What's happening in Elm Road?

The simple answer is that it has been closed to traffic, because it is about to be resurfaced.

You've probably read in the national press about the pothole crisis. The severe weather this winter has really damaged the surface of the roads, so in the last few weeks the engineers have been out surveying every road in the borough.

There are three kinds of repairs that can be done. The cheapest option is patching, where the pothole is filled in and levelled. Next comes resurfacing, where the surface of a whole stretch of road is removed and then new tarmac applied.

The third option is for a complete rebuild of a road. This is done when the underlying structure beneath the tarmac surface has become damaged and deformed, so the builders have to go down a foot or so to replace the materials. This option is very expensive.

The engineers have decided that some local roads need substantial urgent repairs. Buses do damage the roadway, so it's not surprising that most of the roads in most urgent need are heavily used bus routes. Unfortunately that also means that buses have to be diverted while the repairs are going on.

Elm Road is being resurfaced rather than completely rebuilt. The stretch of Moor Lane from Gosbury Hill to the bridge will be done next.

Also due for resurfacing are Stormont Way and Woodgate Avenue (which will be done in two phases so the buses can continue).

Garrison Lane, down near Chessington South Station, will need to be completely rebuilt in the next few months and buses will have to be diverted. More about that nearer the time.

In the meantime, patching will be done across the borough on all the other roads damaged by the weather, although it will take some time to get around the hundreds of miles of roads.