Weybridge town centre road improvements

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Overview

We are making improvements to the roads in Weybridge town centre to create a better town centre environment that encourages active travel such as walking and cycling. In addition we plan to improve pedestrian crossing facilities, street furniture, traffic flow and associated air quality.

Due to major work being carried out by National Highways at junction 10 of the M25, a decision was made to delay starting work in Weybridge town centre. If works were to take place in Weybridge at the same time as the major scheme on the M25 we would expect significant levels of congestion within the local area caused by traffic diverting to avoid junction 10 of the M25.

We have worked with our Streetworks team at Surrey who coordinate all road works in the county, including the planned A320 North of Woking highway improvements, and have developed a revised timeline for road improvements in Weybridge. Work will be carried out in phases to avoid disruption whilst major closures take place on the M25 and A3 for National Highways junction 10 scheme.

Bridge Road and Old Wharf Way

Works will take place at the junction of Bridge Road and Old Wharf Way from 11 November for 4 weeks. Old Wharf Way will have a Southbound lane closure that will be in place 24 hours a day. Access will only be allowed northbound on Old Wharf Way during the works. There will be temporary traffic lights on Bridge Road and one lane closed in sync with the existing bridge traffic lights to manage traffic flow. The works will involve footway resurfacing and widening, drainage works, installation of a road table, streetlighting works and lining and signing.

Project timeline

Completed work

  • July 2021: Stakeholder reference group established
  • May 2022: First public exhibition with initial ideas
  • January 2023: Second public exhibition with refined proposals
  • May 2024: Lining and signage works on Monument Hill junction with Baker Street
  • August 2024: Upgrading existing crossing to zebra crossing on Queens Road outside of Manby Lodge school

Upcoming work (subject to surrounding major work on the M25 and A3)

  • From 11 November: Bridge Road and Old Wharf junction works
  • Autumn / winter 2024/2025: Monument Hill and Monument Green junction works
  • Spring / summer 2025: 20mph implementation
  • Spring / summer 2025: Church Street/ Balfour Road / High Street/ High Street between Elmgrove Road and Baker Street works

Health campus

Proposed designs for the Weybridge Health campus were shared at public exhibitions in January and May 2023.

Feedback from local people was used to refine the designs and prepare the planning application. For more information and to read the feedback reports, please visit North West Surrey Alliance web page.

Weybridge library

If you're looking for information on the Weybridge library transformation, please visit the Weybridge library webpage.

Public engagement

In July 2021 we established a Stakeholder Reference Group made up of community leaders, community groups and residents.

In May 2022 and January 2023 we held public exhibitions which showcased proposals for road improvements, a redeveloped health campus and renewed library. We received feedback from local people on the plans for the roads in the town centre and have since analysed this feedback, a summary can be found on the Weybridge commonplace website.

HGVs

An experimental prohibition of Heavy Goods Vehicles in Weybridge has recently been subject to consultation, for full details and the outcome of the consultation please visit the surrey says webpage.

Frequently asked questions

Why are you proposing changes to the roads in Weybridge town centre?

The town centre has high levels of private vehicle journeys and related congestion within the area. We have recognised a need to improve footway areas, road safety, enhance bus journey time, tackle road traffic congestion, undertake decluttering works and improve the highway environment for all road users across Weybridge town centre.

Weybridge is by far the largest employment centre in Elmbridge. There is an aspiration to invest in Weybridge to ensure it continues to be an attractive town for business, education, and as a place to live.

What are the changes you are proposing?

  • Footway improvements - widening existing footways
  • New and improved pedestrian crossing provision
  • Carriageway improvement works
  • Providing new cycling and pedestrian links, routes, and spaces
  • Speed reduction measures
  • Junction improvement works
  • Decluttering of unused street furniture
  • Public transport improvement works (bus stops and bus shelters)
  • Identifying potential locations for urban greening
  • Lightning upgrade works
  • Improved signage
  • Improving safety throughout the town centre (and adjacent areas) by reducing vehicle speeds via the introduction of 20mph posted speed limits.

Why is this necessary?

Weybridge town centre would benefit from active travel, improved public transport accessibility, and efficient network management. In light of updated government policies around active travel, and our Local Transport Plan LTP4, there is a need to ensure that the Weybridge improvement project aligns with our goals regarding climate change and active travel.

We need to make changes to improve issues identified in the area, these include providing a safer environment for motorists, pedestrians, and cyclists, encouraging active travel, improving the public transport experience, and reducing collisions. The improvements will also integrate with the planned hospital and library redevelopments.

How much will the works cost and where is the funding coming from?

The scheme cost is estimated to be £5 million. Elmbridge Borough Council have allocated £2.5 million to the scheme and the remaining funding is expected to be provided by Surrey County Council.

When will the work start and how long will it take?

The major work being carried out by National Highways at junction 10 of the M25 impacts upon the works programme in Weybridge town centre. If works were to take place in Weybridge at the same time as the major scheme on the M25 we would expect significant levels of congestion within the local area caused by traffic diverting to avoid junction 10 of the M25. We have worked with the Streetworks team at Surrey County Council who coordinate all road works in the county to plan the best time to progress the Weybridge town centre works taking into account the latest National Highways M25 junction programme and traffic impacts on the county's local roads network. We are therefore delivering the Weybridge Town centre scheme in phases with the first phase at the junction of Monument Hill and Baker Street completing in May 2024. The next phase, the Queens Road crossing outside Manby Lodge Infant School, started early August. The full scheme improvement works are expected to be completed by the end of 2025.

Will all the roads be worked on at the same time?

The work will be carried out in phases to avoid disruption whilst major closures take place on the M25 and A3 for National Highways junction 10 scheme.

Will there be noise pollution during works?

If required, a section 61 application will be submitted to Elmbridge Borough Council as a proactive approach to reducing environmental impact. This would outline what methods are in place to minimise disruption to the neighbourhood, thus reducing the number of potential complaints.

What will the traffic management be?

Appropriate and safe traffic management measures will be set up to reduce the impact of construction as much as possible. Inevitably there will be some disruption to traffic especially at peak times, but careful consideration will be given to the timing and phasing of works to keep these to a minimum.

How will the work affect businesses and residents?

We will make sure residents and businesses can get to and from their house or business when it is safe to do so to keep disruption to a minimum.

How will residents be informed of the works?

We will inform residents of upcoming works through letters and advance warning signs. We will also be updating the project webpage to notify residents of any changes.

Were there any changes from the public consultation in 2023?

A summary of the results of the 2023 public consultation can be found on the Weybridge commonplace website.

The key changes made to the proposals following the public consultation are summarised below:

  • The proposed closures to through-traffic on Elgin Road and Old Wharf Way will no longer be going ahead as directed by the public consultation
  • A zebra crossing will be installed on Portmore Park Road, to the north of the junction with the A317
  • The parallel pedestrian and cycle crossing from Portmore Park Road junction has been removed as Old Wharf Way closure to through-traffic is not going ahead
  • The westbound bus stop on Balfour Road will be relocated to accommodate the above zebra crossing relocation
  • A segregated area for southbound cyclists to reach Old Wharf Way from the A317 and contraflow southbound cycle lane on the one-way section of Old Wharf Way will be introduced
  • Cycle lane provision on the A317 Balfour Road has been removed
  • Guard railing at the Balfour Road / Church Street / Heath Road roundabout will be replaced with new guard railing
  • The previously proposed uncontrolled crossings on Heath Road and Church Street in the vicinity of the above roundabout have been removed
  • The new zebra crossing on Church Street has been moved slightly further east than previously proposed, so it aligns with the pedestrian route between Churchfield Road public car park and the High Street
  • Bollards adjacent to the kerb on the northern side of the A317 either side of the new zebra crossing will be installed
  • The eastbound and westbound bus stops in the vicinity of the library and health centre will be relocated to facilitate the above request
  • The existing signal-controlled pedestrian crossing between Churchfield Road and the health centre access road will be removed
  • New seating and planters within the widened footway section between Churchfield Road and Baker Street will be introduced
  • There will be no alterations to Monument Hill car park access
  • Monument Hill and Baker Street junction: the existing right-turn pocket will be retained and the yellow box marking proposals will change from full-width to half-width
  • A new zebra crossing will be installed outside Manby Lodge school on Queens Road, including a retaining wall to remedy existing footway defects and carriageway and footway resurfacing

Why are you going to change the double yellow lines at Old Wharf Way?

The extension of the double-yellow line is to improve pedestrian visibility whilst crossing the road at the junction of Bridge Road and Old Wharf Way.

The existing double yellow line extends approximately 10.8 metres (in a straight line) from the junction mouth. This is the minimum required to attempt to encourage compliance with the highway code; however, it is insufficient to enable pedestrians and motorists to see one another. Existing intervisibility is poor in this location.

Parked vehicles at the southern end of Old Wharf Way (on the east side of the road), combined with the curvature of the road, significantly reduce the ability of drivers of southbound vehicles to see pedestrians crossing, or waiting to cross, from east to west along Bridge Road.

Will there be loss of parking at Old Wharf Way if extended double yellow lines are introduced?

The extended lines will result in the loss of approximately 6 metres of kerbside available for parking. Based on Manual for the Streets and other design standards, which stipulate 6 metres minimum required for vehicles when parked parallel, this is equivalent to the loss of parking for one vehicle.

All residential properties in the vicinity have existing off-street parking provision.

How are you going to improve the pavement? Why is there an option to extend the eastern-side pavement to slow traffic?

The reason for widening the footway on the eastern side of Old Wharf Way is engineering-and design-standards-led, for a number of reasons:

  1. Widening the eastern side will improve visibility at the crossing by reducing the curvature of the southbound carriageway, therefore improving safety in this location.
  2. Retaining the existing kerb alignment on the western side is required in order to enable large vehicles (e.g. waste collection vehicles, delivery vehicles, emergency services vehicles) turning left from Bridge Road into Old Wharf Way without conflicting with any vehicles travelling westbound which have been held at the stop line for the traffic lights
  3. Widening the eastern side will result in reduced construction impact and cost. Widening on the western side would require gully relocation and additional kerb realignment, increasing capital cost.

The proposed widened footway and narrower carriageway, in conjunction with the raised table at the junction, will facilitate safer and easier crossing of Old Wharf Way for those travelling along Bridge Street. Vehicle speeds will be reduced when entering Old Wharf Way, whilst still facilitating movements of the multiple vehicle types which require access. Swept path assessments of vehicles were undertaken during the design process.

Why are you proposing to implement a 20mph zone in Weybridge? How can you prove that it can improve the road safety?

We are proposing a 20mph zone to reduce traffic speeds to create a safer environment for pedestrians, cyclists and other non-motorised users. 20mph speed limits have been demonstrated, both nationally across the UK and internationally, to have a demonstrable effect on improving road safety for everyone. Recent studies have demonstrated a 1.5% risk of a fatality for collisions at 20mph compared to an 8% risk of a fatality at 30mph. Collisions occurring at 20mph are five times less likely to result in fatal injury.

Studies have shown that 20mph schemes helps to encourage active travel, increasing walking and cycling levels by reducing actual and perceived danger from motorised vehicle traffic.

Following an introduction of 20 mph zone, how are you going to deal with potential 'rat runs' caused by the speed restriction?

There will be ongoing monitoring of the town centre traffic movement. If rat running activities do happen, deterrent measures may be considered.

What improvements are you making for pedestrians and cyclists?

We will be widening footways, upgrading existing crossing points and adding new ones and improving signage within the scheme area wherever possible. We plan to improve cycle provision by implementing new cycle lanes and cycle lane markings.

Will there be any other future projects in Weybridge town centre?

The Liveable Neighbourhood programme aims to generate zones in Weybridge, particularly in close vicinity of the Weybridge town centre project, and complementary to it. Further details on the liveable neighbourhoods programme will be set out once it is determined.

Contact us

If you would like to get in contact with the project team please email: weybridge.roadimprovements@surreycc.gov.uk

For questions about the health campus, please email syheartlandsicb.nwsalliance.comms@nhs.net


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