Long-awaited bypass for Camelford is planned
PLANS for a £48 million bypass around Camelford have taken a major step forward. The busy A39 Atlantic Highway passes right through the town’s centre, and proposals for a road around it, to alleviate delays, noise and dangerous levels of toxic air, have been on the table for many decades.
It is hoped that a bypass will benefit Camelford in the same way it helped Wadebridge regain much of its former charm when a new £8.3million road around the town opened in the summer of 1993.
The re-routing of the A39 gained 70% approval from local residents earlier this year in the hope it would reduce pollution and congestion in the town centre.
Cornwall Council’s cabinet, overseeing the project, has agreed to submit an outline business case for the project to the Department of Transport.
It also passed an order to prevent development on the new route, futureproofing the bypass.
The outline business case, according to Cabinet member for transport Geoff Brown, is important for the project as it is a point of no return for the council.
It means the council will be seeking Government funding in the near future.
Cllr Brown declared: “The submission of the Outline Business Case is a major milestone and demonstrates our commitment to making this project a reality.
“There is still a lot of work to be done before construction can begin, but this is an important step.
“The road scheme will bring many benefits, including reducing air pollution,” Cllr Brown added.
“It will also give the local community their high street back by removing around 80% of the traffic currently travelling through the town.”
Work is expected to start on the £48million project in 2022, and is due to be completed by 2024.
Cornwall Council is putting up £6.59 million towards the costs of the bypass around the town.