Monday 25 June, 2007

Visitors to Guildford town centre can now enjoy a newly refurbished route to the River Wey following the re-opening of Friary Passage.

Mayor of Guildford, Cllr Mike Nevins officially opened the pathway on Thursday (21 June) following extensive environmental improvement work.

Cllr Jenny  Wicks, Lead Councillor for Environment, says: "The council is committed to providing a clean and safe borough, and this improvement work is just one of the many projects we are working on. Friary Passage was identified as an area that needed work by the Subway Working Group, part of the Local Strategic Partnership, which includes the borough council, Surrey Police and Surrey County Council. The improvements should make the passage more appealing to pedestrians as a way to and from the riverside."

The pedestrian footway, which links the River Wey with Friary Street has been transformed by removing the suspended ceiling to open up the space. New lighting has been added together with a new colour scheme. Anti-graffiti paint has been used to help maintain the passage.

Improvements to other town centre subways, including Haydon Place and Bridge Street are planned over the coming months.

This initiative is part of Guildford Borough Council's commitment to improving residents’ local surroundings, by focusing on issues that matter most to them such as a cleaner, safer and greener environment.