A30 shut overnight near Launceston as £9.8m safety work begins

Anyone using the A30 between Launceston and Bodmin is about to feel the effects of a scheme that has been years in the planning. From Saturday, the road starts closing overnight, the first stage of a project that will eventually settle into a single lane running in each direction, and stay that way until spring.

Overnight closures start this weekend

From 5 to 10 September, the A30 will be fully closed overnight in both directions between Five Lanes and Kennards House, from 9pm to 6am each night. It’s the opening stretch of a road safety scheme being carried out by National Highways, running from 5 September 2026 through to March 2027.

Further overnight closures are planned through the works, including the A30 westbound only between Kennards House and Five Lanes on 23 September, and both directions again on 30 September, each time from 9pm to 6am. A signed diversion will be in place for every overnight closure.

One lane each way from 7 September

Once the initial closures end, the road doesn’t reopen fully. From 7 September, one lane will stay open in each direction, 24 hours a day, for the rest of the scheme. Speed limits of 40mph and 50mph will apply through the works, along with traffic lights and a number of junction closures. Free recovery is available 24/7 for anyone who breaks down in the roadworks.

Two of the junctions along the route are closing for extended periods. The westbound side of the Plusha junction shuts entirely from 6am on 24 September until January 2027, and National Highways has warned that its short diversion route (shown on the map below) won’t be available during any full A30 closures while that junction is shut. The eastbound side of the Polyphant junction, into Holyway Cross, closes from 6am on 7 September until November.

National Highways is warning drivers to expect delays throughout, “particularly on Fridays and weekends,” and to build extra time into any journey along the route.

Why the works are happening

The stretch between Kennards House and Five Lanes has a significant history of collisions, particularly around its junctions. National Highways has identified six for improvement as part of the £9.8 million scheme: Plusha, Trevell, Polyphant, Two Bridges, Blackhill Quarry and the junction by its own highways depot. The work includes junction and visibility improvements, upgraded signs, road markings and studs, and better roadside barriers, alongside measures agreed with Cornwall Council to manage any traffic pushed onto local roads.

The plans followed a public consultation in 2024 that drew more than 400 responses. Feedback led National Highways to drop an earlier proposal to close the Two Bridges junction after concerns it would hit commuters, particularly in Lewannick, while the Plusha junction is going ahead as planned because of its poorer safety record.

Buses affected during the closures

Some bus routes will be affected while the works are under way. During overnight closures at the Polyphant junction, the last bus of the night will be led through the site by the National Highways team. At Plusha, buses will keep access through the works via the site roads to rejoin the A30 westbound. The eastbound bus stop at Five Lanes and Altarnun is unaffected throughout.

The diversion route

For the longer overnight closures, the signed diversion runs via Launceston, Carkeel Roundabout, the A38 and Carminow, rejoining the A30 at the other end. National Highways has also published a shorter local diversion, shown on the map below, though as above it won’t be available during the periods the Plusha junction is fully closed.

📷Credit: National Highways

Cornwall Council is working alongside National Highways on the wider scheme. Anyone wanting the latest closure information before setting off can check National Highways’ daily closures page, or contact the team directly on 0300 123 5000 or by emailing [email protected]. Dates can shift at short notice, National Highways says, particularly if bad weather gets in the way.