Page contents
- Background to the town centre improvements
- Delivering the improvements
- Information for businesses
- Parking, public transport, walking and cycling
Background to the town centre improvements
What is the aim of the town centre improvements?
The town centre improvements aim to improve the environment and economic vitality of the town. Key objectives include encouraging walking and cycling, supporting bus usage, and air quality improvements.
Proposals include:
- Wider pavements - wherever possible - will give more space for shoppers and visitors
- Higher quality public spaces, that include greening, high-quality paving and seating - so people can and choose to stop
- Dedicated loading bays to support local retailers
- Controlled crossings and raised tables will make it safer to cross roads
- Two new bus shelters with real time passenger information, extended level boarding areas and lighting will provide seating and protection against the weather for bus passengers
- Advanced stop lines and additional parking for people who cycle
- Sustainable urban drainage systems (SUDS) for town centre more resilient to heavy rain
You can see a map of the proposed changes: Farnham town centre improvements draft illustrative plan November 2024 (PDF).
What are the traffic changes proposed and why?
To unlock these improvements, we have had to propose major changes to the town centre road layout:
- Drivers will be able to turn right at the bottom of Castle Street – this will remove some of the traffic through the Farnham one way system
- Two-way traffic at the bottom of Downing Street so drivers can travel both ways to the Waggon Yard car park – again, this has been done to remove some of the traffic through the Farnham one way system
In addition, all roads will be resurfaced.
How is the scheme being funded?
Funding for the improvement scheme will come from a combination of sources, including government grants, private investments, public-private partnerships and community contributions.
How was the design agreed?
The design of the town centre improvements has gone through several stages of discussion via the Farnham Board reflecting the results of a public consultation in summer 2022.
That consultation saw a series of exhibitions and virtual reality events, alongside detailed information online to establish a preferred option and receive feedback. The comments were considered at the December 2022 Farnham Board and the design has been developed in line with the outcomes. Further public consultation and engagement has included questionnaires, walkthroughs as well as Traffic Regulation Orders (TROs) for parking and changes to the road layout.
Can there still be changes to the design?
The town centre design is now final.
Are you preserving the ironstone setts, historic paving and historic downpipes across the town centre?
The ironstone and other natural stone setts currently found across Farnham are an integral part of the town's heritage and contribute positively to the character and appearance of the conservation area.
For this reason, we're retaining the ironstone setts and historic paving as part of our proposals where possible. In places they will need to be lifted, checked for damage, cleaned and re-laid. In a few instances, they may need to be relocated to a slightly different location, in part to ensure we are able to install consistent and even surfaces.
The downpipes are privately owned and will not be altered.
Are you moving road signs so they don't end up as an obstructions?
Yes, this has been considered across the town centre scheme in an effort to reduce street clutter where possible.
Are you narrowing the pavements anywhere?
One of the objectives of this project was to encourage people to walk, so pavements will generally be wider once the scheme is delivered.
There are a few areas where there will be a small reduction in pavement width. Where we have reduced the width, we have ensured the pavement is at least 2.2m wide which meets best practice for safety and crowding. This is considered a considerable improvement as current pavement widths fall below that threshold in several places.
The only location where we have not been able to provide 2.2m width is by a new bus shelter on the north side of The Borough. This is to accommodate waiting passengers and support bus usage, which is another key objective of this project.
What is the 'greening' shown on the plan?
The greening on the plans are planted areas which sit level with the pavement, rather than planters which sit on the pavement. Having planted areas level with the pavement are preferred as they help absorb heat, reduce surface water runoff and provide wildlife habitats. They also require less manual watering than planters.
The only exception to this is the green area to the south west of the Downing Street and West Street junction, which has to accommodate the hill gradient. No vertical planters are proposed.
The planters currently in the town which are being used to narrow Downing Street will be removed ahead of construction.
Delivering the improvements
When will works be happening?
The works started in early 2025 and are expected to last until late 2026. These timescales are typical for a scheme of this scale.
The construction works will be phased across the town centre, focusing on different sections at a time to minimise disruption as much as possible. We are currently refining this schedule and will publish it on our website before Christmas 2024.
How can I stay informed about the latest updates and developments regarding the improvements?
Residents, businesses, and stakeholders will be able to stay informed by subscribing to the project e-newsletter, following the Surrey Highways X and Surrey Highways Facebook pages, visiting the dedicated project website, attending or drop-in locations, or contacting the project team directly.
Details of any impacts will be published on our website, and we may contact local people with specific advice as required.
Advanced warning road signs will be displayed at key locations in Farnham and well as diversion routes during construction.
We will also distribute regular updates to local residents and those impacted by the scheme throughout the construction.
How are you tackling delays caused by the temporary traffic lights at the junction of Downing Street, West Street and The Borough?
The temporary arrangements at the junction of Downing Street, West Street and The Borough , as well as the new right turn out of Castle Street, are being kept under constant review, so we can minimise disruption and delay. The installation of permanent traffic lights at the junction is being brought forward to this winter and should help improve traffic flow. In the meantime, it is normal to expect some level of disruption following a major road layout change like this, and particularly at peak hours, while drivers adjust to it.
What is the diversion route? Will it be publicised?
Diversion routes are being developed with Surrey Highways to limit disruption. This will include diversions for all road users: pedestrians as well as large vehicles like buses and Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs). Details will be published ahead of construction and advanced warning road signs and diversion routes signs will be displayed at key locations in Farnham during construction.
Will there be road closures? Where will they be?
Some partial and full road closures will be required for the surfacing work, pavement widening and construction of raised crossings. We are currently working to develop the optimum plan of road closures and diversions which limit disruption during the works.
We are expecting to close Downing Street during summer 2025 and The Borough during summer 2026. However, once we have refined the plan, details on road closures will be published.
Would construction works take place during evenings and weekends?
We are currently developing our work schedule for the construction period. However it is possible that some weekend and evening work will be necessary to avoid disruption during peak times and reduce the period of disruption.
We will make every effort to minimise disruption to local residents and those using the town centre. We will provide regular updates to local residents and those using the town centre to ensure everyone is kept fully informed of any evening and weekend works.
Will roads be closed over Christmas?
There will be no impact to the 2024 Christmas period. We intend to stop works for a period over Christmas 2025, so the roads impacted by the scheme are free of roadworks and diversion routes.
Why can't the works be done in school holidays when there is less traffic?
Given the length of the construction period, it would be challenging and costly to stop and restart work to align with the school holidays. This would also significantly extend the programme. Therefore, we are developing an optimised programme of construction works which is phased across the town centre to create a largely continuous construction programme. This aims to have minimal impact to residents and users of the town centre while completing works in the shortest possible time.
Will the scheme cause traffic disruption in the local area? How will you manage this disruption?
As part of our detailed planning, we will look to put suitable measures in place to mitigate the impact of construction on traffic in the surrounding area. This planning is currently underway.
Surrey County Council and our partners will work closely together to minimise the impact of construction works on traffic in surrounding areas and local residents and key stakeholders will be kept fully informed as work progresses.
What will the impact be on town centre events?
We will be working with Farnham Town Council to identify where there is a conflict between the delivery of the works and planned events. We will support event organisers in exploring alternative locations where events cannot be accommodated.
Will there be any utility works in the town centre during the works?
We will ensure any work by utility companies in the town centre during the improvement works are kept to an absolute minimum. If any do need to occur, such as for emergencies, they will be carefully planned around the improvement works to ensure disruption is minimised.
Information for businesses
Will businesses still be open?
Yes, businesses will remain open during the construction. Our schedule of works is being developed with businesses in mind to enable 'business as usual' activities such as deliveries.
Should any business experience issues, we'll make sure businesses can contact the site team to discuss the way forward.
We'll also be installing signage to promote that the town remains open.
How are you helping businesses with loading bays?
There are currently no loading bays throughout the town centre. Once the proposals have been delivered there will be off-road loading bays so deliveries can be made without impacting the flow of traffic.
What can be done about deliveries blocking the roads?
If any retailers are noticing that their deliveries are causing congestion in the town please speak to the site delivery team or email Farnham.infrastructureprogramme@surreycc.gov.uk so we find a way to meet your needs while keeping the town's roads moving.
Surrey County Council's enforcement officers will also be increasing their presence in Farnham town centre.
Parking, public transport, walking and cycling
What will the impact of the scheme be on on-street parking?
Any temporary changes to on-street parking during the works will be shared closer to the time.
Once works are complete, there will be no change to the number of residents-only parking bays. The two disabled bays and the four taxi bays on Castle Street will also be retained, while the existing taxi waiting area on West Street will move slightly east and be converted to a shared loading/taxi bay. Further detail on this can be found here: Waverley parking reviews - Surrey County Council.
While there will be a reduction in on-street visitor parking, spaces will remain available in nearby car parks, such as the Central, Waggon Yard, Hart and Riverside car parks. These will continue to provide most of the visitor parking for the town centre, as well as some resident parking.
We will be in contact with you if the construction works will impact your resident parking.
Will car parks be affected during the works?
It is possible that car parks will temporarily be impacted during construction in the town centre. Our aim is to avoid impacts to parking as much as we can including nightworks to avoid preventing entry/exit to carparks. Any temporary changes will be shared closer to the time.
Will pedestrian and cycle access be maintained during the works?
Access to pavements for pedestrians will be maintained as much as possible where safe to do so. Clearly marked, fully accessible diversions will be created for pedestrians at points where this cannot be avoided. Similarly, access for cyclists will be maintained as much as possible. However, details are currently being refined and will be published in due course.
Will I still be able to take the bus through the town centre?
We are currently working with our passenger transport team to develop mitigations for impact to buses during construction. Details will be made available on our website and information displayed in the town centre, including bus diversion routes. This will be completed ahead of the start of construction to allow bus users time to plan their journeys.