Guildford Town Centre Transport Infrastructure Package

Project description

The package consists of a comprehensive package of transport measures within Guildford Town Centre to reduce congestion and make journeys on foot, by bicycle and by bus easier, safer and more pleasant. It comprises changes to road layouts to reduce through traffic in the town centre, improved provision for pedestrians and cyclists including a new Walnut Bridge and a new route to Guildford College from Guildford railway station. It also focuses on the A25 business corridor, linking up existing walking and cycling routes to businesses in this area and improving bus priority and bus stop facilities as well as creating a better quality, safer and more secure local environment. The packages comprises 7 separate schemes as summarised below:

Scheme 1: Walnut Tree Close Experimental closure of Walnut Tree Close to reduce the volume of traffic and encouraging walking and cycling and reducing severance for communities in North Guildford with major employment sites and the town centre.

Scheme 2: Walnut Bridge Replacing the present Walnut Bridge, with a wider, more visible structure which caters for both pedestrians and cyclists, on this important river crossing linking Guildford rail station and town centre. The new bridge will act as a focal point for the regeneration of the Bedford Wharf area.

Scheme 3: Guildford College Link New pedestrian and cycle route, linking Guildford Station via the new Walnut Bridge to Guildford College mainly utilising quiet residential streets and off-road corridors.

Scheme 4: Millbrook Car Park Installation of traffic lights om the on the A281 to the south of the town centre allowing cars to turn right out of Millbrook Car Park which help reduce the volume of traffic entering the gyratory system.

Scheme 5: A25 Cycle Corridor Extending and enhancing recently provided A25 cycle corridor, providing a continuous route along the A25 and creating shared use paths for pedestrians and cyclists.

Scheme 6: A25/A320 Stoke Cross Roads The layout of A25/A320 Stoke cross roads will be improved for pedestrians and cyclists and give buses priority. Traffic signals will prioritise approaching buses where possible.

Scheme 7: A3100 London Road Enhanced bus stop facilities, including Real Time Passenger Information and an off-road shared path for pedestrians and cyclists, joining the existing off road network.

Project output

The headline outputs that will be delivered are:

A general increase in levels of walking and cycling around Guildford, particularly to locations such as Surrey University, Guildford College, Guildford Rail Station, Bedfont Road development, and businesses along the A25.

Improved road safety and a decrease in pedestrian and cyclist casualties. This outcome is linked to one objective:

• Maintained / increased levels of bus patronage through improved reliability and availability of journey information.
• Reduced congestion along Walnut Tree Close. In addition it is anticipated that the new Walnut Bridge will:
• Better quality bridge and environment leading to increased use and user satisfaction
• Increase in numbers using the bridge leading to a higher level of use of sustainable transport modes
• Increase in the property values for the Bedford Wharf area