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Frenches Road Closure
Fury at Road Closure - 16th March 2005
Residents plead for an end to
motoring misery after daily gridlock Daily gridlock caused by controversial road closures has forced despairing residents to plead: “Please end this motoring misery.”
But traffic chaos and the blight on residents’ lives caused by the closure of Frenches Road, in Redhill have failed to persuade councillors and county officers to review their plans. Hundreds of residents of Elmwood Road, Westway Gardens and Heather Close say there is no aspect of the scheme that benefits them. Since the road closed as part of the Holmethorpe regeneration project there has been daily gridlock at peak hours on the A23, causing misery for thousands of motorists, and residents have suffered longer journeys getting to and from their homes.
Added to this, small businesses in the area complain that trade has fallen dramatically since the closure. The problems faced by the community were highlighted at a meeting of the Surrey County Council Reigate and Banstead Local Committee last Monday.
Philip Jones, who lives in Elmwood Road, handed over a petition asking for an immediate review of the scheme, before pleading with the committee to sit up and listen to what residents and traders have to say. Mr. Jones said
“Out petition is on behalf of people who feel no notice is being taken of their concerns. “We no longer have easy access to Merstham Station, shops, facilities, schools, churches, doctors, dentists, work places or our friends, relatives and neighbours.” He said since the council first canvassed opinions of people about the scheme, it has been “overwhelmingly rejected.”
He added, "Even when the new access road into Holmethorpe opens, we will be living either at the back end of an industrial estate, or at the end of a road that will take us longer to negotiate, a situation that does not enhance our quality of living.”
Residents are convinced that the new entrance to the estate does not need Frenches Road to be closed, and by installing mini-roundabouts and having transponders to allow them access to the road through a bus gate, the problem would be solved.
But Mr. Jones’s appeal had little impact on the committee.
Bob Moodie, local transport director for the county, gave a blunt response. “The decision was reached in due course by democratic process,” he said.
Diana Bowes, committee chairman, agreed. She said: “We spent a lot of time convincing people that this must be done.“I think we can only look forward to what’s going to happen in the future when the industrial estate will work more effectively. But at the moment it will have to stand as it is.”
Among the businesses affected by the closure is B&D News and post office in Frenches Road. Its owner, Mrs. Patel, who runs the business with her husband, said: “We have lost lots of sales of papers and stock. It has gone down quite dramatically. We had about 100 customers from Fairhaven Road, but now we only have about three.”
At 3pm on Tuesday Mrs. Patel still had a stack of unsold daily papers.She added: “Normally, we never have any stock left over. We are worried about the road closure becoming permanent. If it goes on like this we will not have a business.”
The Post – Wednesday 16th March 2005
BUSES ONLY
Motorists Fuming
- 10th February 2005
NOBODY can say they were in the least surprised, but even so
hundreds of Merstham residents were left fuming over the past week
as the village roads became gridlocked courtesy of the closure of
Frenches Road and Fairhaven Road as construction works are carried
out in that location.
If this were purely a temporary arrangements, people could gladly
suffer the inconvenience caused, but unfortunately the truth is that
this is only a taste of things to come.
From all over the village came stories of early morning journeys to
places of employment being doubled, and in some cases tripled, as
the closures took a stranglehold grip on the area. School Hill and
the connecting roads became blocked solid with traffic, while on the
A23, vehicles queued as far back as Hooley to the north of the
village.
At New Battlebridge Lane there was further chaos as it transpired
that temporary lights were only allowing three or four vehicles
through before changing. Even the junction of Cormongers Lane with
the A25 did not escape the mayhem as commuters passing through the
village sought alternative routes to avoid the jams.
Even pedestrians fared no better, particularly school children
making their way to Redhill. There were numerous reports of children
slipping over on what some described as “disgracefully hazardous”
pavement at the junction of Battlebridge Lane with Frenches Road.
Indeed, one parent is preparing to take out a writ against Reigate
and Banstead Council for facial and head injuries their child
suffered in such a fall. Residents are asking for the contractors to
ensure that such areas are kept clear of mud and water resulting
from the major operations on the site.
One visibly disgruntled Nutfield Road resident ruefully commented
“I understand that the next move by the council is to twin Merstham
with Alcatraz”. - Surrey Mirror
Borderlines
(More
Comments)
1st
February 2005
Traffic
chaos hit Merstham residents trying to get to work or taking
their children to school with the closure of Frenches Road. The
road, which kept local Redhill bound traffic off the already over
crowded A23, is to be closed for the next six months whilst work is
carried out on the Holmethorpe relief road. Traffic was queued back
up the A23 to Hooley and South Merstham became gridlocked.
“They obviously haven’t thought this out.” one local resident
stated, “It took me just over an hour to get from Albury Road to the
Holmethorpe Estate. A journey normally of less than a mile! I had to
edge my way up New Battlebridge lane onto the A23, down towards
Redhill turn off at the traffic lights by the waterworks and finally
make my way back along Frenches Road. This is crazy!”
A commuter travelling to work in Merstham explained that it took
him 70 minutes to travel the 3 miles from the Little Chef at Hooley
to his place of work in South Merstham. (More
Comments)
The New Merstham Residents Association (NMRA) is totally opposed to
the permanent closure of this road and we will be working with Derek
Hamersley of Merstham Residents Association to fight for the
reopening of Frenches Road.
Graeme Crome Chairman (NMRA)
Email newmersthamra@aol.com
Anyone wishing to comment on
the closure can go to the Surrey County Council Website where
there is an 'online' form you can fill in
or email the Merstham Web on
info@merstham.co.uk
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Comments
I am appalled at the lack of thought into the decisions in closing
Frenches and Fairhaven roads.
Why couldn't these roads be closed after
the new relieve road is open, since I have been working in Redhill
now 3 years I have never seen so many roadwork's go on in all my
life. Is this
done because the council hasn't spent all its budget?
It is a nightmare the journey from my house In Carshalton is
taking over 1½ hours.
I can drive to Brighton quicker than that, what is going to be done
about it?
Pauline Aylott (07/02/05)
--------------------------------------------
I
am a resident in Merstham and work in Redhill town centre, in the
mornings it usually takes me a maximum of 10 minutes to get into
work. Since the closure of French's Road and Fairhaven Road it has
taken me a minimum of 1hr 10 Minutes to get into Redhill. I can say
on my behalf and many others that I have spoken to, that this idea
is completely ridiculous and consequences that are now occurring
each morning where not thought of!!
I cannot see this ridiculous idea working and should you then
realise my point, you will be spending more money on making the
situation correct when it could of been completely avoided when it
was first thought of!
I shall be asking fellow members of the Merstham community, and
people that travel through Merstham that agree with me, to put their
points across to you before it is too late.
Darren (15/02/05)
Please note these
are views expressed by members of the public and do not necessarily
reflect the views of the Merstham Web which aims to be neutral and
non-political.
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