Letter: Tinkering With The Gyratory Will Not Help

Published on: 25 May, 2013
Updated on: 25 May, 2013

From Bernard Parke

Hon Alderman

I cannot understand the reasoning behind the proposed tinkering with Guildford’s gyratory system.

This scheme was introduced in the seventies when the county council took over responsibility for the highways from the borough council.

The borough’s scheme of a new north south road was thrown out in favour of this system that decimated much of our town centre.

The system did not work them and it certainly does not work now nor will cosmetic adjustments improve things.

Surely the problem is that much of the congestion is caused by through traffic?

This problem could be addressed, to some degree, by offering such road users alternative routes road around the town centre before they even near Guildford itself.

Many of the present road signs direct on going traffic right into the heart of the town causing misery to all parties.

We must not forget that Guildford is a residential town and not just a road traffic junction.

Responses to Letter: Tinkering With The Gyratory Will Not Help

Bibhas Neogi Reply

May 26, 2013 at 11:28 pm

Mr Bernard Park is still mourning about the decimation of the town centre that took place when the gyratory was constructed 40 years ago. We feel his pain but what has gone cannot be brought back.

The gyratory works except for peak hour traffic and hence the source of all complaints. If mere tinkering could solve the issues, I expect the councils would have done it by now.

I believe fully pedestrianising Bridge Street is not a realistic option. However, it could be reduced to one lane if all northbound traffic is taken through Park Street and then a one-way Walnut Tree Close (WTC) to Woodbridge Road via a new link over the river Wey. WTC will remain two-way beyond the new link. But this cannot be done within a £5m budget.

So my recommendation for now would be to have: two lanes on Bridge Street and a wider north footway; a two-way Park Street, two lanes northbound and one lane southbound, with a wider pavement on the west side and; on the Friary Bridge, only one lane turning right towards the A281 by keeping Onslow Street one-way within the gyratory.

No additional phases would be required neither at Park Street nor at Millbrook junctions. The pedestrian crossing on Farnham Road would require to be modified into a staggered crossing and operate under the traffic light cycles. Bridge Street could be reduced to one lane when the new link over the river from WTC to Woodbridge Road is constructed and northbound traffic starts using Walnut Tree Close.
Bernard Parke Reply

May 27, 2013 at 4:37 pm

If Bibhas wants to live on a a road traffic junction Bernard Parke and most Guildfordians do not wish to do so.

Offer through traffic alternative routes and restore Guildford to a Town that it was once when a pleasure to visit the centre in a degree of peace as becoming a residential market Town.