In a meeting chaired by Matt Furniss, Cabinet Member for Highways, Transport and Economic Growth, Surrey County Council addressed petitions concerning traffic calming measures around Tomlanscote Estate and road resurfacing on Cottimore Avenue and surrounding roads in Walton-on-Thames. While no immediate actions were promised, the council committed to reviewing the prioritisation of the Cottimore Avenue resurfacing project and providing detailed responses to the petitioners' questions.

Cottimore Avenue Resurfacing Petition

A petition signed by between 400 and 500 residents requesting the resurfacing of Cottimore Avenue, Cromwell Close, Fairfax Crescent, Monk's Close and Stewart Avenue in Walton-on-Thames was discussed. Residents expressed disappointment with the council's initial response and requested a review of the decision.

Paolo Oriezi, the lead petitioner, raised several points:

• He stated that a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request showed no records of resurfacing on these roads, with some residents claiming no work had been done for at least 40 years.
• He asked for a copy of the engineer's report from November 2024 that classified the roads as a medium priority for resurfacing.
• He suggested that potential cost savings from organisational changes within Surrey County Council should lead to a review of resurfacing timelines.
• He requested an annual review of the road quality by an engineer, with reports shared with residents.
• He questioned why other roads in Walton, such as Kings Road, Florence Road and Dunbar Court, had been resurfaced when they appeared to carry less traffic. He said that the roads in question were built in the 1930s with concrete plates that have moved over time and are no longer suitable for modern traffic.

Dan Squibb, Asset Planning Team Manager, responded that he would need to consult with the carriageway scheme prioritisation team to answer some of the questions. He acknowledged the community's concern and stated that while the roads would benefit from resurfacing, the council must balance priorities across 5,000 kilometres of roads. He clarified that the forecast for delivery in 2028-29 was an estimate based on current information and that the reference to the next authority was simply a statement of fact, given the upcoming changes to Surrey County Council.

Councillor Rachel Lake supported the petition, stating that she had been raising the issue of these roads since 2013. She expressed frustration that the roads had not been prioritised, despite her efforts, and that she had refused to allocate her budget elsewhere in protest. She also raised concerns about recent roadworks on Terrace Road and Manor Road, questioning the value for money of the works.

Matt Furniss, Cabinet Member for Highways, Transport and Economic Growth, said that another assessment of the roads would be undertaken. He offered to work with Councillor Lake to see if her £120,000 allocation could be used to get at least one of the roads on the list for the next year, while noting that concrete fine milling is significantly more expensive than traditional tarmac resurfacing.

Tomlanscote Estate Traffic Calming Petition

A petition regarding traffic calming on the Tomlanscote Estate was presented. The lead petitioner addressed concerns about the council's response to their request for a 20 mph zone, particularly around schools. The petitioner highlighted the presence of four schools adjoining the estate, with a potential fifth, and referenced previous, ignored requests dating back to 1990. They requested transparency regarding the criteria used to prioritise traffic calming schemes and sought clarification on the weighting of councillor versus resident comments in decision-making, expressing a perception that areas where councillors live receive preferential treatment. The petitioner also requested a copy of the comments from county councillors regarding the traffic calming proposals on Old Bisley Road, Chobham Road, and Delgrove.

Duncan Knox responded that the council generally supports 20 mph zones in residential areas, town centres, and outside schools, but does not favour a blanket approach. He said that the council is compiling a list of potential schemes for future years and that the prioritisation criteria will include factors such as the likely benefits of the scheme and the level of public facilities. He noted that if average speeds are 24 mph or less, a 20 mph zone can be implemented with signage only, but if speeds are higher (up to 28 mph), traffic calming measures may be considered.