Preserving road with setts - Setts

[beechpave]

I live in Stockport on an adopted "no through road" that is paved with setts (much like the image used on the Setts help pages on this website). The road is in a Conservation Area and one of the few surviving roads of this type in the area.

The problem we have is that the Council has no policy for the repair of these road surfaces and the residents are concerned about its future. A particular concern for us is that a section of the setts has sunken along the full length of the road (forming a hollow that fills with water in the rain). Also, there are some cracked setts and gaps in the joints between some setts. The council's view on the hollow is that to fix it, the whole road surface needs to be relayed and this is beyond their budget. The only solution they can offer is to tarmac the whole road - or, they say that they are 'happy' to leave it as it is.

I would like to discuss this further with the council and maybe look at ways that residents could help. For example, could we be 'trained up' to do minor repairs as and when necessary? Where the setts have sunken, is it worth filling the joints or, if the base layer has failed would this be a waste of time? Please forgive me if I'm using the incorrect paving terminology here!

I would really welcome any thoughts on this situation. Or, if anyone knows of another community group that has done something similar.

Thanks

[r896neo]

If it has sunken along the length in a straigish line but the rest is quite flat there could be a leak or broken sewer under there.

As for repairs, it is possible to repair areas of setts but really having residents trained to repair them will not work, they are incredible time consuming to lay and need skills as well as knowledge.

Even lifting the setts and cleaning the mortar off them ready for re-laying will be incredibly laborious.

If you can get the council to lift the setts and pile them up then repair the sub base and put in kerbs then the residents paid for the setts to be re-laid that might be a goer?

Laying setts ain't cheap though.

[beechpave]

Thanks for your reply.

Yes the setts have sunken along the length in a straightish line - and the line follows the line of the sewer. United Utilities have had a look for us and put a camera along the pipe but said there was no sign of damage. They have reported their findings to the Council but no more has been said about what could be causing it. It's not a hugely deep hollow but it is visible and a bit of a worry.

Do you think we could just get the sunken section re-laid or have to do the whole road? Because it has a camber, I think the man from the Council felt it would all need doing. Also, I think he said it can fail if only part of the road is repaired. Any idea how much it would cost for us to pay someone to re-lay the setts? To give a rough idea of the length, the road has 20 small terraced houses on each side - typical late 1800s style.

Thanks

[seanandruby]

How much have they sank and how wide? maybe it is just a case of taking them up and repairing, they could of been laid on dodgy subsoil. maybe a photo of the ruts would help us. Could you take out a small section and investigate?

[lutonlagerlout]

cookie noony and someone else whose name eludes me on here lay setts
I have a feeling the overall price is around £180-220 per metre supply and fix
half decent repair might be best
LLL

[lutonlagerlout]

http://www.originalstonepaving.co.uk/

http://www.buildpaveandscape.co.uk/

cheers LLL

[tarmal & Co]

If its a adopted road you cant just start relaying setts its classed as public highway, you would have to use council approved contractor road opening permits etc, good luck with council

[cookiewales]

If its a adopted road you cant just start relaying setts its classed as public highway, you would have to use council approved contractor road opening permits etc, good luck with council

have worked on many major roads i.e. royal mile Edinburgh major streets in dublin never been council reg some pictures to advice would help for costings

[beechpave]

Finally worked out how to attach photos!

I've got 3 photos which I'll add one at a time as I'm not sure how they will appear:

This view is of a length of the road with a hollow area along the sewer line.

[beechpave]

This view is from the side

[beechpave]

And this view is a bit closer

[digerjones]

On the first pic the manhole cover looks like a gully top. I would say the setts have been layed originally. Like this for the water to run down.

[beechpave]

I don't think this is the case. We've lived in the road for many years and it was pretty level until more recent times. The road surface deterioration has been very obvious in recent years and this hollowing effect has become more noticeable. The two roads next to ours were layed at the same time (in the early 1900s) and don't have a this. I don't know if it is relevant but all the other manhole covers along the road have closed tops.

[r896neo]

There is something happening in or around that pipe. It's far too linear and right on the line of the pipe to be a coincidence. Either it is damaged or has been undermined or water is tracking along it somewhere causing voids and settlement of the sub base

[beechpave]

Presumably there is no point in relaying the setts if the source of the problem is not fixed? United Utilities sent a camera along the pipe and say it is intact which means the local authority needs to take a look - which they are not volunteering to do!

IF the cause can be fixed, could the sunken area be repaired? Or, will the whole road need relaying as the Council man said?

Thanks for giving your time on this.