SURREY County Council is to reconsider closing a gap across the A31 connecting Runwick Lane and River Lane after a crash left an elderly woman fighting for her life.

Two people were seriously hurt in the crash between a silver Toyota Auris and a red Alfa Romeo at around 10am on Wednesday, July 6, - one of whom, the 79-year-old female driver of the Toyota, was airlifted to St George’s Hospital in Tooting with “life- threatening” injuries including a fractured pelvis, broken wrists, three broken ribs and a bleed to the brain.

The Farnham woman remains in hospital this week and according to her family is still in a “lot of pain”, but thankfully her condition is now described by doctors as ‘stable’.

The male driver of the Alfa Romeo also suffered serious ankle and foot injuries and was taken to Frimley Park Hospital by ambulance, although his current condition is unknown.

Following the crash, the local highways authority Surrey County Council has confirmed it will be undertaking a safety review of the road to make sure it is safe for motorists “in due course”.

Surrey last undertook a review of all five gaps in the A31 central reservation between the Coxbridge roundabout and the Hampshire boundary, including the River Lane/Runwick Lane junction, in 2008.

This review ruled that only the gaps opposite the Farnham House Hotel and Chamber Lane were “potentially dangerous”.

However, a recommendation to close these two gaps was overturned by Surrey’s Waverley Local Committee in December 2008 after councillors ruled this would “impact adversely” on adjacent businesses and require some local traffic to detour via Bentley.

In the wake of the crash, many people also took to the internet to express concerns about the safety of the A31 west of the Coxbridge roundabout, and specifically the gap connecting Runwick Lane with River Lane.

“That gap in the central reservation should be blocked it’s so dangerous,” wrote J Durham on The Herald’s website (www.farnhamherald.com), while Nigel Richards referred to the gap as a “common blackspot” adding “too many people use the cut across the A31 and not all correctly”.

Mr Richards continued: “Traffic speeds up coming around the bend beforehand where it becomes two lanes again. Solution - roundabout for access from River Lane, A31 and Runwick Lane.”

The authorities have also been criticised for allowing the grass to grow so high on the verges and central reservation of the A31, and it was notable that the grass at the scene of the crash was cut on Wednesday this week.

“How many near misses and accidents are going to occur on the A31 because of Surrey and Hampshire highways not cutting the grass on the junctions and roundabouts between Alton and Farnham?”, asked David Nobes.

“I drive a 4x4 so have a height advantage but many others are lost behind the weeds and grass within the sight lines not being maintained. Will it take a coroners report to rectify?”

L Mugridge added: “The council need to get their act together and start cutting grass and hedges. I was working in Riverdale Road and heard the smash. It was horrific, I just hope both parties are going to be OK.”

Surrey Police confirmed this week that no one has been arrested in connection with the crash on July 6 but enquiries remain ongoing.

A police spokesman added it is “far too early” in the investigation to give any indication of the cause of the crash and said it was Surrey County Council’s responsibility to undertake a road safety review of the junction if deemed necessary.