SURREY HILLS – HIGHWAYS PROTOCOL
DRAFT 15 AUG
www.surreyhills.org
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Dorking Leatherhead
Oxted
Guildford Reigate
Woking
Farnham
Godalming
Cranleigh
Haslemere Camberley
Frensham
Tilford
Churt Hindhead
Elstead
Thursley Compton Puttenham
Milford
Bramley
Wonersh Shamley
Green Albury Shere
Weybridge
Epsom
Banstead
Mickleham
Betchworth Brockham
Redhill
Caterham
Woldingham
Limpsfield
Bletchingley
Horley
Ockley Blackheath
Peaslake
Ewhurst
Wotton
Holmbury St Mary
Westcott
Hascombe Hambledon
Chiddingford Dunsfold
Dorking Leatherhead
Oxted
Guildford Reigate
Woking
Farnham
Godalming
Cranleigh
Haslemere Camberley
ByfleetWest
Byfleet &
New Haw Weybridge
Hinchley Wood
Claygate Ewell
West Ewell
EastBanstead Epsom
Ashtead Oxshott
Cobham &
Stoke D’Abernon
Brookwood
Woking Camberley
Bagshot
Frimley
Ash Vale North Camp
Ash
Worplesdon
Wanborough
Farncombe
Witley
Holmwood
Ockley London
Road
Shalford Chilworth
Clandon
Effingham Junction
Bookham Horsley
Gomshall
Boxhill &
Westhumble Dorking
West Dorking Deepdene
Betchworth
Tadworth Kingswood
Merstham
Nutfield
Earlswood
Godstone
Hurst Green
Lingfield
Dormans
Chipstead Upper
Warlingham Whyteleafe
Whyteleafe South Epsom
Downs Tattenham
Corner Epsom Downs Tattenham
Corner
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Kilometres Motorway Primary Route Other A Road
AONB
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B Road
Note: This map is designated for approximate location purposes only.
M1 A1(M) M11
M50 M5
M23 M26
A3(M) M27
M40 M4 M4
M4
M3 M3
M3
A329(M)
M25
M20
M20 M2 M25
M25
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Isle Of Wight
East Sussex Dorset
Gloucestershire
Swindon
Oxfordshire
Hertfordshire
Luton
Buckinghamshire
Wiltshire
Berkshire
Hampshire
Kent
Surrey
Essex
Greater London
Based upon the Ordnance Survey mapping with the permission of the controller of Her Majesty’s Stationary Office © Crown Copyright. Unauthorised reproduction infringes Crown copyright and may lead to prosecution or civil proceedings’ Surrey County Council, LA076872, 2004.
INTRODUCTION
Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) is one of 34 AONBs in England, covering 15% of the land area. They are designated by Government for the purpose of ensuring that the special qualities of our finest landscapes are conserved and enhanced.
An essential constituent of the Surrey Hills AONB is the network of winding, narrow, secluded lanes, often with high banks and hedgerows, connecting villages and hamlets. These lanes are often rich in history reflecting centuries of human use and still retain much of their traditional charm.
This leaflet sets out the Protocol for managing highways in the Surrey Hills AONB to help Surrey County Council, transport planners, contractors, developers, parish councils and other parties involved in the management of highways. It set out some principles and best practice that should be considered in maintenance and improvement programmes.
ENHANCING SAFETY, THE ENVIRONMENT AND COMMUNITIES
Although safety is the primary consideration for all road users, recent experience has shown that the best way to improve safety is to increase or make use of the perception of danger. Following the principles set out in this leaflet will help to promote and reinforce the rural character of country lanes and so encourage a safer and more considerate approach to driving which helps to achieve the purpose of the
Surrey Hills AONB designation.
1 34 of
AONBs in England of land
cover
15%
Typical sunken lane within the Surrey Hills
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PRINCIPAL ROADS THROUGH THE SURREY HILLS
As Surrey has a higher level of car ownership than any other county, the impact of traffic on the Surrey Hills is perhaps greater than on any other AONB or National Park. This is largely due to its close proximity to London and other urban areas, resulting in high volumes of traffic passing through the area. Encouraging through traffic and HGVs to keep to principal roads will help to protect the quality of the area, particularly the country lanes which are not designed to cope with large volumes of traffic and HGVs.
1.1
Avoid through-signing along country lanes The principle of to keep through traffic and HGV movements to the principal road network. This should be reflected in the signage strategy. Signage to minor roads should only indicate local access and should avoid encouraging through traffic to larger destinations.1.2
Reduce the impact of high traffic volumes Reduce the speed, as appropriate, of traffic on principal roads and introduce safety schemes through villages including the potential for 20mph zones in line with council policy.1.3
Promote ‘smart travel’ principleAs journey times are often significantly impacted by congestion at junctions, there should be appropriate awareness and educational messages that reducing speed should not significantly affect overall travel time.
1
Albury village sign showing wooden posts (see section 3)
Albury/Blackheath/West Humble Walking and Cycling
Declutter before and after
Replace with Puttenham or Shere Photo
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Grass verge showing wildflowers and grasses replae with Flint wall @Zac Mc Caulay/SCC
Shamley Green/Blackheath
COUNTRY LANES IN THE SURREY HILLS
Designing and managing country lanes in line with the following principles will create an environment that is more attractive and help to encourage a safer and more considerate approach to driving in the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The photographs in this leaflet identify how the principles could be implemented through simple low maintenance measures.
2.1
Choose appropriate materials.Timber bollards, marker posts and other roadside furniture should be used as they are generally more in keeping with the rural scene, do not need painting or become dirty in appearance and are not easily damaged. Generally avoid plastic roadside furniture (eg plastic posts) and excessive reflective metal signs.
2.2
Value the treatment of boundaries.Boundary fences, walls and hedgerows should use traditional local materials and species (such as cleft chestnut fencing, native plants, and sandstone or flint walls) which are in keeping with the locality. Generally use native species avoid introducing exotics (such as leylandii).
2.3
Use the ‘natural’ geometry of country lanes to influence drivers.Highway improvements should consider reinforcing the traditional geometry of country lanes. Surface dressing of a coarser aggregate can be used to create rough verges to avoid over-running, help create refuge space for other road users and reduce vehicle speeds.
Concrete kerbing is generally obtrusive and should be avoided.
2
Typical Surrey Hills wooded country lane2.4
Resist excess road markings.Where possible, road markings should be resisted or in some cases removed. Edge lining should be used with care, usually to highlight road space for vulnerable road users or where other solutions to verge erosion are impractical. Coloured road surfaces are generally obtrusive and have a limited life, and therefore should be avoided. Rumble strips should emphasis the sensory rather than visual impact.
2.5
Reduce clutter and urbanising influences.Remove unnecessary or redundant signs and
amalgamate signs onto posts. Through signing should be avoided along country lanes. Signs directing traffic into and along country lanes should only indicate the next village or hamlet. Although many traffic signs have been put up following local requests, there is little evidence that additional signs have any effect on road safety.
2.6
Celebrate local distinctiveness.Where practical, preserve and restore existing distinctive and historical finger posts, village signs and other roadside furniture. Where this is not possible, replace with similar materials and design details. Use sympathetic designs and materials for new finger posts and village signs.
2.7
Highlight local names and features of historic interest.For street names, traditionally looking black and white signs are generally preferable. Where street names occur adjacent to other timber structures then timber support will be generally more appropriate, but recycled plastic posts are acceptable for most situations
2.8
Enhance the biodiversity of verges.Within safety guidelines to maintain sight lines, particularly at junctions, enhance the biodiversity value of verges with appropriate mowing regimes.
Verges may benefit from less frequent mowing resulting in reduced maintenance costs.
12 12 A Village
Village
in the Surrey Hills
Please drive carefully through our village
VILLAGE
A1
Village Identity/LogoA2
Village NameA3
in the Surrey Hills messageB1
please drive carefully message (optional)1
Village Name2
Mileage3
Chevron (optional)12
A Village 12
12 A Village
Village 12
12 Village
12 B Village A Village
Directional Finger Sign One Name
Standard Length
Directional Finger Sign Two Names
Medium Length
Directional Finger Sign Three Names
Long Length
Side Front Side Back
Uneccessary signs removed Rushmoor Village Sign
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SIGNAGE
Signage plays a vital part in promoting and reinforcing the rural character of the Surrey Hills area.
3.1
Village SignsThese signs work very effectively to show that a particular village is within the Surrey Hills boundary and help to re-inforce the rural character of a village.
An individual village emblem encourages the distinctiveness of each village.
Village gateway signs consist of four components which are constructed in two parts;
View the Surrey Rural Highways Design Guidelines document at www.surreyhills.org/board/country-lanes-2/ for exact specifications.
3.2
Finger PostsSurrey Hills directional finger posts should contain the following elements;
Surrey Hills Finger Posts are designed using 6 x 6inch wooden oak posts which are generally 3.5m long of which .8m is in the ground. The white directional sign is constructed from hardwearing lightweight foamex which is 19mm thick. The finger posts come in three lengths, standard, medium and long to accommodate the number of characters in village names.
Example of standard, medium & long length finger posts;
These directional posts are used on country lanes with lower speed limits (not on principal roads).
DE-CLUTTERING (REMOVAL OF UNNECESSARY SIGNAGE)
De-cluttering is the process of removing unnecessary roadside and village signage clutter in the Surrey Hills.
Why De-Clutter?
● Trying to promote and reinforce the rural character in Quiet Lane areas
● Discourage through traffic and HGV movements
● Reduce maintenance and replacement costs of signs Examples of De-cluttering
Here are some examples of de-cluttering work that has taken place in the Surrey Hills;
Get involved with De-Cluttering in the Surrey Hills
Many road signs are not mandatory. They are put in place by the local highway authority and can be removed at its discretion. We want to encourage local people through their parish council to assess their local road signs and recommend any individual signs should be removed or relocated.
Visit https://www.surreyhills.org/board/de-cluttering/ for guidance on what signs can be removed. Once you have done this you will be required to fill in two simple forms which Surrey County Council Highways
will check and make the final decision.
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4
3.2
Verge PostsVerge Posts are useful for indicating the edges of roads and potential hazards, and contain reflective areas which increase their visibility to motorists both in the day and at night. Surrey Hills verge posts are made from 4 x 4 inch wooden oak posts.
These are generally 1.6m long with a reflective circle on the front and back and can be sourced from local sawmills.
Diagram shows that a red reflector should be sited on the front of the post and a white reflector on the back.
For further information on signage in the Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty please visit https://www.surreyhills.org/board/country-lanes-2/ or email [email protected]
FURTHER GUIDANCE
Demonstration projects:
Details of the demonstration projects identified in this Protocol are available on the www.surreyhillsboard.org/highways.
These are often low cost schemes that can be implemented by local landscape contractors and, wherever possible, locally funded with the involvement of residents, parish councils and local businesses.
Surrey Hills Signage and Decluttering
Details of Surrey Hills style signage and the process for removing unnecessary sign clutter in the Surrey Hills can be found at www.surreyhillsboard.org/signs
For more information: [email protected]
Participating organisations
Participating organisations National interdisciplinary advice and review panel
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* DfT Circular 01/2016 to the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions, 2016.
Overuse of traffic signs blights our landscape, wastes taxpayers’ money and dilutes important road safety messages. The number of traffic signs has doubled in the last 20 years. This is unsustainable, and bears out the need to reduce signing whenever possible.
A culture change is needed in the way signing is used.
Hambledon Village
