Highways Agency

The Project

The A38 trunk road runs through the Glynn Valley between Liskeard and Bodmin. The project is located just to the north east of Bodmin Parkway station and extends for about 840 metres in length.          

The road sits on an embankment which had gradually become unstable and if nothing had been done it could have collapsed and the road would have had to be closed without warning. The verge was supported in places by dry stone walling and the root systems of large trees. The bank itself is steep and up to 8 metres high in places.                       

We stabilised the embankment using two methods because of the varying ground conditions. At the western end of the project we have driven piles down to more solid ground approximately 10 metres below the road, and then pre-formed concrete units were used to create a low retaining wall. In the eastern part, we carried out work to support the trunk road and some of this involved the use of rock filled 'gabion' baskets which were installed to support the embankment.                                                                                     

The work, also involved the installation of kerbing, road drainage gulleys, safety barriers and increasing the verge width to allow for a new surface water drainage system, including a pollution interceptor. A hard standing area for maintenance crews has also been provided.

The Glynn Valley is an environmentally sensitive area and part of the site lies within the Glynn Valley Wood Country Wildlife Site. We have been working closely with the statutory and local environmental organisations and have made every effort to minimise the impact on flora and fauna. New woodland planting will replace trees that have to be removed for the work. Native species will be included and in some areas mature trees will be imported to help the wildlife adapt to the changes in their habitat. The introduction of the pollution interceptor will help in providing future protection of the River Fowey from contamination, especially in the event of a traffic incident on the A38.

Work started in October 2007 and was completed in May 2008. 

Please note that this scheme is not associated with the A38 Dobwalls Bypass scheme.