Letter: I’m Excited By Council’s Plans for North Street and the Bus Station

Published on: 30 Oct, 2022
Updated on: 30 Oct, 2022

From: Mark Worley

In response to: Bus Operators Want ‘U-Turn’ on North Street Bus Station Plans

As a Guildford resident, I’m excited by the current council’s efforts in moving North Street and other town centre developments forward after so many years of inaction.

I am chair of the North West Surrey Bus Users’ Group, which covers the boroughs of Woking, Elmbridge, Runnymede and Spelthorne. Whilst we don’t cover Guildford, many bus users from our area are regular users of buses into Guildford.

I am very much in favour of retaining the bus station on its current, site which is optimal for passengers, but share the concerns of the bus operators and Surrey County Council on the smaller size, access arrangements and lack of facilities in the redesign proposal.

This is a one-off opportunity to build a facility that Guildford can be proud of and which should be future-proofed mindful of expectations that bus services will return to pre-Covid frequencies or better, Park & Ride routes will return fully and be expanded further and new routes serving new out of town developments will be introduced.

I recognise the reality of the financial trade-off between a slightly larger bus station and the viability of the development but I’m hoping a compromise solution can be reached, which might need to include a small reduction in the proposed pedestrianised area.

Responses to Letter: I’m Excited By Council’s Plans for North Street and the Bus Station

Bibhas Neogi Reply

November 15, 2022 at 9:32 pm

Mark Worley is enthusiastic about the proposed refurbished bus station but he shares the concerns of the bus operators and Surrey County Council on the smaller size, access arrangements and lack of facilities in the redesign proposal.

SCC has raised objections as to how the traffic would be redirected after stopping up of Woodbridge Road and Commercial Road and the effect on traffic when the entry and exit are both located on the north of the bus station.

GBC is apparently satisfied with the favourable findings of the two expert transportation consultants they have engaged. I look forward to reading their reports but as far as I am aware they are not yet made available to the public.

I think there is a possible solution but it requires a design that keeps the refurbished bus station but almost the same size. Further alterations to the bus route from the south and the west and other traffic routes are also required for the north entry and exit to work properly.

North Street is best pedestrianised like High Street, ie closed to traffic between 10am and 4pm and one-way extended from Onslow Street up to Leapale Road junction.