Lancashire County Council has confirmed an additional 59 roads will be subject to resurfacing or preventative surface treatments after councillors agreed a £5 million increase to the highways budget earlier this year.
Scope of the programme
The extra schemes are spread across 41 separate projects covering routes in the county area administered by the council (not including Blackpool or Blackburn with Darwen). Once the new schemes are added, the council says the total number of roads scheduled for upgrade in the 2026/27 financial year will exceed 160, with overall projects rising to 121.
The work comprises a mixture of full resurfacing and so-called surface dressing — the latter being a preventive treatment designed to seal carriageways and reduce water ingress that can worsen cracking. These programmed upgrades are distinct from reactive pothole repairs that occur during the year.
Where the work will be carried out
The list obtained by the Lancashire Post shows the additional schemes include streets in towns across the county, with at least six projects identified for both Preston and Chorley. The council has said the extra funding will be used to address the most needy routes according to engineering assessments of condition and risk.
- 59 additional routes
- 41 individual schemes
- More than 160 roads to be upgraded in 2026/27
- 121 total projects after the boost
"Nobody had been given a 'sweet deal'", County Cllr Warren Goldsworthy said, responding to concerns about how the extra funding had been allocated.
At full council, Conservative group leader Aidy Riggott sought reassurance that decisions on where the additional money would be spent were driven by data rather than political lobbying. County Cllr Goldsworthy reiterated that the allocation of the extra £5m was based on condition data identifying routes in greatest need.
| Metric | Figure |
|---|---|
| Additional routes added | 59 |
| Individual schemes | 41 |
| Planned roads in 2026/27 (total) | More than 160 |
| Total projects | 121 |
What this means for drivers and residents
Resurfacing and surface-dressing programmes can lead to temporary lane closures and traffic management measures while work is carried out. The council's emphasis on preventative treatments aims to extend the life of carriageways and limit the need for more disruptive and costly repairs in future seasons.
Further details on the precise roads and the timetable for work have been published in the list obtained by the Lancashire Post. Residents concerned about individual streets should consult the council's highways webpages or contact their local county councillor for confirmation of schedules and any planned traffic arrangements.
The decision to top up the highways budget and publish the expanded programme follows a council resolution in May and reflects ongoing pressures on local infrastructure funding amid competing priorities.
