Families and elderly people struggling to cross the busy A390 at Drakewalls could soon have a pedestrian crossing, following a successful meeting between local councillors and highways officials.

Local councillors Cllr Dorothy Kirk, Cornwall councillor for the area as well as a parish councillor, made the case to Cornwall Council together with Delaware ward councillors John Wells and Ken Trapp.

She said the meeting via Zoom on Thursday last week had been very successful.

The crossing had originally been promised in planning gain when Wainhomes built the Tamar Meadows development, but has never materialised. Now a crossing is on the way, as part of £200,000 being spent on road safety measures on the busy A390 through St Ann’s Chapel, Drakewalls and Albaston.

‘We had a meeting with the officers to explain what we want,’ said Cllr Kirk. ‘At the moment they are suggesting a refuge [an central area marked off by bollards where people can wait to cross the road] but we feel we need a pedestrian crossing.

‘Huge numbers of houses have gone up and people need to cross to the primary school and the ‘rising fives’ on the other side of the road. And it is not just the children, there are loads of pensioners in Moorland Way and the Market Garden estate, a lot of people who will have to cross the road.

‘We are in the process of negotiating and things are looking much more positive now.

‘They are now going to do a survey of the number of pedestrians crossing the road because the last survey was done two years ago, and that is before a lot of these houses were finished. I am optimistic. We are going to get a zebra crossing for children, young people, elderly people and adults. I think we have made some really good progress.’

She said the survey was to be carried out in the next few weeks, and not in school holidays as this would not give a proper view of just how many people needed to cross the A390.

She hopes this will provide a clear picture of just how many people cross the road at this point, beside Delaware Primary Academy and Delaware Pre-School.

The pedestrian crossing is part of £200,000 being spent on the A390 through St Ann’s Chapel and Gunnislake by Cornwall Council which will also include speed cameras at either end of St Ann’s Chapel.

Originally, a refuge was suggested for this point opposite the primary school, but Cllr Kirk said they did not feel this would be adequate.

‘If you have got a pram and a toddler, and I remember those days very well from years ago, then it is difficult to stand in a refuge without sticking out from one end or another.

‘It is also for elderly people who are wanting to cross the road to catch the bus. If you live in Moorland Way and you want to catch the bus to go to Callington, you have got to cross the road.We have always really wanted a crossing and we also expected there to be one as part of the Section 106 agreement with Wainhomes.

‘ I pay tribute to [parish councillors] John Wells and Ken Trapp who stood firm with me and said we want a pedestrian crossing, and the officers have listened, to their credit, and I think we are on the way.’