Guildford Bus Station Revisions

The compromise proposed by St Edwards

The Guildford Bus Station has been the subject of much debate as to its location, size and facilities.

Currently the Bus station has a south entry north exit flow for the bus routes.  The diagram below shows the routing; split by Blue Traffic to the East, Green Traffic to the North, and Red to traffic to South and west.

Proposed Bus Station -  Rejected Scheme

The North Street Scheme has proposed in it’s original application to retain the bus station on the existing site but make all buses enter and exit from the North.

This plan would have seen 16 bays provided, with the area at the south of the bus station developed as a public space.  North Street would under this proposal have been pedestrianized apart from delivery access in certain time periods between Leapale Road and Commercial Road.  Leapale Road would be revised to be two way.

Note that the bus station would be unsuitable for articulated buses.

The routing of bus routes would all enter and exit the bus staion via a revised North Entry and Exit.  The Scheme would lenghten bus journeys from Sout and West as they would have to 'U' turn around the York Road.   The sole bus entrance on Leapale road would have two way traffic and also interact with Leapale roar which is turned into a two way thoroughfare.

SCC expressed particular concerns at the timing on buses coming from south and West having to turn around the York Rrd roundabout and the impact of a reduction in bus stands.  SCC also highlighted resilience issues if the North Entrance had to be closed or restricted.

Concerns were also raised at the access provided by the redeveloped Bus Station waiting area.

The diagram below shows the likely routing of the buses, Currently the Bus station has a south entry north exit flow for the bus routes.  The diagram below shows the routing; split by Blue Traffic to the East, Green Traffic to the North, and Red to traffic to South and West.

Proposed Bus Station V2

Negotiations have taken place with key stakeholders and St Edward apper to have satidified concerns raised by SCC and  Bus operators. 

The proposed plan is for a south entrance to remain BUT only to be used by routes from South and West of Guildford (Red Routes).  All Routes would exit by a revised North Entry and apart from the South and West Routes all services would enter from the North.

Although this proposal requires the short stretch of North Street from the gyratory to the bus entrance to remain open the routes using this entrance would be much reduced.  The Bus Lane in Onslow Street alongsie the Friary Centre going south would have much reduced bus traffic. 

The diagram below shows the routing; split by Blue Traffic to the East, Green Traffic to the North, and Red to traffic to South and west.

The diagram below shows the routing; split by Blue Traffic to the East, Green Traffic to the North, and Red to traffic to South and west.