THE MP for North Cornwall is urging Cornwall Council to get the A39 at Fore Street in Camelford re-opened as quickly as possible.

North Cornwall’s Liberal Democrat MP Ben Maguire has also invited the new Transport Secretary Louise Haigh to visit to discuss proposals for a bypass.

The temporary closure of the A39 due to an unsafe building is “crippling local businesses” according to the MP. He wants Cornwall Council to take action and make the building safe, if the building owner is unable or unwilling to do so themselves, so the road can be re-opened.

Mr Maguire has also taken the campaign for a bypass or alternative scheme for traffic passing through the narrow town centre to Parliament, where one of his first acts as a new MP was to submit a House of Commons motion urging the government to act.

The MP says he has also submitted Parliamentary Questions on the issue, and is urging the new Transport Secretary to visit Camelford to discuss alternatives with local people and businesses.

Mr Maguire said: “The A39 closure at Fore Street in Camelford is an absolute nightmare for motorists, for local people and is crippling local businesses in the town centre who are suffering from a lack of footfall.

“This cannot be allowed to rumble on and on for weeks without an end in sight. If the owner of the building is unable or unwilling to sort out the problems so the road can be re-opened then Cornwall Council need to look at taking ownership of the problem and get the road open as quickly as possible.

“This temporary closure has once again highlighted the issues that through traffic on the busy A39 going through the narrow town centre poses. That’s why one of the first things I’ve done in Parliament as North Cornwall’s MP is to submit a House of Commons motion calling on the new Transport Secretary Louise Haigh to commit to looking at an alternative.

“I’ve also raised this through Parliamentary Questions and am urging the Transport Secretary to visit Camelford so we can discuss the problem and potential solutions with local people and businesses.”