Parking Issues

Lots of road issues tonight, mainly on the subject of parking and cars driving too fast. This is in an area on the edge of current parking restrictions in Horsell. Whilst I don't like the idea of Horsell becoming one giant Controlled Parking Zone (CPZ) something has to be done in certain roads.

Unlike our Conservative colleagues, who go ahead and make changes to the areas without asking or even telling residents, we Lib Dems like to consult first. Time to get out in the next few weeks and ask residents if they would like some parking restrictions. The option for a 9.30am to 11.30am parking restriction seems to work well for some roads. It removes all day commuter parking.

Residents may remember the dreadful situation in Arthur's Bridge Road a few years ago. Commuters and LA Fitness users parked all along the road and on every junction. Visibility for drivers, cyclists and pedstrians was terrible. The local Lib Dem team consulted residents on appropriate restrictions, including double yellow lines on junctions. We can all travel along and across the road now without fear.

Conservative Concerns

I hear news that the Conservatives in Woking are not happy with Lib Dem literature. A key issue for them seems to be us pointing out that Woking was the third choice for their candidate. It's absolutely true. He tried for Ann Widdecombe's old seat in Maidstone back in January 2008, and failed. Then he went up to Lancashire, trying for another safe seat, later the same year. He failed. Finally he settled on Woking in October last year and became parliamentary candidate. I make that three tries for a seat.

He had of course stood a number of years ago in a seat in Oldham, the area where he grew up. He lost. Similarly the Lib Dem candidate for Woking, and local Woking resident, Rosie Sharpley stood in another Surrey seat, Horsham in 2005. Rosie went to school in Horsham so when the Lib Dem candidate for that seat stood down, Rosie filled the gap, late in the day. She was up against Francis Maude, a senior Tory with a large majority. Rosie knew she couldn't win but flew the Lib Dem flag and cut her parliamentary teeth. In 2006 Rosie put her name forward for Woking Constituency and was selected as parliamentary candidate.

Just a quick update on previous posts today

- Surrey County Council has still not deigned to reply to my concerns about the new traffic posts on Brewery Road

- There seems to have been no progress on potholes. A few weeks ago there were council contractors out and about repairing holes but I haven't seen any for a while now. I cycled down Wilson Way (runs from High Street to Pares Close, St Andrews School and several smaller roads) and counted 36 potholes!!!

Mad March Hares

Hot on the heels of the posts on Brewery Road (on which I am still awaiting a response from Surrey) I hear news of further failures of consultation from our beloved County Council.

Over in Brookwood a new traffic island, dubbed "Fishwick Island" by local residents, in reference to a senior county council officer, like the Brewery Road posts appeared in late March. The island is meant to help pedestrians and cyclists cross the A322 Bagshot Road, in the run up to Brookwood Crossroads. It is located opposite the Total petrol station and is on a direct route betwen two parts of the canal bank. Residents were surprised to see the island appear close to an existing combined pedestrian and cycle crossing. According to local residents the crossing affects cars wanting to make a right turn at the crossroads and has led to some motorists driving around the island (potentially against on-coming traffic).

The island appeared around 20 March and residents knew nothing until it was in place. See the website set up by residents here.

A further piece of County Council folly is detailed on the getsurrey website. Surrey has had to take out a cycle lane in Leatherhead, which cost 70K to install. The cycle lane was too narrow and featured numerous obstructions. In an attempt to widen the path Surrey used paint that made the path slippery when wet.

Still no response on those posts

Well, surprise, surprise, Surrey County Council have still not bothered to reply to my emails about the posts erected on Brewery Road. They are obviously holding out to their 20 day reply time.

I have yet to find anybody who thinks the posts serve any useful purpose . Taking a trip along Brewery Road you can now watch pedestrians dancing and weaving to find a way past each other on the new narrowed path.

Three weeks to election day ...

We are now over a week in to the election campaign proper and the pace is really hotting up. I am finding that people on the doorstep have a much clearer idea of which way they are going to vote, although there are the inevitable "undecided" and those who may not vote at all because of the expenses scandal and behaviour of some MPs.

There is a great deal of support for Vince Cable, so many people tell me he is the only one talking sense on the economy. Recognition of Rosie is very high and people are keen to vote for a local candidate who has worked for our area for so many years.

On your marks, get set, go ...

Politicians around the country are off on the final sprint of the 2010 election campaign. Gordon Brown went to the Palace this morning and has now announced, as everyone anticipated, that 6 May is the date for the General Election. My husband seems to go have got into election mode - I threatened to paint Rosie on his back in this outfit!

Residents of Horsell West, and some other parts of Woking, will have two votes on 6 May. One for a new MP for Woking and one for a new local councillor for Horsell West. In both cases a 'new' face is guaranteed.

Humfrey Malins is standing down and the Liberal Democrat candidate Rosie Sharpley is in with the best chance the Lib Dems have ever had to replace him. Rosie is well known in the constituency. She's been a councillor in Goldsworth Park for 21 years, worked locally as a nurse and served as a magistrate in Surrey. As the Liberal Democrat parliamentary spokesperson she's worked hard for our area in the last three years.

Meanwhile over in the Tory stable, Mr Malins stood down just over a year ago but a new candidate was not selected until last October. I understand that 'local' candidates did put their names forward but a PR man from Blackheath, who had already tried to get selected in Lancashire and Maidstone (Anne Widdecombe's seat) was chosen to go up against Rosie.

Labour have gone for a young candidate, having been deserted by their original candidate who went off to try for a 'safe seat' in London.

UKIP are definitely in there as well. I don't know much about their candidate. He comments a lot on various online forums. I believe he lives in one of the huge blocks of flats by the station. I suppose that gives him a good 'overview' of much of Woking.

In Horsell West I am looking to replace Richard Sanderson, who is standing down after a massive 26 years on the Council. He is the longest serving councillor and dates from a period when there were just a handful of Liberals on Woking BC. Now the party is one seat behind the Conservatives.

Richard and I have spent much time talking to residents in the last year and looking into local issues. I want to return to the Council to provide a voice for residents who often seem to be forgotten by both Woking and Surrey. This tendency has been shown all to clearly in recent weeks when Surrey took it into their heads to put traffic posts along the sharp bend on Brewery Road. During my time on the Council I was pleased to be able to intervene and stop Woking BC putting in a bid for a Casino, without consulting residents. As a result of my intervention the Council was forced to consult, via a telephone survey, and the conclusive answer was "No" to a casino.

If you still need to register to vote you have until 20 April. You can also register to receive your vote by post or to get someone to vote on your behalf. Details for Woking residents can be found here.

When is a flood not a flood?

Why when Surrey County Council can't see it of course!!!

Many residents will have encountered the flood that regularly engulfs the zebra crossing on the route from Brewery Road car park to Footpath 19A (a popular walking route to Horsell Park and beyond).

At times the flood renders the crossing totally unusable. As the flood subsides it is possible to travel across the road in the vicinity of the crossing, but this may involve pushing the button on the Pelican lights and then running to the edge of the crossing to find dry land.

Pedestrians walking along the pavement are at risk of a free cold shower. Some drivers are considerate and slow down or drive in the centre of the road (on-coming traffic allowing). Others race through with not a care for those on foot. Back in January my daughter and I were soaked by some inconsiderate fool travelling through the standing water at speed.

Surrey say they don't know what is causing the flooding. They recently told the local paper there wasn't a flood there when they came to look at the situation. I expect that would be because of their dreadful response times. Anybody who has sent an email to Surrey will probaly recall getting an instant response - but this response just tells you they will respond to you query in 20 working days. A month, to respond to a query!!

Still no response

I am still awaiting a response from the County Council on my questions about the posts erected on Brewery Road. It is now Easter, so Tuesday is the earliest time I can expect a response.

I have seen a reply to a local councillor on the erection of the posts and it confirms my suspicion that they were funded from some money left in the budget at the end of the year.

I wish they had put that money into something that would benefit the local area. I don't have to go far to suggest several things they could do, just in Brewery Road, such as:

• Stopping the flooding that makes it dangerous to cross at the zebra on the route from the car park to Horsell Park and threatens pedestrians with a free cold shower
• Filling in the potholes on Brewery Road that are growing by the day
• Re-surface Brewery Road

And of course the list gets longer the further I travel , but this is indicative of the issues facing us all over Horsell and Woking.