COUNCIL chiefs have delayed giving the green light to controversial plans to make the roads leading to Newquay Train Station safer for walkers and cyclists following a public backlash.

Cornwall Council has agreed to carry out a business impact assessment and hold further meetings with the business community following criticism at a public consultation about its revised plans to remove 19 short term parking spaces in Cliff Road to make way for a cycle lane.

A petition titled Save Cliff Road Parking, which was launched to fight the plans due to concerns businesses would be detrimentally impacted, has been signed by nearly 1,000 people.

Cornwall Council has proposed to address the concerns by creating 74 new parking spaces within the vicinity of Cliff Road.

But opponents say most of the extra spaces would be too far away as 63 of them would be created from changing Tolcarne coach car park to a standard pay and display car park.

Businesses fear they will lose trade if Cornwall Council replaces the three bays outside Morrisons Daily, Dominoes and the Old Factory Shop with cycle lanes as part of the Mid Cornwall Metro scheme.

Shop owners and residents would like to see the unitary authority implement an alternative cycle route put forward by Newquay BID, which would see the cycle lane turn off down Edgcumbe Avenue.

The route would connect with Newquay Junior Academy and the existing pathway by the train station but the project delivery team at Cornwall Council say the alternative route would make the scheme “more dangerous.”

A spokesperson for Cornwall Council said: “Throughout this process we have always made it clear that we want to work with the local community on our proposals for highway and public space improvements in Newquay.

“While the majority of those who attended our recent public exhibition were in favour of the plans, we appreciate the concerns raised by some in the business community and, as a result, have agreed to carry out a business impact assessment and hold further meetings with stakeholders.

“The business assessment will be considered alongside the council’s standard assessment process which looks at the impact of council decisions on a range of areas including environment, social and equality and inclusion.”

Joanna Kenny, the Cornwall councillor for Newquay Central, said: “As you can imagine, there has been much discussion behind the scenes on this inherited project.

“I am pleased that we have been able to negotiate a delay, albeit only for a few weeks, to give the council project team more time to talk to those people, particularly the Newquay BID and the local businesses, who have real concern with the proposals.

“There are things I don’t like but there is some good stuff in there too.

“I’m hoping that, in this new administration, this will be the start of Cornwall Council consulting ‘with’ the Community not ‘at’ the Community for future projects not just this one. And that the final solution here may not be perfect for everyone but at least be acknowledged as an acceptable and reasonable compromise.”