Bradford streets covered with tarmac to be repaired soon

As these photographs show, sections of intricate paving near the historic, Grade I-listed Wool Exchange have been ripped up and covered over with unsightly black tarmac.

It’s due to major gas works which were carried out earlier this year, but there has been concern the stones won’t be replaced.

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A section has been dug up and replaced outside Waterstones bookshop on Hustlergate, as well as on Tyrrel Street, close to Nationwide, and outside Tiffin Coffee on Bank Street.  

Bradford Council said specialist crews are needed to replace the cobbles and it will be monitoring the sites to ensure the work is done.

And Northern Gas Networks said it’s in the process of finalising the details so the work can be done.

The company’s operations manager said the work involves materials that are not ‘off the shelf’.

A Bradford Council spokesperson said: “These areas will not be left as tarmac and will be fixed as soon as the utility companies who have done the work have arranged for the work to be carried out.”

The spokesperson added: “Specialist crews are needed to replace cobbles and the utility companies need to make time to arrange for these crews to come out and do the work.

“Hopefully this will be done as soon as possible, and we will be monitoring the sites to ensure the work is done."

Chris Green, Northern Gas Networks Operation Manager, told the Telegraph & Argus: “Residents and shoppers can be reassured that the areas in question will be restored to their former glory as soon as possible.”

He added: “We carried out an extensive mains replacement project during the summer to ensure the continued safe and reliable supply of gas to Bradford customers. As part of the scheme, it was agreed with the city’s Highways Department that we’d temporarily backfill with tarmac in order to speed up the work minimise disruption.

“Using a temporary solution also enabled us to work out exactly how much pavement needed to be reinstated.

“The materials required to do this are not ‘off the shelf’ products and specialist contractors are required to carry out the work.

“We’re in the process of finalising the finer details so we can return to complete this as soon as possible.

“We’re grateful for the continued understanding of city centre users in the meantime.”

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