Action on speeding, safe crossings and parking was demanded at a Castle Street Residents’ Association meeting last Thursday evening.

There was a lively debate about what should be done among the 65 people who packed into the S R Carter Room at the Farnham Masonic Centre in Castle Street.

Appropriately, the front door of the centre is right next to a sign announcing the start of the 20mph zone at the bottom end of Castle Street.

Castle ward town councillor George Hesse said: “We’ve got to work together on this because the problem is not going away.

“We get boy racers and petrolheads coming down Castle Hill into Castle Street and there are a lot of people beyond middle age living there. Suffering a fall trying to get out of the way or being hit by a vehicle could be fatal for them.”

Some residents questioned whether it was worth gathering data on incidents of speeding and accidents because nothing ever seemed to be done about it.

But Suzanne McKie, who co-chaired the meeting, said this was vital – particularly over the next 18 months before the larger West Surrey Council takes over responsibility for highway improvement works.

She said: “We have to gather the data as widely and creatively as possible. At the end of 18 months, if we achieve nothing then at least we’ve tried.

“Negativity about data is not helpful. We need it from you. It can’t be anecdotal at each meeting every three months. Tell us. Tell the police.”

Cllr Hesse said campaigners were trying to get safe crossings at Lowndes Buildings in Castle Street, The Plough in West Street and at Longbridge, to connect Gostrey Meadow with the riverside path alongside the Farnham Maltings.

Speaking about the potential for projects to attract community infrastructure levy funding, he added: “Crossings and speed calming initiatives will tick a lot of the boxes.”

John Willacy of the Old Park Lane Residents' Association called for pedestrian crossing safety improvements on a blind bend between Old Park Lane and the steps on to the dry ditch bank on Castle Hill, where some parents are scared to cross the road to visit the nursery at Farnham Cricket Club.

Cllr Hesse and fellow Farnham town councillor Tony Fairclough plan to meet the clerk of Bramley Parish Council to discuss how the council uses portable Truvelo speed indicators to gather data on speeding in the Hampshire village.

Cllr Fairclough said: “We think the Bramley case study could be a game-changer. It will collect data in a format that is recognisable to the authorities. This system can be used across the town, it’s not static. We think this is the most important breakthrough we have found.”

The meeting also heard about noise detection cameras which could issue fixed penalty notices to those whose vehicles were excessively loud.

Farnham and Bordon MP Greg Stafford was unable to attend but wrote to the organisers describing the cameras as an “interesting proposal” about which he would write to roads minister Justin Madders.

Resurfacing work in part of Castle Street will start in the week beginning September 21 and should take a week, with work happening from 8pm until between 4am and 5am.

Work to widen the pavements at the bottom end of Castle Street as part of the Farnham Infrastructure Programme has removed a large number of parking spaces.

Castle Street resident Camilla Seely said: “I often have eight or 12 people for Sunday lunch and now there’s nowhere to park. They have to traipse all round town to park at the Central or Upper Hart car park. It’s absolute hell.”