A 40mph speed limit could be permanently imposed at notorious Hickley’s Corner in Farnham following a series of serious collisions.

Surrey County Council has launched a public consultation on plans to make the existing temporary 40mph limit on the north-eastbound A31 Farnham Bypass permanent and reduce the south-westbound limit from 50mph to 40mph.

The move follows a string of serious incidents at the junction, including the death of 21-year-old James O’Mara after he was struck by a car on New Year’s Day and another collision in March which left a 16-year-old boy with life-changing injuries.

In total, 12 collisions were recorded in the area in the 36 months to August 27, 2026, resulting in one fatality, three serious injuries and 13 slight injuries.

The council said the fatality, two of the serious injuries and one slight injury involved pedestrians using the crossings. Recent fatalities and serious collisions have prompted the council to review additional safety measures at the junction.

The proposed changes would also reduce speeds on the approaches to the pedestrian-controlled crossings over the B3001 Station Hill and the A31, between Station Hill and South Street.

Local campaigner Tara Smyth welcomed the proposal but said more still needed to be done.

“It’s definitely a step in the right direction,” she said.

“We would like to see speeds reduced around the junction. It’s a very, very busy footfall area and cars are just thundering through there at 50-plus miles per hour. You would not have cars travelling through the high street at that speed.”

Ms Smyth urged residents who support the changes to take part in the consultation, stressing it was important that supporters made their views known as well as those opposed to the plans.

Her longer-term aim is to see speed and red-light cameras installed at the junction.

A previous bid for cameras was unsuccessful, although the council has continued to consider speed and red-light enforcement measures at Hickley’s Corner.

Meanwhile, Ms Smyth said near misses remained a regular occurrence.

“I mean, there are near misses nearly every day. I saw one this morning,” she said.

She also revealed that campaign banners placed near the pedestrian crossing had recently been removed, prompting a strong response on local Facebook groups.

“They were our banners,” she said. “Myself and a friend designed them and had them printed. We did have permission to have them up but this expired in August, and we were given a notice to take them down.”

Ms Smyth said she intends to seek permission to put the banners back.

The consultation closes on October 8, 2026.