Truro Quiet Lanes Trial

I travel from newquay to treliske. I know get to sit in my car for an extra 30 minutes a day. That's an extra 3.5 hours a week less time with my kids thanks to this scheme. Getting out of the car park at the hospital now takes around 10-15 minutes as everyone has to turn right to get in to the A390. I'd never been late before this was introduced, but for me to drop my children off at 8am and get to the hospital for 9am is proving difficult without using the lanes.
A route between shortlanesend and treliske should be kept open to traffic.

I have lived in Truro for 45 years and during that time have used the back lanes frequently. I object to now being told that I am no longer permitted to use the lanes at the back of Shortlanesend because you wish to make this a ‘private’ road for those who live there. I understand the issues around the volumes of traffic and potential speeding. However, you cannot make public highways private just to stop cars using the lanes. The number of cars on our roads have increased significantly, hence why traffic is a nightmare across all roads leading in to and out of Truro now. The solution should not be to just ‘privatise’ roads to stop traffic. Unless the few houses along these roads have a clause in their deeds that state these lanes are theirs, you cannot make public highways private in this way. For as long as I’m paying tax to use public highways, I have a right to use these lanes. Legally I would challenge any attempt to change this. If this goes ahead, will you look to ‘privatise’ all lanes that locals may use because the increase in traffic volumes is an issue? Surely the right approach is to lay speed humps or road narrowing options to slow vehicles down. This will not deter vehicles using the lanes but it will reduce speeds which apparently is a key reason that you are doing this. Please do not be influenced by a few that live in these lanes - public highways were never designed solely for walkers and cyclists and as such they should not be the only users considered in this pilot. They don’t pay road taxes which contribute towards the upkeep so they should not be granted sole use. Think about how you manage the 1,000s of new houses that you are granting permission for. Will each household have at least one car (or probably more) that will add to the traffic volumes? Of course they will. Open your eyes and stop increasing traffic volumes with one hand whilst preventing traffic filtering off down other routes!!

I understand the initiative to encourage people to walk or cycle to work and have safe passage on these lanes, and I support this. But I can’t help feeling that the impact of this is yet to be seen, especially around the Treliske Hospital roundabout. Exiting the hospital around 4-6pm becomes a massive problem already during the winter months when more people choose to drive to work. I can see this becoming more of an issue with this scheme in place with many cars normally using this backlanes to travel to the Langarth area and Kenwyn as a shortcut. The traffic management definitely needs to be looked at to ensure Hospital staff can get out, the timings as they are at peak traffic don’t allow more than several cars to go left to Truro on every green light cycle.

This project does not restrict the residents within the zone to using their nearest ingress and egress point. Why have a few individuals now been given the privilege of 15 kilometres of private lanes to access all points of the compass whilst the majority have been condemned to highly congested routes. Who bestowed the right to police the ETRO on a certain resident within the scheme? This scheme is destroying community cohesion causing resentment. The Council need to admit that this is a complete failure instead of burying their heads to all the feedback on this site.

As a resident it has made little difference to the volume of traffic, and motorists continue to beep their horns at all times of day and night around the corners.
Some of the lanes are so poorly maintained that they aren't suitable for any user, pedestrian or otherwise. The hedges need cutting back and the trees need management especially around the back lanes of the golf course.
The lanes could be better used by motorists, pedestrians and cyclists if parking on the lanes was managed better.

I think traffic jams have increased on main roads due to this. I am a Shortlanesend resident and did not previously use the lanes despite working at the hospital but now I am tempted due to sheer numbers of cars on main routes - surely being stuck in traffic raises pollution? Also, I think people are simply ignoring the signs as well when traffic increases due to frustration. I have asked in every Truro survey for earlier, more regular cheaper bus services to and from the village as I would leave my car at home regularly but the earliest bus leaves at quarter to 8 which is too late and the last bus back is at 5.45pm which is too early and the fact it goes to Newquay getting stuck on the a30 when busy means it's regularly late. Get the basics right Truro council before angering people bringing in a ludicrous scheme that won't work. Also, if you want quieter lanes and the slowing down of traffic in them being in speed bumps - they are almost everywhere else, why not there too? If people no they will damage their cars going down there, they won't use them or average speed cameras that actually are switched on. I would also like to say that our village is having more speeding going through it due to this scheme - we need a working camera in the village to stop this. It is so dangerous for our animals and for the school children coming out of the primary school and off the school buses. I am all for having more places to walk and enjoy our green spaces but think holistically before implementing something that costs more than it will gain.

This is a ridiculous idea. Surely those residents that are complaining were aware they were near a hospital which has staff needing to get there? Speed calming measures would be far more workable. The state of the main roads around Treliske at busy times are horrendous and as many people have stated add long times on to work commutes.I love how last years NHS heroes have now become “ rats in a run “ !

Have cycled to work and from Newquay using these back lanes getting in for 8am and leaving at 5pm Felt safe cycling the lanes and didn’t have a traffic overtaking me on the steep narrow hills at a busy commuter time . Think the trial and idea behind is ace

The combination of this trial and all the additional traffic lights added onto the main road up to the hospital have made using this road unbearably stressful. I can not get to work for 8am at the hospital anymore, I can not leave earlier because of nursery. Also the increased amount of very slow idling traffic now on this road must be having an impact on the pollution levels in this area. The lack of joined up thinking an consequences by the council would be laughable if it wasn't causing so much stress

I do not agree with this scheme. I feel it only really benefits those few that actually that live within the lanes network. I have children in school at st Mary’s primary and RLS - I rely on these lanes often to enable me to get from one to the other for collection from after school clubs etc. I also use these lanes when working as a community nurse to drop samples to RCHT quickly especially at peak traffic times. I do also use these lanes regularly for recreation (running, cycling, walking) and feel the issue is not the volume of traffic but the speed. Money spent on traffic calming would be much more beneficial. If the aim is to promote recreation and reduce traffic pollution in the locality then maybe the council should reconsider its funding cuts to the proposed cycle routes from st Agnes etc. In my view if these are not made completely family friendly then they are pointless. Long term vision rather than short term fixes should be the priority here.

I have no other option to use these lanes in order to get to work on time after dropping my children to pre school club. If I had to use chiverton roundabout it would add 45 minutes onto my commute each way due to the congestion there. . I always drive at an appropriate speed and give room for walkers, cyclists, horses etc. as usual the many people who drive sensibly on these minor roads are being punished for the few idiots who do not

It's adding time. On journey everyday to work. Plus it's added to general congestion on major routes. Plus people are using it regardless and taking no notice.

I have only ever used the lane respectfully, always slow down for cyclists, walkers, riders and other vehicles.
Myself and my colleagues are required to be oncall for emergency GI bleeds from home as the endoscopy unit covers a 365 days a year service. By not being able to use the lane, on a weekend oncall it took me an hour to get to the hospital and 62 minutes on another, my contract states I should be in the hospital within 30 minutes, I fear should this closure continue, somebody could die because I couldn’t get there in time.
Congestion on the main road and in to three milestone is appalling, to get to work on a normal day it now takes roughly 50 minutes which used to take 20, surely this is having a negative impact on the environment also.

I cycle daily from outside Newquay to RCH fortunately very early and late missing the rush hour traffic. I use the lanes between shortlanesend and rch as part of my commute. The new signs have made no diiference to the amount of cars driving through the lanes and I consider the whole project a waste of time. Commuters of any description will take the shortest and quickest route possible. The main issue is the speed and lack of consideration when passing a cyclist and other cars in the lanes. In the last few months I have been clipped by a wing mirror, driver didn't stop , pushed in the hedge by close pass and driven at on a narrow section with lights being flashed at me metres from a safe passing place. The road conditions are awful with massive potholes making it dangerous to cycle in the dark. The safest thing the council could do if create a dedicated cycle route that is completely separate from any form of motor vehicle. These lanes project will not encourage any people to start cycling or walking to work.

Whilst the trial is well meaning and is intended to reduce the number of vehicles using narrow lanes that weren't designed for the volume of traffic, the underlying issue of why so many vehicles use these lanes has not been addressed. The surrounding A and B roads are heavily congested and forcing vehicles onto them is not the answer. Equally, unless there is going to be a police presence regularly in the lanes and at the ingress and egress points, who is going to prevent the motorists who are prepared to risk using the lanes to avoid the heavily congested main routes? Pedestrians and cyclists would be ill advised to confront a potentially angry motorist and, besides, the motorist could claim they are visiting a property within the zone. Who is going to be able to check? But don't, if you are a motorist using the lanes, claim you're going to Penrose Water Gardens. My understanding is that the regulations don't allow motorists to visit a business and patrons of said establishment are being encouraged to walk or cycle there. It was suggested to the owners that they should relocate the water gardens outside of the zone!

I have walked and cycled these lanes since being a child. As an adult I have also driven them. It appears to me that the issue is the speed of vehicles and the general lack of courtesy from drivers. Perhaps speed restriction measures are more appropriate?

I’m afraid whilst this idea is well intentioned it is very disruptive. I have to drive in from Goonhavern to RCH Treliske. My options now are to head back along the A3075 to Chiverton Cross (I don’t need to say how congested that option is), or head to Shortlanesend then into Truro and back from the Sainsbury’s roundabout (again a hugely congested route). I cannot cycle to work as I drop my kids off to school and need to pick them up. You have essentially taken out a direct route to the hospital from anyone from Newquay/Goonhavern area pushing them onto already over-stretched routes. I object to the use of the phrase ‘short-cut’ in your correspondence, they are legal roads and drivers are perfectly entitled to use them.

This trial is not a success from my point of view.

As much as I appreciate the principal of the trial it has had a massive impact on my work life and has contributed to making my job so much harder than it already is. My journey time to and from Newquay to Treliske Hospital has doubled from 25mins each way to 50mins each way adding an extra hours travelling, the extra time at the end of a busy and often stressful day is particularly upsetting. I am also paying for extra petrol which was especially difficult recently with reduced availability and also rising costs are felt.
I do wonder whether a compromise of restricting traffic down the lanes maybe between 10 and 16.00 and again between 18.00 and 7.00 would have been a more sensible option and one I would have been more than happy to support. I feel a compromise would give those who want to walk or cycle etc, although I would be interested in a survey of how many more people now use the lanes for this purpose now that the restrictions are in place l, can benefit but it does not cause extra stress and frustration for the rest of our road users who as I understand it are entitled to use any road as tax payers unless it is a completely private road.
Speed bumps or speed cameras could have also been used to keep speeds down to 20mph but I imagine these are all expensive options compared to putting up a few signs saying no access!!

I drive carefully and considerately when I use the lanes, always slowing for the handful and walkers or cyclists I see and I don't feel that I cause them undue danger.
I really am quite cross that the changes that were made were put into place without due consultation with all users of the lanes really just to appease the few residents of the lanes area so that they don't have quite so many cars driving by their houses. The local residents must have been aware that the lanes were used as a cut through when they bought and moved into their properties? I would quite like less cars to use the area around where I live, I walk my dog and like to run around my local area, especially in the summer when the main roads are so busy with visitors but am grateful that there is an alternative route so that locals don't get caught up in all the busy traffic enabling them to get to work, access doctors, pharmacies and supermarkets etc without paying too high a price for the beautiful area in which we live.

I have been using the lanes for 18 years to get to work, the hospital. For me to go through Truro instead adds almost 30mins to my commute each way. I don’t think in all those years I’ve seen anyone cycling, and probably a handful walking. If it’s a true that a councillor lives on these lanes now, then that explains this ludicrous idea.

I work at the hospital and use the lanes for jogging a few times a week on my lunch break. I have noticed a slight decline in the number of cars using the lanes when I do, but I know many people are still using them for commuting. However, I do have sympathy with them as it can take 45 minutes just to do the 500m from the staff car park to the roundabout on the main road at rush hour in the evening when it's bad.

I think this is small scale stuff that will have little impact and is probably not worth the hassle/cost. There needs to be big ideas and investment into public transport and infrastructure. For example, I would like to cycle to work, but I do not feel safe enough on the roads that I would have to travel on.

Although I will admit, it is nice having to stop for fewer cars on my runs!