Opinion: Chris pushes Surrey County Council on road safety
A new junction on Meath Green Lane in Horley has seen at least seven serious road traffic accidents this year, including two in the last few weeks. I’ve written to Surrey County Council again over safety concerns at this junction. It’s time for them to treat road safety as an urgent priority.
I first raised this issue back in June, with Horley Town Councillors, writing to Surrey County Council about the dangerous layout, inadequate signage, and poor visibility. The junction’s design - built just off a hairpin bend and restricted to ahead-only traffic - has made it both confusing and hazardous. Because of this, drivers are taking illegal left and right turns, often with serious consequences.
This month, I’ve written again to Surrey Highways, urging them to act immediately. I’ve asked what safety measures they plan to implement - such as clearer signage, further cut-back to vegetation, or temporary traffic lights - and to publish both the original Road Safety Audit as well as any additional ones completed since the junction opened. Transparency and swift action are essential to restoring public confidence in how road design decisions are made.
Unfortunately, this is not the only local road safety concern. Earlier this year, I joined the community campaign for a pelican crossing outside Meath Green Junior School. Parents, teachers, and local councillors have all made repeated requests for this crossing. We shouldn’t have to wait for a tragedy before the council takes action to make this stretch of road safer for children walking to school.
When I recently met residents at Salfords Village Hall, road safety was once again on the agenda. The level of concern I heard reinforces what is already clear: the people of Horley and the surrounding villages deserve safer local roads. I’ll continue pressing Surrey Highways to deliver the changes our community needs because preventing accidents must always come before responding to them.
I will keep working with residents, local councillors, and Surrey County Council to ensure our roads are as safe as possible. I plan to hold another public meeting in Horley early in the new year, with the exact date to be confirmed soon.