A notorious junction across the A30 dual carriageway has been labelled as “unsafe” by National Highways.

As part of a consultation into a planning application for the creation of a Greggs-to-go outlet as part of Plusha service station, the agency responsible for maintaining Britain’s major roads said that it objected to the development on the grounds that making the junction safer would not be achievable at a “cost” to the applicant.

The area has a large crash history, said the agency, adding:  “A review of validated collision data for the most recent five-year period (2017-21) shows that there were 12 personal injury collisions recorded at the junction. Of these, four were classed as serious and eight classed as slight in severity. In the preceding 10 years, a further 22 collisions were recorded (of which two were classed as fatal, four serious and 16 slight). National Highways considers that any increase in turning movements to access the development, particularly right-turn manoeuvres across the high-speed dual carriageway, would be unacceptable on highway safety grounds.”

National Highways concluded in objecting to the planning permission: “National Highways recommends that application reference PA23/00461 should be refused by the local planning authority for the following reasons: The proposals are contrary to the National Planning Policy Framework paragraphs 110 and 111 in that they represent an intensification of use with the potential to increase vehicle turning movements at an existing junction on a high-speed network with a known collision history. This constitutes an unacceptable impact on highway safety which the applicant cannot cost effectively mitigate to an acceptable degree.”

The comments were met with interest by the area’s Cornwall councillor Adrian Parsons, the council member for Altarnun and Stoke Climsland, who said: “It was interesting to see National Highways most recent objection to the proposed development of a Greggs fast food outlet proposed at Bodmin Moor services. This latest report again highlights that they are failing by their own admission to provide a safe and secure strategic road network at Plusha Junction, which in turn is stifling business, job creation and growth in the area.”