Work to improve the railway station forecourt in Haslemere by South West Trains (SWT) commences on Monday 4 July. The phasing and delivery has been planned to have minimal impact on how you currently use the forecourt and SWT have included night work to aid in this.
SWT notice at Haslemere station
South West Trains’ forecourt poster (thumbnail above)
These are the latest timings that I have from South West Trains (SWT) for the works at Haslemere Station:
On the forecourt reconfiguration, there was resident concern (read Haslemere Herald here) about some of the plans which I wrote about briefly yesterday. These are being reviewed by SWT. Keep checking for more updates. Preliminary work was due to begin 3 days ago, however, it is delayed whilst SWT aims to accommodate resident feedback. A design of the forecourt will be published here once it is finalised.
Click here to view a line drawing of the decked car park.
Haslemere railway station forecourt plans are being amended by South West Trains in the light of recent community engagement events. The project start date and all station forecourt and car park plans will be put on this website as soon as they are available.
As you will have read, South West Trains are upgrading parking and cycling facilities at
Haslemere Railway Station.
South West Trains Leaflet
South West Trains Leaflet
South West Trains and Surrey County Council want to make it as easy as possible for people to access the station. We want to understand what travel options you would be interested in and willing to try during the works. If you have a minute, please click on the survey link below and answer the questions. We need as many people as possible to respond to help us gauge demand for a Hoppa service during the works.
In addition, are you aware of these websites to help you plan your route and also to find alternative parking during the works?
Summery Smart Travel: Choices that help cut carbon, calories and cost
Website: https://www.travelsmartsurrey.info/ with information for journey planning including calorie information and cost breakdown for each journey choice.
Surrey’s Lift Share
Website: https://surrey.liftshare.com/
The website links drivers and passengers so they can share their journeys.
With 4,116 lift sharers in the Surrey network, there’s a great chance of finding a journey match
Another ridesharing website is BlaBla Car: https://www.blablacar.co.uk
JustPark: https://www.justpark.com/uk/parking/haslemere/
ParkOnMyDrive: http://www.parkonmydrive.com/
Bus timetables for the whole of Surrey are available on Surrey County Council’s website: https://www.surreycc.gov.uk/roads-and-transport/buses-and-trains/bus-timetables
When the work begins on the decked car park, there will be more cycle parking at the station, as part of a wider cycle scheme delivering an additional 1400 cycle spaces across the South West Trains network.
SWT Cycle Hub Leaflet
Earlier this week, I gave details about Haslemere Railway Station: Works Disruption Information Events, 14th June 2016.
When the car park works begin at Haslemere railway station, it’s recommended that rail users look for alternative arrangements to get to and from the station where possible, using local bus services, walking, cycling or getting lifts/sharing taxis.
We are exploring other options available, one of which could be to introduce a shuttle minibus from/to the busiest areas. In order to understand if this is something SWT customers would be willing to use, please could you print and complete this shuttle bus feedback form and hand it to Haslemere ticket office by 24 June.
For reference, here is SWT’s information page about the works:
Haslemere Railway Station: Works Disruption Information Events, 14th June 2016
Major improvement works have started at Haslemere railway station, to provide more bike parking, improve bus, pedestrian and cycle access and provide more car parking at the station.
There will be major disruption for travellers during the works. For those that pick up and drop off during the station forecourt works (June and July) and for those that park at the station – the main station car park will be COMPLETELY CLOSED from September for several months.
Information banner at Haslemere station
If you have any questions about the decked car park project please come and
meet the project team on Tuesday, 14th June from 5pm – 7pm at Haslemere station in the ticket booking hall. See also SWT’s page about the car park works: https://www.southwesttrains.co.uk/plan-your-journey/planned-improvements/improving-your-railway/station-improvements/haslemere/
Come and find out more at a second event on 14th June! South West Trains, in partnership with Surrey County Council and the Haslemere Community Rail Partnership, will also be holding an information event open to all, residents and train users at the Georgian House Hotel, Tuesday June 14th, 7.30-9pm.
Plan of Works, Poster at the front of Haslemere station
Work has begun for a new cycle hub at Haslemere station
SWT & Network Rail notice on ticket machines at Haslemere station
CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS
There will be considerable disruption for travellers during the railway station works.
Access to the station forecourt will be restricted at times during the improvement works and the main station car park will be completely closed for 3-4 months.
Surrey County Council, in partnership with Haslemere Vision and SWT, has been working to identify and communicate possible alternative ways of getting to the station for those that currently drive.
We are looking for volunteers.
Would you be willing to spend 1 hour being trained by Surrey County Council’s Travel Smart team? You could be part of a team of local volunteers helping to advise train passengers about the different travel options to the station during the car park closure.
To show your interest, please contact the Surrey Travel Smart team travelsmart@surreycc.gov.uk.
Travel Smart Surrey
Please see my latest update of activities in the community since the New Year.
LOCAL MEETINGS
Haslemere Youth Campus
Attended Haslemere Town Council (HTC) meeting (15th January) where a large number of representatives from user groups of the Youth Campus in Wey Hill, including many brownies and scouts, staged a demonstration asking for HTC’s support to remain at the site and to be given a long lease so that they can invest in improvements. Local scout leader Paul Buckler then gave a short presentation outlining their plans. This is the open letter and annexe that were sent to Waverley Borough Councillors by the youth campus stakeholders.
Haslemere Train Station
Very positive meeting with SWT and SCC passenger transport (19th January) the long-term outcome of which will hopefully work towards a more integrated transport strategy.
Issues discussed included SWT/SCC plans for Haslemere train station forecourt reconfiguration to prioritise buses, pedestrian and cycle access- I raised my concerns that the planned changes must be integrated with associated highways improvements on Lower Street, that adequate public information must be given before the works are carried out as they will impact on the current parking in the station forecourt and that although a positive step to promote buses, the current SCC passenger transport review may in fact modify local bus services.
It was agreed that a station travel plan is needed in order to develop a more holistic transport strategy going forward. SCC is currently working in partnership with SWT to draw up a package of travel plans for a number of Surrey train stations – I have requested that Haslemere is prioritised.
The request that Haslemere Visitor Information Centre should have a greater presence at the station was positively received by SWT – I am currently following up on this. The general need for improved signage at the station, including real time bus information, was discussed and should be introduced as part of the forecourt reconfiguration. A bid has been made for funding for a ‘Cycle hub’ for 100 bikes at the station – news on this later in March.
SWT: an additional 18 cycle parking spaces at the station are currently being installed.
Haslemere Conservation Area
Attended Haslemere Conservation Area Review meeting (on 29th January) at Haslemere Town Council. See here for more information about Haslemere’s town centre conservation area.
Haslemere Vision
Attended Haslemere Vision housing workshop (31st January). Once written up, the minutes will be here.
Undershaw/Stepping Stones School
Attended Undershaw planning meeting (4th February) and gave strong support for the planning application on education grounds (my letter to The Herald is here). Very pleased it was approved by Waverley Southern Planning Committee, the final decision is currently with the Secretary of State.
Local Highways Issues
Road safety continues to be an issue in several areas, meetings with residents and SCC highways:
Parking issues:
Other local works:
Waverley Local Area Committee funded Highways Improvement Schemes
Other local matters
Attended a meeting with Haslemere Town Council and Surrey Waste Management to discuss the planned removal of the Saturday waste removal service. (Haslemere Dustcart Briefing Note)
Continuing to attend social service/education review meetings for a family with adopted children who are not currently getting the help they need.
To continue to put Haslemere First, always looking to improve the way local councillors work together. Made request to Haslemere Town Council suggesting ways of working more cooperatively and collaboratively by increasing councillor use of social media, joint councillor surgeries and posting recordings of meetings.
Community Pride Fund 2014-15
I have used these funds to provide a new grit bin for Scotlands Close, bike racks at Haslewey and to fund a week of a SCC vegetation gang.
New bike racks at Haslewey
County Councillor Members’ Allocation 2014-2015
Here is a summary of my members’ allocation awards: 
Logs for Labour scheme
Surrey Meetings
Environment and Transport Select Committee
Attended E & T Select Committee meeting (agenda here) (on 22nd January). Raised a question concerning the large number of highways projects where matched funding is required, concerned that this will negatively impact on Local Area Committee funding; however, Cabinet Member John Furey assured me it would not.
Met Cabinet Member for Transport and Surrey Communications Strategy team (22nd January) to discuss what lessons could be learned from the recent A286 example of poor communication. Very useful, resulted in the planned development of a county wide protocol including the use of social media, local radio and the Member for Transport. Used social media (Facebook and Twitter) to share daily updates for the A286 roadworks and thanks to everyone who shared the information.
SCC Highways
Organised a meeting (26th January) with Living Streets, representatives from Haslemere Vision and SCC Highways Sustainability team. We discussed the options for a street audit to help create safe, attractive and enjoyable streets in the town. I’ll write a separate update about this in the coming weeks.
Residents Association/Independent Group
Attended Independent Group meeting (3rd February) to discuss the council’s budget, which due to a further reduction in central Govt grant will result in cuts to local services. Despite this, SCC cabinet members have recently been awarded significant pay increases. One of the Independents told the BBC here:
Councillor Eber Kington, from the Residents’ Association, said: “This council will not look at ways of saving money on the cost of running itself.”
Meetings of Waverley Youth Task Group (9th & 11th February) awarding contracts for Youth Local Prevention Framework (1 to 1, and community outreach contracts). The priority of the framework is to build the resilience of young people and to remove identified barriers to their future employability as part of Surrey’s early help arrangements. For more information on youth services on offer in Waverley: www.new.surreycc.gov.uk- search: “young surrey”.
Waverley Local Area Committee
Last Minutes from LAC meeting here. Next meeting will be on 20th March in Haslemere Hall and you can view the agenda here once it is ready. Please note the Waverley Local Area Committee is on Twitter, @WaverleyLC.
OTHER UPDATES
Surrey PCC Kevin Hurley commissioned YouGov plc to carry out independent research of Surrey people over a series of months to understand public sentiment towards the referendum. The questions asked and the corresponding results are here.
Notice of Surrey Community Action Funders’ Fair on 17th March – Funding Fair Invitation
“Are you looking after someone but juggling too much? The council is launching a fortnight long campaign, on Monday 2nd March to signpost people whose lives are squeezed by caring duties to information and support. It will also encourage them to talk to their GP about their caring role. Across Surrey there are people who spend much of their time juggling a career and running their home, while carrying out caring duties. Often referred to as “sandwich carers”, they will be providing unpaid care, mainly for an older or frail parent or relative, while also helping care for other family members, such as grandchildren. Such a caring commitment can put people under considerable stress, affecting their health and wellbeing.” Also see Hidden Carers here.
The Care Act is the biggest change to English adult social care law in over 60 years. Surrey County Council has a page here intended to help you understand the Act and how the council is responding in Surrey.
YHA Hindhead ceases to be a youth hostel on 31st March this year as the lease has expired and it is going back to the National Trust. YHA Tanners Hatch is also available for Exclusive Hire, group bookings and individual/family bookings. The Youth Hostel is in the Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty close to Dorking. For further details please see http://www.yha.org.uk/hostel/tanners-hatch and http://exclusive-hire.yha.org.uk/properties/england/yha-tanners-hatch