Letter: We Only Lack The Will To Create A Better Cycling Infrastructure

Published on: 8 Aug, 2017
Updated on: 8 Aug, 2017

From Ciaran Doran

Guildford roads are no older than those in Cambridge and some other towns in the UK that have successfully installed dedicated, safe, separate cycling infrastructure.

We will never get sensible cycling infrastructure, reduce air pollution and remove congestion from the centre of Guildford unless we have a serious shift in mindset at the most senior level in local government making this a priority. But that mindset simply does not exist at present.

As has been said by many in the past for many different reasons: we have the ability, we have the tools and we have the finances to do so, all we lack is the will.

Responses to Letter: We Only Lack The Will To Create A Better Cycling Infrastructure

Kevin Blackburn Reply

August 8, 2017 at 1:01 pm

Kingston has made some moves to provide segregated cycle lanes too – in Guildford we have practically nothing. Even the painted cycle lanes we do have are not maintained and where they are bad, and reported as such, just stay that way.

Around 45% of journeys in cars are under five miles; they could easily be made by cycle if the roads were safer.

There is complete disregard for a mode of transport that could help ameliorate our health crisis. We are- both the most inactive country in Europe and one of the most polluted.
Terry Duckmanton Reply

August 8, 2017 at 5:12 pm

This is not just an issue of lack of cycling infrastructure, although the infrastructure that we do have in Guildford is woefully inadequate. The bigger problem is to encourage people to consider alternative modes of transport and not use the private car as an automatic default.

I am sure that the majority of car users will need fairly heavy-handed encouragement to leave the car at home and travel by bus, bike or on foot.

If the council can cope with upsetting more than a few voters, the best way to approach this problem is to make travel by car less attractive. Fewer parking spaces and more pedestrianised streets would not only reduce the amount of motorised traffic in the town, it would make Guildford a much more pleasant place to be.

If we actually managed to reduce the motor traffic in an around the town centre, the cycling infrastructure problem would largely disappear.
Mike Gibson Reply

August 8, 2017 at 6:59 pm

Who will pay for a cycling infrastructure? A road tax on bicycles maybe?
Bernard Parke Reply

August 8, 2017 at 8:31 pm

To help reduce the motor traffic on and around the town centre we should concentrate on targeting the through traffic.

Make them pay a congestion and environment charge as a small contribution towards, not only relieving the congestion they cause but to help us reduce the level of air pollution.
Dave Middleton Reply

August 8, 2017 at 9:38 pm

Yes, let’s ban the car from the town centre altogether!

Then we can all watch the town’s retail and business economy die and the town die along with it.
Brian Holt Reply

August 9, 2017 at 4:32 pm

Many people have no choice but to use their cars to come into Guildford to get to work because they do not have any buses to use.

Local bus route funding keeps being reduced by Surrey County Council. Many outlying areas have no buses leaving from Guildford after 6.30 pm, so how do people arriving at the station after that time get home?

And how is any lorry or car coming from Woking or from A3 Ripley direction suppose to get to Shalford, Bramley, or Cranleigh without going through the town centre?

The problem is there is only A281 Shalford Road they can use. People who want cars kept out of the town centre, I assume never use their own car to drive into Guildford for shopping or work but travel by buses every time.
RWL Davies Reply

August 10, 2017 at 4:18 pm

Mike Gibson asks: “Who will pay for a cycling infrastructure? A road tax on bicycles maybe?”

There’s been no such thing as road tax since 1937, the current Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) is a levy on vehicles that goes into the Treasury coffers, it does not contribute directly to road costs any more than any other form of taxation and never will do.

Roads are funded by general taxation at central and local government levels.

Therefore, any person, who pays any form of tax whatsoever, including VAT, irrespective of their personal circumstances and preferred means of locomotion contributes to the cost of roads.

That’s the way it is.