Letter: Beechcroft Drive – We Disagree With Highways England Findings

Published on: 12 Mar, 2019
Updated on: 12 Mar, 2019

Beechcroft Drive – Google Maps

From Arjen Naafs

In response to: Highways England Confirms No Improvement Work On Deadly Junction

Thank you Guildford Dragon NEWS for following this up. The statement in the story was completely new to us because there was a delay in communication from Highways England, caused, I accept, by an unintentional error.

We obviously disagree with the findings that no work should be done, though we welcome that the “gap” remains open. The focus of Highways England (HE) has been on the “gap” and not on alternative access and has been wrong from the start. ASP [Aspirational Strategic Project] 10 of the Guildford Strategic Transport plan has always been about alternative access, not closing a gap and HE has been once again done studies to do studies.

For us it very interesting to note that this decision was only taken by the agency days after we debunked their claim that it was legally too complicated. Maybe they needed another curtain to hide responsibility behind?

Just by doing nothing, the problem doesn’t just go away. We will continue to show that safe solutions do exist and hold authorities to account.

We have replied to HE with the following: “We are pleased to note that the gap will not be closed (this was at least the third time in as many decades that this issue had come up) and are grateful for the support we have received on this. We do regret that the focus of the past studies has been on the gap and not on the alternative access but are looking forward to the suggested joint process of addressing this and will follow-up soon.”

We are grateful to the Guildford Dragon NEWS for providing a platform for the community to speak out.