Firstly we would like to say, that we write not as a Castle Ward councillor or as chair of the Farnham Society planning committee. We write as ordinary residents.

Going back five years Jeremy Hunt, surveyed the residents of Farnham and was supported in his view that we wished for a pedestrianised town. As we know, Farnham is based on a medieval layout of two main roads, one east/west and the other north/south, crossing where the conurbation of Farnham grew up to meet the traveller’s needs.

This north south, east west layout is still in use today and although we want to have a good pedestrian experience, we also want in direct opposition to use our cars to meet all our needs. We are the traffic, we are the problem. 

So how can we make the best of this? 

In our view, there is one road that we can pedestrianise and that is the western end of East Street, between the Royal Deer traffic lights and Threadneedle Road. 

After all the consultations and discussions over the last few years with the Farnham Infrastructure Programme, we still do not have a proposed pedestrianised zone for the town and yet we could have with relatively little difficulty.

We could divert traffic from East Street and send it around the back on Woolmead Road, which we all know rarely uses both lanes.

We are told by Surrey County Council highways that the two north corners of this road would not be able to meet regulation ‘swept circles’ (ie two HGV trucks meeting head on) on these two corners. And yet, we regularly see articulated lorries (eg Waitrose trucks) managing the constricted West Street/Hart junction and vice versa.

Even when they meet an artic lorry coming the other way, in practice they just wait for each other. So to write off the possibility of using Woolmead Road to enable a pedestrianised East Street on the grounds of a nebulous scenario is a great loss for Farnham.

This piazza would link Brightwell’s Yard with what will become, when built, the Woolmead apartments. We could hold markets in a pedestrianised East Street Piazza, instead of closing major roads, preventing displacement of traffic.

It could also divert delivery vehicles away from South Street as they would have an alternative exit Eastwards out of the town. A weekday market that does not displace traffic could benefit the shops and hospitality as it would be possible to hold it on days that existing businesses are open.

We recognise that there are problems to overcome and absolute perfection is not possible in a historic town. However given that, the pros outweigh the cons.

We therefore request that the Farnham Infrastructure Board seriously reconsider this opportunity before it is lost to the detriment of Farnham.

George and Yolande Hesse

Residents of West Street, Farnham