Letter: Councils Should Think Further Before Finalising Bus Station Plan

Published on: 27 Feb, 2022
Updated on: 26 Feb, 2022

The current exit from the bus station onto Leapale Road

From: Bibhas Neogi

In response to: North Street Regeneration Progress Reveals Dissent on Bus Station Proposal

Surrey County Council engaged consultant Mouchel who proposed entry from and exit to Woodbridge Road of the redesigned bus station in 2001 with a revision in 2005.

In the above proposal, there was to be a right turn from northbound Onslow Street into Woodbridge Road as Cllr Tony Rooth had mentioned. York Road roundabout was to be converted into a signalised junction and Leapale Road was to become a two-way road.

I believe this proposal was rejected possibly due to the delay that would have been caused to traffic by allowing the right turn from Onslow Road. So, why resurrect it? What has changed?

Relocation of the bus station on Bedford Road surface car park site was the best location out of 10 locations that consultant, Arup, explored for the council, but it was rejected by the bus operators because access to it for buses from the north and the east was via the gyratory and fraught with delay.

The bus station could be relocated in Bedford Road provided a holistic approach to reducing congestion is taken. I have proposed possible improvements to gyratory traffic, but as a minimum by building a bridge from Walnut Tree Close to Mary Road and then traffic proceeding to Leas Road. This would take a lane of northbound traffic away from the gyratory and enable much better access to the bus station from Onslow Street.

My ideas have been referred to many times here in The Guildford Dragon. A relocated bus station in Bedford Road would create a transport hub with the railway station, connected via the new Walnut Bridge. This document can be found in: https://tinyurl.com/traffic-and-bus-station.

GBC and SCC should explore the possibilities before deciding on retaining the bus station in its current location and signing the contract for the sale of land.

Responses to Letter: Councils Should Think Further Before Finalising Bus Station Plan

Sheila Brown Reply

February 27, 2022 at 8:49 am

It is vital that the bus station should be retained in its present position. This is centralised for everybody shopping. The railway station is too far for a vast percentage of people to walk with heavy bags.
- Bibhas Neogi Reply
  
  March 21, 2022 at 10:53 am
  
  I would ask Sheila Brown to read my document and she will see that no one has to walk from the town centre to the bus station if it is relocated in Bedford Road. Incoming buses from the north and the east will drop off and pick up those wanting to go to the new bus station from a mini-hub of multiple bus stops near the existing bus station.
  
  In my view, the proposed “north-in and north-out” at Woodbridge Road is unworkable due to traffic congestion and delay to the buses that would be caused. Such a proposal has been rejected before.
Calum Shaw Reply

February 27, 2022 at 9:42 am

A lot of the discussion around the bus station doesn’t mention the convenience for the traveller which is really the most important thing. That means having a drop-off by the shops.

Do we actually need a bus station which has buses waiting around eg while drivers take a break? I suggest that simply having a number of stops is fine and would take far less room. Drivers needing a break could have a depot away from the shopping area.
H Trevor Jones Reply

February 27, 2022 at 12:45 pm

Buses stopping at a multitude of central stops may be fine for the locals who know where to wait for their own local bus, but it makes life more difficult for me when in a strange place as a visitor on holiday, especially if I’m not well versed in the local lingo.

I remember once catching a bus from a Portuguese town, having to take a long walk to its out-of-centre bus station to be sure of finding the right bus, only to find that it then called in the town centre (adding to journey time) at stops I could never have identified when in the town centre.
Sue Warner Reply

February 27, 2022 at 9:57 pm

They have been thinking about this since 1984 that I know of (if not longer) how much more time do they need?