Caterham Valley

Surrey Conservatives back track on promise to build a crossing on Godstone Road.
Jeffrey Gray Says, “after a tragic accident on the A22, local residents demanded action and raised a petition to the Local Area Committee. After this and much campaigning by local Lib Dems, the committee agreed last year to fund a pedestrian crossing near Hillside Road. The Tories are now back tracking!”

Jeffrey Gray writes:
Fighting for improvements to Whyteleafe’s road and pavements feels like a real uphill battle. Conservative-run Surrey Highways is certainly a difficult department to work with. There are serious problems over priority setting, contract procurement and the quality of the work. I have persevered though and can report some success over the last year.

Following sustained pressure from Lib Dem councillors and local residents, the A22 in South Whyteleafe is to undergo major surface reconstruction. The work is to take place in the new Council year, beginning in May, and covers the stretch from South Whyteleafe Station northwards to 380 Godstone Road.

Cllr Jeffrey Gray was quick to welcome the news: “Local people have put up with this for long enough. The broken road surface, the pot holes and the raised drains amplify traffic noise to such an extent that residents have suffered horrendous disturbance over recent years.”

Cllr Gray will not rest with this success. “There remains a whole range of problems in this area. Ongoing flatted development continues to change the pattern of habitation in South Whyteleafe. A22 junction design, especially the junction with Well Farm Road and the junction with Salmons Lane, where the level crossing causes queuing, should be reviewed. Speed limit boundaries and enforcement need updating. And pedestrian safety on narrow pavements is a concern.

“I will continue to work for solutions to these problems, but the planned resurfacing is one piece of good news at least.”

The “Caterham Valley” welcome sign from the A22 at Godstone road has been stolen.

Annette Evans says, “This is shocking vandalism. The sign is a lovely welcome to our town with a pretty silhouette of St John’s Church. Who would want to destroy such a thing?”

The sign has been deliberately sawn off and the stump of the wooden post left in the ground.

Annette continues, “Anyone who has any information as to who stole our sign, should contact the police on 101. If we cannot get the original sign back, I will be pressing the Parish Council to replace it. We don’t want it replaced with a brash, tasteless sign. We want our sign back!”