Have Your Say in Councils’ On-street Parking Review

Published on: 17 Aug, 2022
Updated on: 19 Aug, 2022

A motorist pays to park in North Street

On-street parking in Guildford is being reviewed by the borough council in partnership with Surrey County Council.

The two councils are asking local residents and businesses to tell them what they think of their proposals affecting 27 locations.

Areas with new parking controls are:

The Town Centre Controlled Parking Zone
Town area
Parish areas

A council spokesperson said: “We have made the way you can share your views on parking proposals easier. You can now have your say on the 27 proposals online and in one place.

“During the first stage we were exploring on-street parking issues and opportunities. The Guildford Joint Committee saw these at meetings in November 2020 and March 2021.’

The authorities are hoping to make changes that will help resolve existing issues and prevent them moving elsewhere. They hope to strike a balance and not be too restrictive to other residents and road users.

Recently SCC gave notice that it would be taking back the management of on-street parking from borough and district councils in Surrey. This measure together with a decision to disband the Joint Committees has been interpreted by some as a move to centralise control within the county council.

Cllr James Steel

Lead councillor for Environment, James Steel (Lib Dem, Westborough), said: “We are asking people to feedback on the proposals. We want to know whether they support or oppose them, giving the reasons behind their views. We are also inviting people to share their ideas and priorities. For example, more enforcement, yellow lines or a residents parking scheme.

“Having your say will help us to make the changes you want to see. It is so important to get involved to help shape on-street parking across the borough. Don’t miss this opportunity to feedback, it may be several years before we look at parking restrictions in these areas again.”

Ways to view the proposal documents:

The full list of locations and the proposals can be seen on the GBC website: Parking Formal Advertisement – List of affected roads and proposed changes to controls.

They can also be seen at The Parking Office at Guildford Borough Council. This is in Bedford Road, Guildford. Please make an appointment with us to view the following documents, free of charge:

the draft order with plans that show the details of the proposed controls
a statement of the council’s reasons for proposing the order
the existing consolidation orders (as amended)

Appointments are available between 9.00am and 4.30pm Monday to Friday. To make an appointment, please phone our customer services team on 01483 505050.

You can also view the documents at:

Guildford Library in North Street, Guildford
Ash Library in Ash Street, Ash
Horsley Library on Station Parade West, East Horsley

Link to survey: https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/parking/

Responses to Have Your Say in Councils’ On-street Parking Review

Jim Allen Reply

August 17, 2022 at 3:15 pm

But the parking SPD, which is the most undemocratic assessment of the parking needs, has already been rewritten and submitted so that only areas with a Neighbourhood Plan can have minimum parking conditions, everyone else will have parking so restricted that there will be no space for visitors.
Valerie Thompson Reply

August 19, 2022 at 8:55 am

Just think about the affordability of parking in Guildford and the effect excessive charges are already having on shoppers and therefore the shops themselves.
- Martin Elliott Reply
  
  August 19, 2022 at 3:39 pm
  
  At least this is a statutory consultation by SCC (with GBC) though it could be a swan song of the Guildford Joint Committee.
  
  As Valerie Thompson says, it’s better than the off-street parking charges and operational changes over the past years.
  Changes such as the shoppers’ 3hr charge for 50 per cent of the car parks just appeared at past council meetings and was implemented a month later with little publicities or notices.
  
  The same happened this year. Having claimed large reductions in revenue (car parking was the largest contributor to GBC above property rent & council tax) the council raised parking rates 25 – 40 per cent. There was a slight delay for shoppers while businesses were consulted!
  
  Now after complaints, the council claims car par usage has virtually returned to pre-Covid levels. But there is still no business case explanation or analysis. What was the objective and did it succeed? What did/do normal parkers think? Why were the excessive fee increases made this year? Was it an unannounced “modal shift” dogma or just a re-emergence of the “cash cow”?
- Nathan Cassidy Reply
  
  August 23, 2022 at 1:05 pm
  
  The effect of increased parking charges on business is likely to be minimal.
  The below quote is about free parking but it is just as applicable to cheap parking.
  
  “Having unlimited free parking can actually hurt high streets by attracting people who are making other trips to park there all day”
  source with references to studies on this issue.
  https://www.sustrans.org.uk/our-blog/opinion/2014/october/free-parking-not-good-for-high-streets
  
  We need to get cars out of our town centre. The space we devote to storing cars should be for parks, homes and businesses.
  
  Also, people need to start travelling more sustainably to town, not driving for 10 minutes when they could walk (obviously this only applies to non-disabled people).
Bibhas Neogi Reply

August 20, 2022 at 8:24 am

I found out last week that evening chargeable hours had been extended from 6.30pm to 9pm on some meters in Guildford town centre.

The last time I used Farnham Road contract car park after 6pm, it was still £1 after 6pm while at the same time Millmead car park already had the extended time to 9pm @ £1.30 an hour.
Sara Tokunaga Reply

August 20, 2022 at 5:15 pm

Judging from our own experience re the “parking consultation” which included Guildford Park Avenue, there is little point in doing this survey.

Restrictions have increased from 8.30am to 6pm Monday to Saturday to 8.30am to 9pm Monday to Sunday.

No thought was given to local residents’ or visitors’ requirements. This is purely a money-making exercise inflicted on a captive market by a very greedy council.
Valerie Thompson Reply

August 20, 2022 at 6:14 pm

So if Millmead car park is now £1.30 an hour the people who enjoy the pub there and attend the Baptist Church, which is also used for rehearsals by several choirs, may think twice about using these places.

I expect it will be the same charge for the large open-air car park [Millbrook] that most people use for the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre – as if the theatre venue isn’t having enough problems after the borough council reduced their grant.

Yet another reason to go elsewhere, other than Guildford.
David Smith Reply

August 31, 2022 at 8:46 am

Go elsewhere, but parking costs are similar in Woking and more expensive in Kingston – that’s if you’re expecting to get a similar retail offer.

If you want to save, shop on a Sunday when parking is cheaper or be prepared for a small walk and park for free. Granted, it’s a steep hill but you can park on the top of Pewley Hill for four hours for free or without charge in the Pilgrims Way / Tilehouse Road area for four hours. The latter is a short, level walk along the Shalford meadow path. There are certainly lots of two-hour bays near the church.

So there are lots of options and with the amount of shops and new openings, Guildford remains popular compared to other centres.

I very much doubt the extra will put anyone off – if you didn’t have the money to park you certainly wouldn’t have had it to pay for theatre tickets.