What's happening in Farnham town centre?
Roadworks started in the town centre in February 2025. They will last for approximately two years. The works will deliver:
- Wider pavements, wherever possible, will give more space for shoppers.
- New planting, paving and seating, so people can choose to stop and enjoy the town for longer.
- Dedicated loading bays to support local retailers and reduce congestion.
- Pedestrian controlled crossings and raised tables will make it safer to cross roads.
- Two-way traffic at the bottom of Downing Street and on The Borough west of Castle Street to keep the town moving.
- Two new bus shelters with real-time passenger information and level boarding areas.
- Advanced stop lines and more parking for people who cycle.
- Sustainable drainage to make the town centre more resilient to heavy rain
Meet the team
Staff from Surrey County Council and the contractor will be available to answer questions at a gazebo located at the Longbridge junction with Downing Street on Wednesday 21 May from noon to 6pm.
Free cycle event
It’s time to saddle up and get on your bike, as there’s a chance for all the family to improve their cycling skills this Saturday (24 May) from 10am-1pm in Brightwells.
To mark the completion of work to upgrade Riverside Walk, members of the Surrey County Council cycle training team will be in the Old Market Place to help people feel more confident when cycling both on their own or with their family. There will also be the opportunity to try bikes on Riverside Walk including a tandem.
Cycling is good for the body and mind, and cycling into Farnham town centre when possible can remove pressure on the gyratory and help the environment. Find out more about the cycle training offered by Surrey County Council.
The team will also be collecting old and unwanted bikes. Bikes which are collected will become part of Active Surrey's free refurbished bike scheme. The bikes are refurbished and given to people in need so they can access employment, education and local services.
The event coincides with ‘A Yard of Joy’, a free kite-making workshop, which is suitable for everyone. Its running from 11am-3pm also at Brightwells.
Current roadworks: junction of Longbridge, Downing Street and Union Road
- Works to introduce a new junction layout at the junction of Longbridge, Union Road and Victoria Road are expected to begin on Monday 19 May. This will be straight after the current Downing Street works are completed. This phase of work is expected to last until mid-August.
- As well as being able to access and exit Waggon Yard car park without needing to travel around the gyratory, the completed junction will have traffic lights linked to the others in the town centre, improved pedestrian crossings as well as new planting, paving and cycle stands.
Overnight road closures
- The phase will begin with 10 nights of overnight road closures, from 8:30pm to 6am. The closures will be:
- From Monday 19 May for five consecutive nights
- From Tuesday 27 May for four consecutive nights
- Monday 2 June for one night
- The road closures are Downing Street from the Longbridge junction to Lower Church Lane, Union Road from the junction with South Street, and Longbridge adjacent to Gostrey Meadow. This work is to remove the island in the junction.
- Pedestrians, cyclists and emergency services will still be able to travel through the junction.
- Buses that normally serve Union Road will miss this bus stop after 8.30pm.
- Waggon Yard and Central carparks will remain open throughout the works. On the weeknights when there are road closures then drivers will not be able to enter them after 8.30pm, but will be able to exit. Please use alternative car parks during the road closures.
- On Saturdays, Sundays and on Bank Holiday Monday, Waggon Yard and Central carparks will be operating as normal.
- Access to Farnham Maltings will be open as usual.
- Roads will be open as normal during the day and the temporary traffic lights at the top of Downing Street will remain in place.
- Drivers are advised to use travel apps for the best routes during the road closures however, signed diversion routes will be in place during the overnight closures.
- During the road closures, residents and businesses who usually park off Lower Church Lane, Victoria Road and Downing Street will not be able to access their space after 8:30pm and will need to make alternative arrangements if getting to their property at night.
There will be further overnight road closures at the end of this phase.
Daytime works
- The overnight closures will be followed by daytime works until August. These will be Monday to Friday, and Saturday until 1pm.
- The roads at this junction will be open, however the right hand lane on Union Road will be closed and lanes will be narrowed at the Longbridge junction.
- There will be two temporary pedestrian crossings. There will be one on Union Road and one on Longbridge, as the crossing point at Longbridge junction will not be available.
- The bus stop on Union Road will be suspended during this time. Visit the changes to bus services page.
Road layout change: Castle Street and The Borough
- Drivers can now turn right at the bottom of Castle Street and travel down The Borough and West Street towards the Coxbridge roundabout. This avoids travelling around the gyratory.
- Please take care while people adjust to the new road layout. The project team will continue to review the new layout.
How the new layout works
Riverside Walk foot and cycle path upgrade
- Riverside Walk between Riverside car parks and Brightwells Yard has reopened.
- We have some minor works to finalise the upgraded path (painting white lines and installation of signs, benches and lighting) but these do not require the footpath to be closed.
- Due to works linked to Brightwells Yard, disruption is expected on Borelli Walk between South Street and Brightwells bridge until May 2025.
Key information
- Please sign up for our town centre works e-newsletter.
- Read the construction plan for details of future phases.
- View the Farnham town centre improvements draft illustrative plan (PDF) here.
- Visit the Farnham town centre frequently asked questions page.
Keep in touch
Please send questions about the town centre roadworks to farnham.infrastructureprogramme@surreycc.gov.uk.
Find out how to report highways issues, including in an emergency.
We are now holding regular virtual drop-in session for businesses in Farnham town centre about the town centre improvement works. It is an opportunity meet with representatives from the Surrey County Council project team and works contractor Ringway to ask questions or raise any concerns.
To be sent the meeting invite, please email farnham.infrastructureprogramme@surreycc.gov.uk with the name and address of your business.
Files available to download
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Farnham town centre improvements draft illustrative plan (PDF)
Map of Farnham town centre which shows where proposed changes will be made, which are part of a traffic regulation order consultation.
