Your ideas for reallocating roadspace as we come out of Covid 19 lockdown

13 CommentsArchive, Walnut Tree Close

(This has also been posted on the G-BUG Facebook Group and emailed on mailchimp.)

G-BUG Chair Doug Clare has written to Matt Furniss, Surrey County Council’s Cabinet member for Transport, to request a dialogue about the Government’s statutory guidance to local authorities to reallocate roadspace as we come out of Covid-19 lockdown. Councillor Furniss has responded that he would welcome engagement with G-BUG to hear more detailed recommendations. Please could you comment here or email info@g-bug.org with your ideas, as soon as possible since things are moving quite rapidly.

Temporary pavement widening on upper High Street

We have specifically requested that more space be allocated for cyclists and pedestrians on the Farnham Road Bridge and on Bridge Street, that temporary cycle lanes be created around the gyratory, and that the long-planned one-way system for motor traffic on Walnut Tree Close is implemented immediately. More generally we have emphasised the government guidelines particularly relevant to Guildford:

1. Widen existing cycle lanes to enable 2m distancing from pedestrians and segregate the lanes with features such as plastic wands.

2. Widen footways to enable social distancing.

3. 20mph speed limits on most residential streets.

4. Introduce shared pedestrian and cycle zones to our town centre with cars only allowed limited access to car parks .

5. Use modal filters to stop rat running and create traffic free neighbourhoods and the ‘villagisation’ of our residential streets

6. Introduce the use of Advanced Stop Lines of 7.5m for cyclists at all traffic lights.

7. Implement the ‘Whole Route Approach’ by constructing the Sustainable Movement Corridors immediately.

8. Provide safe routes to all schools and Park & Ride sites.

13 Comments

  1. Anna Deadman

    Reply

    Epsom Road has a wide pavement a lot of the way that could be made a bit wider to create a cycle/walk lane and have something to separate from the traffic. This could then link into Stoke Park.

    • Nigel Burke

      Reply

      Thanks Anna. Yes, better, safer cycle lanes on all major approach roads is one of our objectives. Did you have a particular suggestion for the link to Stoke Park?

  2. David Wilson

    Reply

    I requested that the Epsom road “cycle lane” from Merrow to the Clandon Park and ride be rectified and got the response at the bottom of this comment box.
    Along most of this road there is a section separated from the main road that I always assumed was a cycle lane, although it is not signed as such, except when you finally arrive at the traffic lights at Clandon (although there is never a signed “start” to say when this particular bit of cycle lane actually starts).
    The problem I reported was that when I tried cycling in the left hand section (which I wrongly assumed was a cycle lane) it is usually full of debris, and very bumpy.
    You will see from the response I got that 90% of it is not in fact designated as a cycle lane. And as none of the defects were of pot-hole size they would do nothing about it.
    It seems crazy to me that this wide stretch of road separated off from the main road by white lines and hatches is not supposed to be used by anyone! It is sitting there waiting to be properly set up as a cycle line at very little cost. Why is it just sitting there as wasted space?

    The response I got was:
    Subject: Surrey Highways Reference: SQ-1096934 – EPSOM ROAD, WEST CLANDON
    Dear Mr Wilson,
    Thank you for your enquiry reported on 31 Aug 2018 12:48 which has been logged as follows:
    Reference number: SQ-1096934
    Location: EPSOM ROAD, WEST CLANDON
    Details: Cycle Lane Defect – Pothole

    I have recently inspected the section of Epsom Road from the junction of Park Lane to the Park and Ride. The area that is adjacent to the kerb line isn’t actually a cycle lane built appears to be one. There is a cycle lane with a traffic regulation order approaching the Clandon crossroads.
    I observed no defects in this area however there was an accumulation of leaves along the kerb line. I have contacted Guildford Borough and they have informed me that they will be carrying out leaf clearance on this section of Epsom Road today and tomorrow with scheduled maintenance works.
    Once again thank you for contacting us. If you have any further queries or require additional information you may find the following page on our website useful: http://www.surreycc.gov.uk/highwaysinfo
    Kind regards,
    Patrick Giles
    Highway Maintenance Engineer Guildford
    Surrey Highways

    • Nigel Burke

      Reply

      Thanks David. I use that a lot, it’s news to me it isn’t actually a cycle lane! The surface just by the ‘Golden Gates’ is awful, although they did fill the worst potholes. I’ll add it to our ‘snagging list’.

  3. Georgina

    Reply

    When will the river meadows remedial work by the Weyside be completed? I cycle from Guildford to Shalford and would welcome a continuous cycle lane or path over the Tillingbourne by St Mary’s Church. The current options are to go round the water treatment works which gets very dark and floods or cross on a blind bend.

    • Nigel Burke

      Reply

      Hi Georgina. Can you clarify where/what you are referring to, I’ve not been that way during lockdown. Are you referring to temporary roadworks, or something long term? And by the Weyside, do you mean the Weyside pub?

    • Nigel Burke

      Reply

      Hi again. It occurs to me you may be referring to the repair works for the Tumbling Bay weir at Millmead, Although I understand they hope to restore the Navigation for boat traffic this summer, the weir itself and the footbridge over it may take up to 2 years (!). This means a long term closure of the towpath, I’m afraid. The alternative route over Shalford Park and passing the water treatment works is OK, but then follows Dagley Lane which is a rough stone track with steps. Darkness and mud should not be an issue now, but will be in the winter. The Council are considering resurfacing of Dagley Lane, and perhaps we might get them to accelerate this under the emergency funding. Interestingly, I did urge them to consider installing lighting, otherwise many may chose not to use it in winter.

  4. Cecilia Gath

    Reply

    Hello – thanks for collecting these ideas to make cycling better for us!
    I agree with your initial suggestions for walnut tree, Farnham road and the gyratory 100%.
    I commute to the uni from bottom of the high street and my new journey is great and pretty quiet now the bike lane exists between Tesco and the uni, and with a quietway down the back of the chase.
    As a recreational road cyclist i struggle with aggressive road rage incidents from drivers nearly every time I try to leave or enter Guildford – especially along the shalford road, but also the Godalming road, as they leave town. Poor overtaking etiquette mainly (even over taking on the opposite side of the traffic calming islands and on blind corners or over the crest of hills- argh!) some segregation in those locations or even a bike lane to mark our space out would be great. The other thing that could help is a traffic calming island at/near the crest of the hill (im not sure if this is allowed) to avoid awkward overtakes in to blind oncoming traffic as they come over a hill?
    The shalford bike lane from the river to the bottom of pilgrims way is ok, but the surface is poor in places where tree roots have got under it, its quite narrow and i often avoid it so less experienced cyclists/kids and pedestrians can have priority, which dumps me on the main road rage shalford road! why is everyone in SUCH a rush? maybe widening the bike path and extending as far as shalford would be helpful?
    thank you

  5. michael hope

    Reply

    Bringing in a MAX 20mph speed limit throughout Guildford will be essential for making things safe for higher volumes of cyclists all over town.
    The rules of the road need to be amended to ensure that we have a genuine pedestrians and cyclists first approach and reckless driving does not keep people from changing their own behaviour and moving over to cycling around Guildford as their primary mode of transport.

  6. Hannah Davies

    Reply

    Hello and thanks so much for bringing us a forum to discuss this. Prior to lockdown i commuted on my bicycle from London Road to The University Vet School every day and this means that i have to either battle with the one-way system in town, or the main road that runs along the bottom of stoke park in order to pick up the cycle path.
    It is vital that we encourage more bike users especially given the current recommendations around limiting use of public transport and the current car congestion we have in the city.
    As per the comments above, there is little provision of cycleways from the merrow/london road end of town, into town, and there is little provision for safe cycling through town. I think it makes total sense to make walnut tree close one way and perhaps there could be a cycle way incorporated to allow cyclists to join up with the cycle pathway at the industrial estate.
    Could we also think about how to link some of our close villages such as chilworth, shalford, bramley, jacobs well etc with sensible cycle routes – we could then encourage e bike users as well for those with a slightly longer commute.
    The chase is a particularly stressful section of road to cycle along – could we enforce 20mph here – i don’t suppose it is wide enough for a bike lane?
    Many thanks, Hannah

    • Nigel Burke

      Reply

      Thanks Hannah. All good points, which we have made in our submission to SCC.
      More detail about the WTC proposal in this slide pack http://www.g-bug.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/190610-GBUG-SCC-GBC.pdf. When you say ‘join up with the cycle pathway’, do you mean the towpath?
      Re the Chase, if you don’t mind a small hill, have you tried the back roads Ridegmount and Alresford Road, with the new connecting cycle path which comes out near the Cathedral Roundabout?
      I do agree about outlying villages. We tend to focus on the relatively small town centre, but that’s not much use if you can’t get there safely in the first place!

  7. Julia Shaw

    Reply

    Re-allocating road space on Jacobs Well Road would connect up the shared pedestrian/cycle routes along Clay Lane and along the Woking Road A320 infront of Moorfield Road (Slyfield).

    However the shared cycle route along Clay Lane needs attention as it is missing a section where it runs in front of Burpham Court Farm. There looks to be enough space to connect up the shared cycle route here.

    The pedestrian crossing beside the garage at Bellfields along the A320 Woking road could be changed to a cycle crossing and a cycle route to the end of Almond close easily be provided. This would link up the shared pedestrian/cycle route from Slyfield to Bellfields without having to negotiate the very busy Hazel Avenue/A320 Woking road roundabout. I cannot accelerate fast enough onto this roundabout with my two kids in the bicycle trailer to do nursery drop off safely.

  8. Katrina Bates

    Reply

    Hi G-Bug,
    I cycle from Milford to Royal Surrey County Hospital and come up Downs Lane past the Watts Gallery and then across the A31/Farnham Road which is a very difficult crossing and worries me in the dark months to come. I then go down High View Road and continue along the A3 (either on the side of the hospital/sports park or the other side)both of which have paths. However, the path on the sports park side after the footbridge is very exposed and there is no barrier to protect cyclists from traffic. If the path into the sports park was improved/tarmac/hard core and the steps taken away, I could use that. Do you know of any plans to improve this route? It seems there is no other way to access the hospital other than going well out of my way and into Guildford and out again. I am surprised that this path was not improved during the recent roadworks to the access road from the A3 to the roundabout by the superstore and hospital. They laid a new path but it is seemingly dangerously narrow and unsuitable. You would think that with a footbridge there that they would assume cyclists might use it as well?

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