Central Area Refurbishment (Transport Hub)

This project which was proposed in the Neighbourhood Plan entails refurbishing the area on the North side of St Jude's Road in between Victoria St and Alexandra Road. The trees and hedges have become very overgrown and the space will be redesigned to allow for more paving for pop-up stalls, benches, a cycle rack and village sign and information board. It will have power so our Christmas Tree can move to this safer and more suitable environment and will generally create a more useable area in the centre of our Village

To undertake the works, we have received grants from Surrey County Council (thanks to County Councillor, Marisa Heath and others) and from Runnymede Borough Council (thanks to Borough Councillors Berardi and Gates). Work will start early in the New Year through our not-for-profit company, EG Community Projects CIC. An artists impression of the new design will follow shortly.

Transport & Roads

Re-Structuring of Egham Hill (A30)

Apart from the volume of traffic that uses the A30, the Egham Hill section has over 5000 students crossing and/or walking up and down to RHUL. We suggested that it would benefit from re-modelling to include separate cycleways, safer paths and a 30mph speed limit - a considerable programme of work requiring a substantial budget. It transpired that Surrey County Council has made this work its first priority under the Local Walking and Cycling Infrastructure Programme and the work is well into the feasibility phase. The Forum is included on the list of consultees and we are keen to monitor what is proposed for the junctions of the A30/Middle Hill and A30/Harvest Road as these configurations influence traffic flow in the Village.

Re-Structuring of St Judes Road

This proposal is for the remodelling of St Jude's Road largely between Victoria St and the A30 traffic lights. It involves the provision of a separate cycleway and 30 minute free parking on the cemetary side opposite the shops (to encourage more casual shopping) as well as trees, planters and bushes. We have the scheme budgeted at £2.5 million so it will be some time to come to fruition, but the scheme provides a template so that when funds become available, areas can be completed with the assurance that they are part of an overall plan.

One Way System - Central Area

Proposed in the Placemaking report, this is another long-term project that requires the Forum to investigate and identify the need and liaise with Surrey County Council Highways. Again, it is subject to bureaucracy and funding restraints, it's configuration is also determined by the outcome of the A30 re-structure designs regarding inlet roads to Englefield Green.

Speed Limits

The Placemaking report recommended lower speed limits around our Village and Surrey County Council have accepted our submissions for Priest Hill, St Jude's Road, Bakeham Lane and Prune Hill, these will be advertised for public comment in due course. Our submission for specific areas of the Village to be 20mph zones has been adopted by SCC for further consideration

Parking

News coming soon!

National Cycle Highway 4

Did you know that the National Cycling Route 4 currently runs up the very steep and badly maintained Coopers Hill Lane from the bypass, up to the Air Forces Memorial and then down Coopers Hill Road, Ridgemead Road and Bishopsgate into the Park? It's a highly unsatisfactory route due to the very poor quality of the first section and the reluctance of the National Trust (who own part of it) to allow improvements. We've been in discussion with SUSTRANS, the custodians of the National Cycling Routes, to alter Route 4 and bring it through the Village. Current standards prevent a new route from going along roads with 5000 vehicles/day or more without a cycle lane. Unfortunately, St Jude's Road is that and too narrow (and expensive) to accommodate a cycle lane and so the proposed route is up the A30 (see above), then down Harvest Road and Barley Mow Road, alongside the Green and onto Bishopsgate.

Beside depending on the reconstruction of the A30, approval of this route depends on the installation of a crossing at the St Judes/Barley Mow Road junction which Surrey County Council have taken on as part of their approval of the development of the former Birchlands Care Home site.