Surrey Tops the Table ... of pothole claims

Surrey paid out quarter of a million on
pothole compensation last year

Being top is not always best and that is certainly the case when it comes to Surrey County Council and potholes.  
Our local highways authority tops the table for 

• The number of compensation claims made as a result of potholes on local roads; and 
• The money paid out in compensation as a results of these damaged road surfaces.

Surrey had 4000 claims last year, way ahead of the next authority in the table with 1500 fewer at 2500.

Surrey paid out a quarter of a million in compensation claims to 842 of those who made a claim.  That is £300 per successful claimant.

Across other authorities in the top 5 for claims on damage from potholes the average number of claims is a little over 2000.  That is only half the level of claims in Surrey.

What is Surrey doing with our money if it isn't fixing our roads?

Apologies for more roadworks but it is dangerous

Damaged road around drain cover

With apologies for causing yet more roadworks on Woking roads I reported this damage around a drain cover to Thames Water in the week.

As you can see in the picture the tarmac around the drain cover is cracking up badly.

There is a real risk of broken pieces of tarmac flying up and hitting a road user and a particular danger to those on two wheels as the holes around the cover grow.

Sadly Thames Water haven't done anything to fix the road yet but they have put some barriers around the damage to keep road users safe.

Boundary Commission chops chunks out of Horsell

Disappointing news from the Boundary Commission.  The national body, which reviewed Woking's borough ward boundaries, has announced its final decision. The Commission has ignored public opinion and chopped chunks out of Horsell.

The new Horsell ward boundaries from 2016

I blogged back in July about the Commission's proposals for Horsell.  I set them out again below.  Sadly the proposals are now the final decision and will be our new boundaries from 2016.  

The only change from what was proposed in the summer is that The Grove, Ferndale Road, parts of Chobham and Brewery Road (including the WWF Living Planet Centre and The Lightbox) and the Broomhalls will go to a new ward whose name is now Canalside rather than Sheerwater

Boundary Commission proposals for The Grove, Ferndale Road, Chobham Road, Brewery Road and Broomhalls 

The Boundary Commission proposes that part of the eastern edge of Horsell West ward and a little of the west of Horsell East ward move out of Horsell to a new Sheerwater ward.  The area involved (shown below) is the beginning of Chobham Road, from Victoria Way (including The Lightbox), The Grove and Ferndale Road, Kingswood and Alwyne Court on Brewery Road, Brewery Road car park and the WWF Living Planet Centre, Broomhall Road, Broomhall Drive and Broomhall Lane, the Wheatsheaf Pub and several houses to the north of the pub.

The Commission has confirmed its decision to move Merrivale Gardens and Hedgerley Court to Goldsworth Park.

Boundary Commission proposals for Merrivale Gardens and Hedgerley Court
Another proposed loss from Horsell is Merrivale Gardens and Hedgerley Court. The commission wants to move this area to Goldsworth Park ward.

The new Horsell ward, as of 2016, will be a combination of the current Horsell West ward (less the areas to the Eastern boundary listed above) and the Horsell East part of the current Horsell East and Woodham ward less The Grove, Ferndale and part of Chobham Road.

There is also the loss of part of Carthouse Lane to Knaphill.  The first I heard of this was in the final decision.  I think this move may revert back to the situation prior to the 2000 electoral review.  However other roads, beyond Carthouse Lane, remain in Horsell.

With the Conservative decision to have 30 councillors over 10 wards the numbers just did not work out to keep Horsell and Woodham together.  But, chopping out parts of Horsell is simply illogical and totally ignores local community.

You can read the Boundary Commission's report in full here or see a summary here, where you can also view the ward maps and input your own postcode to check your ward.

Could the Horsell Splash finally be over? - Update

UPDATE
Not such good news on the Horsell Splash. It seems Surrey County Council has abandoned the installation of a drain as they found an electricity cable where it was planned to put the drain.  As an alternative an additional soakaway is being dug on the other side of the road.

Surrey doesn't have a great record on keeping these soakaways clear so it may be hopes of a puddle free road were premature.


I am delighted to see that the Horsell Splash may finally be over.

I began work in 2012 to get Surrey County Council to fix the flooding that occurs around the entrance to Brewery Road car park, Kingswood Court and the pedestrian crossing to Footpath 19a.

My blog post from back in April 2013 summarises my efforts to that date on this and other flooding issues in Horsell.  

Last year there was some concerted work by Surrey (funnily enough at around the same time of year) and a blockage was identified which stopped water flowing away.  I blogged about it at the time. 

Surrey have finally got around to clearing the blockage and adding a new drainage channel on Brewery Road.

What a relief it will be not to have to run the risk of an unwelcome shower after heavy rain in this area.