Letter: ‘Modal Shift’ Is Unrealistic – There Must Be No Developments Before Infrastructure Improvements

Published on: 14 Sep, 2018
Updated on: 14 Sep, 2018

From Bibhas Neogi

In response to: Unpopular Measures Are Necessary to Achieve ‘Modal Shift’, Expert Tells GBC

Modal shift sounds so nice, clean, people friendly and environmentally ideal way to travel compared with noisy, nasty and polluting vehicular traffic. So, why have we waited so long?

Councils are keen to promote modal shift but know in their heart of hearts that this is just a dream. They know that talking about it and having discussions, meetings, seminars and trips to places like the Netherlands – all such activities will achieve very little but will give the impression that the councils are busy doing something, something to justify their existence and spending taxpayers money. Unless there are some changes.

The councils should state an objective is to dismantle the dreaded gyratory and create a pedestrian-friendly town centre.

Unrealistic artist’s impressions such as the one of an open Millbrook stretch from Debenhams to Rodborough building, with no cars in sight, should not be used. Where has the traffic gone?

And questions remain. Would Shalford Road be closed and traffic diverted through Chilworth and Newlands Corner to the A3? Would Portsmouth Road traffic be diverted over Farnham Road Bridge to the A3? Would Onslow Street be blocked and bus bays created on it to replace the bus station?

If the above measures got rid of traffic in Guildford town centre and made it a pedestrians’ and cyclists’ paradise could councils then claim to have succeeded in bringing about the modal shift and at no extra cost?

The cost of traffic disruptions and delays would be borne by motorists and resulting congestion, noise and pollution by the residents along these diversion routes. So it will really be a success story for Guildford as far as the councils are concerned?

The alternative is to accept the reality and really do something positive to tackle the traffic. Creating new bypasses, tunnels and bridges are the real answers but the councils have to be bold and demanding.

The government must be told in no uncertain terms that new housing will not be built unless there is funding for adequate infrastructure that are needed to make a success of the expansion of housing stock. The Department for Transport must provide funds for widening, bypasses and new routes, bridges and flyovers where they are needed to maintain reasonable traffic movement.

It is quite simple – where of paramount importance, no commensurate infrastructure funding means no new housing developments. Current assessment is that infrastructure funding shortfall in Surrey is some £2 billion and £550 million in Guildford.

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