CORMAC’S Highway Service standards area manager, Oliver Jones, and Cornwall Council’s portfolio holder for transport, Geoff Brown, answered questions at the latest Bude Community Network Panel meeting at the Parkhouse Centre on Monday, January 8.

Mr Jones gave an overview of how repairs are managed and how potential defects can be reported through a new website, which will allow the public to follow the process.

Mr Jones said: “We’re always bombarded with calls and emails about a number of different things and at the end of this month a new website is going live which will allow people to file their complaints using maps and so on. It’ll help us control areas and react accordingly while it keeps people up to date and informed. It’ll be a much better service.”

He was then asked about problems with verges and the state of some roads.

Janet McCulley said: “There’s a recurring theme near my home.”

Mr Jones replied: “The new website will help with that. Mess is a problem, but if it hasn’t been reported then action can’t be taken!”

Cornwall Councillor for Bude, Peter La Broy then asked about how weeds are causing issues on the town’s roads.

He said: “There have been lots of complaints from people about weeds, can it be looked at again?”

Cllr Brown then got involved, adding: “The reason why we stopped it was due to the type of spray and there hasn’t been a suitable solution found yet but I know it’s being looked at. Slaying weeds doesn’t work, we need a reliable substitute. If the roots are there then they come back even worse.”

The chair of the meeting, the Cornwall Councillor for Poundstock, Nicky Chopak then moved onto the subject of country lanes, saying: “Can we have a look at the budget again so that we can get country lanes sorted?”

Mr Jones said: “Country roads get inspected on a six-month basis. If we can find the land owners then we can try and talk to them about the importance of keeping the roads and areas around them safe. Next Monday a new verge and cutting programme to sort out rural problems is starting but we need any problems to be reported so we can try and sort it.”

Cllr Brown added: “Up until March last year, the country lanes were only inspected once a year but last year we got more government money so they can be done every six months. This should improve maintenance on highways and country lanes but it’s hard. Last year Cornwall Council did £50,000 pothole repairs.”

Cllr Chopak then questioned the quality of the repairs, saying: “Three months later they need to be done again, I get lots of complaints about it.”

Mr Jones replied: “Now we’re making two visits a year, hopefully we can make permanent repairs instead of temporary ones. We try to do the permanent ones nine out of ten times.”

After more discussions about verges and what should be done, Cllr Chopak said: “I want to talk about speed and the traffic increase on our roads. CORMAC don’t seem to understand how 20 new houses affect a village. We get frustrated at their tunnel vision. Can we try and improve the quality of traffic through us? Is there a better vision? Several new houses coming in has a big impact on our lives.”

Cllr Brown replied: “We’ve got a team who deal with this but they’re slightly stuck with what they can do. It’s about talking to people and speaking to communities. We’ve taken issues we’ve passed on to Highways England and we’re trying to push that, but I’m keen to listen to your issues. I know there’s been a huge frustration with the highways scheme on a local basis, but from April 1, the local transport plan have been given £1-million a year for the next four years for the 19 community network panels which is just over £50,000 a year for each one. There’s already a huge list in each area but it’s about each community network sitting down and making a list and then prioritising them.

John Gimson of Bude Chamber of Commerce, queried whether Cornwall Council is reviewing traffic measures in the county to which Cllr Brown said: “To be honest I’m not the biggest fan of speed bumps. There are other ways of doing it. They are effective but in this day an age there are more effective ways.”

Mrs McCulley then said: “Things which have actually said that you’re over the limit will stop people from speeding. The cars outside the church in Poughill just don’t stop and one day there’s going to be a fatality.”

Cllr Allan Birt from St Gennys Parish Council also asked about the junction at Wainhouse Corner, which sees cars from four different directions — including both sides of the A39, the road towards Crackington and St Gennys and the road towards Canworthy Water.

Cllr Birt said: “Have you got anywhere yet with the Wainhouse Corner situation? The junction is extremely confusing and at some point there’s going to be a big crash.”

Mr Jones was in agreement but said: “It’s a very odd layout but the markings are correct. What it needs is a level of enforcement above the limit. At the moment people drive way above it.”

Cllr Birt then suggested that a roundabout but Mr Jones didn’t believe that was the best solution, adding: “Yes it may work but wouldn’t be the best idea in this situation. It needs enforcement so that people actually stick to the limit.”

The next item discussed was the problems with bus services and transport routes.

Cllr Brown said that the council had to look at ways of improving aspects of the transport system in that part of the county.

He said: “We know that we need to improve bus services in North Cornwall and North Devon as it’s a very isolated area in some parts.”

Bude-Stratton Town Councillor, Lea Deely, who is also the deputy mayor of Bude, said: “If you have an appointment in Truro it can take all day to get there and back via bus and that’s not good enough. It takes you around everywhere and Barnstaple is just as bad.”

Cllr Brown responded by saying: “We’re looking at isolation regarding public transport but we need a better system for it. Hopefully we can it sorted.”

Cllr La Broy then extended his thanks to them both for turning up and praised Mr Jones for all of his work.

He said: “Cllr Nigel Pearce and I would like to thank Oliver, he comes up every couple of months and drives us around Bude so we can show him areas which need attention.”