Frustrated residents gathered on a road that has been closed for almost nine months this week to "demand action".
People living around the Little Polgooth area, between St Austell and Truro, have faced months of upheaval since Storm Goretti led to damage and a road closure. Cllr Julie Cunningham, the Reform UK councillor for St Mewan and Grampound, said locals have had enough of an "endless gridlock".
In a friendly "demonstration" yesterday (Tuesday, September 1), residents were grateful that highways staff were present to explain how the road repair design will be implemented and outlined the timeline.
Cllr Cunningham told CornwallLive last week: "The road was closed in January when a tree fell onto a lane. It is still closed and although there are plans to re-design and rebuild the small lane it still hasn't been done, and we are nearly nine months on.
"Residents have been trying to get answers through myself and [the highways department] – this has caused so much upheaval for the residents of Little Polgooth and the surrounding areas.
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"Due to endless gridlock, residents must navigate frustratingly long workarounds instead of taking a direct, properly maintained road. They have had enough, which most would understand, especially when the work still hasn’t been started."
A spokesperson for Cornwall Council said: "We understand this road closure is causing frustration for residents and disrupting local journeys.
"January's storm caused a major embankment collapse, not just a fallen tree. Reopening the road safely requires a complex repair, including piling works and the diversion of underground utility services.
"We have prioritised this site for repair this year and are progressing the final design. Recent investigations have helped us identify the location of underground services so we can move the scheme forward. We expect to complete the design in the coming weeks and will then meet with the local community to discuss the project in more detail.
"Our focus is on delivering a safe, long-term solution, and we thank residents for their patience while we complete the necessary planning and preparation work."
Cllr Cunningham said yesterday's meeting "went very well. An engineer and his colleague attended to answer the residents’ questions and explain how the design will be implemented and outlined the timeline.
"They estimated the work will take four weeks from start to finish. The engineer promised to keep both the residents and me updated as things progress. The meeting was calm and constructive, and well received by most of the locals I spoke with. Overall, I am very pleased with the outcome and hopeful they stick to the planned schedule."
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Frustrated Residents Rally Over Nine-Month Road Closure