Letter: I Welcome Action to Make Bridge Street Safer for Pedestrians

Published on: 10 Nov, 2020
Updated on: 10 Nov, 2020

Temporary widening of the footpath on Bridge Street has caused traffic jams in the town centre.

From Anjum Ahmed

In response to: Anger At Traffic Jams In Town Centre

I welcome action being taken to making Bridge Street more passable on foot. In fact, I read of a proposal from 2014 to make Bridge Street pedestrianized outright, and I am quite happy with that idea too.

I say this totally selfishly, as someone who doesn’t drive but cycles and walks. However, it is regrettable how aspects of the current trial have been carried out.

The widening is not continuous along the full length of Bridge Street adding to the confusion over the intention of the works.

This definitely confused me. When I last walked over the bridge, I didn’t use the extra space because I didn’t know what it was for.

Responses to Letter: I Welcome Action to Make Bridge Street Safer for Pedestrians

Howard Moss Reply

November 10, 2020 at 12:39 pm

Anjum Ahmed may wish to consider how much additional pollution is being generated by all the cars sitting with engines running whilst queued up the Farnham Road, especially outside Guildford County School. I note the comment re the barrier not being continuous – I presume whilst walking or cycling they may have noticed the Tesco store. Its delivery lorries need to pull in to unload.
Anna Deadman Reply

November 10, 2020 at 1:16 pm

I think this is good news too but I’m not sure it is very successful in isolation. We live on Portsmouth Road and before lockdown had constant queues of traffic outside our house as a result of the gyratory changes. I hope other measures will be introduced alongside this but I don’t feel that hopeful. I’ve just seen work being done near the rail bridge on Walnut Tree Close where they had created some sort of turning area. Is this in advance of the one-way plans for this road?
Ross Connell Reply

November 10, 2020 at 2:52 pm

I assume Anjum Ahmed is aware that it is possible to walk safely from Guildford railway station, cross at the lights on Walnut Tree Close, turn left and pass through a pedestrian corridor on the right that leads to Onslow Street, thereby avoiding the pavement alongside Bridge Street?
Peta Malthouse Reply

November 12, 2020 at 3:31 pm

Those of us who have to come into town from the north of Guildford have had to contend with the closure of Walnut Tree Close and huge queues on the Farnham Road. The only other way in is the A3 / Woodbridge Road route. Given that queues in the morning from the A31 to the A3 back up to a point before the Puttenham/ Wanborough Junction perhaps an alternative could be tried?
https://www.surreycc.gov.uk/roads-and-transport/roadworks-and-maintenance/roadworks/walnut-tree-close-guildford-one-way-system

Of course, I understood that there were to be improvements to the A3/A31 junction but I have now heard that the money for that has gone