LANCASHIRE County Council faces having to fork out more than £850,000 for repairs after soaring temperatures melted roads.

The summer heatwave led to road surfaces softening in some places, which can then stick to tyres, and make the surface slippery.

At the time, gritters were deployed to put down granite dust on sticky spots to provide a protective layer.

But now the county council has revealed it is gearing up to spend £854,000 on repairing the worst-affected roads because they had become a skid risk as a result.

Plans to address problem roads in Chorley borough, include: Barmskin Lane/Bannister Green/Bannister Lane in Eccleston, Westway in Euxton, Syd Brook Lane/Grape Lane in Mawdesley and Croston, and New Lane, Eccleston.

County councillor Keith Iddon, cabinet member for highways and transport, said: “On one hand we have been grateful for the good weather this summer as it has allowed us to make good progress with the repairs to our roads which were needed after the particularly cold, wet, winter.

“On the other hand, the prolonged spell of hot weather caused the bitumen to soften on roads all over the country, including here in Lancashire, causing some new damage in places.

“This means we now need to revisit those locations where the bitumen bled through to the surface to ensure we maintain skid resistance.

“We have done what we can to improve traction in these places over the short term by applying fine grit.

“But if the proposal is agreed by cabinet we will be using a process involving high pressure water jets to remove the excess bitumen and re-establish the surface texture with the necessary skid resistance.”