Gaining ground – why we’ve launched a campaign to improve the roads in Guildford

By Tim Shand

Potholes are the bane of a motorist’s life and in Guildford this issue is particularly prominent. The roads in Guildford are absolutely appalling. The complacency of the local county council and other groups in Guildford is breathtaking. Whilst the people of Guildford, the vast majority of whom pay a substantial amount in council tax, continue to register their disgust on this issue, they continue to be ignored.

That is why the Guildford Labour Party has launched a campaign to demand improvement for Guildford’s most damaged roads and pavements. I have organised a petition that calls for the Surrey County Council to prioritise the much needed road repairs, resurfacing any roads and pavements with potholes, cracks and bumps, and keeping residents updated on progress. People may accuse me of playing safe politics because this is an issue that arises in most areas in the country. However I think the state of the roads in Guildford is so appalling that this issue deserves attention.

Little progress has been made on improving the roads in recent years. The Surrey Conservative administration have previously claimed that they are tackling the backlog of repairs. However, as many local residents will agree, this unfortunately is not the case. Many roads, such as Cedar Way in Bellfields remain in appalling conditions. Guildford Labour is hoping to get repairs underway to eradicate the current safety hazard that such a disastrous lack of maintenance poses. The state of the roads is an embarrassment for Guildford and the roads are in unacceptable state of disrepair. It is clear that this matter is significantly reducing the quality of life for many. These residents deserve better.

Unsurprisingly, Guildford Labour Party’s campaign has been met with strong support from many local people and we have now collected hundreds of signatures.

The petition has also received the support of the local Conservative Guildford MP Anne Milton who described the state of roads as, “a major issue in Surrey, particularly in Waverley and Guildford“. But she also sympathised with the council for the limitations of funds they have available. However, the Guildford Labour Party hope to convince the County Council that priority must be given to a matter that so obviously affects the safety and wellbeing of the local community. We intend to continue collecting hundreds more signatures and rallying local support; then submit the petition to the County Council in the hope that it will initiate the change they and the community desperately need.

For more information, and to sign the petition please visit my website.