Revised Public Space Protection Order Set to Be Adopted in Guildford

Published on: 31 Mar, 2025
Updated on: 4 Apr, 2025

The draft Guildford PSPO Map 2025 (click to enlarge)

Emily Dalton

local democracy reporter

Dangerously riding a bike or scooter on Guildford High Street could be banned under new rules to tackle antisocial behaviour.

Guildford town centre has public space protection orders (PSPO) aimed at tackling persistent antisocial behaviour that affects others. First introduced in 2022, Guildford Borough Council is seeking to extend the order for another three years.

Under the new rules people will not be allowed to ride a vehicle, bikes, scooters or wheeled toy in a manner which police or council officers believe to be dangerous or anti-social. Enforcing the new measures will make public spaces feel more safe and welcoming, the council said.

Surrey students railed against the initial proposed restrictions on bikes, skateboards and scooters in pedestrian areas. They said some of Guildford’s community is already “resistant” to the Beryl Bikes scheme and extending the PSPO will “disincentivise people from using sustainable travel”.

But after careful re-wording the officers clarified that bicycles were not being singled out as inherently the problem but rather just vehicles in general.

Cllr George Potter

“We’ve got a difficult balancing act here,” said Cllr George Potter (Lib Dem, Burpham) at a GBC Executive meeting on March 27. “Obviously riding a bicycle across Stoke Park is very different to riding it through a crowd of people on a pavement.”

Boundaries for the PSPO cover the town centre, Stoke Park and some neighbouring residential roads, and the Mount (a residential area and green open space). The new draft measures also include Black Cat Alley, near the bottom of Farnham Road – where there have been reports of antisocial behaviour.

Restrictions on drinking alcohol in public spaces will be extended in the new draft PSPO. Surrey Police and council enforcement officers could now be able to stop someone from drinking alcohol, after being told not to, by confiscating or disposing of the drink and even giving them a fine of up to £500.

Cllr Julia McShane

Council leader Julia McShane (Lib Dem, Westborough) said she would not want members of the community, who perhaps have “addiction challenges, who gather with their friends in certain places in the town”, to be moved if their behaviour was not causing alarm or distress to people. She said moving people “because they are there” would not show an inclusive community.

Officers assured councillors the wording of the PSPO specifically relates to people acting in a manner which is “causing or likely to cause alarm, harassment or distress to others” judged by the enforcement team.

Concerns were raised how the new PSPO might limit freedom of expression and the right to protest. But officers said the new measures will not be applied to any activities done in the form of demonstration.

Surrey students had also slammed proposed rules that would have seen students banned from being in groups of two or more people in the town centre which could “cause harassment, alarm or distress” to other people.

A statement from the president of the Student Union lambasted the council for also trying to enforce restrictions on people’s clothing which could be concerning for members of the community who wear clothing that covers their face or hair for religious purposes.

After the student union’s response and comments from other residents, the council agreed to remove the proposed restrictions. Only 62 people responded to the public consultation out of Guildford’s population of around 143,600.

See council report here Report: https://democracy.guildford.gov.uk/mgConvert2PDF.aspx?ID=38775

Responses to Revised Public Space Protection Order Set to Be Adopted in Guildford

Dave Middleton Reply

March 31, 2025 at 8:00 pm

Bearing in mind that most of the proposed conditions contained within the proposed PSPO mirror existing legislation, I really cannot see what the issue is.

Particularly the universary students concerns regarding the use of bicycles, scooters and skate boards in pedestrian areas,bearing in mind that those modes of transport should not be used in such areas anyway… after all, the big clue is in the word “pedestrian”.
Brian Holt Reply

March 31, 2025 at 11:02 pm

The High Street is one-way only for traffic going up when it’s open.
How come cyclist use it both ways then? When cycling down the High Street they are cycling the wrong way. Why is that allowed?
Alan Judge Reply

April 1, 2025 at 9:41 am

Good.

I work at the bottom of the High Street and the way these delivery riders on ebikes bomb through Phoenix Court is very dangerous. I’ve had multiple near misses as I walk through.
Peter Mills Reply

April 3, 2025 at 8:51 am

Who is going to enforce this? It isn’t being enforced now.

For some time, there have been a number of takeaway delivery riders on large, heavy electric bikes who regularly ride the wrong way down the High Street, over the crossing and town bridge, at speed, with no regard for pedestrians. This is just what I experience on my walking route into town, so I’m guessing it is more widespread.

I expect getting hit by them would be similar to getting hit by a motor bike, rather than a bicycle. If it hasn’t happened yet, it will.
Sara Tokunaga Reply

April 4, 2025 at 8:23 pm

Possibly only 62 people responded to the consultation as many of us did not know we were being asked for our comments. I, and several of my friends, never knew there was a public consultation being held.
M Durant Reply

April 5, 2025 at 4:41 pm

I am in favour of this. Can they also include buses?

There is a lot of antisocial behaviour by kids inside of buses. Buses have cameras but bus drivers are not getting involved when kids are shouting, throwing things at each other inside of the bus, and listening to loud music with no headphones and touching themselves inappropriately.

I don’t see why people who pay to use buses should put up with such poor behaviour which is borderline threatening. I have seen this type of behaviour regularly on the bus that goes to the hospital, inside of the bus station and in the Friary.

If some kids can’t behave they should not be allowed on the bus at all, they can walk, a bit of exercise to the town centre would be good for them and remove their devices and just give them a dump phone with headphones and no social media, some discipline to improve their poor self control.
Roland Dunster Reply

April 6, 2025 at 1:35 am

Oh to be in Guildford
Now that April’s there
And whoever wakes within Guildford’s PSPO
Enjoys GBC and SP care
But pity the unfortunates whom outside the PSPO do dwell
For theirs is litter, graffiti, e-bike/scooter, drinkers-filled, an antisocial behaviour-hell.