Highways Agency

A30 Temple to Higher Carblake Improvement

Public Consultation And Exhibition

• Introduction
• Background
• Why The Improvement Is Needed
• Scheme Objectives
• Rejected Options
• Proposed Routes
• The Purpose Of The Public Consultation
• What Happens Next?
• How You Can Help
• Exhibition Dates and Times
• Location of the Venue

Introduction

The South West Area Multi Modal Study (SWARMMS), which reported in May 2002, made recommendations for a long term strategy to address passenger and freight transport on the main rail and road corridors between London and the South West.

One of the key recommendations was that the A30, serving the County of Cornwall, be upgraded to dual carriageway standards. The section between Temple and Higher Carblake is one of these improvements.

Hyder Consulting Limited were commissioned by the Highways Agency to review the scheme identified by the SWARMMS Study.

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Background

The A30 is the most important traffic route serving the County of Cornwall. It runs from Exeter along the middle of the peninsula to Penzance, some 103 miles in length. Of this, some 77 miles are dual carriageway. The section west of Exeter to the A38 at Bodmin is miles in length, of which only a short mile section north-east of Bodmin is single carriageway.

A scheme for this section was included in the Government's White Paper Roads for Prosperity in 1989. It was developed by Cornwall County Council for the Highways Agency in the early 1990s but was subsequently removed from the Highways Agency Roads Programme.

In November 2003 the Secretary of State for Transport announced the addition of this scheme to the Targeted Programme of Improvements (TPI), now known as the Programme of Major schemes.

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Why The Improvement Is Needed

• There are considerable seasonal variations in traffic flow and long queues
• traffic frequently develop during the summer months which can result
• impact accidents.
• Significant sections of the existing road are of sub-standard horizontal
• vertical curvature which contribute to accidents.
• In the past five years, twenty four accidents have been reported, seven
• which have been serious or fatal.
• Steep gradients and the undulating alignment cause loss of vehicle control
• speed, in particular of vehicles towing caravans.
• Collisions occur on the approaches to at-grade junctions and local accesses
• due to the need for slow vehicle turning movements and right
• movements across a high speed carriageway.
• There is a lack of safe overtaking opportunities.
• Sub-standard verge widths restrict forward visibility.
• Poor carriageway drainage results in increased surface water spray.
• There is a lack of provision for pedestrians and non-motorised users.

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Scheme Objectives

• To improve safety for all users of the A30.
• To reduce congestion, especially during peak summer months.
• To reduce frontage access on to the A30 whilst providing safer access to
• existing residential and commercial properties.
• To provide a highway improvement which embraces the ecological,
• landscape and cultural characteristics of the area.

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Rejected Options

The area where the scheme is situated has several environmental constraints.Any improvements to this road would need to be designed having due regard toits sensitive environment.

Initially, seven different route alignments were identified and assessed. Five routeoptions (1, 2, 3, 5 & 6) were eliminated due to large impacts on the landscape,environment or ecology.

Further investigation of Routes 4 and 7 was carried out including the possibility ofa reduction in the depth of cutting between Preeze Cross and Pounds Conce. Thedeeper cutting was considered preferable for both routes for the followingreasons:

• Vertical alignment is improved between Preeze Cross and Pounds Conce.
• A more compact junction with short link roads is possible at Preeze Cross.
• It is easier to re-connect to the existing roads at Preeze Cross.

Route 4 is considered preferable to Route 7 and is therefore being proposed asthe Preferred Route at this Public Exhibition. This is because:

• The off-line route is more sympathetic to the existing landscape and the curved alignment affords better integration.
• The existing cutting for the A30 canbe backfilled and the historic field pattern restored.
• Better local access arrangements can be provided for properties in the area of Preeze Cross.

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Proposed Route

A full sized map of the proposed route is available to view here.

The proposed route would create a new dual-carriageway between Temple andthe Bodmin Bypass. This is shown in red on the above plan.

The scheme will predominantly widen the existing road to form the new dualcarriageway. The exception to this is the proposed alignment between PreezeCross and Pounds Conce, where the new dual carriageway will lie between theexisting A30 and Higher Colvannick. In order to meet current design standards,this off-line section will be in a cutting which, in places, will be up to eleven metresbelow existing ground level.

The proposed route addresses the existing issues in the following ways:

• Reduced accidents and congestion through the provision of continuous dual
• carriageway standards, incorporating new grade separated junctions.
• Utilising existing minor roads and redundant lengths of old trunk road to
• facilitate local access arrangements which are moved away from the A30.
• It allows the location of a compact grade separated junction at Preeze Cross
• Improved safety as a result of the closure of all central reserve openings and
• by removing right turning movements.
• Improved pedestrian and non-motorised user facilities.
• A dual carriageway allows safe overtaking movements.
• Improved quality road surface and drainage.

Grade separated junctions provide the safest option for traffic exiting and joininga dual carriageway. Three new junctions are proposed for this project. These willbe at the end of the Bodmin Bypass, at Preeze Cross and just east of Temple.These will maintain full access in each direction.

An underpass will carry the traffic beneath the dual carriageway to HigherColvannick. Other link roads and private accesses will be provided with left-inand left-out movements only.

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The Purpose Of The Public Consultation

The consultation process is to seek the views of interested parties and to hearfrom people living, working and travelling in the area. You are encouraged to visitthe public exhibition, details of which are on the rear of this brochure.

A pre-paid questionnaire is included with this brochure which we would ask youto complete and return to this office by 13th May 2004.

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What Happens Next?

Your comments will be taken into consideration before progressing the scheme.Further survey and design works would then be required before draft Orders andthe Environmental Statement could be published. If there were objections to theproposals there may follow a Public Inquiry before construction works couldproceed.

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How You Can Help

You can help by letting us have your views on these proposals by completing andreturning the attached pre-paid questionnaire. The questionnaire can be handedin at the exhibition or sent to:

Jayne Arberry
Scheme Administrator
Zone 2/06K
Highways Agency
Temple Quay House
2 The Square
Bristol
BS1 6HA

Completed questionnaires to bereturned by the 13th May 2004

Further copies of this brochure and questionnaire are available fromJayne Arberry at the above addressor telephone 0117 372 8043or email A30Temple@highways.gsi.gov.uk

Please try and visit the exhibition where the scheme details will be on display.Representatives from the Highways Agency and Hyder Consulting Limited willbe present at the exhibition to explain the proposals, to answer your questionsand listen to your comments.

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Exhibition Dates and Times

The exhibition will be held at St Petrocs Church, Priory Road, Bodmin on:

Friday 27th February 2004 11.00 am to 8.00 pm
Saturday 28th February 2004 10.00 am to 4.00 pm

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Location of the Venue