People who living near the A390 Truro western corridor will be able to find out more about planned improvements during two days of exhibitions next week.

The exhibition will look at changes to the section between Threemilestone Roundabout and Arch Hill, and will take place at the Victoria Inn in Threemilestone on Monday, July 18, from 8.30am to 7.30pm, and City Hall in Boscawen Street, Truro, on Tuesday, July 19, from 8.30am to 5pm.

Carrying around 30,000 vehicles each day, this section of the A390 is one of the busiest roads in Cornwall. Following a consultation in 2011 on the wider development plan for west Truro, the Cornwall Council has been working on plans and on gaining funding to improve several junctions.

With funding from the Department for Transport's Growth Deal in place, the council is now in a position to explain more about the changes that will take place to improve the flow of traffic, support approved developments along the corridor and encourage sustainable transport.

The improvement project is made up of several schemes: Threemilestone Roundabout, Chyvelah Road bus gate, Treliske Hospital roundabout, Arch Hill roundabout, and walking and cycling measures from Maiden Green to New County Hall roundabout

Victoria Fraser, Cornwall Council's transport planning and strategy team leader, said: "The A390 corridor is an extremely busy route and this work is crucial in keeping Truro moving and planning for the future.

"We don't have the land space or the funding to build more roads around, so we must look to maximising the capacity of the network we have and supporting people to make shorter trips by other means.

"With more development expected along this corridor, we need to manage traffic both by encouraging more people to use public transport to reduce the numbers of cars on the road, and by putting in these infrastructure measures.

"In terms of addressing congestion, improving air quality and the quality of life for residents and visitors, the Council is committed to making a step-change in public transport services and to managing traffic intelligently. "

Kieren Couch, project manager for CORMAC, said: "This is a highly sensitive route and we are aware of the need to maintain access for local residents and road users as much as possible. At the exhibition, we’ll have information on the timescales for the project, as well as details on traffic management, such as lane closures, so please come along to find out more. "

One of the key aspects is the Threemilestone bus gate scheme, which is designed to allow buses to use Chyvelah Road without having to double back, as a result helping improve the flow of buses, improving journey times and offering a frequent and accessible modern bus service to the 4,000 residents of the village. 

Councillor Bert Biscoe, Cornwall Council cabinet member for transport, said: "I would encourage everyone who lives or drives along this route to come along to the exhibition where they will be able to find out more about the plans and the construction timetable."

"The bus gate in particular has generated a lot of interest locally - when we began this project we focused on the strategic issues to the exclusion of the local concerns and we thank the local residents, Kenwyn Parish Council and the school for encouraging us to extend the scope of the project."  

Following discussions with the local community, the Council has included issues relating to safety, congestion and traffic management in both Threemilestone and surrounding villages as part of the overall bus gate project.

During the construction of the bus gate, two lanes will be maintained in each direction throughout the day between 7.30am and 6pm, with any lane closures taking place at night. Noise levels will be closely monitored during the construction period, with access for emergency vehicles maintained throughout the whole scheme.

In the autumn, the council will be working with Kenwyn Parish Council and the local Cornwall Councillor to carry out further traffic studies within the village and to involve residents in developing solutions. 

If you are unable to attend the exhibition, more information on the project is available at www.cornwall.gov.uk/A390Truro. To be added to the council's mailing list for updates on the scheme please email A390Truro@cornwall.gov.uk