Opinion: It’s Time To Vote and There’s A Local Matter That Matters

Published on: 28 Apr, 2017
Updated on: 1 May, 2017

Bill Stokoe, Guildford Vision Group

By Bill Stokoe

You might be feeling election weary and who could blame you, but the future of our town and its centre should be an important issue in both the county and general elections.

We on the Guildford Vision Group (GVG) want to know where candidates stand on new investment in the town centre, especially in infrastructure. So we are asking voters to challenge all the local candidates in both elections, either directly or by email, with six questions:

What is your plan for the town centre? How ambitious is it?
How will you tackle the blight of the gyratory, its congestion, poor safety and pollution?
Do you back a £200 million infrastructure spend for the town centre such as proposed by GVG, with all its big wins?
Why does GVG’s plan struggle to win councillor support and interest?
Why can’t the council and the county council (they do roads, along with Highways) get together to create a better plan than GVG’s?
Given its importance, isn’t it time Guildford was more in direct control of its future? Isn’t  better localism needed? What changes would you call for?

Image from the GVG plan showing the town bridge reopened to traffic to allow pedestrianisation of more of the town centre (click to enlarge).

Over the past five years GVG has devoted itself to the case for change and the serious issues in the centre. We believe not enough game-changing investment has been made over the past many years in the centre of town and not enough is planned.

There is an absence of focus on the town centre in the latest draft of the Local Plan. Will the soon-to-be elected officials devote enough time to the subject? Where will their priorities lie?

There’s a frequent suggestion that the town centre will have to wait until the A3 through Guildford is sorted. That’s simply parking the centre’s issues for another 20-30 years and it’s not good enough.

Solving the A3 will not sort out the centre. The latter needs a bold, ambitious plan of its own, starting right now.

In February this year (2017) we launched our own plan for the centre, illustrated by a comprehensive design by a nationally-acclaimed architectural practice. Public reaction, in person and online, has been very positive. The plan can be seen on the GVG website, including an exciting digital “flythrough”.

Central to GVG’s plan is keeping cars and people apart so residents and visitors alike can have wider and better enjoyment of Guildford’s centre and riverside and be safer as well from the twin threats of excessive road accidents and record levels of air pollution.

Our plan would deliver great public space either side of the river and beyond, plus homes, new community facilities, commercial premises and retail opportunities

We also envisage major redevelopment and regeneration of the bottom of town, either side of the river from Town Bridge along to Bedford Wharf and up to and across the railway station.

Opening up Guildford’s riverside, including the town wharf area, is part of GVG’s plan (click image to enlarge)

At the plan’s heart is a new crossing, from York Road over the river and railway to Guildford Park Road. The crossing connects with a new Farnham Road Bridge on the west side via a new link and then on to a realigned Town Bridge via Park Street.

The infrastructure cost would be around £200 million. GVG contends that the figure represents a very worthwhile and long overdue investment in our county town and regional hub. Guildford and its enterprises delivers around £4 billion GVA (gross value added) to the national economy so £200 million to revitalise and reposition Guildford as the “go to” town in the region is value for money.

Image showing the diversionary routing of town centre traffic

We in the vision group say the investment is crucial if the town is to win out in the competition for footfall. In the final analysis, it is people who matter. If people think other nearby towns provide a better, more welcoming environment, they will vote with their feet.

People are already starting to notice other towns pushing ahead with big projects and making a difference. In the online age, people can easily scout out the best deals, whether it be shopping, eating, arts or other attractions.
The competition for your footfall and pound has never been as fierce.

Business is no different, it will go where it can best operate and where its staff feel happiest.

So please challenge the candidates. Let us know how they respond. Time is ticking away to the elections and ticking down on the health of our lovely town.

As the saying goes: “It’s later than you think!”