LAUNCESTON Town Council has suggested a road in the town could be made one-way to help improve air quality.

An extraordinary meeting of the town council was held on November 30 to allow councillors to put together a response to Cornwall Council’s Air Quality Management Area (AQMA) consultation.

The local authority wants to declare Launceston an AQMA after excessive levels of traffic related nitrogen dioxide (NO2) were found in the Newport Square and St Thomas Road areas.

The town council at its recent extraordinary meeting said it supports the proposal for an AQMA in the town, and suggested St Stephens Hill be made one-way upwards — leaving town.

It has also asked that Cornwall Council’s proposed boundary for the AQMA be extended to Homeleigh Garden Centre, Kensey Vean and to cover the south side of the town including Hurdon Road and the entire Pennygillam Industrial Estate.

The town council also suggested in its response that the previously agreed road widening scheme at Newport be undertaken — removing the pavement on the road bridge and creating a new pedestrian bridge over the river Kensey.

It wants three way traffic lights installed at St Thomas Road at the junction with Newport Industrial Estate; a footpath/cycle path to be installed connecting the Kensey Valley estate to Ridgegrove, and a footpath/cycle path to be installed connecting Ridgegrove to the Newport Industrial Estate.

The town council has suggested no parking zones, including on the left hand side of St Stephens Hill from the bottom of the hill to the current barber shop site and approximately two thirds of the left hand side — opposite Broad Park — of the upwards section of Roydon Road.

It has asked the local authority to look at measures to reduce on street parking on the entire length of Dutson Road.

It wants the amount of heavy goods vehicles in the town centre reduced and electric car charging points to be installed in the town.

The response was sent to Cornwall Council before its consultation deadline of December 8.

All comments received during the consultation will now be taken into consideration and the boundary of the AQMA will be finalised. Cornwall Council will then formally declare the area an Air Quality Management Area.

Once the AQMA has been declared, Cornwall Council will progress work on a draft action plan setting out measures, which could be taken to improve air quality in Launceston.

There will be another consultation to give local people the opportunity to comment on and contribute to the draft action plan.