Saints Trails: 'Lessons learned' over scrapped cycle routes

Cornwall council reviewed the route made for cyclists, walkers and horse riders and confirmed it would be completed by 2023

Only one of four proposed cycling, walking and horse-riding trails will be completed, Cornwall Council has said.

The trail between St Agnes and Truro will be finished, along with part of the route between Perranporth and Newquay.

Two other routes in the £19m Saints Trail project have been scrapped in a scheme blighted by changing plans and concerns over costs.

The politician in charge of the scheme said there had been "lessons learned".

The confirmation followed a review of the project - slammed as a "disaster" - and councillors' demands for a full report.

The remaining parts of the project will be finished by March 2023, as required by National Highways which is largely funding them.

The route from Perranporth will only go as far as Goonhavern due to difficulties securing the land required to go to Newquay as originally planned.

Two other routes, Trispen to Truro and St Newlyn East to Carland Cross, have been scrapped.

Plans for the surviving trail, between St Agnes and Truro, include a bridge over the A30 at Chiverton and will connect with the Langarth Garden Village development near Threemilestone.

National Highways previously confirmed £1m of the £17m it gave to the council has been taken back.

Cornwall Council cabinet portfolio holder for transport Philip Desmonde said the review required "some difficult decisions".

He said: "Whilst I am confident of delivering the reduced scope of the project in a timely manner and within our constraints, it remains a complex project to achieve within a relatively short timescale.

"This is the single biggest project in England funded though the National Highways designated funds scheme and there are many lessons our delivery team have learned as a result of the work on this project."

Mr Desmonde added that he remains "open to discussions with the local communities to support work to develop the Goonhavern to Newquay link in the future".