Tunsgate Improvements to be Completed in June, Says Councillor

Published on: 29 May, 2018
Updated on: 29 May, 2018

Work on the resurfacing of Tunsgate with Granite Setts underway in February.

Work on the footpaths and road behind Guildford’s iconic Tunsgate Arch will be finished by the end of June says Deputy Council Leader Matt Furniss (Con, Christchurch).

A close up of the multi-coloured smooth-faced granite setts.

A council press release said the work will enhance: “…the town’s appeal as one of the key shopping locations and visitor destinations in the south-east.”

Cllr Matt Furniss

Furniss, who is also the lead councillor for infrastructure and governance, said: “Following the opening of the new Tunsgate Quarter it’s great to see work almost finished to improve the surrounding area. We want a vibrant and thriving town centre and this is just one part of our vision to regenerate and improve what Guildford has to offer.

“The improvements will create a larger attractive pedestrianised area close to Tunsgate and the castle. This makes it easier to walk around this historic part of our town and provides a more cosmopolitan feel with opportunity for al fresco dining.

Replacing the Tunsgate footpaths with Yorkstone paving and granite kerbs and renewing the road surface with granite setts has visually uplifted the whole area.”

Guildford Borough Council funded the project in partnership with Surrey County Council, who has responsibility for roads. Surrey County Council appointed Kier as their main contractor following their successful relaying of the granite setts in the High Street.

The first repair of the High Street setts since they were relayed last year (2017). Some have commented that the uniform grey colour of the setts used and the mortar work does not match the original.

The second works, on a water supply in late May, that required new setts to be lifted.

Responses to Tunsgate Improvements to be Completed in June, Says Councillor

Brian Holt Reply

May 29, 2018 at 12:45 pm

Deputy Council Leader Matt Furniss (Con, Christchurch), has said the pavements and roadworks at Tunsgate will be finished by the end of June. Presumably that is this year!
Peter Smith Reply

May 30, 2018 at 7:32 am

I reported the first sub-standard repair work to Surrey County Council in November 2017. SCC informed me they have contacted Thames Water, the service company responsible, who have agreed that these setts will be replaced with the correct type by the end of June, this year.

Many thanks for providing this extra information. Ed
Dave Middleton Reply

May 30, 2018 at 9:10 am

While I have often said that I’d rather the work on the Tunsgate setts took a little longer and was done properly, rather that be rushed and need redoing in a few years, I have to say that the photo above of the workmen standing about doing nothing, is an all to familiar image that I see when I pass by the site.

It’s not unusual to see one guy laying the setts, one guy handing them to him and three or four others leaning on shovels, “supervising”.
Anna-Marie Davis Reply

May 30, 2018 at 2:28 pm

I am concerned to read Peter Smith’s comment above. Thames Water should not be carrying out this work, they should be charged for the materials and the time of the specialist stonemasons, and the repair should be organised by Guildford Borough and Surrey County Council, to exacting standards.

And I expect the invoices sent to the utility companies for the professional repairs to the High Street, and the subsequent receipts, to be made public. It is inconceivable that the repairs should be paid for from the public purse.

It is clear that no one at either council is in the business of holding private companies to account for shoddy work, one only has to look at North Street and the sporadic dumping of loose tarmac in potholes around the borough to see that.

If Guildfordians were told to pay top dollar for the relaying of the setts given the specialist nature of the task, then profit-making private companies should do so also.

I watch this developing situation with great interest.
- Peter Smith Reply
  
  June 1, 2018 at 9:39 am
  
  My comments were obviously confusing.
  
  The original reinstatement work was, I believe, carried out by Thames Water contractors.
  
  Following a number of email exchanges with Surrey County Council, they have now agreed with Thames Water, to employ the original company that relaid the High Street and complete the work properly.
  
  Having seen the other site, outside of the House of Fraser store, I would hope that this is also going to be reinstated in the correct manner by a specialist company.
Bernard Parke Reply

May 30, 2018 at 2:40 pm

I was informed that the full cost of the work was to be funded to the sum of £835,000 (which includes extra bricks for when the present ones in use wear out) by Guildford Borough alone, although highways are really the responsibility of Surrey County Council, not GBC.
John Beynon Reply

May 31, 2018 at 3:34 pm

Two comments/questions:

1. Why on earth could the setts that had to be lifted not have been numbered and replaced exactly as they had been, thereby avoiding any mismatch of colour and, incidentally, saving money on new setts?

2. If GBC is so concerned at making the town centre attractive to shoppers why does it apparently not care about the appalling state of North Street?