A planned 24-hour, sevens day a week lane closure on the A31 Farnham bypass has been delayed yet again - this time until the new year.

As reported in this week’s Herald, the lane closure was due to take effect on Monday but has now been delayed until January following Waverley Borough Council’s joint planning committee meeting on Wednesday, when planning permission for the closure was granted.

Crest initially advertised that an eastbound lane of the A31 between Red Lion Lane and the Shepherd and Flock roundabout would be closed 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for 11 weeks from early October, to enable construction of a temporary access bridge connecting its Brightwells Yard development site directly to the A31 Farnham bypass.

But this was pushed back after Farnham Residents councillors Andy MacLeod and Jerry Hyman pointed out discrepancies with Crest’s planning consent for the works.

These stipulated a lane closure could be implemented only between 9am and 5pm daily to minimise the impact on rush-hour traffic.

Responding, Crest launched a fresh bid to amend the conditions of its planning consent, which councillors granted at Wednesday’s meeting.

The closure was then planned for Monday, prompting concerns the lane closure would extend into the busy Christmas period, with knock-on impacts in the town centre.

Surrey County Council, the local highways authority, had previously stipulated that all work on the bypass would stop on December 7, resuming only after the festive period in January.

But Farnham Liberal Democrats have said that instead, Waverley and Surrey should be working to find alternatives, even at this late hour, which avoid peak-period closures for the entirety of the works.

Stewart Edge, speaking for Farnham Lib Dems, said: “We made a proposal that two lanes be left open during morning peak periods (6am to 10am) and work extended into the evenings (or even overnight.

“The council has so far ignored this proposal, instead simply assessing a full 24-hour closure which will cause peak-period chaos.”

Mr Edge also pointed out that previous valid challenges to low estimates of the resulting traffic jams in Farnham have gone unanswered.

“Unfortunately, it seems our proposals will be ignored and Farnham will get weeks of traffic chaos. I hope I am wrong,” said Mr Edge.