Quarry Street to be Closed for Four Months to Allow Gas Mains Renewal

Published on: 21 Dec, 2019
Updated on: 22 Dec, 2019

Quarry Street, looking south towards Shalford.

By Martin Giles

Quarry Street in Guildford town centre is to be closed for up to four months [Correction: this article originally stated the closure would be for four weeks.] to allow replacement of gas piping in a phased project costing £335,000.

Cast iron gas mains will be replaced with plastic pipes to “ensure a continued safe and reliable supply”.

The plan of work has been agreed between utility company SGN and Surrey County Council and will start on Monday, February 10. The project has been split into four phases to help minimise disruption and each phase will last approximately four weeks.

Quarry Street, looking north towards the High Street.

Dan Brown a spokesman for SGN said: “We’ll be progressing from its northern junction with A281 Millbrook to its southern junction with that road. To ensure everyone’s safety, a section of Quarry Street will be closed to motorists around our work area during each phase.

“Quarry Street will be closed between its junctions with A281 Millbrook and Mill Lane during phase one. We will also reverse the one-way restriction on Mill Lane so access can be maintained via Millbrook.

“We will then be working between Mill Lane and Castle Street, where the road will be closed between these junctions. Mill Lane will be closed at its junction with Quarry Street for everyone’s safety during phase two.

“During our third phase of work, Quarry Street will be shut between Castle Street and Castle Hill.  We’ll also need to close a section of Castle Street at its junction with Quarry Street. Castle Street will, however, be temporarily made two-way east of this junction.

“We’ll need to close Quarry Street between Castle Hill and Racks Court around our phase four work area. Temporary access to the southern end of Quarry Street from A281 Millbrook will be available to allow access to Racks Court, but we’ll need to install temporary traffic lights at this junction for everyone’s safety.”

Quarry Street – Google Maps

Signed diversions will be in place for affected motorists. Pedestrian access to homes and businesses will be maintained throughout. All businesses in the area will remain open as usual during our work.

Cllr Matt Furniss (Con, Shalford), lead councillor for Highways at Surrey County Council said: “The SGN gas mains replacement project to replace old cast iron gas mains which have reached the end of their useful life, is required by HSE and OFGAS, the industry regulator.

Cllr Matt Furniss

“These works have been deferred by our Street Works Team for several years to avoid clashes with various other conflicting works, but cannot be postponed any longer. SGN recently held a public drop-in session at St. Mary’s Church to discuss residents’ concerns and consider how best to mitigate the impacts of closures and to consider creating bespoke access plans.

“Surrey officers are meeting SGN representatives again early in the new year to further discuss methodology, closure timings and diversion routes, which are especially challenging here, in order to ensure every opportunity has been considered to best mitigate disruption.

“A later phase of the same project requires replacement of old gas mains on the A281 itself and Surrey officers are in discussion with SGN reps about how best to plan and execute these works.”

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