This project consists of improvements to roads and pavements in Farnham town centre. The project will be complementary to a Local Cycling, Walking and Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP), and will consider:
- Improvements to the quality of public areas within Farnham town centre
- Improvements to support increased walking and cycling
- Improvements to public transport, including buses, and connections to key transport hubs
- Reducing the dominance of motorised traffic, which contributes to poor air quality, noise pollution and congestion, by major changes to the town centre layout and better management of town centre car parking
Town centre
The town centre is the historic heart of Farnham. It has a dynamic economy with high quality retail, food and drink venues, and a unique heritage with the castle, conservation area, deer park and Craft Town status.
However, its road layout is outdated and congested. The dominance of roads and vehicles negatively impacts the ability to travel easily, safely, and enjoyably around the town centre on foot and by bus or cycle, resulting in a less pleasant environment and a diminished sense of place.
Work is expected to begin in autumn 2024. You can see a map of the proposed changes: Farnham TC improvements draft illustrative plan v7 (PDF).
There was a public consultation on two proposals to update the town centre road layout in summer 2022. Visit the December 2022 Farnham Board meeting page where the consultation was discussed.
Updated options for the town centre were presented to the Farnham Board in March 2023. You can watch previous meetings on the Farnham Town Council YouTube page. There was also a consultation in late 2023 under the Waverley parking review.
Farnham Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan
An LCWIP is a long-term strategy for developing walking and cycling routes, and the programme has developed a specific one for Farnham.
The Farnham LCWIP supports the development of a comprehensive walking and cycling network which is easily accessible, safe, direct, coherent and attractive. As a result of the plan, we plan to connect Farnham's neighbourhoods with each other, and those neighbourhoods with the town centre, supporting active travel and making it easier for people to leave the car at home when they can.
It's also important that the Farnham plan complements the Waverley-wide LCWIP and one being developed for Rushmoor which covers Aldershot. That means we can help to create a coherent network not just in the town, but surrounding communities.
The Farnham LCWIP was been endorsed by the Farnham Board. Visit the March 2023 meeting page where the document was endorsed.
Cycling in the town centre
The historic nature of Farnham's town centre is characterised by some narrow roads, so it is not always possible to provide cycle lanes segregated from traffic for people who wish to cycle through the centre. However, the proposed improvements will help to make the town centre roads safer for cyclists, alongside the reclassification of the A325, HGV restrictions and 20mph speed limits.
