Surrey plans two raised crossings and a wider pavement outside Highfield South Farnham School on Weydon Lane, and would remove the layby. Comments close 23 October.

Surrey County Council wants to change the road outside Highfield South Farnham School on Weydon Lane. It would remove the layby by the school gates, build two raised crossings and add a new stretch of pavement.

Anyone can comment until Friday 23 October (Surrey County Council consultations). The plans and the survey are on the council’s Highfield South Farnham School engagement page.

What is proposed

The council’s consultation drawing for Weydon Lane shows (scheme plan, PDF):

  • the layby outside the school removed, with the parking area turned into pavement and 12 bollards along it
  • a raised table 50mm high on Weydon Lane outside the school, with an uncontrolled crossing on it
  • a raised table 75mm high across the Talbot Road junction, with new 2m informal crossing points and the junction tightened
  • a new footway opposite the school entrance, linking the footpath to the existing traffic light crossing near Weydon Farm Lane
  • “School keep clear” markings with no stopping Monday to Friday, 8.15am to 9.15am and 2.30pm to 4pm
  • the road widened from Weydon Farm Lane past the access to the school

An uncontrolled crossing has no lights or zebra stripes. Drivers do not have to stop, but the raised table slows them down and gives a level place to cross.

Why the council wants it

The county says a Road Safety Outside Schools assessment recommended taking out the layby. Parked cars there cause congestion and block sightlines, and children can step out from between them. It also says the layby encourages pulling in, reversing and three-point turns at the gate.

Without the new footway, people heading for the traffic light crossing have to walk in the road. The council says the new path removes that.

The money comes from a county budget kept for road safety outside schools. The council says it cannot be spent on potholes or other repairs.

What it means for you

  • If you drive the school run, the layby would go, and the “keep clear” markings would stop drop-offs at the gate in the morning and afternoon. The council says it wants to encourage parking further away.
  • If you use Weydon Lane at other times, expect two raised tables to slow you down, one at the school and one at Talbot Road.
  • If you walk to school, you would get a wider pavement and a continuous path to the signal crossing.

This is an early engagement, not the formal stage. The council says comments are passed to county councillors and help decide whether the scheme goes ahead, but it does not reply to them individually. If it does go ahead, a statutory consultation follows. At that stage you can formally object, and everyone who objects gets a reply.

Other Waverley road consultations open now

Surrey’s consultations page lists these for Waverley:

Proposal Closes
High Street, Cranleigh: proposed no loading restriction 6 November
A3100 Meadrow, Godalming: no waiting at any time 6 November
Summers Road, Farncombe: no waiting 6 November
Catteshall Road and Catteshall Lane, Godalming: no waiting 6 November

For roadworks now under way in town, see our Farnham roadworks and travel page. Parking charges and car parks are on our parking in Farnham page.

Sources