Questions have been raised over whether Helston's controversial traffic trial, which ended on Monday more than two weeks early, was even legal.

The Packet has put the question to Cornwall Council, which had yet to respond as the paper went to press.

As a result, mystery still surrounds why road blocks directing traffic in Penzance Road were removed a full 16 days ahead of when the trial was scheduled to end.

The barriers were in place that morning, but by the afternoon they were gone.

The trial began on June 24 and had been expected to run for six weeks, until July 26.

Run by Cormac, on behalf of Cornwall Council, it was designed to see whether the volume of traffic would reduce along Cross Street and where it would be relocated to, if cars were prevented from fully using the junction between Penzance Road and Penhallez Hill.

For the last month vehicles have not been allowed to turn right onto Penzance Road, when approaching over St John's Bridge.

At the same time, cars travelling down Sithney Common Hill from the Penzance direction towards Helston have been stopped from turning left onto the bridge, with road blocks put up.

However, it has been pointed out that no public notice was ever placed in the media or any public consultation carried out ahead of the changes coming into force - something normally required by law for any other body wanting to temporarily close a road or carry out roadworks.

As a result, it has been questioned whether the changes to traffic flow should even have been carried out in the first place - and if this was the reason the trial was brought to an abrupt end.

Some doubt has been cast on this theory though, as it appears there are separate rules for "experimental orders."

These give a clause that many of the normal rules that apply to making permanent traffic orders do not apply to experimental ones, which may have been what was put in place on this occasion.

Not all motorists have abided to the rules of the trial, with some spotted flouting the turning bans and simply driving around the barriers.

Covert monitoring has been carried out by the council and this will form part of discussions over whether the changes to traffic flow should be made permanent.

One of the Cornwall councillors for the area, Mike Thomas, said he did not know why the trial had ended early but it was now time to look at the evidence collection.

He said: "I can only assume that there were so many objections they realised they had enough data to bring it to an end - that's all I can think.

"At this stage it's just a question of looking at the data and looking at the next step."

He said he and fellow Cornwall councillor for that area, John Martin, would now meet to review the information collected, alongside county officers, town clerk Chris Dawson and other members of the town council.

"I see a traffic policy for the whole of the town, not just having one issue in isolation," he added, saying town-wide research had already been carried out by the town council five years ago.

A Cornwall Council spokesperson said the area had been monitored to "gain an insight into the impact the trial was having in this part of Helston," and that the council "has gathered enough evidence to end the trial early."

They added: "The monitoring undertaken as part of the trial is currently being analysed and will be discussed with local councillors once available."

The spokesperson did not confirm whether or not the trial had been carried out legally.