A LONG-AWAITED traffic improvement plan for Callington, which has split the community, is expected to be sorted out this week after fears that the funding might be lost.

Town councillors said they were concerned that the £145,000 to enhance Callington, secured through the Tesco development, would be eaten up on more consultations and redesigns and the scheme would never actually happen.

The idea for a one-way system to improve safety for pedestrians and motorists in Callington town centre was first talked about ten years ago, but it was dogged by problems of conflicting opinions between town councillors and county officers and finance.

When planning permission was given for a Tesco store at Tavistock Road, town councillors saw an opportunity and secured money for a traffic management scheme through the section 106 (planning gain) agreement.

But the scheme, which should have been in place by the time Tesco was built, to encourage people to use the town centre, was delayed when plans took longer than expected to be drawn up by Cornwall Council officers.

There has been divided opinion over the scheme, which creates a one-way system up Church Street, through Fore Street and down Well Street and some additional on-street parking. Traders claim it will impact negatively on their businesses but residents are mostly in favour of it.

The council has to decide this week whether to go ahead with the original scheme, an amended proposal which will require further consultation or go back to Tesco and ask it to vary the terms of reference to a broader town centre community benefit.

Cllr Denise Winfindale said at a meeting of the council's planning committee: 'I cannot believe we are changing it again. The one-way system was in the town plan and the public accepted it. Then we had the money to do it and we were all very excited and happy about it and now it has all gone pear-shaped and we are back to the drawing board.'

Cllr Jamie Dowdall said: 'Every time we have a consultation it uses money and in a minute there will be no money left to do the scheme.'

The meeting was told that the traders had come up with some interesting ideas which were worth looking at with the architect, but Cllr Jeremy Gist added: 'I do feel that we are going around in circles and I am very frustrated by it.'

Cllr Andrew Long said the consultation did throw up other issues, not just traders' concerns, including problems with HGV access to commercial premises in Church Street, and these needed to be sorted out.