As Winter is fast approaching, road repairs will be at their annual peak. Potholes and road imperfections are at a higher risk of forming due to a combination of the cold temperatures, poor weather conditions, and heavy traffic. In fact, the RAC recently reported a massive 31% increase in pothole-related faults attended by its patrols in the second quarter of 2017 compared to the same period last year.
Therefore, emergency repairs will be more frequent, and it is important to be prepared for these by having the correct equipment available for immediate use. This is often difficult to achieve due to importing and stock space, however, it is possible and highly recommended in order to be able to carry out the most efficient repair jobs.
Having a range of repair products available allows emergency repair call outs to be as quick and reliable as possible, saving costs in road closures or related to accidents caused by defects in the road. It is ideal to keep these products close to hand, so they can be reached immediately before leaving to carry out the repair job, otherwise ensure they can be accessed as quickly as possible. Meon always has stock ready to go, which is available to be picked up almost immediately after purchase.
Preventative methods should also be taken to ensure roads are kept to the highest quality throughout the Winter weather. Crack repair is vital to keeping roads in good condition, as many forms of road damage begin with just a crack in the road’s surface. Crack repair can be carried out in two ways – overbanding and infill:
Infill, however, is a liquid which is poured into the crack and sets. Therefore ‘filling’ the damage in the road. you can find out more about crack infill HERE.
Overbanding is made from a preformed thermoplastic material and is laid over the top of the damage before being melted into it with a torch. Click HERE to find out more.
Ensuring line markings are clearly lined out and free of damage is also important in preventing any accidents from occurring. Unclear markings could cause confusion in motorists and result in a potential accident. As well as this, the Winter weather is most likely to bring poor road conditions such as snow, rain, and sleet. These all reduce road visibility, so the use of reflectivity embedded within the road markings is highly encouraged. This can be achieved through the use of glass beads, which are laid over the top of newly-marked lines.
You can also increase safety by adding slip-resistance where needed and ensuring and existing slip-resistant coatings are up to scratch. Anti-slip paint contains a ‘gritty’ texture (achieved either by an additive or chemical enhancement) to increase the friction of a surface. This reduces the chances of a person or vehicle slipping in icy conditions and therefore resulting in an accident. Due to the amount of traffic the markings would be facing, the paint would also need to be highly durable, so as to not wear down and lose any of its SRV.
Preparation is one of the most important steps in Winter repair jobs. Emergency/responsive repairs will be at its annual peak, therefore solutions will have to be easily accessible.
To find out more information on this subject,
email mail@meonuk.com or call 023 9220 0606.
