BELOW is a selection of feedback from the first ninety Questionnaires:
What are the two or three most important priorities for Guildford to tackle if it is going to realise its true potential?
“Traffic management in town centre. Traffic links onto and leaving the A3. Realising the full potential of the river frontage. Continuing to value the wealth of heritage sites we have in Guildford.”
“Find a solution to the town traffic problems, no matter how long the planning needs or the long term cost, but make it last for 30 years. Give our town centre some cohesive style and character to match its history that we can all be proud and want to preserve not the mish/mash we have now.”
“We all need to be allowed to dream and then someone (preferably someone from outside the area who knows how to do it properly and has no baggage) needs to capture those dreams in the most comprehensive way. Then we need to plan how to reach our dreams.”
“Discourage any more traffic generating activities in the overcrowded town centre. Encourage development of knowledge based enterprises ( and education) – particularly away from the crowded own centre – through releasing more space for housing esp affordable and employment spaces. While the 2 main reasons for enterprises locating here are 1 Location 2 Skills the 3rd is an attractive environment – so this needs attention too”
“Rid the Town centre of through traffic. Give us back our Civic Hall for local use. Do away with salaries for local councillors many of whom are wannabe M.Ps.and put Politics before the people of Guildford”
“Improve A3 access points, to offload traffic that is forced to enter the centre if arriving from the south and east. Provide an effective bypass between north and south, with an appropriate access to the A3. Do both of the foregoing before expanding the numbers of properties in and around Guildford.”
“Better evening bus service; attractive pedestrian areas”
“infrastructure, more truly-affordable housing, better and more outdoor public places”
“Sort out traffic. Integrate rail/bus/pedestrian public transport. Sort out really scruffy area around main bus station and make a more pleasant environment.”
“Removing traffic from town centre. Improving public transport from outskirts to centre and across the town. Increasing pedestrian only areas”
“Preservation of our beautiful old buildings (ideally refurbished and repurposed), traffic congestion, massive improvement to the visual appearance of the town centre, and retails rates that enable small, new business to succeed and prosper.”
“Traffic/public transport Range of shopping suited to residents everyday needs Affordable or free leisure activities”
“Transport – A3 bottleneck and one-way system need improvement, public transport needs more joined up approach Shops/visitor facilities – Could do with a quality store such as John Lewis, and some of the tattier areas need improvement”
“traffic”
“Create an underpass at Stoke crossroads to relieve congestion & spead up. Reduce the number of clubs in the very centre, where they all butt together. Spread them out around the town. Have 2-way access to the A3 both East & west Guildford to minimise town centre through traffic.”
“1) Traffic control 2) Redevelop “third world” Friary area of town 3) Make the most of our assets ie river, castle, and green spaces”
“Sort the traffic. Make it easier to walk and cycle around the town”
“Traffic Traffic Traffic”
“Road systems. Public transport. Attractive settings along the river.”
“More pedestrianization in the town centre creating a better ambiance for shoppers and those seeking entertainment. Eliminate through traffic from the town centre. Build more housing (including more affordable housing, on sites such as Slyfield. Stop the A3 from dividing the town, dividing the University campus, inhibiting the growth of the science park/hospital and creating problems for housing developments such as Slyfield.”
“The road system. Improving some of the hideous buildings in the town centre.”
“Too much building has taken place without considering the essential infrastructure. Traffic clogging up the town. Traffic speeds too high in residential areas.”
“Reduce the traffic around the town centre Improve cycle provision by way of lanes/ access”
“Take through traffic out of town centre Bring back small independent retailers of necessities, e.g. bakers, butchers, fishmongers Think big about pedestrian only areas (cf York)”
“Better transport links- not just focusing on cars but making better/ safer links for pedestrians, cyclists, public transport users. Making the town more resilient in the face of climate change and limited fuel resources.”
“Lose the booze and introduce more of a cafe style culture, celebrate the town’s heritage and improve the experience for shoppers with pedestrian areas”
“Traffic, useful shops in the town centre. Butcher, baker etc.”
“Traffic Keeping its identity Innovative and forward-looking planning”
“Keeping the character i.e. the old fashioned buildings Trying to build new houses or making cost effective housing in the area”
“We need a LIDL store as much as and probably more than a Waitrose Don’t destroy Castle Gardens – quirky ancient and almost secretive places like this are important to retain Guildford’s historic character and balance modern development”
“Perhaps a congestion charge should be seriously considered, but unfortunately it is probably not physically possible (and not within the Council’s power) to build a north-south by-pass. The shopping mix is dreadful but again probably not within the Council’s power to return to the pattern of a delightful little town such as, say, Wells.”
“Road traffic;”
“Improve grotty areas such as the site proposed for the new Waitrose supermarket. Seek professional involvement for planning decisions if these are currently made by our “councillors”.”
“Any new buildings should be as aesthetically pleasing to keep the profile of the town as high as possible. Public Transport should be more accessible, more efficient and CHEAPER, more people would use it and it would free up the roads.”
“”joined up” planning, doing something about Bridge Street and the one-way system, prioritising affordable housing across the borough so we’re not left with “ghetto” areas such as Bellfields as the only place where young people from the town can afford to live.”
“Transport and shopping”
“Transport – in all its forms – cycle routes bus and rail access and stations, pedestrian areas Making the most of all the wonderful attractions that we have – castle, cathedral, cobbled high street, river – and showing these in the best possible way.”
“Roads Social welfare”
“1) Proper, high quality public spaces, not just focus on retail to the detriment of everything else. 2) Improvement in infrastructure – better maintained and cleaned pavments, more greenery, de-cluttered signage, bridges painted, attention to detail on all space. 3) Route from station to centre is awful and must be sorted out – how difficult can it be to lay a proper pavement?”
“Traffic congestion – not just in the town centre but also on the bypass Sensitive development which doesn’t repeat the mistakes of the 60s and 70s – I’m a life long resident – born and schooled in Guildford”
“more individual shops which do not cater just for the younger generation.”
“Addressing the problem of traffic congestion. Difficult but essential. Giving a higher priority to the creation of high quality public spaces More concern about the style and appearance of new developments with less fear of imitating architectural styles from earlier periods.”
“Build more roads for cyling like London. Build a Speed camera in London Road Zebra crossing across North street to Guildford Library. Zebra crossing in London Road.”
“Making the river the focal point of the town and developing amenities around it. Diverting through traffic away from the town centre Redesigning the one way system”
“keeping traffic flowing, is there anyway they could have southbound entry onto A3 at Burpham & Stoke Crossroads. Try and get some more local independent retailers. More diversity of restaurants- that aren’t pizza places.”
“Getting people out of cars onto public transport, bicycles and foot. Creating peaceful, green, car-free pedestrian places. Promoting wildife habitats in and near the town.”
“1. Traffic (including parking) 2. Protection and improvement of the plus features (including the Wey 3. A balance economy without undue emphasis on individual factors (eg retail, tourism)”
“take the traffic out of the town centre link the bus station with the railway station open up the riverside to shops/cafes/open public spaces”
“Traffic Affordable housing”
“Congestion, redevelopment of blighted sites in the centre, enhancing the river frontage.”
“1. transport 2. removing car parks from riverside, landscaping & provision of cafes etc so we can enjoy the river. Why was Wickes given permission to waste riverside? 3. opportunities for independent retailers and cafes/restaurants and provision of more arts and entertainment (eg independent cinema, arts centre) for all age groups.”
“Traffic and housing”
“1. improvements to the riverside 2. keep through traffic our of Guildford centre 3. better bus routes, shorter and more frequent”
“1. Population control 2. Traffic management 3. Preservation of open spaces.”
“pedestrian priority access from the high street via the riverside to the station The quality redevelopment of the Friary stage 2 more and better access and parking.”
“1. Traffic 2. Environment, especially development of the riverside area. 3.Affordable housing”
“Transport, A better Retail/ mixed use offer in the town, and fantastic urban spaces to enjoy”
“It is essential that the relevant authorities (GBC, SCC and the Highways Authority) work together instead of passing the buck, as often happens, or – worse – being actively obstructive (Thames Water declining to move their out-dated sewage works on Slyfield comes to mind). The cobbled High Street must be kept in good repair and the view to the Mount from both the High Street and North Street must be preserved. Sustainable transport (bus, park & ride, bikes, walking) must be encouraged and made pleasant. Somehow try to get through traffic re-routed away from the town, so that only drivers actually visiting Guildford need to drive through it.”
“Traffic. Unpleasant late night atmosphere. Maintaining a viable high street.”
“Traffic out,people in and reconnecting town and gown”
“Traffic crossing the town; public transport improvement with links to station and bus station.”
“It needs to tackle the traffic issue particularly at the crossing points of the railway and river. Provide a better and more interesting mix of retail to prevent the town and high street becoming lacking in inspiration. This can only be achieved if Guildford is made attractive and accessible by potential retailers. Creating open spaces that are attractive to those who live & work in Guildford and those who visit our town.”
“1. To come up with a viable plan which spans all major affected target areas for rethinking. We do not need to waste time in talking about ideal (“blue-sky”) solutions. 2. To exploit Guildford’s main assets better (e.g. the environs of the river / canal, the castle and park, the University) in an integrated way where road traffic does not righ rough-shod over all other considerations. 3. To set a realistic time horizon (5 or 10 years) in which to get from here to there. There will be no instant solution. BUT it is VITAL not to kill off fragile local business by disruption in the process (see e.g. what happened in several major Continental cities when trams were introduced over several years in the last decade or so – many businesses went bust).”
“Clear the traffic away from town centre and open it up for pedestrians who will be shoppers, business people and residents enjoying the natural setting and advantages of the town.”
“Traffic River frontage Maintenance of quality areas such as High Street”
“A) A viable town square B) sorting out the gyratory and having more pedestrian links/ bridges over the Wey C) relocating the market – maybe a permanent covered market located in Farnham Road Car Park and using the former Age Concern building on the wharf as a Market Office / Café”
“Losing or hiding the traffic (neither is easy or cheap); connecting the spaces (River, Downs, Castle, Racks Close, Stoke Park, etc. and even a new town square?!); Solve accesses to and from the A3 and the A3’s bottleneck up the hill to the A31 cut in the Hog’s back (the University needs it and it is the last major hold up on the A3 from London to Portsmouth)”
“Traffic, housing, planning”
“1. A radical solution is needed to get traffic out of the centre in favour of a quality environment for pedestrians 2. The retail and entertainment economy needs to attract visitors by re-establishing a unique local character, supporting innovative, quality independents rather than slavishly replicating typical high streets and centres elsewhere. 3. Everything needs to be joined up so all aspects of the community, including the University, Schools, Cathedral, hospital, business parks all feel integrated into a whole that is greater than the sum of its parts.”
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