Letter: Poor Roadwork Management is Emblematic of Surrey

Published on: 26 Jan, 2026
Updated on: 26 Jan, 2026

From Tony Harrison

In response to: I Hope A281 Roadworks Are Being Properly Monitored

This is the norm now in and around Guildford. This week at one stage there were no fewer than four sets of temporary lights just between Wonersh and Cranleigh.

A set between Shalford and Wonersh were serving no purpose other than providing a place for a bloke in a car to have a sleep day after day, as the only “work” that went on was the digging of a hole ten feet into bordering woods, surrounded by its own plastic barrier, then three feet of wood, then the pavement, and then, for absolutely no reason whatsoever, temporary lights.

The only purpose these served, as no one other than Kipping Kevin in the car was on site for days on end, was to force traffic into the horrendous potholes on the other side of the road, doubtless resulting in large sum compensation payments for burst tyres and damage to suspension.

This is emblematic of Surrey now, and it needs to be stamped out.

Responses to Letter: Poor Roadwork Management is Emblematic of Surrey

Roger Kendall Reply

January 26, 2026 at 10:49 am

I don’t know why but at some point the authorities decided that the company who provides the traffic light system does not need to be the company doing the work. So the traffic lights are put up in advance of the work starting, the work is delayed and the traffic light company doesn’t collect the lights until they get around to it long after.

Consequently, roads are blocked and motorists’ time wasted for two or three times longer than it should be. A one day job becomes a seven day blockage.

This is just selfishness. I had a new electric supply installed to a house on a busy road and four days after the job was complete I had to remove the traffic lights to enable traffic to flow again. Diversion signs are put up wrongly and left up for weeks long after the roads are back to normal or left lying in the grass. Who is responsible for this slap dash work?
S Callanan Reply

January 26, 2026 at 5:22 pm

We’ve just come back to Guildford from Godalming having driven over there earlier. Once again I was struck by the road works on the Guildford Road near the Rugby Pavilion. What fascinates me is the amount of kit that seems to be required these days.

Don’t misunderstand me, I’m not in favour of anyone working on the site getting run over, but I do wonder just how many lines of plastic barrier can possibly be required to make the site safe.

Then, the cynic in me wonders if the council (or whoever) is charged by the number of bits of kit in use. Anyone know if that’s the case and, if so, how the right number required is computed?