A PROGRAMME of roadworks is starting in and around Skipton.

Surface dressing by North Yorkshire County Council Highways crews is taking place in the Burnside estate, streets between Broughton Road and the canal and most of the smaller streets in the Middletown area.

The chippings should be swept this week and white lines painted next week.

Preparatory work has started for surface dressing on the Skipton Western Bypass (A629) and Keighley Road. This will continue for the rest of the month.

In addition, there is resurfacing work scheduled for Broughton Road starting on Monday, followed by Keighley Road, Caroline Square and Gargrave Road.

This work will be done using evening road closures from 7pm onwards and will continue into August.

The county council executive member for highways, Councillor Don Mackenzie, said: “Surface dressing offers a quick, efficient and cost-effective way of maintaining skid-resistant and waterproof road surfaces, helping to prevent deterioration.

“It involves spraying bitumen on to the road surface then covering it with a layer of chippings. The process can extend the life of a road by up to ten years.

“We know the process is not popular with some drivers, mainly because of loose chippings, but the speed of the operation and its long-term benefits, as well as the short time for which motorists are inconvenienced, are important factors.’’