Residents Complain Again About Antisocial Behaviour on Green Lane

Published on: 3 Aug, 2016
Updated on: 6 Aug, 2016

The beginning of Green Lane which continues from The Mount

By Will Parsons

Local residents are urging Guildford Borough Council (GBC) to take action over a site on Green Lane, or “Bridleway 14”, which they say has been attracting antisocial behaviour. GBC are already aware of the issue, and are taking measures to mitigate the problem.

Vandalised “Passing Place” post on Green Lane

The bridleway, which is near Henley Fort, at the beginning of The Hog’s Back, previously had passing place until the wooden bollards which prevented parking were broken and destroyed.

Now that cars can once again park nearby residents report that the area once again attracts antisocial behaviour.

One Green Lane resident, who did not wish to be named, said: “Come the evening, we get a lot of people driving up there, taking drugs, having sex in their cars. Every morning we see used condoms – it’s vile.

“The place is disgusting in the mornings.”

The resident also said that they had found empty plastic bags, or “baggies”, which had contained powders they believed to be drugs.

“We also find little tin foil bowls,” they said. “And when the CID [Criminal Investigation Department] came up, they said they’re used to contain little rocks of crack [cocaine].”

The issue was raised over a year ago and GBC were urged to replace the bollards as a measure to stop the antisocial behaviour.

GBC owns and manages the fields north of the bridleway known as The Mount and the Green Lane while ownership of the bridleway itself is claimed by Loseley Estate. Bollards installed and now maintained by the council, were put in place to deter cars being parked on the bridleway verges.

Bollards all along the lane were erected in August. On the right can be seen on of the passing places

This photo, taken in August 2012, shows the bollards in place all along the lane to prevent parking. On the right can be seen one of the passing places.

GBC are aware that the bridleway attracts antisocial behaviour and is encouraging the residents to inform the police when issues arise. The Guildford Dragon has been told that the council has agreed to replace sections of broken bollards to reduce parking areas and that an order for the works has been raised to be carried in due course.

Cllr Caroline Reeves

Cllr Caroline Reeves (Lib Dem, Friary & St Nicolas), whose ward includes the site, said there was no easy solution to the problem. She explained that the bollards were first installed when GBC tried to block planning applications on the mount, and it transpired that the road was a public bridleway.

“So Surrey County Council started putting signs up,” she said, “trying to stop people driving; but because people have been driving there for generations, and walking their dogs, as soon as the bollards are put in people come along and take them out.

“This issue has been going on for years and years. The trouble is, the police don’t have the manpower to keep going up there.

“It just goes round in a perpetual circle; but it isn’t as awful as it sounds. I’ve been up there with the community wardens and you actually have to dig about quite a lot to find the used condoms.

“I think there isn’t a long-term solution. I suppose the next generation won’t have always walked up there, and so it becomes less popular.”

Responses to Residents Complain Again About Antisocial Behaviour on Green Lane

Dave Middleton Reply

August 4, 2016 at 3:13 pm

As it’s a designated bridleway, that means that unless you have specific business up there at one of the addresses, or at Henley Fort, you can’t drive a car along it.

The result is that the police don’t patrol up there like they used to and fewer people go up there, making it a nice quiet spot for certain members of society, who like to smoke drugs and / or indulge in “romantic encounters”, to go to.

Perhaps if it was a bit busier up there and reclassified as a road up as far as Henley Fort, the police could patrol it again and the ne’er-do-wells wouldn’t be so keen to go there. Maybe the council could put proper parking bays up there and have ticket machines – an income generation opportunity!

Incidentally, none of my old maps of the area show the bridleway in question as Green Lane. It is variously named as The Mount, the Old Green Road, or The Hog’s Back. This Green Lane title seems to be a fairly recent thing.
RWL Davies Reply

August 8, 2016 at 9:00 am

Cllr Reeves’ response is reminiscent of that of Sgt Maj Williams’ to the pleadings and complaints of the “It Ain’t Half Hot Mum” concert party, which was, “Oh dear, how sad, never mind.”

Something more robust than easily removed wooden bollards, the last set didn’t fare too well, is required to prevent access to the laybys; for example the parking space opposite the turning to Henley Fort is blocked by three medium sized tree trunks that cannot be readily removed or cut up; unlike the bollards.

By the way, you don’t have to “dig about quite a lot” to find the used paraphernalia left by users of certain substances and those indulging in other al fresco interactions; it is very apparent.