WJ Group: “Act now to tackle road safety risks caused by bitumen bleed”

As winter brings colder temperatures and wetter conditions, WJ Group is urging highway authorities not to overlook the safety risks associated with bitumen bleed, which develop during the summer months but often become most hazardous during colder months.

Roads that have received multiple applications of surface dressing are susceptible to what is known as binder bleed or fatting. In summer months this excess of bitumen softens and migrates to the surface under traffic loading. This creates smooth, slick patches reducing surface texture.

Whilst binder bleed generally occurs during summer, the safety consequences are exacerbated from autumn through to spring. When road surfaces are more likely to be wet, frosty or icy. 

Under these conditions, the lack of texture significantly increases the risk of skidding, longer braking distances and loss of vehicle control. However, these risks can occur at any time of year, particularly during periods of rainfall.

Despite this, opportunities to address bitumen bleed are frequently missed. If left untreated surfaces can remain smooth and slippery, with safety risks persisting throughout colder months. 

By the following summer, rising temperatures can cause further binder bleed making treatment more difficult and pushing effective intervention back to a second winter.

Early intervention is key to effectively manage loss of skid resistance. Undertaking the hydro retexturing process in cooler conditions (autumn to spring) results in a more effective treatment. This is when the bitumen is more stable and brittle.

WJ Group’s hydro retexturing and surface retexturing treatments can be carried out throughout the winter months, removing excess binder and contaminants while reinstating macrotexture and consequently skid resistance. This enables highway authorities to eliminate safety risks early, rather than allowing them to persist or worsen over multiple seasons.

Treating affected sites during winter also supports a more proactive and planned approach to network maintenance. With lower traffic volumes and fewer large-scale resurfacing schemes typically taking place, targeted interventions can be delivered with reduced disruption while ensuring roads are prepared for the stresses of the following spring and summer.

Leigh Foster, Specification Manager at WJ Group, said: “Bitumen bleed is created in hot weather, but its safety impacts are often felt most acutely in winter, when smooth surfaces are exposed to rain, frost and ice.

“If the issue isn’t addressed early, the opportunity to treat it effectively can be missed, leaving roads at risk for much longer than necessary.

“Winter provides the ideal conditions to remove excess binder, restore texture and deal with the root cause of the problem before it compromises safety again. By acting early, highway authorities can move away from reactive responses and take a more preventative, long-term approach to network safety.”