Update on St Ives Town Deal Low Carbon Transport Strategy

Following the consultation for the St Ives Low Carbon Transport Strategy, which took place between November 2023 and January 2024, members of the project team have spent the past two months analysing all the responses.

The St Ives Low Carbon Transport Strategy is being funded and delivered as part of the St Ives Town Deal programme to help reduce the impact of vehicles on St Ives and introduce measures that encourage walking, cycling and the use of public transport.

Developed in partnership with key stakeholders, the initial draft Strategy contained several proposals aimed at reducing traffic congestion and parking demand in the town centre, enhancing public transport options and accessibility, improving air quality and health outcomes for residents and visitors and supporting local businesses by creating a more attractive and vibrant town.

Many of the proposals outlined in the first phase of the Strategy, including the junctions at Malakoff, Stennack, Zennor, and Halsetown, and the Station car park, the widening of footways and pavements and the improvements in public transport, were supported by members of the Town Deal Board in February 2024.

However it was agreed that further work was needed on the development of the One Way System and some elements of the Low Traffic Environment.

Following concerns raised about the use of physical restrictions, the project team are now looking into the use of alternative methods to discourage people without legitimate reasons from driving into the town centre during certain periods. 

This means that it is unlikely physical restrictions / barriers will be used to prevent access to the town centre. Although the project team expect that the wider measures to improve public transport and traffic management changes around the town will, by design, reduce the number of vehicles entering the town centre, they are hoping the community will play their part in supporting the Low Traffic Environment by changing their behaviour.

The project team have also been listening to the concerns raised by people living in areas outside the town, such as Halsetown, who are worried about increases in traffic as a result of more visitors being signposted to drive through the area, and the current lack of footways.  Further work is being carried out to assess the level of potential increases in traffic created by the proposal, together with the development of measures to mitigate the impact from this.

Further work is also being carried out on the draft proposal to introduce a one way system around Library Corner and up Tregenna Hill and the reversing of the existing one-way restriction on Park Avenue.

You can read details of the changes which are being made to the original strategy here

You can read a copy of the press release here

The project team will be working with all parts of the local community to identify any further amendments so the proposals deliver the aims of the Strategy at the same time as meeting the needs of local residents and businesses.  Details of any changes will be discussed at the meeting of the Town Deal Board in May.

A decision on the final version of the Strategy will be made at the next meeting of St Ives Town Deal Board in May.

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