Concerns raised as footbridge plans pushed back

A councillor has raised concerns that plans for a footbridge at a railway station have been delayed until the new year.

Sue Wyeth-Price, a Guildford Borough Councillor for Ash South, said she was originally told a feasibility study would be completed in 2024-25 for the addition to Ash railway station, but Network Rail had since pushed it back to February 2026.

She said: "We may not get a feasibility study, we may not get a design, and we may not get a footbridge."

Network Rail said the study in the new year would provide a clear cost estimate and design in line with railway standards.

Wyeth-Price said she was concerned as the plans were "no further forward" than when they were first suggested in 2018.

"[I'm] frustrated actually because this is the safety of residents we're talking about here," she said.

"It's not just a wish list, it's people's safety."

In the meantime, pedestrians and cyclists can continue to use the level crossing which is operated by railway staff via a CCTV camera, Network Rail said.

It added: "We have reviewed our signalling operations to reduce barrier downtimes to the minimum and allow the flow of pedestrians and cyclists.

"Guildford Borough Council said once a feasibility study for the footbridge was completed it had the budget in place to support the submission of a planning application, if Network Rail wished to progress."

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