Why have the gritters been out in summer?

With hot days and nights, stones and dust have been spread over 'leaky' roads, whose bitumen has been bleeding up to the surface due to high temperatures.

Chris Riley, the Highways Maintenance Operations Managers at Worcestershire County Council, explains how the hot nights have not allowed the roads to release the heat energy they accumulate through the day. With surface temperatures in excess of 60 degrees Celsius, a recycled material of road stone and dust is scattered over the road surface, to improve grip and absorb some of the chemicals.

He explains which roads are targeted and what drivers should watch out for when it comes to spotting which parts of the road are more at risk.

Alistair Binney reports.