Battle lines drawn on bypass plan

Objectors to Cornwall County Council's plans for a £13m bypass and distributor road for Camelford insist an existing road should be upgraded instead.

The council has chosen a route to the north of the town, and the closing date for submitting views is Friday.

Camelford Mayor, David Pierce, warned that if the bypass was not built now, it would never be constructed.

Maria Parsons, chairman of Camelford Alternative Traffic Solutions, said enhancing the B3266 would be cheaper.

'Best chance'

Ms Parsons said: "We have opposed a new road from the beginning.

"We do want a distributor road, but we would like the county council to investigate an existing road, which has been used for ages as an alternative holiday route and could be a lorry route with some improvements to it," she said.

But Mr Pierce warned against any further delays to the scheme.

"I fear that if it is not started now and it goes to a public inquiry, it will not be put on the government agenda and the funding will be lost to some other project," he said.

"It has been on the cards now since the late 1920s and we think this is our best chance of getting it done for the benefit of the town."