Newsletter - Thu 25 Jul, 2024

By David Grantham

Headlines

• Bancroft Road could reopen this week

• Renewed appeal over Earlswood Common attempted assault

In brief

• More events have been added to this summer’s Harlequin Outdoors programme, with events into September at Reigate’s Castle Grounds. This Friday evening there’s Quentin Blake’s “Mrs Armitage on Wheels”, a “fun packed show featuring live music, puppetry and physical comedy” suitable for ages 3+, and then on Saturday and Sunday there’s “Welcome to Camelot”, a free weekend “with walkabout characters, pop-up performances & unexpected surprises”. Full details on the Harlequin Outdoors (S'ouvre dans une nouvelle fenêtre) page.

• National Highways have announced (S'ouvre dans une nouvelle fenêtre) that the next two full weekend closures as part of the M25 Junction 10 (A3 interchange) project will not take place until next spring, but there may be shorter weekend and overnight closures.

• A “Bard of the Borough” poetry competition is running to mark Reigate & Banstead Borough Council turning 50. Entrants need to be 16+, with poems no longer than 28 lines. Other rules and details of how to enter (by 31 August) have been shared by the council on social media including Facebook (S'ouvre dans une nouvelle fenêtre). The contest winner will be announced at “Poetry at the Castle” (S'ouvre dans une nouvelle fenêtre) in Reigate’s Castle Grounds on 5 September.

Bancroft Road could reopen this week

• Work ongoing shortly after 9pm on Tuesday, including a digger in operation with the now-familiar tankers up at the Bell Street end

Electronic signs that previously said Bancroft Road would be closed for four weeks now say “1 week”. That’s consistent with what the Surrey roadworks map is saying, and a notice at the site, both of which suggest an end date of Saturday 28 July.

It also tallies with what local businesses heard from Thames before the work started: that once the company had full access, its sewer repairs might be done relatively quickly.

The road closure began on Monday, although Thames has been working at the site since 22 June, dealing with a burst rising main.

The county’s roadworks map shows the official HGV and non-HGV diversion routes, but local drivers are of course finding their own routes south.

There are a number of other roadworks happening in the town, presumably taking advantage of lower traffic levels during the summer holidays, including temporary lights on the Wray Common roundabout. The county roadworks map is here (S'ouvre dans une nouvelle fenêtre).

• There is footpath and vehicle access for businesses and residents in Bancroft Road, with the road up to the closure point made two-way returning onto Church Street

Renewed appeal over Earlswood Common incident

Surrey Police have renewed their appeal for information about an attempted sexual assault of a woman at Earlswood Common last week.

The incident took place just after 1pm on Tuesday 16 July. Police said: “Fortunately the suspect is believed to have been spooked before he could act. The man is described as a South Asian man in his 40s, around 5’ 7” tall and of muscular build. He was wearing a black hoodie at the time of the attempted assault”.

Borough Commander, Inspector Jon Vale, added: “This is a really distressing incident for the woman involved but also for the local community. I want to reassure you that we are taking this extremely seriously and a thorough investigation is underway. As part of this, we would like to speak to anyone who may have seen something suspicious in the Woodhatch Road area between 11am and 1pm, or have dashcam or CCTV footage. All bits of information help us to build the bigger picture.”

Police said that officers continue to carry out regular patrols, and anyone with information is asked to contact Surrey Police (S'ouvre dans une nouvelle fenêtre) quoting PR/45240080738.  Anyone who doesn’t wish to speak to police can contact independent charity Crimestoppers (S'ouvre dans une nouvelle fenêtre).

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