Ash Level Crossing Will Close Before Opening of New Road Bridge

Published on: 23 Nov, 2024
Updated on: 23 Nov, 2024

Ash Road Bridge to be Named Chester Bridge CGI

By David Reading

The opening of the new Ash road bridge – which was scheduled for today (Saturday) – has been postponed until January. And well in advance of the opening, Ash level crossing will be closed to traffic – a move that has left many residents bewildered.

The postponement has been announced in a short news release from Guildford Borough Council which lacks any explanation about why the opening has been put back. The Dragon had been enquiring about the situation for a month but had received no answers until the arrival of the four-paragraph news release on Friday.

The lack of this essential explanation is puzzling enough, but in addition the release provided no detailed information about crucial road closures that are about to take place.

These have been revealed to some residents in a letter from the contractors Volker Fitzpatrick, which arrived less than 24 hours before today’s scheduled opening and announced the postponement of Phase Five of the project until early December.

This letter states: “Phase five is expected to take approximately nine weeks. This will involve closing the level crossing to motorised traffic and the full-depth reconstruction of Ash Church Road between Britten Close and Foreman Road.”

That section of Ash Church Road will be closed while the work takes place.

One person who is bemused by the news is Cllr David Shaw (R4GV, Ash South), who responded: “Closing the crossing without opening the bridge is almost certainly going to lead to frustration and confusion with lengthy and potentially dangerous diversions that are simply not appropriate.”

There was consternation, too, on social media.

One contributor described the situation as “the worst case of planning I’ve ever seen.”

Another has made this appeal to Cllr Matt Furniss (Con, Shalford), who is Cabinet member for Transport at Surrey County Council: “Please can you look into this? Closing the level crossing before opening the bridge seems completely crazy! Especially for nine weeks…. If there’s anything you can do we’d all be grateful!”

Another contributor directs a question to Jeremy Hunt, MP for Godalming and Ash: “What are you doing to ensure the railway crossing is not closed to traffic until the bridge is open? This proposal is crazy.”

Another raises the issue of local buses asking the question: How will the No.20 bus to Guildford be redirected and what provision has been made for passengers?

The letter to residents lacks any explanation about why the bridge opening has been postponed. No details have been released on the proposed new diversion routes, leaving residents to inevitable speculation. There is a feeling that any diversion could be lengthy or hazardous, or both, especially as possible diversionary routes have narrow bridges or lack footpaths.

The four-paragraph media release from GBC gives minimal information:

“Phase Five of the Ash road bridge project is being postponed. Work is now expected to start in early December. The new bridge (named Chester Bridge) will open in the New Year.

“To ensure the final administrative details are complete, it has been agreed that it would be prudent to wait until January to open Chester Bridge, rather than schedule an opening date in the run-up to Christmas.

“The new dates will be confirmed as soon as possible, together with details of a new diversion route for cars and light vehicles to use between the start of Phase Five and the opening of the new bridge.”

Lead councillor for Regeneration, Cllr Tom Hunt, is quoted as saying: “It is disappointing to have to postpone Phase Five and the opening of the bridge. We will announce new dates as soon as we can.”

The question about why there are “final administrative details” in a project that has been discussed for at least six years is unanswered.

Cllr Shaw said: “It’s not so much about the bridge not opening on time that has got local residents so concerned, but the fact that, having worked six and sometimes seven days a week for over a year now, with little respite from the noise and dirt, they are starting phase five without consideration of the further impact this will have on the local area and residents.

“Closing the crossing without opening the bridge is almost certainly going to lead to frustration and confusion with lengthy and potentially dangerous diversions that are simply not appropriate. Site workers informed some local residents that the bridge would be delayed back in October, but the project team have delayed announcing this to residents. I am very disappointed that, having been in the construction phase since July 2023, there is are still ‘final administrative details’ to be resolved. Who is responsible for this?”