Newsletter - Mon 22 Jul, 2024

By David Grantham

In this issue:

• Bancroft Road closes for up to four weeks

• Police investigate attempted assault on woman at Earlswood Common

• Retailer Peacocks is coming to Redhill

• Padel courts officially opened in Manor Road

Bancroft Road closes

Thames Water and Surrey County Council haven’t responded to this publication’s recent enquiries, but last week’s story has proved correct, and Thames Water has now closed Bancroft Road for sewer repairs.

The road forms part of Reigate’s one-way system, allowing drivers to turn left into Bell Street and head south out of town.

The actual work site will be near the junction of Bell Street and Bancroft Road. Two-way working is operating on the rest of Bancroft Road for residents and businesses, so that they can get in and out via Church Street, and it’s understood that access will also remain in place for those who want to use the multi-storey car park.

Temporary lights have been put up at the junction of Bancroft Road and Church Street, where marshals are also located, to allow the two-way traffic from Bancroft Road to exit safely.

Those lights of course impact all traffic entering Church Street, including drivers just planning to head west, leading to delays this morning.

As of 9am today there does not appear to be any diversion route information published online for those wanting to head south. That includes Surrey’s (usually reliable) roadworks map (Opens in a new window), which continues to show only the lane closure but nothing more.

Friday’s roadworks list (Opens in a new window) from Surrey also only spoke about the lane closure, but Surrey Highways did tweet (Opens in a new window) late on Sunday evening that the road will be closed, adding that “A signed diversion is in place for affected road users”.

Thames’ work is to repair a burst rising main (a waste water pipe). Since 22 June the firm has been working on the issue, with a fleet of tankers operating as an interim measure until access to the whole width of the road could be gained.

Local businesses (who’ve spoken to Thames), and on-site personnel, have all sounded optimistic over recent days that the closure will go much shorter than four weeks.

• The top of Church Street just before 7am today

• Tanker operations in Bancroft Road on Sunday afternoon, with blue fencing surrounding a hole in the road

Earlswood: Police are continuing to investigate an attempted sexual assault on a woman on Earlswood Common on Tuesday afternoon (16 July), just after 1pm.

Surrey Police have posted (Opens in a new window) on Facebook: “The victim did not receive any injuries and is receiving specialist support. The suspect is described as a South Asian man in his 40s, around 5' 7" tall and of muscular build. He was wearing a black hoodie. We understand that this is a worrying incident for the local community and want to reassure residents that a thorough investigation is taking place to establish the circumstances. Officers are carrying out more regular patrols in the area and are asking anyone who may have seen something, or have any information to contact us quoting PR/45240080738.”

Information previously published by the police, and retained in their post, states that the incident is believed to have taken place “as the woman was walking away from Earlswood Lakes across the old golf course”.

Surrey Police’s contact details are here (Opens in a new window).

Peacocks, the clothing retailer, is planning to open at the old Poundland store in Redhill, Redhill Business Guild has said (Opens in a new window). Job ads (Opens in a new window) have also appeared. Poundland is now located in the former Wilko, further down the High Street.

Padel courts open, after planning battle ends

The Mayor of Reigate & Banstead last week officially opened two padel tennis courts at Reigate Lawn Tennis Club, in Manor Road, replacing two mini courts.