Truro’s Healthy Streets working group want to work with local residents and businesses to develop an ambitious new vision for Truro which will ensure that the city centre is accessible to all parts of the community and make the city a thriving place for the future.  

The group includes representatives from Truro City Council, Truro BID and Cornwall Council.

The aim of the Healthy Streets Truro scheme is to help to regenerate the city centre at the same time as increasing opportunities for walking, cycling and bus use, and for staging community events. It is also part of the wider ambition to promote sustainable transport and tackle climate change. 

The first phase will reduce traffic and pollution levels in the city centre and create a better environment for all, allowing space for people to move around safely and comfortably.  

The first phase of the Healthy Streets scheme involves an experimental 24 hour restriction on through traffic entering Boscawen Street.  Access will be retained for emergency vehicles, buses, taxis, cycles and blue badge holders, and for loading and unloading. 

This phase is currently due to be introduced on 19 July.  

The detailed proposals for the experiment are still being developed. The current preferred option is for the area of carriageway used by permitted vehicles to be narrowed, creating more space for pedestrians and cyclists to use as well as for community events. Existing disabled parking bays and loading bays will remain and where impacted replaced. 

As this is an experimental scheme, the traffic islands in the centre of Boscawen Street will also remain in place for the present, with new benches and planters installed at key places throughout the street to help create a vibrant and attractive space in the city centre. 

The working group are also investigating a new disabled access crossing and will be working with bus operators to identify the passenger views of access to the centre.

The scheme will be introduced under an Experimental Traffic Regulation Order (ETRO), and funded by Cornwall Council. The use of the ETRO will enable the new arrangements to be tested to see how they work in practice before a decision is made on a permanent scheme.  

It will also provide the time and space for the Healthy Streets team to work with local groups to develop the longer-term vision for the historic city centre. 

The scheme builds on the temporary pedestrianisation which was introduced in Boscawen Street and a number of neighbouring streets in the centre of Truro in June 2020 to support the re-opening of the city centre following the relaxation of the first COVID 19 lockdown restrictions.

In September 2020 Truro City Council commissioned research into the views of key stakeholders and user groups on the possibility of making some or all of the temporary restrictions permanent. 70% of respondents felt that Truro could be safer if the traffic management measures were made permanent, with two thirds saying they would use the city centre more often and for longer than they currently do. 

The experimental scheme is being led by Truro City Council, Truro BID and Cornwall Council.

No - the aim of the scheme is to reduce the level of through traffic in the city centre to improve the environment and safety of people living, working and visiting Truro.  

Access will be retained for emergency vehicles, buses, taxis, cycles and blue badge holders, and for loading and unloading in designated bays.  

Boscawen Street has a key role to play in the wider public transport network. 

 It is essential for people using public transport to be able to access the city centre.  Excluding buses from Boscawen Street would require them to take lengthy diversions around the city. In terms of reduced accessibility and journey time reliability this would not be viable for operators and would create considerable challenges for passengers. 

During the past five years Cornwall Council has invested significantly in the One Public Transport System for Cornwall programme to create a high-quality, integrated and customer-focused public transport network.

 The investment has led to a number of positive achievements, including a fleet of new low-emission buses, new and more frequent services to hard to reach areas; improved integration with rail and other bus services; new bus shelters and Real Time Passenger Information displays at bus stops. Cornwall has also been chosen by the Government to pilot the introduction of a new bus fares.  

Under the current agreement between Cornwall Council and bus operators, buses will return to Boscawen Street when the current Covid restrictions are lifted.  As a result the Healthy Streets group have had to provide access for buses in the proposed scheme. 

It is important to provide access to public transport as well as the mobility impaired and businesses needing deliveries as part of the experimental scheme. 

 We want to develop a long term plan for Boscawen Street which meets the needs of all groups and creates a safe, accessible and attractive space in the centre of Truro . 

 The experimental scheme will enable us to test how to manage providing access for these groups at the same time as creating a more hospitable environment for pedestrians and cyclists. 

 The experimental scheme is being funded by Cornwall Council.

The first phase is being introduced using an 'Experimental Traffic Regulation Order'. (ETRO) 

The use of an ETRO means there is no pre consultation process before a scheme is put in place. Instead all comments made during the trial are treated as part of a “live consultation” and are taken in account before any decision is made on a permanent scheme.  

As this is an experimental order any parts of the scheme which are not working as expected can be modified at any time without having to wait for the end of the trial. 

Using an ETRO provides the opportunity to see if and how it is working before making a decision on whether the measure should be made permanent. During the trial period you will have opportunities to provide further feedback.

An experimental order is like a permanent traffic regulation order in that it is a legal document which imposes traffic and parking restrictions such as road closures, controlled parking and other parking regulations indicated by double or single yellow line etc.  It is used to see if a scheme will work in practice. 

The order can stay in force for up to a maximum of 18 months while the effects are monitored and assessed.  At the end of the trial the decision on whether to make a scheme permanent or remove it will follow the formal decision making process.

The current aim is for the trial to begin on 19 July.

It is likely the scheme will evolve during the 12 month period as a result of feedback and availability of additional features to enhance the scheme.   

We are aware of the concerns that some vehicles may ignore the signage and try to access Boscawen Street during the restricted period. 

As the trial is being delivered through an ETRO, breaching the restrictions will be an offence and is enforceable by the police. 

The area of the carriageway used by vehicles will also be physically narrowed using street furniture, creating more space for pedestrians and cyclists to use. 

Because this is an experimental scheme, physical restrictions such as bollards and barriers to restrict entry are not being proposed at this stage as they would be costly and take time to construct. Monitoring of the scheme might also mean changes in the coming months.

We need to wait for the results of the experimental scheme to be assessed and a decision made on the future of the scheme, before any permanent measures are put in place. 

The current traffic restrictions were introduced as part of the COVID 19 emergency response legislation. This means the restrictions are due to end when the last phase of the Government’s Covid Recovery Roadmap comes into operation ( currently scheduled for 19 July).. 

If no alternative scheme is agreed by this date, the previous traffic management measures, which allow all vehicles to access Boscawen Street, will return. 

We recognise the importance of ensuring the city centre is accessible to everyone and will be working with representatives of a wide range of disability rights groups, as well as other organisations to develop a wider vision for Truro which meets the needs of all groups.

Yes, blue badge holders are permitted to access Boscawen Street, with existing disabled parking bays remaining in place on Duke Street and provision of replacement bays on both sides of Boscawen Street for those existing bays which are impacted. 

 During the experimental order, blue badge holders should access Boscawen Street via Lower Lemon Street.

The project team will be specifically contacting disabled groups to make sure they’re distributing information to their members. These include Disability Cornwall, iSight Cornwall, Hearing Loss Cornwall, and also carers groups. People with disabilities can also send their comments through to the above email and postal address. 

Yes – loading and unloading will be permitted as part of the experimental scheme in a designated bay on Boscawen Street and the existing bays on the surrounding street network. 

Taxis will be able to pass through Boscawen Street and the taxi rank outside the Coinage Hall will be remain.  An additional taxi rank will be provided on High Cross in the vicinity of the Cathedral.

Implementing this scheme will help to reduce traffic in the city centre, providing a more pedestrian friendly environment and reduce air pollution. It will also improve public transport into the city centre, helping to attract more people. 

This will help to ensure the safety of the people who live, work, and visit Truro at the same time as supporting the development of an attractive “café style culture” with seating which will help attract more shoppers to the city. 

The first phase will be introduced using an 'Experimental Traffic Regulation Order'. This gives us the chance to see if and how it is working before making a decision on whether the measure should be made permanent. During the experimental scheme period you will have opportunities to provide further feedback.

A Healthy Streets Truro page has been set up on the Let’s Talk Cornwall platform so people can ask questions and share their thoughts about the proposals.  Once the details of the first phase have been confirmed we will be providing a public opinion survey on this site for people to complete. 

Detailed information is also available on the Truro City Council and Truro BID websites. 

You can also email comments to Cornwall Council’s highways team at traffic@cormacltd.co.uk.or, if you prefer, you can write to the highways team at Scorrier Depot, Radnor Road, Scorrier TR16 5EH