CORNWALL Council has defended its decision to continue repairing damaged speed cushions on a Saltash road, saying it must balance local concerns with wider highway safety priorities across the county.

The response came after Saltash resident Mr Vangorph questioned why the authority had not audited the money being spent on repeated repairs to the speed cushions on Church Road.

He asked why the council had not considered replacing the “substandard, potentially dangerous, non-compliant and not fit for purpose” measures with lower-maintenance designs similar to those used on Fore Street.

However, Cornwall Council’s cabinet member for transport, Dan Rogerson, said the current approach was based on making the best use of available funding while ensuring the road remains safe.

Cllr Rogerson said the speed cushions had been identified as ‘needing attention’ through the council’s normal highway safety inspections.

“There are 24 speed cushions on this section of road, and replacing all of them would cost more than the budget which is currently available,” he said. “For now, our contractor Cormac is repairing them as needed to keep them safe while we look at longer term options and possible funding.”

He acknowledged residents may question why the council continues to repair the cushions rather than replace them completely.

“The simple answer is we have to make the best use of the money available and balance this against other highway safety priorities across Cornwall,” he added.

Cllr Rogerson said if additional funding becomes available, the council would consider alternative traffic calming measures, including designs already used elsewhere in Saltash.

However, he stressed that any replacement scheme would need to be assessed to ensure it was suitable for the location and represented value for money.

Cllr Rogerson thanked residents for raising concerns, saying feedback helps the council understand local issues and plan future improvements.