Letter: Re-prioritisation is Required for Guildford’s Traffic Planning

Published on: 18 Aug, 2017
Updated on: 18 Aug, 2017

From Terry Duckmanton

In response to: We Only Lack The Will To Create A Better Cycling Infrastructure

It looks like Bernard Parke and Dave Middleton, in their comments, have between them identified the two most important aspects of road use in our town: through traffic and the retail economy.

I have no figures to back this up, but it is my belief that much of the traffic around Guildford is through traffic. Apart from brief stops for petrol or diesel, how much does such traffic contribute to the town’s economy? Let’s face it, any business which requires its customers to arrive by car will already be located out of town and will have provided parking facilities in order to attract customers.

Let’s face it, any business which requires its customers to arrive by car will already be located out of town and will have provided parking facilities in order to attract customers.

The type of business located on or near to the High Street will be far less reliant on customers arriving by car. This is not to say that customers won’t drive to town, but it is not necessary for them to do so.

You don’t see vehicles travelling along, or parked in Friary Street, they can’t, but the businesses there seem to be doing very well indeed. Expanding the Friary Street model to the rest of the town’s shopping centre would be an excellent starting point.

All we really want is for the people in control of the traffic systems around Guildford to rearrange their priorities so that walking and cycling come first, then public transport and finally the private car.

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