads with heavy traffic flow. Sometimes unnoticeable, rutting is where dents or grooves appear on the road surface due to excessive use. It can make driving uncomfortable but also cause your vehicle to act more erratically. When at its most minor, there isn’t much cause for concern, but should it be extremely prevalent, the road may need repairing to help keep people safe and protect vehicles from damage.

It would be unwise to jump to the conclusion that a road needs to be completely resurfaced without a thorough investigation from surfacing contractors. That way you can have a clearer idea of optimal materials, timeframes for completion, costs and what plans may be needed to divert traffic and pedestrians. Our team at Tidey & Webb are on hand to help. We can send our experts to your affected areas and carry out a careful assessment. We then work alongside you to deliver a premium long-lasting road surface. Covering road surfacing in Kent, Sussex, Surrey and Hampshire, all it takes is a quick call or an online enquiry and our commercial surfacing experts can help you rectify your road issues.