Repeated calls have been made to install a permanent camera on a key route into Farnham amid further gripes about the effectiveness of an HGV ban.

There needs to be more enforcement along Upper Hale Road, Folly Hill and Castle Street as the 7.5-ton restriction is being consistently ignored.

That’s the belief of county councillor Catherine Powell, with the member for Farnham North claiming that not a single fine has been issued in recent months to offending drivers.

The request for greater and more publicised punishment came during a recent Farnham Board meeting with Cllr Powell citing a lack of deterrent to stop errant drivers.

She said: “I saw a double decker car transporter coming down Upper Hale Road, at pretty high speed, despite the 20 bumps.

“It’s not safe, it’s never been safe and it’s becoming even less safe as the traffic levels increase.

“Is it at all possible we could start applying some fines, start publicising the number of fines that we’re placing?

“Because it’s an M3/A31 cut-through it’s going to need enforcement because the temptation is too high.”

Owen Jenkins, interim executive director of Highways, Infrastructure and Planning at SCC, agreed to look into the level of HGV breaches and the number of fines issued by the mobile camera van reputedly being used.

But in responding to a question from town councillor David Beaman about the 20mph speed limit in the town centre, he admitted there was little or nothing SCC could do because enforcement is a police matter.

He said: “They have to be self-regulating and I don’t think there’s anything SCC or local government can do.

“The HGV ban is different and I hope the mobile camera has been regularly visiting Farnham. We need to build a case for a permanent camera and that’s the next stage.”