STRUGGLING businesses have pleaded with authorities to finish controversial road works in Newquay town centre as quickly as possible due to its damaging impact on trade.

Around 30 business representatives highlighted their concerns to the project team overseeing the Mid Cornwall Metro scheme at Cliff Road during an Active Travel meeting held at the Great Western Hotel on Thursday, October 15.

Businesses raised fears the works will continue into June and July next year, which would be “catastrophic” for trade and cause further congestion during the height of the tourism season.

Representatives from Cormac and Cornwall Council acknowledged unforeseen snags had already come up but gave assurances that it is “highly unlikely” the work would impact the summer months. The project team pledged to look at various options on how the work can be speeded up.

Businesses, councillors and Newquay BID are now calling for better signage to be erected to direct motorists to free parking in the area while the works are being undertaken. Cornwall Council has permitted the nearby Tolcarne Road car park to be free to park from November onwards, but businesses would also like to see Albany Road car park to be included as well to help attract people to visit the shopping area.

The works scheme in Cliff Road to make the roads around Newquay Train Station safer for walkers and cyclists includes a new cycle route, footway and public realm improvements, new pedestrian crossing, changes to kerbs and the road layout, drainage, ducting and utility works as well as new surfacing and road markings.

There are fears businesses in Cliff Road will suffer a further loss of trade as 19 short term parking spaces are being removed to create the cycle lane. A campaign titled Save Cliff Road parking received more than 1,000 signatures backing calls for an alternative route for the cycle route to be implemented, which the council dismissed as unworkable.

Newquay BID manager Mark Warren said: “The business impact of the works is quite major. Some businesses are struggling already. The sooner the works are finished the better.

“The concern is the work will go into June. Although there is a works embargo in Newquay for July and August any ongoing works not finished are permitted to continue but Cormac is positive that this is highly unlikely to happen.

“Cormac says it will do everything they can to get the work finished before June so there is a normal summer situation. It is doing its upmost to finish the work as soon as possible. They are considering various options how it can be finished quicker such as bringing in additional people and weekend working. Businesses are struggling hugely, and they need to be supported by Cormac.

“We are pushing for free winter parking in Albany Road car park to go with the free winter parking at Tolcarne Road car park. The best thing Cornwall Council can do is offer that. At the moment there is one hour of free parking at Albany Road car park but that is not enough. I’ve asked Dan Rogerson, the cabinet member for transport, to organise that. Hopefully he will make the right decision.”

Newquay central Cornwall councillor Joanna Kenny added: “I thought it was a very frank and productive meeting. The interference of the work on businesses is very real. There is no doubt about it. The sooner the work is finished the better. Businesses are concerned and they have a right to be concerned. The work is causing a lot more disruption than I expected.

“There needs to be much better signage for example. It’s appalling at the moment. A sign states a car park is free for the first hour, but it doesn’t say which one it is.

“From November Tolcarne car park will be free and there is a push for the council to make to make Albany Road car park free as well.

“The workers have found things in the road that they were not expecting, and businesses are worried the work will continue into May and June. The project team were very honest about the problems they have been having and gave assurances they would make it better. There are positive suggestions coming forward. It was also agreed to have regular meetings between the project team and businesses.”

A business owner said: “Cornwall Council has repeatedly stated the Cliff Road works will take six months but there are concerns it will carry on for at least a year. Newquay summer 2027 will be complete and utter gridlock every single day if this happens.”

Cornwall Council has been approached for comment.