Strategy Soup?

The Strategies (we think) that are currently under way in/for Falmouth include the following:

Completed

• Falmouth and Penryn Community Plan
• Cornwall Council Economic Strategy White Paper
• Strategic Investment Framework - a bidding document for the Convergence programme

In draft

• Community Network Programme - a sumamry of local community plans
• Local Investment Framework

In train

• CC Sustainable Community Strategy
• CC Local Development Framework
• CC Local Transport Plan (LTP3)
• Port of Falmouth masterplan
• Industrial Estates masterplan
• CC Car Park strategy - about 12 months form completion
• Church Street Car Park development options

Coming soon?

• CC Green paper for Cornwall
• Town Development Framework - an input to the Local Development Framework

Farewell John Slaughter

... and so, farewell John Slaughter: former chair of the Town Forum, former trustee of the Cornwall Maritime Museum, tireless campaigner for Falmouth and especially its traffic systems.

At the Forum meeting on 12 May John was presented with a model bollard, complete with flashing lights.

John has not only chaired the Forum, but has been involved in many consultation exercises in Falmouth, lately driving us all through the production of the Community Plan. His only failure that anyone can remember was his inability to get the Council to see the benefit of pay-on-exit at the car parks. To the last he was proposing new ideas: he left his last Forum with instructions that we should explore making Falmouth the first 20 mph town in Cornwall.

Paying tribute to John, Jonathan Griffin said ' The Forum is reassured to know that we will be receiving regular reports on the Cardiff traffic system. It has been suggested that we should arrange a twinning arrangement with the city burghers who are, as yet, innocent of what awaits them: "That castle will have to move and who on earth had the idea of building a rugby ground just there; now about this roundabout ..."

'It is impossible not to hold John in high regard. His energy and dogged determination have been to Falmouth's considerable benefit. we will all miss his contributions and often devious logic. We wish him well.'

Treluswell Park and Rail

At the March meeting we were discussing the proposed Treluswell Park and Rail which appears to have no support in Falmouth. The following has arrived from Cornwall Council:

'The County Council agreed the development of a bus-based park and ride scheme for Truro. The park and ride scheme has three phases. Phase one is located at Threemilestone, and was opened in August 2008. The second phase is for the eastern corridor and third phase for the Treluswell Park and Ride. The proposal for the park and ride at Treluswell was included in the Local Transport Plan 2006-2011 (LTP2) which underwent full consultation [Did this ever come to Falmouth or the Forum? - Ed] before its approval by the County Council in December 2005.

'As well as being included within LTP2 an assessment of the scheme was also included within the Truro Rail Study undertaken by the Council in 2006.

'The location of the Treluswell Park and Ride and its utilisation of the improved rail service, means that of the three schemes, it has the highest potential to intercept car trips in both directions thus influencing how people travel to Falmouth as well as Truro. The scheme is currently undergoing a feasibility study assessing a broad range of issues associated with the proposal including: timetabling issues; potential usage numbers and physical buildability.

'The first phase of the feasibility study is due to conclude in May 2010. The conclusions and recommendations from this study will be fed back through the Community Network and it can also be fed back at the Falmouth-Penryn Regeneration meeting.

'Click here for the LTP2 on the Council website and a copy of the Truro Rail Study. These are probably the best documents to provide you with the background to the proposal.'