There is a delicate balance being struck up and down the country of late, if not all over the world. The desire of many is to reduce the number of cars on the road, encouraging people to use public transport such as trains instead. At the same time, there is a need for more homes to be built.
At Guildford Railway Station, that balance is being writ large, thanks to the fact that the current car park is closing to make room for 179 new homes, whilst drivers are still being encouraged to take the train thanks to the opening of a multi-storey car park that is currently being built nearby.
Why the Car Park Is Closing
If you have ever taken a train from Guildford Railway Station, there is a good chance that either you or someone you know has driven there before parking up in the car park on-site. It is a key parking area for the town, offering people the option to place their car in the long stay car park whilst they go about their journey. Unfortunately, however, that option is coming to a close. From Thursday the fourth of December, the long stay car park will be shutting its gates for the final time. The reason why is so that the next stage of a housing development can be completed.
A building company called Solum has been tasked with building and delivering 179 new homes, which will be ‘well-connected’ according to Alan Jones, the company’s Development Director. As well as new homes, the project will also include improvements to the train station, which will make the passenger experience much better in the long term. Although the car park will be closed, the aim is to keep the station itself open and to minimise the disruption to people’s lives as much as possible. It is just one part of a wider scheme around Guildford Railway Station.
The aim is for more than 400 new homes to be built, as well as several improvements to the station itself. These include a new plaza, which will take centre stage in a modern new station building. As part of that, there will be better retail stores in addition to enhanced café units, which should make the overall experience of heading to the station much more pleasurable. On top of that, the main ticket hall will be both improved upon and enlarged, which should reduce the feeling of being crammed into a small space that many people visiting Guildford Railway Station have felt in the past.
What Options Are There for Commuters
The fact that the car park at Guildford Railway Station is closing doesn’t mean that anyone hoping to take a trip from the station to the likes of London and other parts of Surrey won’t be able to park. Instead, anyone who might normally drive to the location is being encouraged to head to Farnham Road, which has a public car park and is located about five minutes from the station on foot. The cost of parking at that location instead is £10 for the day Monday to Saturday, which drops down to £8 for the day if you head there to park on a Sunday instead.
There is also a multi-storey car park at Bedford Road, which is a little bit further afield at ten minutes from the station for those walking. This, though, is a little bit more expensive Monday to Saturday, costing £16 if you’re looking to park for more than six hours. At Guildford Railway Station itself, there is a Premium Parking area, which will remain open and has 33 spaces, of which eight are for those with accessibility needs. It is available on a first come, first served basis. The surface car park, meanwhile, will eventually be replaced by a multi-storey car park with 320 spaces, which is due to open in the summer of next year.
Speaking on the matter, Jones said,
As well as delivering new homes, the development includes station improvement works, which will enhance the passenger experience in the long term. We apologise for the disruption that this car park closure may cause station users. Throughout these works, we’re committed to keeping the station open and keeping passengers, customers and residents informed. We would urge people to use the nearby Farnham Road public car park during the closure.