Hook Road is shut between Woodstock Crescent and East Street while SGN renews gas mains to the end of 2026. What is closed, when it ends, and where to park.
Two separate jobs are running through the middle of Epsom at once, and between them they will keep the town centre disrupted into December. Hook Road is closed between Woodstock Crescent and East Street while Southern Gas Networks lays new gas mains, and multi-way temporary traffic signals are in place on East Street. Surrey County Council is replacing the traffic signals at the High Street and Upper High Street junction at the same time.
The detail that explains the queues is on the map rather than in the notices. East Street and the High Street are the A24, the main road from London to the coast through this part of Surrey, and Upper High Street is the A2022. The gas works are not in a side street. They are in the trunk route.
What is dug up now
| Scheme | Where | Start | End |
|---|---|---|---|
| SGN gas main renewal | East Street and Hook Road, Epsom. Hook Road closed between Woodstock Crescent and East Street; multi-way temporary signals on East Street | 18 July 2026 | End of 2026 |
| Traffic signal replacement | High Street and Upper High Street junction, Epsom | 20 July 2026 | 20 August 2026 |
| Crossings, signals and resurfacing | A245 Kingston Road, Leatherhead, between Kingslea and Bay Tree Avenue | 27 July 2026 | 29 August 2026 |
The Leatherhead scheme is the one that catches Epsom drivers by surprise, because it is not in the borough and it is not on the borough’s notices. Kingston Road was fully closed from 27 July to 10 August, with temporary traffic lights for the rest of the job, and Surrey County Council signed the diversion via Leatherhead By-pass Road, Epsom Road and Leret Way. If you drive south to the M25, that is the route you have been sent round.
The roads that matter here
Epsom and Ewell has no motorway and no trunk dual carriageway inside it, so every long journey funnels onto four A-roads.
- A24. The spine. It comes in from Ewell as the Ewell By-Pass and London Road, runs through the town centre as East Street, High Street, South Street and Ashley Road, and leaves as Dorking Road and Epsom Road. Anything that blocks the A24 in the centre pushes traffic onto residential streets, which is exactly what the current gas works do.
- A240. Kingston Road north towards Tolworth, Reigate Road south-east towards Banstead, joining the by-pass at Ewell.
- A232. Cheam Road east through Ewell towards Sutton and Croydon.
- A2022. Upper High Street, College Road and Alexandra Road, the short link east from the town centre.
The practical consequence for residents is that Epsom has no alternative north-south route. When the A24 is on temporary signals, the diversion is other people’s streets, and there is no bypass to take the strain.
Where to park
The council runs eleven car parks across Epsom and Ewell. There is no park and ride site in the borough, so the town centre multi-storeys do that job.
| Car park | Spaces | All day | Sunday |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ashley Centre multi-storey, Epsom | 649 | £8 | £3 flat |
| Hook Road multi-storey, Epsom | 530 | £8 | Closes 5pm |
| Depot Road, Epsom | 258 | £8 | £3 flat |
| Upper High Street, Epsom | 180 | £8 | £3 flat |
| Bourne Hall, Ewell | 100 | 4 hour maximum | £2 flat |
| Town Hall rear, Epsom | 85 | £8 | £3 flat |
| Hope Lodge, Epsom | 83 | Short stay | £3 flat |
| Dorset House, Ewell | 68 | Short stay | £2 flat |
| Ewell High Street | 46 | Short stay | £2 flat |
| West Hill, Epsom | 12 | Short stay | £3 flat |
Three things worth knowing before you drive in.
Hook Road has been permit or RingGo only since 1 April 2025. The barriers, parker cards and tokens stopped working on that date, and the council describes the arrangement as an interim measure until the long-term future of the site is decided. Season permit holders get a paper permit to display. If you turn up expecting a barrier and a ticket, you need the RingGo app. The council names Depot Road and Upper High Street as the alternatives.
The Hook Road site has a longer-term question hanging over it. The submitted Local Plan allocates Hook Road Car Park for 145 homes, which is the largest town-centre housing allocation in the plan. Nothing has been decided while the plan is at examination, but the borough’s second-biggest car park is on the list. That, and the rest of the plan, is on Epsom planning.
Evening and overnight rates are cheap. Epsom car parks cap at £5 from 5.30pm to 12.30am and £10 overnight to 9am. In Ewell it is £1 at Bourne Hall after 6.30pm, and £2.50 evening at Dorset House and Ewell High Street.
Parking at the stations
Almost none, in the places you would expect it. The APCOA car park at Epsom station has 17 spaces, two of them for motorbikes and two for Blue Badge holders, and a quarterly ticket costs £316.60. Epsom Downs station also has 17, and it stopped being free on 30 March 2026: it is now £5.50 for a weekday, £3.00 at weekends and £23.65 for a week, with a 15p fee on each tariff. Blue Badge holders park free at both.
In practice, driving to the train in Epsom means paying £8 in a council multi-storey and walking. What the trains themselves cost, and which station is cheapest, is on Epsom to London trains.
Frequently asked questions
Why is Hook Road closed in Epsom?
Southern Gas Networks is replacing ageing metal gas mains with polyethylene pipe on East Street and Hook Road. Hook Road is closed between Woodstock Crescent and East Street, and there are multi-way temporary signals on East Street. The work started on 18 July 2026 and runs to the end of 2026.
When do the Epsom town centre roadworks finish?
The traffic signal replacement at the High Street and Upper High Street junction is scheduled to finish on 20 August 2026. The gas main renewal on East Street and Hook Road runs to the end of 2026, in phases.
Which road is Epsom High Street?
The A24. It runs through the town centre as East Street, High Street, South Street and Ashley Road, and continues south as Dorking Road towards Dorking. Upper High Street is the A2022.
How much is parking in Epsom town centre?
£8 for the day at the Ashley Centre, Hook Road, Depot Road, Upper High Street and the Town Hall rear car parks. Sundays are a £3 flat rate in Epsom and £2 in Ewell. Evenings cap at £5 from 5.30pm.
Is there a park and ride in Epsom?
No. The borough has no park and ride site. The council’s own list runs to eleven car parks, all of them in Epsom or Ewell town centres.
Can I still use my Hook Road car park token?
No. The barriers, parker cards and tokens stopped working on 1 April 2025. The car park is permit or RingGo only.
Sources
- Surrey County Council, major utility roadworks for the SGN East Street and Hook Road scheme dates, the Hook Road closure extent and the High Street signal replacement dates.
- Surrey County Council, our major roadworks and projects for the A245 Kingston Road scheme at Leatherhead and its diversion route.
- Surrey County Council, roadworks and road closures map for live works on any individual street.
- Epsom and Ewell Borough Council, car parks for space counts, tariffs, evening caps and Sunday rates.
- Epsom and Ewell Borough Council, changes to Hook Road car park for the 1 April 2025 switch to permit and RingGo.
- APCOA, Epsom station and APCOA, Epsom Downs station for station car park spaces and charges.
Roadworks dates move. Check the Surrey County Council map before you set out. What is proposed for the Hook Road site itself is on Epsom planning; the alternative to driving is on Epsom to London trains.
Have your say
We read every message. To comment on this story, email the newsdesk and we may publish a selection of responses: hello@epsomtoday.co.uk.