Letter: North Street Project – Infrastructure Improvements Should Come First

Published on: 17 Apr, 2013
Updated on: 17 Apr, 2013

From Bernard Parke

Hon Alderman

In my early career, training as as an Associate Member of The Chartered Institute of Bankers, I learned that for any conceived development scheme it was paramount to ensure that the infrastructure should be the first consideration.

As much as we would welcome this new and exciting project the roads and services fall far short on presenting an ideal traffic solution.

We are told that such a possible solution will come secondary to any new plans.

Guildford has now become a through road for traffic which I am sure would rather not be in central Guildford at all!

The gyratory system was born in the seventies as a cheap fix by the county council for the traffic and attitude at that time.

The wish now is to get this area free of congestion and unless this is done now the town will reach complete gridlock: a deterrent to the success of our town and its future as a preferred shopping location.

Tinkering with the present system is not the answer. It did not work in the seventies and it will not work in the 21st century.

Remember, we that live here are nor just passing through. We are the people who will have to live with the ruling of the few.

Responses to Letter: North Street Project – Infrastructure Improvements Should Come First

Bibhas Neogi Reply

April 18, 2013 at 7:58 pm

I agree with Bernard Parke that infrastructure improvements should come first but a lot of people seem to think that is not possible. On the contrary, with some modest funding and imaginative redesigning it is possible to achieve a great deal.

A link between Walnut Tree Close and Woodbridge Road, via Leas Road to take the northbound traffic, would free up one lane in Bridge Street and Onslow Street. The right-hand lane in Bridge Street could also be removed if this traffic uses the Lower Farnham Road and the Friary Bridge in contraflow.

Thus Bridge Street could be reduced to one lane and a wide foot-way, and possibly a cycle lane as well, could be inserted. With only one northbound lane in Onslow Street an extra lane in the southbound could be added by relocating the barrier. Two lanes from York Road could then go on to Onslow Street instead of one that now causes problem. Flows will become much smoother on the whole of the gyratory.

Relocation of the bus station is another issue but please visit my website to see all my ideas. The website can be found by searching for ‘revamp guildford gyratory’. I suggest that Mary Road car park is a better place to move the bus station to with modified bus routes and on-street stands around the Friary, plus half the buses connecting with the railway station.
Bibhas Neogi Reply

April 28, 2013 at 12:19 pm

Following on from my previous posting, here are some links to a few sketches that illustrate my ideas about the relocation of the bus station and bus stops and hubs around the Friary and the railway station.

1. The bus routes to the bus station relocated on Mary Road car park site is shown in the link –

http://tinyurl.com/Mary-Road-bus-station

2. The hub with multiple bus stops behind Dominion House –
http://tinyurl.com/Hub-behind-Dominion-House

3. The stops in Onslow Street and the North Street –

http://tinyurl.com/Stops-in-Onslow-Street

4. Modifications to Onslow Street – one northbound and four southbound lanes including the bus lane –

http://tinyurl.com/Modifications-to-Onslow-Street