Surrey County Council removed handwritten safety banners from Hickley’s Corner in Farnham after leaving them in place for a summer. The banners warned pedestrians and drivers to take care at the busy A31/Station Hill/South Street junction, known for several serious collisions.
The banners were installed by campaigner Tara Smyth, following a fatal crash and multiple serious injuries at the junction over less than a year. The council allowed the banners to remain until the end of August despite its usual policy against roadside banners, before taking them down.
The cost of safety messaging by banners
The decision illustrates an ongoing tension between community-led safety interventions and highway authorities’ policies on roadside distractions. Surrey County Council permits almost no banners or posters beside live carriageways due to safety and visibility concerns.
Matt Furniss, cabinet member for highways, transport and economic growth, said the temporary permission recognised the community value and awareness raised by the banners. However, banners also compete for driver attention at critical points on the road, increasing the risk of distraction.
Smyth described the removal as “really disappointing”. She and other campaigners believe the banners helped remind pedestrians and drivers to be alert at a notoriously dangerous junction. The council counters that allowing banners indefinitely contradicts its core road safety aims.
Why Hickley’s Corner matters
James O’Mara, 21, died in a collision at the junction on New Year’s Day. Two further crashes in November and March caused serious and life-threatening injuries. Councillor Catherine Powell noted the “pure horror” the number of crashes has caused the local community, citing concerns raised by the council for nearly 20 years.
Hickley’s Corner sees hundreds of pedestrians crossing daily alongside traffic that "thunders through," according to Smyth. Campaigners had initially applied to Surrey County Council to install formal safety measures but were refused. The banners were a low-cost, immediate alternative to raise awareness ahead of official interventions.
Steps beyond banners
Surrey County Council is consulting on reducing the speed limit at the junction from 50mph to 40mph. Changes to traffic signals are planned later this year. Physical improvements have included adding louvres to pedestrian signals for better visibility, removing flower troughs, and adjusting streetlighting.
The council continues to explore further safety options, including seeking government funding for more extensive junction changes or a full redesign. Smyth argues speed cameras and enforcement should support any speed limit reduction, citing high vehicle speeds as the main risk.
Balancing distraction risk and road safety
The council’s removal of banners highlights a wider challenge faced by local authorities across the UK. Campaigner-led initiatives can be effective and low cost but run contrary to policies designed to minimise distractions for drivers. The tension arises while more permanent engineering and enforcement solutions take longer to plan and implement.
With the banners gone and the consultation ongoing, the key question remains whether Surrey County Council’s speed limit and signal changes will deliver meaningful safety improvements at Hickley’s Corner.
