Surrey County Council will undertake a further round of engagement with residents of Cranleigh regarding a proposed redesign of the village High Street. This follows the receipt of a petition signed by 1,108 people who are concerned that the changes will worsen traffic, pollution and access to the village.

Cranleigh High Street Redesign

Councillor Liz Townsend, who represents Cranleigh on Surrey County Council, explained the history of the scheme which was initiated in 2021 to improve the pedestrian experience on the High Street. The scheme, as proposed, would see:

• The pedestrianisation of Fountain Square at weekends;
• The widening of pavements along the High Street;
• The removal of on-street parking;
• The introduction of speed regulating measures; and
• The removal of the mini-roundabout at the junction with Village Way.

The scheme has been developed in consultation with a working party of residents, businesses, and representatives of Waverley Borough Council, the local planning authority. The Council has also undertaken three rounds of public consultation.

Councillor Townsend explained that despite this consultation,

it is clear that there is local opposition to this scheme, and this is against a backdrop of ongoing and repeated and prolonged local road closures and disruption, which my residents are angry about.

Philip Chapman, who organised the petition against the scheme, said that:

Right from the start of the Cranley High Street redevelopment project [Surrey County Council] has repeatedly broken the bond of trust that should exist between the Council, the people and the businesses [it] represents.

Councillor Townsend and Mr Chapman both expressed frustration at the role of Jeremy Hunt, MP for South West Surrey, who had written to residents about the scheme despite not, according to Councillor Townsend, having discussed the scheme with her.

Councillor Matt Furniss, the cabinet member responsible for highways, responded to the petition by committing to a further round of engagement, including the creation of a stakeholder working group. He explained that this was an engagement rather than a consultation, as the Council does not have a legal duty to consult on changes to the highway. He said that:

As the Highway Authority, we don't need to consult on changes to the highway itself, whether it's materials or so forth. That's why we're engaging and making it a co-design collaborative process.

Mr Chapman will be invited to join the stakeholder working group.