Cornish MP invites Transport Secretary to discuss proposals for Camelford Bypass
Liberal Democrat Ben Maguire is also calling for the A39 at Fore Street to be reopened as "quickly as possible"
A Cornish MP is urging Cornwall Council to get the A39 at Fore Street in Camelford reopened "as quickly as possible", at the same time as inviting the new Transport Secretary to visit to discuss proposals for a bypass.
Part of the road through the town is currently shut in both directions due to an unsafe building - and according to traffic monitoring service INRIX, it's set to remain closed until 30 August.
Ben Maguire, for North Cornwall, has described the closure as "crippling" to local businesses.
The Liberal Democrat MP is urging the local authority to do "everything they can" to prioritise the reopening of the road and to encourage people to keep using local businesses in the town in the meantime.
Mr Maguire has also taken the campaign for a bypass or alternative scheme to through traffic passing through the narrow town centre to Parliament, where one of his first acts as a new MP was to submit a House of Commons motion urging the Government to act.
The MP has also submitted Parliamentary Questions on the issue, including urging the new Transport Secretary Louise Haigh to visit Camelford to discuss alternatives with local people and businesses.
"The A39 closure at Fore Street in Camelford is an absolute nightmare for motorists, for local people and is crippling local businesses in the town centre who are suffering from a lack of footfall.
"This temporary closure has once again highlighted the issues that through traffic on the busy A39 going through the narrow town centre poses.
"That’s why one of the first things I’ve done in Parliament as North Cornwall’s MP is to submit a House of Commons motion calling on the new Transport Secretary Louise Haigh to commit to looking at an alternative.
"I’ve also raised this through Parliamentary Questions and am urging the Transport Secretary to visit Camelford so we can discuss the problem and potential solutions with local people and businesses."
A spokesperson for Cornwall Council previously said: "Cornwall Council is working with the property owner, who is responsible for making the building safe, to make sure this work is completed as soon as possible.
"The road will remain closed until we are satisfied that the property is in a safe condition and is of no risk to the general public.
"All road signing will be subject to review and regular social media updates on progress will be provided."