Letter: Guildford Is Heading For Traffic Disaster Under Current Plans

Published on: 18 Nov, 2015
Updated on: 18 Nov, 2015

Guildford Park Road car pk development - Artist's Impression

Guildford Park Road car park development – artist’s impression

From Bibhas Neogi

The Guildford Park Road car park site, according to Guildford Borough Council’s (GBC) own briefing, has poor access. It is stated in the earlier documents on development of various sites in Guildford.

Relocating the existing 400 car parking spaces plus providing for around another, say, 100 for the new houses on the site, the access to this site would remain inadequate.

GBC’s plan for the town centre traffic options do not yet include a bridge over the tracks and Solum Regeneration have made no provision for it either through their site.

In fact the council says such a bridge would be expensive. If their Town Centre Master Plan (TCMP) scenario 1 goes ahead, there will be no access to the east of the town from Guildford Park Road over Farnham Road Bridge. I can see no sense in carrying out developments without proper provision of road access and network at the same time.

Systematic and well engineered solutions are of paramount importance but the council would rather pin their hopes that a modal shift with majority walking and cycling into the town would somehow solve the traffic problems.

As far as I can see Guildford is heading for a disaster if the council’s plans are carried forward with either TCMP scenario 1 or 2 when traffic would come to a stand still during peak hours and pedestrians would still have to cross the busy Onslow Street.

See: Council Mounts Exhibition of Guildford Park Road Car Park Development Plan

Responses to Letter: Guildford Is Heading For Traffic Disaster Under Current Plans

Jim Allen Reply

November 18, 2015 at 2:39 pm

Sometimes I think other people can put it better than me – and yet again I’m proven right!
Mike Pugh Reply

November 18, 2015 at 3:51 pm

If I am not mistaken, the access to the car park site is also the only possible alignment for Guildford Vision Group’s proposed link between Guildford Park Road and Woodbridge Road, with a new bridge over the railway and river.

Such a useful link road would go a long way to solving the traffic issues with the current gyratory system, and any redevelopment of the car park should not prejudice the possibility of its construction.
- Bibhas Neogi Reply
  
  November 21, 2015 at 8:14 am
  
  Guildford Vision Group’s (GVG) proposed link would not be the only access if the existing access is maintained and a one-way system is introduced. If the current access is made one-way into the site and the exit route is on the GVG’s link, I think that would be a good solution.
  
  I suggested this bridge over the tracks at this location back in 2010 and how this could be constructed with very little interference to the trains to allay Network Rail’s fear of disruption.
  
  I have shown this on my website that could be found by searching for ‘revamp guildford gyratory’. I did not suggest the route through to Woodbridge Road at the time so as not to blight the properties en route but now that this is in the public domain, I would support the extension of the route to meet up with Woodbridge Road.
  
  Furthermore, replacing Yorkie’s footbridge with a road bridge would diversify access to this site in addition to enabling bus routes from the west to access the station directly if a connection is made with the extension of Station View through the site that is currently occupied by Jewsons.
  - Bibhas Neogi Reply
    
    November 23, 2015 at 8:32 am
    
    I would like to add the advantage of a relocated bus station on Mary Road car park site or somewhere close depending on other developments of nearby sites.
    
    My suggestion includes splitting the bus routes to connect with the railway station and the town centre in such a way that user convenience is enhanced compared with the current location of the bus station.
    
    Incoming routes from the north and the east would use Woodbridge Road to connect with a mini hub integrated with the Friary extension, exit to it and turn left at Leas Road. Buses going to the railway station would proceed to the Friary Bridge or Bridge Street depending on how the gyratory is redesigned. From the railway station the buses would go through a one-way Walnut Tree Close (WTC) to the bus station on a new bridge over the River Wey.
    
    Incoming buses from the west and the south would either go to the railway station or to the bus station directly via Bedford Road. Buses coming through the university would cross the replacement of Yorkie’s footbridge and go to the bus station through a two-way WTC up to the new link over the river.
    
    Outgoing buses would use the opposite directions and maybe Laundry Road as well for those that would go directly to the north or east (ie not going via the Friary mini hub).
    
    Buses would therefore use three different routes and thus reduce congestion on the network and yet maintain the ease of use for both passengers and the bus drivers.
    
    All this is included on my website under “Bus routes & station or hubs” and sketches showing the mini hub and the bus stops and shelters in the ‘Link now showing all sketches’. I consider this to be part of the holistic approach to traffic solutions. Other suggestions for the gyratory that are compatible with this are also included in the website as are possible improvements to the A3.