Bus Lane To Be Suspended On A25 Parkway After Dragon Readers Campaign

Published on: 15 Sep, 2021
Updated on: 15 Sep, 2021

Going soon: the bus lane on the A25 at Parkway, Guildford.

By Hugh Coakley

The bus Lane on the A25 through Parkway, Guildford, is to be suspended in early October, Surrey County Council announced today (Wednesday, September 15).

It follows campaigns by Dragon readers Anthony Mallard and Mark Davis.

See Dragon letters Bus Lane On A25 Parkway Must Be Suspended Or Used and What Is Going On With The A25 Parkway Bus Lane?

Up to a week ago, Surrey’s response to Mr Mallard had been: “There is no plan to remove the bus lane, however, the situation will be monitored.”

Signage on the bus lane, that is bordered by Stoke Park, will be covered up “shortly” before all traffic will be allowed to use it.

The Guildford Dragon NEWS contacted Surrey County Council on September 9, receiving a response confirming the bus lane suspension five days later.

Cllr Matt Furniss.

Surrey County Councillor Matt Furniss (Cons, Shalford) said today: “Your communication is very timely as it was in fact agreed last week that we will suspend this bus lane. Signage will be covered shortly.

“This reflects the changes to the bus routes and enables us to monitor the impact and decide on the most appropriate course of action longer-term. The forthcoming review of the park and ride bus services will assist in determining the long term need, or otherwise, of the A25 bus lane.”

Mr Furniss had said in a press release in July 2021 on boosting Surrey’s bus services there would be “significant improvements from this month, following over £5 million investment to enhance bus travel for residents”.

Work is said to be completed in Guildford by spring 2022, including redesigning roads at locations where buses currently get held up, trialling upgraded traffic signals to detect late-running buses, change signal timings in their favour and improved bus stops, including better waiting areas, new shelters, more live bus departure screens and accessibility improvements.

Cllr Fiona Davidson

Cllr Fiona Davidson (R4GV, Guildford South-East) said: “I’m very pleased that Cllr Furniss has updated your readers and that a daft situation has been removed.

“We need to make travelling by bus a more comfortable, effective and cost-effective proposition for everyone. Improvements are very long overdue, although I’m not sure that a £5 million investment across the whole of Surrey will go very far.

“I’m hoping that the review of park and ride services will produce a more innovative means of deploying these buses to join up different areas of Guildford.”

The letters to The Dragon attracted many comments supporting the view that the bus lane was causing unnecessary congestion. One reader noted the bus lane had not been used for nearly two years since the park and ride route moved over to London Road. Another said it was an “absurd situation”.

Responses to Bus Lane To Be Suspended On A25 Parkway After Dragon Readers Campaign

Brian Holt Reply

September 15, 2021 at 9:09 pm

Please can someone explain why there are no buses running on Saturdays and Sundays to and from the Spectrum Park and Ride car park? Passengers were waiting there for buses last Saturday at 2.10pm. We had to tell them that no buses operate at weekends. How many more passengers wait there not knowing this?
- C Errett Reply
  
  September 17, 2021 at 9:26 am
  
  Guildford Borough Council cut the funding for the Arriva 101 service, after it had spent most of 2020 suspended, the service was officially withdrawn 1/4/21.
Steve Grove Reply

September 15, 2021 at 9:18 pm

Common sense wins the day with regard to suspending the A25 bus lane, but why is it going to take about three weeks to cover the signs. Of course, we are talking of the SCC actually doing something.
Stephen Collins Reply

September 16, 2021 at 12:49 pm

Hope we don’t now end up with two lanes of standing traffic.
- Jeremy Pattison Reply
  
  September 24, 2021 at 12:57 pm
  
  No. The bus lane signs have been removed but we still have one long line of standing traffic and the occasional Dragon reader making the most of the new space on the left.
  
  It could be helpful for those less up-to-speed if a few “Bus Lane Suspended’ signs were displayed.
Jim Allen Reply

September 16, 2021 at 8:17 pm

How many drivers will realise it is suspended without its total obliteration. A simple notice will be ignored by 80% of motorists.
Geoff Hammond Reply

September 17, 2021 at 12:26 am

It`s been a waste of money from the beginning.
A W Derbyshire Reply

September 17, 2021 at 1:41 pm

A good result. Let’s remove the bus lines in Woodbridge Road next in order to stop pollution from queuing vehicles. A further help would be to reopen the subway by the old Debenhams site and remove the traffic lights.
Gina Redpath Reply

September 19, 2021 at 8:21 am

I do hope that the Park & Ride at the Spectrum will be fully operational on Car Free Day. Like Mr Holt, I cannot understand why it does not operate at weekends when many people (my family included) catch a train from London to enjoy the Spectrum.
Alan Cooper Reply

September 19, 2021 at 6:05 pm

For quite a long time the No. 100 Park & Ride bus route from Spectrum to town has been changed to go via the AA roundabout to London Road and into town. Why was money wasted on this bus lane that is now apparently obsolete? It took a long time to prepare and is bound to have been expensive. Will bus companies reimburse the council, or is this more taxpayers’ money wasted by council?

Why wasn’t the initial route using Stoke Road into Parkway and return tested first before this apparent extravagant change of route was implemented.
George Potter Reply

September 19, 2021 at 7:48 pm

Very glad to see common sense prevail, but just a few weeks ago, in response to questions about this at the Guildford Joint Committee, County Cllr Matt Furniss [Con, Shalford] was insisting that the bus lane would remain open so it could be used by Gosden Hill Farm when it’s eventually built.

Why the sudden change of heart? Surely it’s nothing to do with the recent press attention!

Well done indeed to Mr Mallard and Mr Davis.

George Potter is a Lib Dem county councillor (Guildford East) an borough councillor (Burpham).
Tom Mackenzie Reply

September 25, 2021 at 4:49 pm

Nobody driving along the A25 has any idea the bus lane is suspended so there are still single lane queues along the road with no use of the bus lane.

Can someone in the council not realise that just taking the signs down and leaving “Bus Lane” painted on road does nothing but cause confusion. Can a sign saying “Bus Lane suspended indefinitely” be put up?