A year of works is about to begin on Falmouth’s Bickland Water Road

If you use Bickland Water Road, the next twelve months are going to look different. Temporary traffic lights, a wider path and a string of new crossings are all on the way, and the work starts early next month.

Cormac says the active travel improvements are meant to make the area safer and easier to use for people walking and cycling. The plan is a continuous, wider path along the eastern side of the road, running past homes, businesses and local schools in Falmouth.

What’s changing on Bickland Water Road

The existing footway will be widened to three metres where possible, so pedestrians and cyclists can share it.

Four new signal-controlled crossings will link residential areas, businesses and local schools. Junctions will be narrowed to shorten crossing distances and slow traffic down, and detailed drawings for the scheme show several side roads getting cycle priority crossings on raised tables.

The work also includes new kerbing, electrical ducting, resurfacing and road markings. New streetlighting and some seating areas are part of it too.

What it means for your journey

Work will happen in the daytime under temporary traffic lights. At peak times the lights will be operated manually to keep traffic moving.

Cormac expects delays, so allow extra time for your journeys.

The resurfacing comes towards the end of the project. It needs a series of road closures, so it will be done at night with diversion routes in place.

If you park along the road, it’s worth knowing the plans extend the ‘no waiting at any time’ restrictions in two places, by 15 metres and 37 metres.

The route, section by section

The works will move along the road in seven stages, each with its own set of drawings.

📷Phase 1: Union Corner roundabout to Levant Rise roundabout. Credit: Cornwall Council/Cormac

Union Corner roundabout to Levant Rise roundabout

The footway gets wider and the streetlighting moves. A new toucan crossing, where people on foot and on bikes can cross together, goes in on the approach to the Levant Rise roundabout near Conway Road. Two existing pedestrian crossings and their traffic islands are marked for removal, while an existing uncontrolled crossing by the roundabout stays.

📷Phase 2: Levant Rise roundabout to Bickland Business Centre. Credit: Cornwall Council/Cormac

Levant Rise roundabout to Bickland Business Centre

A new footway goes in on the verge. By Bickland Park football ground, the existing pedestrian island is replaced with a toucan crossing. The plans note extensive vegetation trimming along the southern side of the road to keep it wide enough for lorries. At the Bickland Business Centre junction, the mouth of the junction is narrowed to slow vehicles turning in, with a cycle priority crossing on a raised table.

📷Phase 3: Bickland junction to Empire Way. Credit: Cornwall Council/Cormac

Bickland junction to Empire Way

The footway is widened, the streetlighting relocated and the layby shortened. The Empire Way junction is narrowed in the same way, with its own cycle priority crossing on a raised table.

📷Phase 4: Empire Way to Watson Marlow. Credit: Cornwall Council/Cormac

Empire Way to Watson Marlow

Controlled pedestrian crossing points go in and the footway gets wider. On this stretch the carriageway itself is narrowed to make room for a three-metre shared path, and the junction widths stay as they are for lorry access. The plans also extend the ‘no waiting at any time’ parking restrictions by 15 metres.

📷Phase 5: Watson Marlow to St Francis Primary School. Credit: Cornwall Council/Cormac

Watson Marlow to St Francis Primary School

More footway widening and new pedestrian-controlled crossings. An existing toucan crossing is upgraded to meet current standards, and the Mongleath Road junction is narrowed, with a set-back cycle priority crossing on a raised table.

📷Phase 6: St Francis Primary School to Falmouth Business Park. Credit: Cornwall Council/Cormac

St Francis Primary School to Falmouth Business Park

The footway is widened and new street lighting installed. The ‘no waiting at any time’ restrictions here are extended by 37 metres, and a side road junction gets the narrower mouth and raised cycle priority crossing treatment.

📷Phase 7: Falmouth Business Park to Bosmeor Road and Prislow Lane. Credit: Cornwall Council/Cormac

Falmouth Business Park to Bosmeor Road and Prislow Lane

The footway is widened and ducting laid for new street lighting. The plans for this last stretch run on to Prislow Lane, with the junctions at Bosmeor Road and Prislow Lane both narrowed and their kerbs tightened to slow vehicles turning in.

After that, another 270m of electrical ducting will go in for the new streetlight columns, and the newly widened footways will be resurfaced.

Questions about the works

Cormac says it will post updates on its project page as the works progress. You can also contact the team on 0300 1234 222 or email [email protected].

“Thank you in advance for your cooperation, we are very grateful to everyone for their support and patience,” Cormac said.

📷Plans for a new toucan crossing near the Levant Rise roundabout. Credit: Cornwall Council/Cormac