National Highways is working towards improving road safety in Cornwall with junction improvement schemes on both the A30 and A38.
The company, responsible for England’s major A roads and motorways, is currently putting the finishing touches to the A38 Saltash Tunnel upgrade and the A30 Chiverton to Carland Cross upgrade, which removed the old Chiverton Cross roundabout – Cornwall’s worst accident hot-spot.
Following the introduction of a speed reduction scheme on the A38 between Carkeel and Trerulefoot last year, National Highways is investing further in Cornwall’s roads and will soon be starting work on a suite of junction improvements on the A30 between Launceston and Bodmin, and will also be holding a public engagement event in early autumn on a similar A38 Liskeard to Trerulefoot scheme.
The A38 scheme is targeting safety improvements at the Lean Quarry, Menheniot, Tencreek Cottage and Castle Air junctions, along with other layout, access and visibility enhancements.
Following a presentation to the South East Cornwall Community Area Partnership, a public event will be held later this year, when local communities will be able to hear National Highways’ proposals and feed back on the plans.
Jack Mason, South West Road Safety Manager for National Highways, said:
“Road safety is, and will always be, our number one priority, and we’re always exploring ways to make our roads safer by using collision data, risk assessments and insights to reduce the number and severity of incidents.
“As part of recent road safety studies, we’ve analysed 10 years of safety data, investigated traffic flows and movements around junctions on the A30 and A38, and adjoining slip roads.
“We’ve been liaising closely with police and local authority partners, and community groups, to identify a number of interventions aimed at improving safety and the engagement event will provide an opportunity for businesses and communities to get a better understanding of our proposals.”
Work on the A30 Kennards House to Five Lanes safety scheme, starting on 5 September, is focussed on six junctions – Plusha, Trevell, Two Bridges, Blackhill Quarry, Polyphant and the Highways maintenance depot – with the aim of improving road safety, reducing incidents and diverting traffic flows to more suitable junctions, while providing mitigation on local roads.
(Pictures: National Highways)
