A new bridge over the River Tamar, and a halt to new development, are the only measures that could truly solve Gunnislake’s poor air quality problems, says Cornwall Councillor Dorothy Kirk.

Cllr Kirk was speaking as a trial traffic management scheme on the main route into the village enters its seventh week.

The three-month trial is for a road narrowing scheme on the main A390 involving a projection from the pavement slowing down traffic heading downhill into Gunnislake village centre so it has to give priority to drivers travelling up Sand Hill towards Drakewalls and St Anns Chapel.

The aim is to prevent traffic idling outside the houses on Alma Terrace, thereby lessening emissions of nitrogen dioxide.

Alma Terrace has been previously found to be one of the ‘hotspots’ for nitrogen dioxide in Gunnislake, which was declared an Air Quality Management Area (AQMA) in 2014.

If the trial is seen to have improved air quality and has not caused traffic problems, Cornwall Council says it will seek funding to make the scheme permanent.

Cornwall Council’s action plan for the Gunnislake AQMA includes measures such as car sharing, better use of public transport, and encouraging HGVs to re-route via the A38.

Cllr Kirk said: ‘The issue is that there are too many cars and not enough good roads. We perhaps need to stop new development in places that are an AQMA. Ultimately a new bridge may be the only real answer.’