Illustration Balgary Station - Courtesy Network Rail
The Rail System is an underutilised asset around Guildford. The Rail Network is a transport network that, uniquely, has a measure of spare capacity, and that capacity could be improved and made more accessible with strategic investment. Having regular and reliable services is critical.
Investment has recently been made to:
Major improvements which have been discussed, all seem to be stalled at present, these include:
The Ministry of Housing has recently (18-11-2025) made a statement on Planning rules in relation to Stations.
Housebuilding near well-connected train stations will receive a default “yes” in future if they meet certain rules, ensuring more high-quality, affordable homes are built in and around our key towns and cities, saving commuters time and boosting access to housing.
Thousands more working families and commuters will be able to live and work near train stations thanks to this drive to speed up housebuilding, which will help connect people to towns and cities, and open the door to new job and education opportunities.
Housebuilders will be encouraged to build more homes near these transport links, and councils in England will also now be required to tell the government when they intend to reject new housing developments over a certain size, with the Housing Secretary able to have the final say on whether they should go ahead.
It also builds on work already underway following the launch of Platform4, a new property company set to unlock 40,000 homes on brownfield land near railway stations, with four sites already earmarked, including Newcastle Forth Goods Yard and Manchester Mayfield - supporting the governments wider plan for boosting productivity, growth and living standards across the north
Planning reforms to give greater certainty and strength for development around well-connected rail stations, including trains and trams, will be proposed through a new pro-growth and rules-based National Planning Policy Framework, which will be consulted on later this year.
Recognising the significant benefits for jobs and growth that can be unlocked by building around train stations, these rules will extend to land within the Green Belt, continuing efforts to ensure that a designation designed in the middle of the last century is updated to work today.
The default “yes” will also apply equally across all local authorities, so that these benefits are seized across the country. The proposals will also include minimum housing density standards for these sites, expected to be exceeded in many cases, to make the most of sustainable growth opportunities for local housing, jobs, and businesses.
The Full Statement can be read here.
The statement is focused on Housing and ignores the advantages of having accessible commercial sites near stations.
The above statement could prompt planning proposals to come forward alongside exiting stations. A current example is the development being proposed at Flexford by Taylor Wimpey which is adjacent to Wanborough Station. See Link
Guildford Station has two potential site policies A3, A7 which may be encouraged to be developed. The ministerial statement also supports the Guildford Park Road Development for which an application is due shortly.
The council in the current Local Plan LPSS explicitly laid out policies to provide two new stations Guildford West and East.
Situated at the Research Park is aimed at creating a station to serve, Park Barn, RSCH and the proposed Blackwells Development.
(Diagrm taken from GBC Strategic Sites SPD)
The government statement may support application for funds to get this station built. Note there are issues related to exact location of the station and the need to take land to create a exit to Park Barn.
This was proposed in the adopted Strategic Sites SPD as part of the Gosden Hill site.
(Diagrm taken from GBC Strategic Sites SPD)
The current planning application makes no allowance for a station. Network Rail, in a interesting intervention in local planning matters, have in a letter on the Planning Portal have considered and approved the provision of a station in principle.
Network Rail conclude that "the planning application does not provide an assessment of rail options nor a contribution towards rail to accommodate use from the planning application site. NR and SWR therefore consider the planning application in its current form to be deficient in respect of the sustainable transport strategy". The letter can be read on this link.
The leetter also states that the developers Transport Assesment(TA) sets out that it takes on average 37 minutes to travel to Guildford by bus and 23 min by cycle. In the peak, it is likely that the bus time will increase, and this assumes residents will travel from site to Guildford railway station, from where many are likely to then travel out of Guildford in the London bound direction. This will effectively mean travelling back on themselves which would seemingly appear to be a disincentive to use public transport to access Guildford rail station.
It should also be pointed out the Service time from a Guildford East station to London Waterloo will be circa 56 Minutes and to Guildford station circa 7 Minutes. This is extrapolated from the current timetable, which is due a review as new rolling stock being dployed at present has faster acceleration, top speed, and reduced dwell times at stations due to midified door opening procedures. It is likely Guildford West services to London would compete very effectively in time with the fast line services at Guildford Station which currently take 36-38 minutes.
Creating Rail Stations can be a complex and expensive business particulalry if conducted on a operational railway. An example of a simple station is the one curently being constructed in Balgary, near Glasgow, which has required signaling track and electrification changes. The two platform station has lifts and waiting shelters, access road and bike storage; and is built partially on an embankment. The project cost is £18.5M.
Against this, the cost of creating similar travel opportunities in the terms of expensive road changes etc needs to be evaluated.
Balgary Station under construction - courtesy Network Rail
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Pressures for development are increasing. Planning rules are being eased. The Society’s commitment to standing up for Guildford is needed more than ever.
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