Footways in Tudor Drive in Otford will be resurfaced with works starting next Tuesday, 3 January. The works are expected to last for around ten weeks and will be undertaken in daytime hours (between 7 am and 5 pm).
Some concerns have been raised with me as to whether this would make the footway more slippery in winter conditions, and also whether these works should be a high priority at a time when money for highways works (and much else) is tight.
On the first point, Kent Highways officers are categorical that the surface will not be more slippery than the current concrete slabs (if anything, the aggregate in the asphalt should give a better grip).
Regarding the second concern, the works are linked to the Highways Asset Management Programme, which is a comprehensive assessment of the condition of highways assets (not just roads but bridges, structures, drainage etc.) across the county. Kent Highways is now spending a great deal more on asset (and in particular footway) preservation as opposed to the more expensive renewal; if works to preserve footways are undertaken at quite an early stage then the life of the asset can be extended, perhaps by decades, avoiding future deterioration and the need for it to be renewed at greater cost. It was with this in mind that Tudor Drive was put forward by the local highways team and validated by our pavement engineers.
Hopefully disruption can be minimised in the course of these works (there should always be accessible footway on the other side of the road when a section is being worked on) and they will deliver a lasting benefit.
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