The rural roads of North Yorkshire are set to receive a boost this month as North Yorkshire County Council will complete its biggest ever roads surface dressing programme.

North Yorkshire is the largest authority in England and its 5,000 mile road network connects market towns, villages and major towns throughout vast rural regions. The overall road distance would more than stretch from England to Pakistan.

The picturesque region attracts visitors from throughout the world and maintenance of the roads is a top priority for local authorities as they must be fit for purpose for residents, business and tourism.

As a result, the region is increasing how much it spends on preventative road maintenance, which has bucked the national trend, in order to reduce the cost of pothole repair and reactive patching.

By the end of this month, North Yorkshire County Council will partner up with contractor Ringway to surface dress approximately 400 miles of road, an unprecedented amount, as part of a process that combines chippings with bitumen.

At present, the County Council currently spends around £65 million a year on road maintenance, which is a significant amount more than it has previously.

The additional money comes from a £44m pot being spent between 2014-21 to bring more of the road network up to scratch, particularly across rural areas.

Cllr Don Mackenzie, North Yorkshire’s Executive Member for Highways, commented: “Surface dressing also helps to keep roads safe, improving skid resistance.

“In more urban, densely populated areas and on estate roads we are also now using a system called lock-chip, which binds the chippings to improve safety.

“In addition, we aim to complete this programme every year before autumn when the weather deteriorates. This minimises costs and improves the life of the material.”

Many businesses in North Yorkshire are situated along minor rural roads, so their upkeep is vital to the success of trade.