Letter: What Is Going On With the A25 Parkway Bus Lane?

Published on: 10 Sep, 2021
Updated on: 9 Sep, 2021

From: Mark Davis

In response to Letter: Bus Lane On A25 Parkway Must Be Suspended Or Used.

I am most interested in the letter from Mr Mallard as I have also been investigating this matter.

From November 10, 2019, the number 100 Park and Ride bus was diverted along the London Road in order to serve North Street, G Live and London Road Station. This resulted in no buses using the A25 Parkway bus lane.

As the bus lane had not been withdrawn, I contacted the area county councillor [at the time], Mark Brett-Warburton. He received two vague responses from the Passenger Transport Projects Team (PTPT) prior to losing his seat in the May 2021 election.

I then wrote to David Ligertwood (SCC PTPT) asking him why the bus lane had not been withdrawn or suspended. His much-delayed reply was similar to that to Mr Mallard but ignored the point about suspension.

He did however point out that cyclists could use the lane. This is a strange observation as there is a separate cycle track running the length of the bus lane.

After some research, I found a DfT guidance that requires a council to carry out an appraisal of a bus lane where there has been a significant change in bus usage. This lane must surely qualify.

So on July 20, I wrote again to Mr Ligertwood and again asked why the bus lane had not been suspended and also requested a copy of the appraisal. Despite two chase ups there has been no response.

I am awaiting a FoI request reply from Surrey Police detailing the number fixed penalties issued to motorists since December 2019. Even here the police tried to duck the issue by twice telling me that they were not responsible for enforcing the bus lane.

Now it appears, from another letter in The Dragon that this redundant bus lane could be made 24/7. What is going on?

Perhaps Cllr Fiona Davidson (R4GV, Guildford South East) or Matt Furniss Conservative, Shalford), cabinet member for transport and infrastructure, could shed some light on this ridiculous situation.

Editor’s note: The Dragon has written to Cllrs Davidson and Furniss asking for a response to the issue.

Responses to Letter: What Is Going On With the A25 Parkway Bus Lane?

Alan Morris Reply

September 10, 2021 at 9:02 am

Perhaps Mr Davis would like to supply us all with the contact details of Mr Ligertwood so that we could all write to him? Maybe getting more letters from Guildford residents might stimulate Mr Ligertwood into responding?

In the meantime, perhaps a few more people contacting their local councillors might engage them in what has become an absurd situation.
Martin Elliott Reply

September 10, 2021 at 6:49 pm

The routine decisions concerning roads is delegated to the SCC/GBC Guildford Joint Committee.
It is a sort of unitary committee of county and borough councils.

There doesn’t seem to be much discussion about SCC Transport Department proposals though. After all, the committee only meets four times a year and only once, so far, in 2021.

The publicity of the work is poor, though the administration seems to have the time to be yet another publisher of (limited information) Tweets on road works.
Brian Holt Reply

September 10, 2021 at 8:08 pm

There is now no Park and Ride Buses to the Spectrum operating on Saturdays and Sundays anyway.

So why are Guildford Borough Council still advertising Spectrum as a Park and Ride car park when there is no bus service? How are people using this car park supposed to get into town?

The council operates the bus service, surely they must know this.

I only found out myself by people, who had been expecting to use the service, moaning that they were not aware and had had to come by taxi. With Guildford Flames Ice hockey and Guildford City Football Club now having fans back, as well as the returning Spectrum users, it just does not make sense.
Jenny Grove Reply

September 11, 2021 at 10:28 am

When is a bus lane not a bus lane?

When it doesn’t have any bus routes on it.