Letter: Measures To Prevent Locals From Using Park & Ride Are Shocking

Published on: 9 Oct, 2012
Updated on: 12 Oct, 2012

From Mark Payne

The Park & Ride proposal moves traffic from the town centre to an out of town area already suffering from congestion. It simply must have direct access off the A3 and there is land reserved (as part of the planning application for the Surrey Sports Park) for just such a purpose.

The scheme as described provides benefits for the town at the expense of local residents. It has not considered how to solve the long term issue of access for residents in Beechcroft Drive which could easily be included in a redesigned scheme.

The scheme must include benefits for local people as well as for the town. The suggestion to take measures to prevent us from using it if not visiting the town is shocking!

Responses to Letter: Measures To Prevent Locals From Using Park & Ride Are Shocking

Bibhas Neogi

October 10, 2012 at 11:13 am

At the barrier to this Park & Ride (P&R) drivers would need to show some kind of identity, driver’s licence or a passport, and then sign a declaration that their intention is truly to visit the town centre. Failure to do this will prevent entry to the Park & Ride and a charge may also be made by Guildford Borough Council for wasting park attendant’s time.

Of course, in reality there can be no measures that should or could be taken to prevent anyone parking here. Locals can park here provided they pay the same as those who would also take the special buses to the town centre. The buses would head straight for the centre so local destinations by P&R users will have to be reached on foot. This should discourage visitors heading for local destinations and thus diminishing the benefit of the scheme i.e. by taking up spaces that could be available for those parking here and heading for the town centre. In any case, why would locals park here and walk all the way back when they can either walk all along or take local buses?

As Iain Reeve has said, some increase in traffic is expected but Egerton Road is being widened and the roundabout replaced by a signalized junction. The existing round about is not working well as heavier traffic flow from Tesco round about towards Park Barn has priority over traffic leaving the hospital and hence causing congestion there and equally for the same reason causing congestion at the Tesco roundabout for the traffic coming off the A3. Surrey County Council might be considering part-time signals on the Tesco roundabout, who knows?

I think locals would actually benefit from the improvement of this junction. However, I have outlined ideas on my web site and here in my earlier letters on access to this P&R from and back to the A3 as well. These should ideally be incorporated by the Highways Agency in the A3 improvement scheme (when it is resurrected and its funding restored) together with a link from Beechcroft Drive.