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A new public traffic regulation order (TRO) consultation for traffic calming measures in Upper Hale Road, Farnham is now open.
The 20mph speed limit which was consulted on last year is now agreed. However, we received feedback on the traffic calming measures in Upper Hale Road from residents and the police and we wanted to take that into account. That means we need to consult on a new proposal. So rather than having speed cushions which sit in the centre of a lane, we now propose four new speed tables which cover the whole width of the road. We’re also including a new unsignalled pedestrian crossing on a raised speed table. We believe this would be an improvement on the original proposal.
The proposals to install speed tables on Upper Hale Road are currently the subject of statutory consultation and we would welcome any comments on the proposal.
The Farnham Board is meeting on this Friday (16 December) at 10am to discuss the latest on the Farnham Infrastructure Programme - including the results of the town centre consultation held over the summer.
However, the meeting will now be held online, rather than at the town council offices as had been previously publicised. This is due to the icy conditions adding to travel disruption caused by the train strikes - we don’t want people travelling unnecessarily.
We encourage anyone who wants to find out about the next steps for the town centre to follow the meeting online. It will be broadcast live on the Farnham Town Council YouTube channel - and available to watch afterwards.
Farnham Town Council on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@farnhamtowncouncil1912/streams
Farnham Board agenda and papers - https://mycouncil.surreycc.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=828&MId=8701&Ver=4
The deadline to comment on the two proposals for Farnham town centre is this Sunday (9 October).
Please visit our consultation site and have your say before its too late.
The proposals are:
Option A: Castle Street and Downing Street improvements
This proposal would formalise the temporary pavement widening on both roads to create an improved environment for shoppers, with space for outdoor dining and retailers’ deliveries alongside new cycle parking, trees and planting.
Option B: Changing the traffic flow direction, and widening pavements on The Borough, Castle Street and Downing Street
This proposal would widen pavements and provide new and improved crossings around the town centre for pedestrians, alongside space for cycle parking and retailers’ deliveries, and new trees and planting. It will also change the traffic flow, so some roads that are currently one-way would become two-way. This would prevent vehicles having to circle unnecessarily around the town.
Please visit our consultation site for full details, to watch a video and to have your say.
A31 options
There is also the opportunity to express your views on ways to improve the A31 corridor – with options for the Coxbridge Roundabout, Hickley’s Corner and the Shepherd and Flock Roundabout.
Virtual reality technology will enable people in Farnham to explore the potential future of the town centre by jet pack this Summer. The FREE immersive experience will be in various locations around Farnham from 16 August. This follows public exhibitions held in July by the Farnham Infrastructure Programme as part of the on-going consultation which proposes changes to Farnham town centre.
There will be four virtual reality sessions available. You can book a time in advance or turn up on the day.
Book your virtual reality experience online now by visiting: https://www.eventbrite.com/cc/jet-pack-into-the-future-of-farnham-978559
The experience will see participants using the latest in virtual reality headset technology to fly around the town centre by jet pack. It will give an opportunity to explore and feedback on how Farnham could be transformed if current proposals are agreed.
The proposed future town centre will come alive as jet-packers feel the vibrations, hear the sounds, look around the 360-degree views and fly through hoops to see the different options being proposed. Those not keen to fly can keep their feet firmly on the ground and use a joystick to travel around instead.
The innovative experience aims to give everyone a chance to try virtual reality for free and discover what Farnham could look like in the future, but it also has a serious mission. The aim is to encourage more people of all ages to have the chance to input into and shape the future of the place they live, work and play.
Due to the extreme heat weather warning, the Farnham Infrastructure Programme has decided to cancel the planned town centre consultation exhibition which was due to take place on Tuesday 19 July at the University for the Creative Arts (UCA).
Instead, there will be an additional morning session from at The Bush Hotel on Wednesday 20 July.
That means the upcoming events are:
The programme cancelled the UCA event to protect the welfare of staff, and to make sure people in Farnham who may not wish to travel in the heat are still able to attend and find out about the town centre proposals.
A public consultation on proposals to reduce speed limits to 20mph in Farnham town centre, Weydon Lane and Upper Hale Road is now open.
The proposals are based on speed surveys which were commissioned by the Farnham Infrastructure Programme to understand the issues caused by speeding vehicles and consider how they might be addressed.
The surveys said that road signage and markings would be enough in most locations to encourage drivers to stick to 20mph speed limits, but there are two locations where further measures are proposed.
On Castle Street, its proposed to create small gateway features in the road to locate new 20mph signs alongside attractive flower planting. They will also narrow the road and help to calm the traffic as it enters and exits the town centre. Residents can give feedback on this in the 20mph consultation.
There is a separate consultation for the installation of traffic calming measures in Upper Hale Road to support the 20mph limit. It is proposed to put speed cushions near the Alma Lane, Queens Road and Wellesley Garden junctions.
The consultations close on 3 January 2022.
Final Optimised Infrastructure Plan for FarnhamThe final Optimised Infrastructure Plan for Farnham is now available. The document has been updated following a consultation earlier this year and highlights the future priorities for the infrastructure programme.
Surrey County, Waverley Borough and Farnham Town Councils came together at the Farnham Board on Friday 11 June to discuss the Farnham Infrastructure Programme (FIP).
You can watch a recording of the meeting on YouTube , or see the latest updates below.
Town centre update
The pavement widening measures in The Borough are to be removed, according to plans confirmed at the Farnham Board.
Councillors have been listening to feedback about the impact of the measures on the town centre, as numbers of car journeys increase as lockdown restrictions are lifted. The measures on Downing Street and Castle Street will remain in place. The timeline for the changes is being worked out, but will happen as soon as possible.
It is hoped that removing the wider pavements on The Borough will help improve traffic flow and reduce pollution; while keeping the other measures will support an improved pedestrian experience in the town centre. The Farnham Infrastructure Programme is currently investigating long-term town centre improvements - any new solutions will need to avoid moving problems elsewhere, and support increased walking and cycling.
As part of the review of the social distancing measures, bays for disabled parking in Castle Street are due to be reinstated. The traffic island at the junction with The Borough was reinstated on Sunday 13 June.
OIP consultation analysis
Full analysis of the responses to the draft Optimised Infrastructure Plan (OIP) consultation has now been completed.
While people in Farnham are broadly supportive of the measures proposed in the plan, there were some polarising views of some options. The results are now being considered, before an updated version of the OIP is agreed later this year. The consultation ran for four weeks in February and March.
Read the analysis of the OIP consultation...
Read a summary of the draft OIP...
'Quick wins' project update
The FIP's 'quick wins' project is working towards making improvements in Farnham over the next two years. Here are some updates:
Read the quick wins project update...
The Farnham Infrastructure Programme
Surrey County Council, Waverley Borough Council and Farnham Town Council are working together to tackle issues such as congestion and air quality in Farnham and its surrounding areas. This is called the Farnham Infrastructure Programme.
People in Farnham can also hear more about the programme and have their say at regular meetings of the Local Liaison Forum - new dates will be available soon.
Thanks to all the 746 respondents who commented in the recent draft Optimised Infrastructure Plan (OIP) consultation, and all the people who joined a Local Liaison Forum meeting or the Facebook Live.
We’re now analysing the data. We will give feedback on the results and what that means for the OIP document in due course. You can watch a recording of the Farnham Board meeting from Friday 19 March on YouTube to see some early results.
HGV restrictions consultation now liveThe statutory consultation relating to the proposed introduction of HGV restrictions along Upper Hale Road, Folly Hill, Castle Street and Odiham Road is now live. People can give their feedback until 15 April 2021 . If approved, the restrictions could be in place by the summer.
Local Liaison Forums, held on Zoom to allow participation, provide an opportunity to share ideas and give feedback on the proposed infrastructure changes. If you live, work, study or travel around Farnham, get involved to find out more and ask questions about the programme.
Upcoming meetings are due to be held via Zoom on:
There will also be a meeting using Facebook Live on Wednesday 10 March from 12.30-1.30pm.
Visit the Farnham Town Council website for more details, to register and for recordings of previous meetings.