The paper outlines the strategy employed in a town in Cornwall, England to maximise the benefits obtained from the construction of a bypass. Whenever a bypass is proposed, claims are made to justify its construction. The bypass will shorten journey times for through traffic, it will assist industry and commerce allowing the town to breathe and regenerate. It will reduce pollution, lessen accidents and enhance the environment. In the vast majority of cases, most of these claims can be justified, but will it be true to say that we will have done our best for the town if all we have done is to build a bypass? In this paper it is proposed that bypasses are only part of the answer. In order to maximise the benefit of that investment, a comprehensive package of proposals addressing traffic management, land use and environmental issues is needed. (A)
Abstract