Road closes as next stage of improvements begins

Partial road closures are now in place on Downing Street, north of Lower Church Lane

The next stage of major improvement works in a Surrey town centre has begun.

Downing Street in Farnham is now temporarily part-pedestrianised and closed to through-traffic north of Lower Church Lane.

Workers will be installing new crossing points, loading bays, greening, seating and cycle stands, Surrey County Council (SCC) said.

One local resident described the traffic disruption in the town as "appalling". A spokesperson for SCC acknowledged the disruption, but said efforts were being made to keep it to a "minimum".

Farnham's town centre improvements began in February and include pavement widening, new green public spaces and more pedestrian-controlled crossings with two-way traffic introduced in parts of Downing Street and The Borough.

Earlier this year, a council spokesperson said the aim was to "create a modern town centre which celebrates its history, reduces congestion and improves air quality".

The full regeneration project is expected to be completed within two years.

The partially-closed road is expected to reopen to motorists in November.

Councillor Catherine Powell is encouraging visitors to "support local business" despite the roadworks

Catherine Powell, leader of Farnham Residents' Association and councillor for Farnham North, said: "The reality is we've done nothing in Farnham for 30 years.

"This is very much a compromise, nobody is getting 100% what they want but we're trying to do the works in the least impactful way."

She also urged locals and visitors to support local businesses affected by the works.

"Please shop in our amazing town, these shops are still open and need to survive all the way through the works and it's really important that we help them to do that," she added.

Kate and Chris Shepheard said the roadworks were causing "an awful lot of upheaval"

Chris and Kate Shepheard live in Farnham and told BBC Surrey that while they can see the improvements, there was "an awful lot of upheaval".

"We're very worried about this next stage here because it'll be closed for so long," said Mr Shepheard.

Mrs Shepheard added: "It's looking very positive and if you do bring the car in, it does work.

"The only issue is the pedestrians at the crossings - it's rather a long time [to wait] and people are getting impatient and crossing in traffic which is quite dangerous and I'm worried someone will get knocked over."

Another local resident said: "Most people I know no longer drive in because the traffic is so appalling and you don't necessarily understand the logistics of which traffic is supposed to be going where."

A spokesperson for SCC said: "We appreciate the works are disruptive but we are working to keep that to a minimum, with clear signage for the diversions and additional crossings for pedestrians.

"Signalised crossings have been timed to balance pedestrian safety with vehicle flow.

"Pedestrian safety is a core focus both during and after the works, with one of the main aims of the programme being to create more pleasant public spaces for pedestrians and shoppers."