Press release: Plans to upgrade the A30 in Cornwall to go on public display

Highways England announced the preferred route for the £290 million improvement scheme, part of the Government’s £15 billion Road Investment Strategy, in July last year.

The improvement to the eight-mile stretch will help to improve journey times for residents, businesses and visitors, as well as unlocking one of the last bottlenecks in Cornwall.

And since the preferred route was announced, Highways England has been working with landowners along the route to develop the design of the scheme, the details of which will be announced when consultation starts on Monday, 29 January.

Josh Hodder, Project Manager for Highways England, said:

We recognise the strategic importance of improving this section of the A30 in helping to unlock economic growth in Cornwall and the whole of the region.

We look forward to sharing our plans with local stakeholders, businesses and the community, full details of the proposals will be made available when we launch the consultation and we welcome all feedback.

The scheme offers a number of benefits to the area – as well as boosting the area’s economy, upgrading this stretch of the A30 is vital to improving motorists’ journeys, cutting congestion, improving safety and connecting local communities.

After the opening of the Cornwall Council-led A30 Temple to Higher Carblake dualling scheme last summer, Highways England is proposing to upgrade the eight-mile Chiverton to Carland Cross section, which will offer drivers more than 100 miles of dual carriageway between the M5 and Camborne in Cornwall.

The cost of developing the scheme is being partly funded by an £8 million contribution from the European Regional Development Fund. The remainder of the cost of developing and delivering the scheme will be funded by central Government.

Cllr Geoff Brown, Portfolio Holder for Transport at Cornwall Council added:

I welcome this next step and the further consultation with communities. The scheme will help to improve journey times for local people, businesses and visitors and we know from previous public engagement that there is strong support locally to improve this stretch of the A30.

This project will build upon the excellent working relationship that we have with Highways England and I encourage people to take this opportunity to view the proposals and discuss them with the Highways England design team.

Public consultation events, offering people the chance to see the proposals and meet with members of the project team, will be held at the following:

• Friday, 2 February – St Erme Community Centre, near Truro TR4 9AP, 2pm-8pm
• Wednesday, 7 February – Blackwater Village Hall, Blackwater TR4 8ET, 2pm-8pm
• Thursday, 8 February – Perranporth Methodist Chapel, Boscawen Road, Perranporth TR6 0EW, 10am-4pm
• Saturday, 10 February – New County Hall, Treyew Road, Truro TR1 3AY, 11am-5pm
• Monday, 12 February – Victory Hall, Indian Queens, St Columb TR9 6PP, 2pm-8pm
• Tuesday, 13 February – Shortlanesend Village Hall, School Hill, Shortlanesend TR4 9DU, 2pm-8pm
• Wednesday, 14 February – St Michael the Archangel Church, Newquay TR7 1RA, 2pm-8pm

And information will also be available to view, from 29 January to 12 March, at the following local information points:

• County Hall, Truro
• Truro Community Library
• St Agnes Library
• Perranporth Library
• Redruth Library
• Newquay Library

More details will be available on the scheme website from Monday, 29 January.

Following consultation, the scheme will then progress through the formal planning process and, subject to statutory approval under the 2008 Planning Act and the Secretary of State, construction is planned to start in spring 2020.

General enquiries

Members of the public should contact the Highways England customer contact centre on 0300 123 5000.

Media enquiries

Journalists should contact the Highways England press office on 0844 693 1448 and use the menu to speak to the most appropriate press officer.