This has been an important summer for Farnham. The recent consultation means we’ve taken a step closer to making some of the most significant improvements to the town centre in a generation.
Thank you to everyone who shared their views on the proposals, whether it was at our exhibitions or the innovative virtual reality experiences, filling in our questionnaires, taking a look at the plans at the town council, responding to our social media polls or engaging with the events put on by Cllr Catherine Powell in the north of the town.
Early analysis shows there was support for both the proposal to improve Downing Street and Castle Street, and the proposal to make changes to The Borough and to change the traffic flow.
But we’re now looking closely at all the feedback, identifying the trends, and looking again at what was suggested to see if any changes are necessary and possible.
This will take a little while to do thoroughly, and we’ll be sharing the results of the consultation and discussing our next steps at the Farnham Board in December.
Other developments
The Farnham Infrastructure Programme’s core aims are not just about the town centre, but solving the town’s congestion and air-quality issues. So I’m pleased to give updates on other parts of the programme.
Our local cycling and walking plan is with our partner councils for endorsement and prioritisation of proposed new routes, then its due to be discussed at the Farnham Board.
There will be further engagement on this as detailed design work begins.
Local interest groups, such as the Farnham Cycle Campaign, have been very involved in the development of the plan, and we value their ongoing contribution.
Encouraging people out of the car with more walking and cycling is the key way to support a move to pedestrianisation in the town centre – which I know is supported by many people and remains an ambition.
Works to support our first 20mph zones in the town centre, Weydon Lane and Upper Hale Road will be starting soon, helping to make Farnham a safer place to live, work and visit.
Our intention is to widen the 20mph zones in due course, with the possibility of Farnham becoming a 20mph town.
New wayfinding ‘totems’ in the town centre are also going to be installed soon. These are new maps for pedestrians to help people navigate around the centre of Farnham without having to jump back in their cars.
And we’re still waiting to hear from the Department for Transport (DfT) on our strategic outline business case for the A31 corridor.
While we wait, we’ll be reviewing the feedback on the options presented over the summer. We will consult on any proposed design before submitting to the DfT for funding.
Cost of living
As we head into the winter, the cost of living is a real concern for many of us. It is fundamental that no-one is left behind – that means helping those who need us most and improving quality of life for everyone.
A directory of support from the county council will be delivered to all homes in Surrey soon. It highlights support for people who are worried about their finances, advice on lowering your energy bills, and details of health and wellbeing support.
For more information visit here or call 0300 200 1008.
By Tim Oliver, Surrey County Council leader
As posted in the Farnham Herald