ROADS across East Sussex will become safer and smoother this summer as they are given a new lease of life.

A total of 24 roads in the county have been included in this year’s surface dressing programme, and will be given a makeover between July 23 and August 2.

Surface dressing, where roads are coated with hot tar and chippings, improves safety by providing better grip and can extend the life of the carriageway by up to 10 years.

Cllr Nick Bennett, lead member transport and environment, said: “Surface dressing helps to extend the life of a road and protect it from frost and water damage which can lead to potholes.

“It allows us to create a smoother and safer ride at the fraction of the cost of replacing the entire road surface.

“We appreciate that the work will cause some small-scale disruption, but it has been scheduled to take place during the school holidays when there is less traffic on the road to keep the disruption to a minimum.”

East Sussex Highways contractors will be carrying out work on 18 miles of road, covering an area of more than 175,000 square metres – roughly equivalent to around 25 football pitches.

The programme of work includes roads in Hartfield, Crowborough, Wadhurst, Robertsbridge, Northiam, Eastbourne and St Leonards.

Some roads will have a stop and go board system in place to manage traffic, while others will be closed to traffic as work is carried out – diversion routes will be in place on these roads.

The work is expected to take between half a day and one-and-a-half days on each road.

Anyone wanting to find out more information about forthcoming roadworks can visit www.eastsussexhighways.com/surface-dressing

Roads included in the scheme this summer;

Burwash Road, Burwash

Beech Green Lane, Withyham

Shovelstrode Lane, Ashurstwood

Butcherfield Lane, Hartfield

Sheffield Park

Alice Bright Lane, Crowborough

Fletching Street and Coggins Mill Lane, Mayfield

Fairglen Road and Faircrouch Lane, Wadhurst

Brinkers Lane, Wadhurst

Jonas Lane, Wadhurst

Knowle Lane, Heathfield

Lower Wick Street, Selmeston

Pevensey Bay Road, Eastbourne

Catsfield Road, Crowhurst

Bexhill Road, St Leonards

Red Barn, Ashburnham

Stream Lane, Sedlescombe

Swailes Green, Ewhurst

Poppinghole Lane, Robertsbridge

Bishops Lane, Robertsbridge

Station Road, Hurst Green

Bodiam Road, Bodiam

Tufton Lane, Northiam

Church Lane, Iden