Solution for Grange Road?

For information about the gas works, please see Grange Road Gas Mains Works

Surrey County Council Local Committee for Guildford is amongst other things responsible for budgeting of Guildford's traffic schemes.  Member Cllr Pauline Searle has granted £5,000 out her personal allocation "to conduct investigations into the feasibility of progressing a range of highways measures in Grange Road". 

A survey cannot start until the gas works is complete.

The association and our councillors are working with Surrey County Council traffic department in looking at the impact on various schemes.   All parties are committed to full public consultation.

During the SGN gas works, a temporary one-way system and diversion was setup during the summer until end September.  During this time, QEP Residents Association web-site held an on-line survey, with the results posted here.

SCA's opinion on the Grange Road problem

The problem with Grange Road is mainly at its southern end where it is too narrow to allow easy passing of traffic in two directions and parked cars are being damaged.  Even worse is peak times when Northmead school is starting or ending its day, when the narrow pavement is mounted and some impatient drivers race at speed between Northmead school entrance and the traffic lights.  Two children have been hurt.  The problem is made worse still by buses and other large vehicles, which are forced to drive on the pavement or force other drivers to do so.  At non-peak times some drivers drive too fast going south on what they think is a clear road and have to take avoiding action onto the pavement when faced with an oncoming vehicle that has nowhere to go.  We have had drivers hit a lamp-post, a head-on collision and car overturned!

Surrey County Council (SCC) Highways department is responsible for traffic management, road and pavement design.  Highways has long recognised there is a problem and in 2000 identified a number of schemes for Grange Road (amongst others in Stoughton) to be all or partly paid from planning gain from QE Park (see QEP Planning Gain Report) as follows (including latest status):

21.1(4) Improved junction at Grange Road - Stoughton Road. (Automated traffic lights (MOVA & SVD) completed; Junction re-design with advance cycle stop no longer being considered.)

21.1(8) Traffic management scheme, controlled parking and 20mph limit south of the school entrances.  (SCC Highways have postponed this until completion of the QE Park development when they say they will do a survey if they have the money.)

21.1(11) £53k towards improving the Stoughton Road railway bridge.  (Completed.)

21.1(13) Total of £700k for enhancements to buses 26 & 27.  (This money has paid for a Sunday service and more 3 buses an hour.  Estimated to last about 3 years after which Arriva will need a viable service or find a subsidy from SCC or the University.  The latter is unlikely because the University halls in Hamilton Drive will be closing down when Manor Farm halls open.)

21.1(16) Safe Route to Northmead School.  (No plans currently being considered but Highways are open to ideas.  However, any money previously allocated to this has already been spent on other schemes.)

20(a) Travel Plan.  (This resulted in a report issued before QE Park scheme was approved.  Changes to the scheme, including the omission of the bus-gate and no bus going through QEP means this plan is practically obsolete.  The developers have set up a web-site, but this is marketed at QEP residents although is accessible to some degree to residents in the wider area).

SCA's opinion is:

• Stoughton needs a Strategic Traffic Review.  Bottlenecks, such as at Dennis Roundabout and Slyfield encourage drivers to avoid main routes and rat-run down Grange Road.  There are problems like this all over Stoughton, and solving a problem in one place will cause the problem to move elsewhere.  Therefore a strategic review of Stoughton and its surrounding area is required.

• Grange Road review now!  If Highways won't do a Stoughton-wide review then do one in Grange Road now, don't wait for the houses in QE Park to be finished.

• SCC Highways to change their planning policy.  It is Highways' policy to approve new housing applications if there is:

  • Good public transport.  This means the presence of a bus within given walking distance and taking less than 20 minutes to get into town is regarded as good.

  • Adequate off-road parking.  Highways adhere to central government guidelines requiring between 1 and 1.5 parking spaces per household depending on how good the bus service is.

• Buses to change their timetables.  SCA is not suggesting bus users not get to work on time, only that the buses do not travel the southern part of Grange Road between 8:30-8:50 and 3:10-3:30.  A proper study is required to determine the best times.

• No more housing development.  Any new housing development in the area will introduce more traffic which Stoughton Roads, and Grange Road in particular cannot stand. 

• Developers should honour their promises.  Construction traffic should not use the southern part of Grange Road.

• Local residents and schools to be consulted.  To be heard we have to make a noise!  Please help protest.