A NEW group has been established to get the Newquay cycle trail plans back on track.

A working party has been set up to try and persuade Cornwall Council to open the Newquay to Goonhavern section of the Saints Trail.

Cornwall Council abandoned plans to launch the route back in February 2022, which would primarily use the former railway line, due to significant funding problems and difficulties acquiring the necessary land.

Geoff Brown, the former Cornwall Council Cabinet member for transport, has been appointed the vice-chair of the working party, to see if there is scope to finally open the off-road cycle and pedestrian path.

He says a considerable amount of work and cost had already been expended on the Newquay section of the Saints Trail including track bed clearance and the enhancement of the Waterworld car park.

Mr Brown said: “We've not given up opening the Newquay section of the Saints Trail with a working party set up under the banner of the Community Partnership to see what we can do to complete the project.

“I worked hard whilst the Cabinet Member for Transport to deliver the completed Saints Trail, so I was hugely disappointed that the council chose to drop the Newquay to Goonhavern section.

“I don’t know if the allocated funding was spent in favour of a gold-plated route into Truro or whether it was handed back.

“I am therefore delighted to work with such an enthusiastic group of young people and to be appointed vice-chair of the working party to try and get the new council to revisit the project and complete the route.

“Much of the route has already been cleared and prepared by teams from Cormac where it had become overgrown so unless the trail is opened it will grow back and will be a waste of money.

“I’m also keen, as is the group, to open the trail without any compulsory purchase orders. It is something I resisted whilst on the Cabinet. There are alternatives than displacing people from their homes.

“It would be great a great boost for tourism and for the health of the community and visitors if the trail is opened. It would be somewhere safe to cycle that is off road. It’s a win win.

“It would follow the old railway tracks down St Newlyn East and would go through the Treveth development at Trevemper. They have already put in a pedestrian crossing there, which would have been part of the cycle trail, that now goes to nowhere.

“It would then go along the footway at the back of Morrisons and bring you to the Treloggan crossing railway line and down to the skate car park at Trenance where you could have cycling services.

“There is no reason the trail can’t be opened. The scheme just needs funding and some sensible negotiation with landowners.”

Cornwall Council has previously stated it remains open to progressing the Newquay Saints Trail route in the future if land can be acquired by agreement and funding becomes available.