A FOOTBRIDGE beside the existing bridge at Newport would help relieve pressure in the area, Launceston town councillors heard last week.

They were given details of a meeting attended by Cornwall councillors, town councillor Paul O'Brien and local authority officers concerned with highways and planning. It was held to discuss the outcome of survey work carried out in the town last October.

On the 'pressure' at Newport bridge, Launceston Central Cornwall Cllr Alex Folkes said the meeting looked at three scenarios.

The first was to remove the pavement on the existing bridge and place a footbridge to the side. He said the reaction was that it would 'not cost too much — £200,000, give or take'.

The second scenario was a one-way system that would involve building a second bridge, but he said this idea was 'put to one side' as it 'didn't work'.

The third was a north-south bypass from the A30 up to Homeleigh. He said: "We are talking about £35-million or so. They said for the amount of traffic it would take off the main roads, actually the benefit would be little. That is not going to happen in the next 20 years or so. What we were getting a good vibe about was the second bridge at Newport.

"The survey shows roughly a third of traffic that goes across Newport bridge is through traffic."

He said one idea they had not looked at was a Kensey Valley Link Road, as he said the work on that is about 'five years out of date', and that highways officers would be updating that study.

Separately to Newport bridge, Cllr Folkes said another area looked at during the meeting was a 'loop road' for south of the Link Road, where he said most of the development in town is going to go.

He said because there would be a 'need' for a bridge on that stretch, 'it looked like it may well be too expensive at the moment'.

He added: "We are talking about £14-million to build the bridge that would be missing in the middle."

He said the bridge would be somewhere to the east near to the junction with the A388.

Cllr Paul O'Brien said: "Launceston's time has come. That was the exact phrase that was used. I got the positive impression that we will end up with a pedestrian bridge at Newport in the fullness of time. I came away with my fingers beginning to uncross and feeling something is on the move there."

For the full report, and a round-up of the area news and sport, see this week's edition of the Post.