NORTH Cornwall’s MP said he will be ‘keeping up the pressure’ to try and deliver road improvements for Camelford — a town he has described as his ‘priority’.

Last week Conservative Scott Mann told the Post he has written to Cllr Bert Biscoe, Cornwall Council’s portfolio holder for transport, to ask if millions of pounds that Mr Mann said the local authority has received and is ‘unallocated’ can be used to be benefit the town, but to date has only received a ‘standard response’.

Camelford has been declared an ‘air quality management area’ (AQMA), and Cornwall Council has drawn up a strategic document, highlighting potential solutions to improving Camel­ford’s traffic issues and air quality.

In 2014, Camelford measured 62.1 ug/m3 in NO2 levels. When an area reaches 60 ug/m3, it is considered a ‘serious risk’.

Mr Mann said that the town was close to having a bypass more than a decade ago, and has previously told the Post ‘the case for one now is even stronger’.

He said: “The residents of Camelford clearly want something done about traffic and air pollution. The town got so very close to getting a bypass in 2004, and the case for one now is even stronger.”

He said: “We do have to be realistic however, and recognise that a bypass is a long term solution. That’s why in the meantime I want to see improvements made to the existing roads so that congestion and air pollution can be addressed.

“I hope that Cllr Biscoe sees merit in my request and that some of this £4-million is ring fenced for Camelford.”

He added: “We are making a little bit of progress. We need to keep up the pressure there really.

“Camelford’s my priority in terms of trying to deliver infrastructure. I always thought there should have been a bypass in the first place.

“Even if we just divert heavy goods lorries, that would be useful. Wadebridge took cars out of the town centre, and it was a huge success. I think Camelford could be in a very similar position in a few years’ time if we can get the main traffic out of the town centre and almost let Camelford breathe again.”