21st February 2025
25-year plan for transport in Cornwall
PEOPLE in Cornwall are being encouraged to give their views on a 25-year transport plan for the region.
The hope is that residents will take part in Peninsula Transport’s short survey, commenting on the aims of its Strategic Implementation Plan 2025-2050 and its attempt to shape national policies.
The survey closes on Monday, March 3.
The Implementation Plan (SIP) focuses on easier journeys; going electric; a connected peninsula, and the transport network. It is not intended to be a long ‘wish list’ of historic aspirations and emerging schemes.
Working with various partners, Peninsula Transport says that it aims to improve movement connectivity, resilience, and sustainability across the West of England region which, in turn, will deliver economic, environmental and social improvements that will improve the quality of life for everyone across the West Country peninsula.
“While we do not directly deliver projects, we influence and advocate investment in freight, rail and road schemes, transport infrastructure, and Net Zero goals,” said Lisa Grigg, Cornwall Council’s communities support assistant.
You can read the Strategic Implementation Plan at:
And then you can have your say by completing the survey form at: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfPYj49cIfXhT7DNeAo9LPnaFztR00CKNaD7HcFyoOlBanhMw/viewform
Peninsula Transport is the Sub-national Transport Body (STB) for the South West peninsula.
One of seven STBs in England, it works closely with partners, and is responsible for setting the transport strategy for the region and communicating the agreed major transport priorities to government.
Morval Parish Council vice-chairman John Collings said that the tome was a mighty one and, because it covered the whole of the West Country from near Bristol to Land’s End, much of the content was not particularly applicable, or relevant, to South East Cornwall.
“I am also not sure whether this ‘Plan’ was born before the last election,” he said. “It may well be a cross-Party document, I can’t tell.
“But if it were a Conservative idea, will Labour endorse it and see it through? Next month’s Spending Review may also affect it, we just don’t know.”
For now, though, Peninsula Transport’s Strategic Implementation Plan 2025-2050 highlights, inter alia, the need for:
- More ‘resilience’ works on the Paddington to Penzance railway line between Dawlish and Teignmouth;
- Talks of a package of improvements to facilitate metro levels of rail service for the Plymouth and South East Cornwall ‘Travel to Work’ area, including passenger improvements, signalling upgrades at Liskeard and Saltash Station platform improvements;
- Road improvements on the A38 Trerulefoot to Carkeel route, possibly with average speed and spot cameras and cross-over junction improvements;
- Tamar Bridge toll improvements to enable free-flow tolling, and…
- Access improvements and capacity improvements to the Torpoint ‘floating bridge’ Ferry.
It is a document covering the next 25 years, so no times scales are given for any of the suggestions.
Sitting alongside the Strategic Implementation Plan is an environment assessment report which considers all the adverse environmental and socio-economic effects, and identifies opportunities to improve the environmental quality of the South West Peninsula and the quality of life of residents through the SIP.
Here’s the link to the plan’s Strategic Environmental Assessment:
https://www.peninsulatransport.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/SEA-Peninsula-SIP_Environmental-Report_V1.0_120225.pdf