Following a recent meeting with representatives from National Highways National Highways – National Highways Connect Plus Connect Plus | M25 Operation & Management Services and Surrey County Council Highways Information Team – Surrey County Council the following information was shared:
National Highways:
From mid February 2025, new road signs and road markings will be installed through Hooley on the A23 Brighton Road showing a new speed limit of 30 mph (from 40 mph). From 31st March 2025 this new speed limit comes into force and forms part of a ‘step down’ speed scheme being applied to the approach into Hooley from the M23.
There will initially, not be any speed compliance measures (cameras etc) installed through Hooley as, the new speed limit needs to ‘bed in’ however, after at least 6 months, speed strips will be installed to establish if the new speed limit is being adhered to or, not. If not, consideration will be given to installing speed or average speed cameras.
A feasibility study is now underway to see if pedestrian crossing controls can/should be fitted to the existing road traffic signals, A23 Brighton Road junction with Netherne Drive. Also at this junction, consideration is being given to installing either a yellow box, keep clear road markings or, secondary traffic lights, to prevent the junction becoming blocked (in particular during rush hour).
The A23 Brighton Road / Dean Lane junction (where many vehicles carry out u-turns and other manoeuvres) study has been “paused” due to the next funding settlement being conformed. It was explained that this particular ‘study’ is in competition with other, national, projects and schemes and requires further funding to be secured in order for it to continue. For info. The Hooley Residents Association stated this ‘study’ had been ongoing for many many years and these u-turns and manoeuvres remain as dangerous as they always have been and some urgent attention is required!
Surrey County Council:
Consideration is being given to installing a width restriction in Dean Lane to prevent oversized vehicles (lorries and large vans) from using this narrow road.
Parking enforcement is likely to commence in the parking, loading and disabled parking bays directly outside the shopping parade in Hooley. This is to enable the newsagent and other shops (that may start to trade), to benefit from the passing trade.
A further ‘study’ is underway to establish the most efficient way of preventing vehicles turning right against the No Right Turn sign at the bottom of Church Lane junction with A23 Brighton Road.
Funding has been requested to install and continue the western pedestrian footway, to possibly include a cycle lane, from the bottom of Church Lane through to Glebe Road and London Road North (Merstham).
Finally, (from National Highways) the tall yellow pole with several camera’s thereon which, has been erected on the central reservation, slightly to the north of Star Lane, is an enforcement camera for the traffic lights A23 Brighton Road junction with Star Lane. This replaced the old enforcement camera which, used to be sited on the easterly pedestrian footway. (Note: this/these camera(s) only enforce traffic light compliance for vehicles travelling on the south bound carriageway. We therefore, asked the question “what about northbound vehicles and vehicles entering the Brighton Road from Star Lane?”, to which there was no definitive answer!
Further information can be obtained from those organisations mentioned above.
LETTER NOW RECEIVED FROM NATIONAL HIGHWAYS IN RELATION TO THE ABOVE…………
