The Subway Art Project hosted a reception on 1 December to celebrate the refurbished subway

Brightening up a busy subway

The Norfolk Strategic Partnership between May Gurney and Norfolk County Council has completed a project to brighten up the county's busiest subway - and to make it vandal proof.

The lighting in the St Stephen's Street subway in Norwich, which was installed just five years earlier, had not proved to be as vandal resistant as expected. Persistent emergency call outs to repair vandalised fittings led to the decision to replace the old fittings with something more robust.

Brightening up a busy subway

To ensure vandals could not get their hands behind the new fittings voids within the walls were filled. The result is a row of lights that appear to be made-to-measure

The height of the subway and the varying angle of the cornice proved challenging. To ensure vandals could not get their hands behind the new fittings a number of voids within the walls were filled. Once the lights were in place a baton was secured between the ceiling and the lanterns to fill a small gap. The finished result is a row of lights that appear to made-to-measure.

Following the lighting revamp, the council's bridge maintenance section painted the ceiling, cleaned the tiles, and refurbished the direction signs to complete the subway overhaul.

"The scheme shows how a coordinated partnership approach can benefit the public," says Andy Trench, Lighting Engineer with T Cartledge (May Gurney's specialist street lighting arm). "In the past replacing the lighting and maintaining the subway may not have been linked as easily as they were in this instance."

Brightening up a busy subway

The county council, May Gurney and T Cartledge have received many complimentary comments from users about the new-look subway, and the improved feeling of safety.

The 54 pieces of art on display in the subway were removed while work was carried out, and the 'Subway Art Project' hosted a reception on 1 December to celebrate the refurbished subway.

Share price
Available shortly

(delayed by 15 minutes)

A sustainable approach

May Gurney's stated goal of 'Being the best' construction and support services company is accelerating its progress in working with customers to develop more sustainable ways of doing business. more>

The National Engineering & National Construction Recruitment Exhibition

14-15 November
Earls Court, London

Click here for further information.

2007 - an award-winning year more >