Updated: ‘Dangers’ At Ash Vale Road Crossing: MP Is Asked To Support Call For Action

Published on: 9 Apr, 2025
Updated on: 10 Apr, 2025

The crossing outside Ash Vale Station

By David Reading

A long-standing Ash Vale resident has written to her MP, Jeremy Hunt, urging him to support her campaign for safety measures at the zebra crossing outside Ash Vale Station.

Mrs Heather Johnson said she feared that pedestrians faced a serious risk at the crossing and, in an appeal on on social media, she has asked other people in the area to give their support.

She said: “I am so worried about the crossing. I have always been wary, but since a man was killed there in May 2020, I’ve got quite obsessed about the danger it poses.

“The beacons have been enhanced, but it’s not enough. Why on earth hasn’t it been made into a pelican crossing with lights? At the very least, the lighting needs to be improved as the natural light there is poor.”

Mr Hunt, MP for Godalming and Ash, has been asked for his support.

Jeremy Hunt MP

Mrs Johnson, who has lived in Ash Vale for more than 50 years, added: “So often, passengers run down the stairs from the station straight into the crossing. I feel some railings or something else suitable needs to be done so that passengers have at least to walk round to prevent this. It’s another accident waiting to happen.”

The fatality that Mrs Johnson referred to in 2020 was where an elderly couple were hit by a car. The man later died.

Report updated with a comment from Surrey County Council.

Cllr Matt Furniss (Conservative, Shalford), who is Cabinet Member for Highways, Transport and Economic Growth, said:

Cllr Matt Furniss

“Following a collision in May 2020, the County Council reviewed the zebra crossing and subsequently upgraded the Belisha beacons to LED lights so that they are brighter and more conspicuous. There is already street lighting on both sides of the road directly over the zebra crossing.

“The Divisional Councillor can propose additional measures if they wish and fund them through their local Highways Allocation.”

After Mrs Johnson announced her fears on social media there were dozens of comments, most of them agreeing the crossing was dangerous.

One person said: “They should scrap the roundabout and make it a traffic light junction and build a pedestrian crossing into that.”

Another said: “One would have thought a fatality would have been enough to look at the safety aspect of the crossing.”

And another: “I’ve said for ages that this is very dangerous. It is too close to the roundabout and also needs proper traffic lights…or preferably doing away with altogether.”

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