Chilworth School Safety Scheme: Your Views Needed Now
Why These Changes Matter to Our Community
For families living in and around Chilworth village, the morning school run has become increasingly stressful. New Road, which winds through our neighbourhoods connecting to nearby areas like Horsley and East Horsley, has transformed into an unofficial rat run where through-traffic dominates peak hours. Parents dropping children at Tillingbourne Junior School and Chilworth Infant School face genuine safety concerns as vehicles race through at speeds far exceeding what's appropriate for residential streets filled with young pedestrians.
Geoff Hitchcock, the dedicated lollipop man who has guided children safely across New Road for years, describes the situation bluntly: the road is “very, very busy” and serves as everyone's shortcut. The real problem emerges after official school hours when his safety coverage ends—children attending after-school clubs and activities remain vulnerable to the constant flow of traffic. This is precisely why Surrey County Council's proposal for a controlled pedestrian crossing with traffic lights outside Tillingbourne Junior School and an uncontrolled crossing near Chilworth Infant School could genuinely transform our village. Combined with a proposed 20mph speed limit throughout Chilworth and additional traffic calming measures, these changes represent a meaningful commitment to protecting our youngest residents during their most vulnerable moments.
What's Being Proposed and How It Affects You
Surrey County Council's consultation package addresses three core safety improvements designed with our specific community needs in mind. The controlled crossing with traffic lights outside Tillingbourne Junior School represents the most substantial change—currently, families navigate this busy junction without formal protection. The uncontrolled crossing proposed for Chilworth Infant School provides a designated safe point, though parents and guardians will need to make safety judgments without signal assistance.
The village-wide 20mph speed limit proposal has generated considerable discussion. Supporters argue that reducing vehicle speeds significantly decreases collision severity, particularly for children and vulnerable pedestrians who might be struck. The logic is sound: at 20mph, a child has substantially better survival chances than at 30mph. However, critics worry about increased journey times and suggest speed limits should target only high-risk locations rather than entire residential areas.
Additional traffic calming measures—potentially including speed humps, chicanes, or visual narrowing techniques—would reinforce the 20mph messaging physically. For local businesses in Chilworth, including those offering services like bathroom fitters and bathroom refurbishment specialists who rely on vehicle access, these changes might affect delivery and service appointment timings. The council emphasises that feedback could lead to design modifications, so now is the moment to voice specific concerns about implementation details that might impact your daily life or business operations.
How to Have Your Say and What Happens Next
The council isn't making this decision in isolation—your voice genuinely matters. Surrey County Council has scheduled a face-to-face drop-in event at Chilworth village hall on 28 October, creating an opportunity to examine detailed proposals, ask questions directly to planners, and voice community concerns without formal presentation pressure. These sessions work best when residents come prepared with specific questions about how changes might affect their routines.
You have until 13 November to submit formal feedback through the council's consultation portal, ensuring your perspective becomes part of the official decision-making record. Whether you're a parent concerned about school safety, a local tradesperson worried about access, or simply a resident affected by current traffic patterns, your response carries weight. The council explicitly states that public feedback “supports the decision-making process” and can lead to meaningful design changes.
For those unable to attend the village hall session, online submission remains available. Coming into the consultation, consider documenting your experiences—near misses, traffic patterns you've observed, or specific times when safety concerns feel most acute. Bring photos if relevant. Local organisations including parent groups, business associations, and resident committees should coordinate responses highlighting shared concerns. After 13 November, the council will analyse feedback and determine whether to proceed, modify, or abandon elements of the scheme. Watch local council bulletins and community notice boards for announcement of final decisions, expected within several months.
Source: Surrey council mulls school safety scheme amid ‘horrendous' traffic
