Funding worth £41.8 million to make significant improvements to the A320 between Chertsey and Ottershaw has been confirmed.
Surrey County Council and Runnymede Borough Council were awarded the money by Homes England’s Housing Infrastructure Fund. It will ensure there is extra capacity on this busy stretch of road to unlock future housing sites. Legal agreements between the three partners have now been finalised.
Additionally, the works will make sure all the junctions and roads work well together to improve traffic flow. There will also be improvements for walkers and cyclists, including new crossing points and wider foot and cycle paths.
Upgrading the A320 could mean approximately 3,000 new homes can be built across ten sites in Runnymede – a key component of the Borough’s recently approved Local Plan. The largest site, Longcross Garden Village, could provide at least 1,700 homes.
Matt Furniss, Surrey County Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport, said: “The A320 is an important stretch of road, and vital to keep people moving in this part of the county. These improvements will support housebuilding and the local economy while encouraging more people to walk and cycle.
“Now the funding is finalised, we can start engaging with communities in Chertsey and Ottershaw to hear their thoughts before working on detailed designs.”
Cllr Nick Prescot, Leader of Runnymede Borough Council, said: “Anyone driving through in this area will appreciate how busy this stretch of the A320 is, so I hope people will welcome the commitment to improving it. It also unlocks the demand for new homes in our Local Plan – giving Runnymede people more choice of where to live in the Borough.
“This is real strategic improvement to the Borough and region’s transport – the A320 serves St Peter’s hospital, two secondary schools, Chertsey town centre and train station and the M25. It’s the link between Guildford, Woking, Runnymede and Staines and its improvement should drive economic benefit across the area.”
Cllr Prescot added: “We’ve been able to bring this vital piece of work to this stage thanks to Runnymede and Surrey working together on a very detailed scheme – a prime example of councils working in equal partnership, backed by Homes England, to support local people.”
Sophie White, Homes England’s Director of Infrastructure Grant, said: “We are committed to working with ambitious local authority partners seeking to meet their local housing needs through delivery of key infrastructure. Our multimillion-pound funding will support improvements to the road network in Runnymede, helping to unlock critical housing sites and allow the Council to deliver their vision for new homes in the area.”
