We maintain the road network in the Falkirk Council area, including:
- Roads and pavements
- Signs and lines
- Street furniture (bollards, guardrails, barriers etc)
- Bus shelters
- Verges
- Road drains
We also provide a 24 hour response to emergencies within the road network.
How to report a road defect
You can also contact us via telephone or email:
For the latest updates on road closures and traffic disruptions please visit Scottish Road Works Online and Traffic Scotland
You can also follow us on Twitter.
Follow @FCRoads
Surface dressing
One of the ways we maintain our roads is by surface dressing.
This seals the surface of the road to prevent water damage, improves surface
texture and prolongs the life of the road.
It is a quick, efficient and economic method of road maintenance, usually undertaken between
May and August.
How we notify you about work
Notices will be erected in the road stating when the work will start.
Please do not leave your car parked on the road or footways when the work is due
to start.
At the start of the work, traffic control measures will be put in place for the safety
of our staff.
The process
The surface dressing process is very weather dependent and cannot be applied to wet
or cold roads or during high air humidity levels or very high road temperatures.
The process is:
- the road is swept and cleared
- bitumen is spread across the width of the road
- chips are spread on the road
- the chippings are embedded using a roller - the movement of traffic also helps the
material to embed
- following completion of the work there will be some stone loss - this will be removed
by a suction sweeper in stages with the first sweep normally taking place one or
two days after the initial process
- traffic signs will be left in place advising of the risk of loose chippings and
showing an advisory speed limit
- when there is no further loss of chippings, temporary signage will be removed
- further sweeping may be necessary if there is continued stone loss
Depending on traffic flows, it can take up to 6 months for the road to reach its
finished state.
What to expect during work
Generally, work will be carried out between 8am and 6pm.
There will be no on street parking during these times.
Vehicle access to properties will be possible most of the time during the works,
but you may experience delays while the work is either in progress or immediately
after the material has been laid.
Please drive slowly whilst travelling through the site. This is to protect our employees
and your vehicle.
Pedestrian access to properties will be maintained throughout the works.
Our employees on-site will be happy to help if you need assistance.
The material will remain wet for between 15 and 40 minutes after it has been laid,
depending on the temperature and humidity.
Please do not drive or walk over roads sprayed with bitumen emulsion until the surface chippings
have been spread.
For a short time, particularly if the weather is warm, there may be small areas of
bitumen that are still soft. Please take care. If you have to walk on the new surface
please check your shoes before entering the house or getting into your car. Pets
should also be checked for any sticking bitumen.
Road Surface Treatment Association (RSTA) video presentation of treatment type
For further details on the surface dressing application process please watch the
RSTA information video: