Few people will disagree that we need proper cycling infrastructure to give people the confidence to cycle into Farnham.

Yet the current town centre plans – the Farnham Infrastructure Plan or FIP – are entirely silent on this issue. Worse, the council refuses to reveal its long-overdue cycling and walking strategy which suggests that there is no joined up thinking about congestion and pollution going on at all.

So, what we have is a plan that is all stick and no carrot. Choking the streets by making one-way streets, two-way will just cause further frustration and encourage rat-running through the adjoining residential neighbourhoods.

It does nothing to help people leave their cars at home, meaning no environmental benefit and no respite for anyone who wants to enjoy the town centre’s historic heart or support its struggling businesses.  It promises to be an expensive missed opportunity and one that will have to be undone as soon as sense on cycling, walking and public transport prevails.

I welcome the fact that the decisions on the FIP have been postponed for three months.  It is essential that our elected representatives use this time to start a grown-up conversation with local residents and to reflect on how we promote alternatives to the car, rather than doing something for the sake of being seen to do something.