Letter: We Need to Think Outside the Box to Solve Guildford’s Transport Problems

Published on: 1 Dec, 2024
Updated on: 1 Dec, 2024

From Jim Allen

In response to: Forcing Cyclists to Share Roads with Motorists Will Not Allow the Change We Need

There are many discussions regarding road loading for all users. However, similar to the pollution in the Wey navigation being caused by not just discharge (but incorrect licensing criteria output rather than treatment capacity and input), we face a similar situation on the roads.

The computer programs used to measure additional vehicles per development do not provide actual documentation showing the capacity of the roads and whether they are reaching overload.

I propose that the accepted time to exit a junction is four seconds, and allowing five seconds means that any urban road exceeding 720 vehicles per hour is exceeding capacity. Out of 16 roads around Burpham, 12 will exceed this capacity in 20 years.

Most roads in Guildford are estimated to be below nine meters wide, which means none can meet the criteria for cycle lane demand widths or separate bus lanes.

We need a comprehensive reevaluation of the entire transportation problem, not just in terms of modal shift and demanded change, but also considering the rational thought patterns and engineering principles of Isambard Kingdom Brunel and Bazzelget. They got it right!

So let’s all think outside the box jump the rails and come up with something better for Guildford’s transport problems. Mag lev, monorail, cable cars, moving pavements, to name but a few.