Safe Crossings#
We’re gathering evidence and community views on pedestrian crossing safety across Farnham — what residents want, what the constraints are, and what’s achievable.
These five locations are where we started. Suggest another — we need at least five people to raise a location before we investigate.
Funding and timeline. Local Councillors have clarified the stance as follows: “Given Local Government Reform, applications to Waverley Borough Council for Strategic CIL must be made by 31 October 2026 and would need to come from SCC Highways. SCC Highways has advised that it will not consider additional traffic scheme proposals within Farnham until the effectiveness of the FIP/TCIP can be evaluated. This could take up to eighteen months.” The evidence gathered here will be ready when that window opens.
Highway & Streets Glossary — if any terms are unfamiliar.
How the proposals stack up#
The locations below were identified through community feedback and early discussions with councillors. Since then, each has been assessed against heritage constraints, collision records, and highway design requirements. Some proposals are straightforward; others have had to change shape.
Station Crossing — Farnham Station
Original ask: A pedestrian crossing on the existing raised table.
What the evidence shows:
- Three injury collisions within 25 metres of each other on Station Hill, two involving pedestrians crossing informally because no crossing exists
- No heritage constraints — modern surfaces throughout
- One of the most straightforward locations
Longbridge — North of the Bridge
Original ask: A raised table crossing with a Belisha beacon, linking Gostrey Meadow to the riverside footpath and Waggon Yard car park.
What the evidence shows:
- Serious pedestrian injury in November 2023 — someone walking in the carriageway because there is no crossing
- No heritage constraints
- Raised table is the preferred option
- Belisha beacon possible but depends on pavement width — power cabinets must leave at least 1.5 metres clear passage, and space is tight
Castle Street — by Lowndes Passage
Original ask: A raised table to stop vehicles speeding up and down Castle Hill, serving residents and Potters Gate pupils. Alternatives such as granite setts or rumble strips if a table is unsuitable.
What the evidence shows:
- Pedestrian hit while crossing informally at Park Row in June 2022 — no crossing exists
- Heritage assessment supports a low-noise raised table in conservation-appropriate materials, no beacon poles or road markings
- Granite setts and rumble strips listed as fallback options
- One parking space would likely be lost
- Possible archaeological sensitivity beneath the road surface, not yet formally assessed
- Castle Street & Castle Hill survey: 64% rated crossing as difficult; 79% selected safer crossings as a top priority
West Street — Near The Plough
Original ask: A Belisha beacon crossing. A raised table may not work due to proximity to old properties — perhaps rumble strips.
What the evidence shows:
- Conservation area with a curtilage-listed structure nearby
- Belisha beacons unlikely to be acceptable — poles, zig-zag markings, and power cabinets add visual clutter incompatible with the conservation area
- Heritage team prefers a raised table in matching materials over a beacon
- Pavement may be too narrow at certain points for crossing infrastructure
- No collision data specific to this stretch, which makes the evidence case weaker than other locations
Old Park Lane — Castle Hill, by the Bends and Steps
Original ask: Speed calming above and below the bends, raised tables or rumble strips, and electronic signage. Highlighted as ultra-dangerous due to fast, silent electric vehicles sweeping around the bend.
What the evidence shows:
- Three collisions on Castle Hill, two resulting in serious injuries — strong crash data
- Most constrained location — heritage assessment found no clear safe location for a traditional crossing here
- Adjacent scheduled monument (Farnham Castle grounds) carries the highest level of heritage protection in the UK
- Practical approach has shifted toward traffic calming on the approaches — including electronic signage (SAMs), which aligns with the original ask
- Footpath improvements to create a safer walking route to the town centre — this has become its own workstream: Pedestrian Access — Old Park Lane
Related reports#
- Heritage Considerations — how heritage and conservation constraints affect each location
- Collision Records — validated police collision data at and near each proposed crossing
- Castle Street & Castle Hill Survey — what residents and visitors reported about safety, crossing, and speed
- Pedestrian Access — Old Park Lane — FP86 and FP92 improvements for safe year-round access to the town centre
- Highway & Streets Glossary — terms used across these pages
Traffic calming ideas are gathered separately under Traffic Calming. To be notified as this develops, join the mailing list.