There needs to be a solution for the traffic queues at Charlton Lane Eco Park

No response yet from Surrey County Council to our letter

The queues for Charlton Lane Eco Park are intolerable. Your local borough representatives, inc LibDem Cllr Tom Fidler, sent several messages to Suez and Surrey CC. We have gone back to Suez to get some more understanding but silence from Surrey who are not leading by example.

This is the letter sent last week:

Dear Cllrs Furniss and Bramhall,

I write as a Spelthorne Borough Councillor for Halliford and Sunbury West about my concerns surrounding the Eco Park on Charlton Lane during this crisis.

I am grateful that the CRC has been able to offer an expanded service and grateful to the staff who are continuing to work during this time. I'm also fully aware that these are difficult times, but the situation I have seen at Charlton Lane cannot continue.

Following the initial reopening, we experienced crowds on the first day which caused huge queues. I'd hoped that this would be a learning curve and we could expect better management of the traffic. However, since the expanded offering at the 'Eco Park', the traffic has been unacceptable.

I am writing in the hope that information on the following can be considered:

• A Clear Traffic Plan - Whilst Marshalls are trying to manage, the lack of a clear traffic plan to cope with traffic is apparent. I have seen several near crashes and chaos that is at times reaching the Upper Halliford By-Pass, a relatively major road for Spelthorne residents accessing Surrey.
• Anti-Idling signs - We have seen a 40% reduction in Nitrous Oxide in Spelthorne during this crisis. This has been helped by the reduction in traffic. However, these queues and extensive and many people are leaving their engines running polluting our air. Several other authorities have clearly signposted this and enforced fines for idling. Can Surrey follow suit?

I hope these constructive points can be considered so that residents, being encouraged to return to work, are not being compromised and we continue to help protect our environment.

Kind regards

Tom Fidler