A NUMBER of potential highways schemes have been nominated by parishes in the Camelford Area Network for a pot of funding allocated by Cornwall Council.

Meeting recently in Camelford Hall, the network panel heard that Cornwall Council has agreed a budget of £50,000 each year for the next four years, a total of £200,000 for each community network area.

The funding is specifically for issues in relation to transportation. Each town and parish council was invited to submit an expression of interest and to define the issues in their area.

On top of the funding, each network area has been allocated a Traffic Regulation Order.

Attending the meeting was Oliver Jones, Cormac area manager, and Nigel Blackler, head of transportation, waste and environment for Cornwall Council.

Mr Jones said: “Tonight is not to prioritise but to explain what has been nominated.”

Five schemes have been nominated for Delabole, four for Boscastle, three for Camelford, and one each for Warbstow and Otterham.

The first nomination, for Delabole, is for a bus shelter for an exposed location on West Down Road.

This follows longstanding requests from residents, especially those on the Planet Park site.

The second scheme, again for Delabole, seeks to address the congestion caused by parked vehicles within the High Street area between Charlottes Way and Water Lane, and improvements required to narrow the carriageway.

Nomination 3 seeks approval for double yellow lines to protect the junction areas of Treligga Down Road, Atlantic Road and Medrose Street in Delabole. Parked cars on junctions are impediment to road safety and causes problems for deliveries turning off the B3314.

Nomination 4 seeks the removal of the current northbound three lane section of A39 up to Fenterwanson junction.

A number of letters from residents and many representations from both Michaelstow and St Teath Parish Councils have led to the nomination.

Concerns raised state that the current position of cars turning right off the A39 are left exposed while waiting for a gap.

Nomination 5, for Boscastle Parish Council, seeks the extension of double yellow lines on Penally Hill from seasonal to all year, following traffic flow problems and danger to pedestrians.

Nomination 6 is to limit parking outside the doctors surgery in Boscastle. Parking is limited and parking around the entrance causes traffic flow problems.

Nomination 7 aims to stop vehicles damaging listed properties along New Road. The nomination report states that vehicles regularly hit properties, and there is a danger to pedestrians and home owners.

Also in Boscastle, nomination 8 seeks a safer junction at Doctors Corner. The parish council said a safer junction is needed as drivers often do not realise which road has priority.

Nomination 9 was submitted by St Teath Parish Council for Delabole. The village traffic management review highlighted a need for off street parking to make any improvements acceptable to the community.

A field has been identified with permission of the landowner and a small amount of design work is needed to progress.

Nominations 10, 11 and 12 address traffic flow through Camelford — the number of vehicles, the voluntary give-way on High Street, and air quality. It calls for parking enforcement on Clease Hill, double yellow lines and zig-zags in Market Place and speeding enforcement on Victoria Road.

One of these nominations is aimed at tackling climate change, managing the movement of lorries, using less fuel if directed along an alternative route away from the town centre, idling at traffic lights and revving to get up Fore Street on the A39.

The second supports economic prosperity by enabling easier access to the north coast by improving connectivity; not having a main road going through a single lane section; easing traffic flow and improving efficiency diverting traffic away from the bottleneck on High Street and enforcing traffic restrictions.

The third falls under supporting community safety and individual well-being, providing a healthy natural environment by reducing noise and improving air quality; ensuring speed limits are enforced; diverting traffic away from the narrows to reduce cars mounting pavements and frustration from not giving way, leading to anti-social behaviour.

There was also a nomination from Warbstow parish regarding concern over speeding between Warbstow and Canworthy Water. More information will be sought regarding this and a system will be installed when available to monitor current speeds.

Otterham parish council has also submitted a nomination regarding a speed restriction on the A39.

Mr Jones said 14 nominations had been received to date, but there was still time for councils to respond.

Some discussion about the nominations and other issues followed, and Sue Elford, Camelford town councillor, raised concern over the problems experienced at College Road in the town.

“The bottom of the road is an s-bend. Our road is a very narrow road. People are parking on the small bit of pavement, and people have to walk in the road. Somebody is going to get killed on that road. All we want is a sign to stop people coming around that corner fast.”

Ken Harris added: “I understand there are existing types of signage warning motorists that they will find pedestrians on the highway, because there’s only a minimum amount of pavement, but people are parking on that pavement.”

Mr Jones said he would speak to Rob Rotchell, Cornwall Councillor for Camelford, about putting that forward as a nomination.

A lady from St Clether voiced her worries about the A395, following another accident on the stretch of road the previous weekend. She said the parish council was helping for speed restrictions between Laneast to just past the St Clether turning.

“It’s not a case of who is going to die, it’s how many. I’m getting fed up of washing blood out of clothes.”

Dennis Lusby of St Breward Pairsh Council said: “Can I just say signs and speed limits won’t make a difference.”

Claire Hewlett, chair of the panel, said: “We have to try.”

She asked how much of this could be done with £50,000, and Mr Jones said they would gather all the nominations and look at each on their individual merits. They would then come back with costs and potential for delivery.

Andy Shaw asked for a timescale for that, and Mr Jones said hopefully within the next month.

Cllr Hewlett also reminded the meeting that if a specific nomination did not make the list, there would be another £50,000 available for the next four years.

Referring to the nominations, Mr Blackler said: “They’re all important; important at a local level. My aim will be to deliver as much as we can.”