'We failed' on historic Surrey Street in Sheffield officials admit

Officials have admitted they should have done better policing repairs on historic Surrey Street in Sheffield city centre.

It was left a mess of black patches after contractors dug up cobbles to lay pipes, install bollards and make repairs.

But many are still there after reinstatement deadlines were breached.

Mick Crofts, director of business strategy and regulations, said: “That’s our failure, clearly what has happened has not worked.”

That included contractor Amey ‘self-monitoring’ its own repairs, which was “open to abuse,” he added.

Coun Mark Jones, cabinet member for street scene, said: “We have to hold our hands up, we should have done better.”

Both men joined The Star for a walk along the road, which boasts the Grade I listed Town Hall and six Grade II listed buildings including the Central Library, Channing Hall, The Graduate pub, numbers 67 and 69 and Leader House.

It is also home to the Montgomery Theatre, Tudor Square and the Winter Garden and is the main pedestrian route from Midland railway station into the city centre.

Mr Crofts said Veolia had laid new district heating pipes, starting last summer, and it was allowed six months to let them settle. Repairs would now start on February 27.

Amey has said it will reinstate other areas, some of which were old last summer, by the end of April.

Mr Crofts said they enforced contracts and there were penalties.

Coun Jones added: “We are paying for a service and if we don’t get it we expect our money back.”

Amey would focus on city centre road maintenance for a year from spring he added.

And they welcomed reports from readers.

“Eyes and ears are good. Many people have walked past the patches on their way into the town hall but it’s not triggered them. We sometimes need people to give us a nudge,” Coun Jones added.

But on the whole, Amey was doing a “fabulous” job Mr Crofts said, adding: “There’s far more right than there is wrong.”

Darren Butt, account director at Streets Ahead, which is part of Amey, said they were committed to ensuring the surface is restored.