Fundamental Flaws in Council Decision on London Road Active Travel Scheme

GBUG were very disappointed with Surrey County Council’s decision, announced on 27th February that:

• the active travel scheme between the town center and Boxgrove Roundabout will not go ahead,
• the scheme between Boxgrove Roundabout and Aldi in Burpham will be subject to further review and decision at a later date.
• Improvements to Boxgrove Roundabout will at least go ahead.

Fundamental flaws

GBUG strongly feels there are fundamental flaws in the council’s decision. We urge the council now to approve as soon as possible the bike lane improvements already designed for section one, and to reverse the cancellation of section three whilst appropriate and available alternative options are properly reviewed.

Some fundamental flaws include:

• For all three sections of the London Road Active Travel Scheme (plus or minus 1-2%), 50% of all respondents to the SCC public engagement survey were in favour of the scheme, way ahead of the 30% against.
• In addition to the backing of the public and Surrey Highways professional staff, all formal consultees engaged also provided their support, including:
  • George Abbot School (2.5k students),
  • Guildford High School (1.5k students),
  • Surrey Coalition of Disabled People/Surrey Vision Action Group,
  • Family Voice (Parent and Carer Forum),
  • Residents of Clockhouse Retirement Home,
  • Emergency Services (South East Coast Ambulance Service, Surrey Fire and Rescue Service, Surrey Police)
  • Stagecoach Bus Company.
• The safety of shared use paths was given as a main reason for the re-review of Section 1. However, despite there being many shared use paths in Surrey, of over 3,630 road traffic collisions in Surrey in 2022 recorded by Surrey Police, only 3 were between pedestrians and cyclists.