THE call for action to halt the relentless stream of HGVs that wreck the quality of life of those living on the Upper Hale Road has been further fuelled by a serious accident which closed the road for four- and-a-half hours on Saturday night. The driver of a Renault was trapped with multiple fractures after his car collided with a heavy goods lorry just before 10.45pm on the steep curve at the junction of Upper Hale Road with Vicarage Lane. The crash barrier that warns of the severe bend took the brunt of the collision and after the man had been cut free by Surrey Fire and Rescue Service, he was taken to Frimley Park Hospital by ambulance for treatment. The road was closed while the vehicles were recovered, re-opening at 3-30am. It is the kind of scenario that comes as no surprise to residents, who have been complaining for decades that a fatal accident could happen at any point. Where once their hopes were pinned on a western bypass being built, the years of disappointment have led them to concentrate on diverting as many lorries as possible and seeking improvements to safeguard the village community from the rest of the traffic. "There are no railings, the footpath is quite narrow and you live in constant fear of being brained by a wing mirror," said Hale resident Vernon Steel. Mr Steel, who is a participant in the community speedwatch scheme, contacted The Herald in the aftermath of Saturday's crash to highlight the dangers posed by heavy vehicles that he feels have no business being on the steep and narrow A3016. Although signposting encourages eastbound long distance vehicles to remain on the M3 before joining the M25 or Blackwater Valley Route, very many leave the motorway at Hook and cut through on the A287 and Upper Hale Road. "A large proportion of them really don't need to come down there, they're heading for Dover and places like that." Mr Steel explained how, while he was monitoring traffic as a speedwatch volunteer, a huge lorry from the Midlands pulled up on the pavement in front on him and the driver questioned what he was doing. "This guy was on his way to the A3 and the M25 and felt this was the route to go because that was what his SAT NAV was saying. This was what we'd like to get changed. If you use the internet to find a route, Google will tell you the same thing. "Most of these HGVs can't even negotiate the road without crossing the central reservation. They are just huge. "Things like double white lines are meaningless," he declared, adding that thankfully incidents of lorries speeding were rare. "An HGV doing over 40 mph on the Upper Hale Road is a frightening concept." Mr Steel was among the signatories to a petition presented to Surrey County Council's Local Committee by campaigner Jon Morgan, calling for measures such as speed, width and height restrictions, further diversionary signposts and warnings to HGV operators to stay on the designated route. But despite the strong support of county councillor for Farnham north John Farmer, residents have been given no hope that new measures will be introduced. Some residents apparently bought homes on the Upper Hale Road during the long months last year when traffic was being diverted for relaying of the gas main. Oblivious at the time to the true situation, they are now absolutely horrified, said Mr Steel. He spoke of one new owner who was devastated to find she couldn't sit in her lounge without feeling the lorries were coming in on her. The laying of the gas main has also worsened the situation in that the road has been left in an uneven state, with areas subsiding whjere the lorries crash up and down. Representatives from Hale can be expected at the public meeting called by MP Jeremy Hunt next Friday, November 16, to discuss pedestrianisation of Farnham. Mr Steel sympathises with the concept of pedestrianisation but fears that for Hale, the consequences coupled withthe effects of the East Street development could be very serious. "Certainly the heavies will have to find another way round Farnham and sadly I think it will all come to us."
