There are a number of possible strategies for mitigating the significant environmental and safety impacts on this road.
Option 1: Traffic Study
Surrey Highways state they surveyed in 2017 and their data wasn’t clear on which were HGVs or not. So we need Surrey CC to conduct a traffic study of the whole route from Milford Crossroads to Cranleigh Crossroads (A281) to confirm the data we have provided. This must include projections of traffic flows created by the 46% of new housing allocated to the Cranleigh area, and the impact that will have on the East-West rat run. Without accurate data it is impossible to advise on sustainability of large house developments to the East of the Borough. A pragmatic view should be taken to acknowledge that current house building, and approved developments without public transport and additional road infrastructure is unsustainable. The primary route to employment for commuters will be East-West to the A3 and to the nearest Railway station, 8 miles to the West at Milford.
Option 2: Revise signage
The blue signs are little deterrent to a professional HGV driver. Some signs are ambiguous on the entry and exits to this route and deployed inconsistently without regard to the primary direction of the HGVs. The result is a confused message that presents no deterrent to regular HGV drivers of this route as their primary cut-through.
Option 3: HGV restriction
Impose a 7.5tonne HGV restriction from the Station Lane / Tuesley Lane junction to the Markwick Lane / Dunsfold Road junction. This would be a clear improvement on the deterrent factor without the need for Police enforcement. There is precedent for such a restriction in Surrey:
https://mycouncil.surreycc.gov.uk/documents/s34064/Item%209%20-%20HGV%20Report.pdf
Option 4: Physical width restriction
Whilst option 3 : Regulatory restrictions and associated “No HGV’s” signage is a deterrent it can be circumvented. However a single 7ft width restriction built on Salt Lane would be self enforcing and a deterrent if supported by advance warning signs. More info.
Option 5: Construction traffic
At the earliest opportunity engage with the key house developers to agree a robust Construction Traffic Management Scheme as a condition of approval to ensure all of their commercial traffic keeps to A-Roads and avoids rural Rat-Runs. If this is enforced by Waverley Borough Council it would greatly reduce HGV and LGV traffic on rural routes throughout the borough. This will need to be supported by insisting all contractor’s vehicles have GPS tracking and installation of “No site traffic” signs.
Option 6: ANPR install
Installation of Automatic Number Plate Recognition cameras at Cranleigh Crossroads or Markwick Lane and Station Lane would allow logging of HGV cut throughs, the time in and out allowing speed calculation. Such a system would corroborate if HGVs actually were not making local deliveries.
The data provided can be displayed as a registration number at the exits of the scheme to support the deterrent factor.
An ANPR system would also have the additional benefit of reducing speeding on the route from all vehicles.