Views on Cycle Network sought as part of Local Plan: Development Management Policies – Issues and Preferred Options Consultation

Recently, GBC issued its Cycle Routes Assessment Feasibility Study, which included a comprehensive proposal for a Guildford town cycle network. GBC is now seeking the public’s views on this, as part of its “Local Plan: Development Management Policies – Issues and Preferred Options” Consultation. This includes a number of topics, one of which is “Achieving a comprehensive Guildford Borough cycle network”.

As well as the recent Feasibility Report, the consultation includes as evidence SCC’s Guildford Local Cycling Plan (2015) which defined a much less dense, therefore less costly, network. It is proposed that the outputs of these two evidence sources could be combined, then referenced in a new policy with the resulting plan(s) for Guildford Borough cycle network improvements added to the Policies Map for the Development Plan. This could help facilitate the realisation of a comprehensive Guildford borough cycle network.

This represents an opportunity to show your support for a more comprehensive cycle network. The link to the Consultation home page is below, where the relevant documents will be found. You may of course submit your views directly, but if you wish your views to be considered in the G-BUG submission, please comment here, or email info@g-bug.org, or visit our Facebook page (link on this website). The consultation ends midday Wednesday 22 July.

2 Comments

  1. Carolyn Graham

    Reply

    I really hope Guildford council take the opportunity to provide some proper cycle infrastructure in Guildford. At present they only seem interested in student cycling to the university and not to provide safe cycling for all the families who live in the suburbs but can’t safety cycle into Guildford or other places such as the Spectrum. Putting this plan into action would be a start, together with providing much more cycle parking in the town centre. I can’t understand why only one cycle park was put in Tunsgate when it was redeveloped and you still allow free parking for motorists on Guildford High St instead of lots of cycle parks so people can cycle in and park near the shops instead of out of the way where bikes are easily stolen. I recently bought an ebike and would love to cycle from Merrow to Guildford for shopping and evenings out more often, but Epsom Road doesn’t feel safe, New Road into Burpham is narrow and fast with no cycle lane, it is not easy to safely cycle from Merrow to Guildford for me or many other less confident cyclists and family weekend trips.out. The parking for bikes at Spectrum is a joke. I just get the impression that Guildford council is full of motorists and see cyclists as a nuisance, but a town centre without motorists on High St and North St and cyclists buying locally and parking safely would be a much pleasanter place to visit and shop and would build the local economy, otherwise we might as well stay at home and use Amazon

  2. Kevin

    Reply

    I can only wholeheartedly agree with the above comments from Carolyn Graham.
    The research and evidence is conclusive – where on street car parking has been replaced with bicycle infrastructure the retailers have noticed increased sales. Footfall incresases too.
    The focus now needs to be on Active Travel. Greater provisions for walking and cycling are paramount in getting people out of their cars for journeys of less than five miles. The car is no longer King and it’s about time that car centric councils woke up to this fact. Infrastructure is the only way that people will feel safe to use their bicycles this is fact and has been proven over and over wherever you look.

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