Emergency vehicles are being constantly delayed in the heavy traffic queues on Downing Street in Farnham, as ongoing congestion becomes a growing concern.

The delays come as part of the town centre improvement plan, which introduced new traffic lights at the top of Downing Street and a two-way traffic system on The Borough.

The changes have led to significant bottlenecks, particularly on Union Road leading into Downing Street, with lengthy queues forming during rush hour.

On Friday at around 8.45am, The Herald witnessed an ambulance with its sirens sounding stuck in the gridlock, highlighting the disruption emergency vehicles are facing.

Local traders and residents have pointed to the new system, as well as the flower planters installed along the street, as factors contributing to the traffic problems.

One trader described the situation, saying, "This is the fifth emergency vehicle I've seen held up by the lights in just one week.

“When will this traffic madness be dealt with? Why did they start both ends of the one-way system at the same time? Surely they could have done one at a time. This traffic is dangerous, and it's holding up emergency vehicles on a daily basis."

The situation has sparked frustration on social media, with many users voicing their concerns. One comment read

“That ambulance is a first responder, which needs to get to an emergency. Every seconds counts as life or death. Farnham would flow a lot better if the planters were removed.”

Another said: "We need to get rid of the bollards and planters. It would take them a maximum of two days to remove these and solve a lot of our problems in town."

Another user added: “Take away the planters, turn it back to one-way on The Borough. Stop complicating things; it’s just confusing people.”

As the town navigates these changes, residents and businesses are calling for a reconsideration of the new traffic layout to ensure smoother flow and safer conditions for all.

Read more about Farnham’s ongoing traffic issues here.