Since SWR introduced parking changes at Godalming Station, commuters have been getting hot under the collar.

CONFUSED.COM? So are WWe.

As the weather improves and temperatures rise, so are the tempers of the many thousands of motorists who use the town’s station every day. And that’s before they set off for a day’s work!

Waverley’s Council Leader Paul Follows has stepped into the fray to meet with South Western Railway officials to clarify the confusion.

However, he is begging everyone not to shoot the messenger.

He has now met with the Station Manager and the Project Team responsible for the revised arrangements at the station, together with colleagues Cllrs Penny and Paul Rivers.

SWR claims it lacks the funds to revamp the site, but Surrey County Council confirmed that it had approved the design.

It transpires that the county council’s highways insisted on the yellow lines after a personnel change on its side during the design phase.

SWR asked for maximum waiting time signage on the yellow lines. Surrey objected, saying the Highway Code didn’t allow that. BUT…

Cllr Follow says:

Pick up and drop off in that area is ALLOWED on the yellow lines. Cllr Penny Rivers and  I  have asked for signage that makes this clear—(that will be an SCC decision).

Waverley Councillors stress the distinction between dropping off /picking up and parking. They say motorists often don’t recognise that parking for 20 minutes is free and allowed anywhere in the Godalming Station car park, not just at the assigned bays at the front of the station. This includes the car park section at the bottom of the steps.

The app for payment makes this clear, but no physical signs convey this, prompting many to park at the station forecourt.

As a result of the meeting, SWR has agreed to ask its car park managers, Apcoa, to add signage.

Taxis will be asked to park a bit tighter to help the situation in future. SCC will be asked to mark out a box on the road to make elements of traffic management clearer.

Cllr Follows message is:

I will contact SCC and SWR now to progress the above actions and will let residents know how we get on.

PS. Jeremy Hunt wrote a letter to SWR and addressed it to someone who no longer works there!