Work starts on scheme to redesign road junction

Work has started to redesign the Consols junction in St Ives

Work has started on the redesign of a road junction as part of plans to reduce travel times for drivers heading into a Cornish town.

Cornwall Council said its civil engineering contractors Cormac commenced work on the project at the Consols junction on the B3306 in St Ives on Monday.

The scheme includes changing the direction of priority at the junction to traffic flowing between St Ives and Halsetown and a new pedestrian footpath to give people a safer place to walk along the road.

The council said the work is being delivered in partnership with the St Ives Town Deal, which is looking after a series of projects in the town worth £19.9m, and is expected to be completed by the end of March.

The aim of the project is to reduce traffic time for motorists heading into St Ives

The council said three-way traffic lights would be in use for the majority of the project.

It added the final resurfacing and application of markings would be carried out overnight as a full road closure would be required.

A Cormac spokesperson said there would be "some temporary disruption" to traffic during the roadworks, but it would do what it could to keep this to a minimum.

"This is a busy area and, while we understand the importance of keeping the traffic flowing as well as possible at all times during the construction, we also need to ensure the safety of the teams working on site" the spokesperson added.