Campaign for Fairer Road Funding for Surrey
There is one matter that unites us all and that is the dreadful state of our roads. The information below is about an important petition to government on a fairer way of dividing government monies allocated to local authorities for road maintenance and I commend it to you for consideration and signing.
Gerry Acher
Chairman
Jan 2022
Campaign for Fairer Road Funding for Surrey
By Cllr Rebecca Paul
If you asked someone what public asset does everyone in the UK use, what do you think they would say? Maybe our schools or the NHS? Well, in fact it’s our road network. As well as being the UK’s largest publicly owned asset, it is used and relied upon by every single resident in the UK, whether it be for commuting or service delivery. Every resident, whether a vehicle owner or not, relies on roads for all manner of things, from their weekly rubbish collection to receiving their mail.
Well maintained roads are fundamental for the wellbeing and prosperity of communities. Not only do they shape the character of local areas, but they weave individuals and businesses into the fabric of daily life. As such, they must be maintained and invested in to allow our economy to grow and our communities to flourish.
Surrey’s road network is approximately 5,500 km in length and is one of the most highly used networks in England due to its proximity to London. Our nearly 1.2 million population relies upon these roads, along with the many other Brits passing through on their way to London or the airport.
It probably won’t come as a surprise that the most common issue raised by residents with me is the state of our roads. In reality, Surrey County Council receives insufficient funds from central government to adequately maintain the highway network. Limited funding leads to strict prioritisation of works, which in turn causes much frustration for residents still waiting for that ‘elusive’ road resurface.
One of the main reasons for inadequate road funding is the way the road funding formula is calculated. It doesn’t consider traffic volume, only road length. Thus, Surrey’s highway network, which on average can be more than 3 times busier than other roads in England, receives the same amount of funding per kilometre of road despite much higher wear and tear. For 2021/22, the Department of Transport allocated just under £26m to Surrey County Council for roads. This works out as 1.8% of the total available funding, whereas Surrey’s roads bear 2.4% of the total vehicle miles for the whole of England.
Surrey residents deserve to have well maintained roads like other parts of the UK too. I have therefore launched a campaign calling on the Government to reform the road maintenance funding formula to consider traffic volume in addition to road length. If 100,000 signatures are secured, this will trigger a parliamentary debate on the topic and create the opportunity for our MPs to make the case for fairer road funding.
Maintaining Surrey’s highway network is a priority for our residents. Well maintained roads benefit all road users, including cyclists, and are the bedrock of a strong local economy. If you support my campaign, please sign my petition at www.fairroadfunding.uk. Let’s ensure the voices of Surrey residents are heard in Westminster.
Cobham will be celebrating the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee on Saturday 4th June. For 2022 this event will replace Cobham Heritage Day which normally takes place in September each year. The event will take place on the Leg O’Mutton Field and will centre on a large picnic, with stalls, entertainment and food offerings as usual, finishing with the Duck Race.
The Cedar House planning application 2021/3348 has been submitted by the developers and the Trust has made a number of observations in the form of a letter sent to the Elmbridge BC Planning department. The letter can be seen on our 
Cobham Heritage is pleased to offer the four book set of our "A Guide and History" books for the price of three. This special offer will be available for all orders of the bundle placed before midnight on Friday 31st December 2021. The set would make an ideal Christmas gift.
Today after a misty start the sun shone through just in time for us to remember those who had lost their lives at war in the service of their country. Some 40 people gathered at the Tilt in front of the Cobham Heritage Trust memorial to those who lost their lives in the Second World War and at 11.00 the Rev. Dr Mike Branscombe, vicar of St Andrew’s led a short service during which the two minutes silence was observed and the names on the memorial were called out. Wreaths were laid by the Royal British Legion, our councillors and Cobham civic groups.
