For months, residents and visitors to Bude have been waiting in lengths of traffic whilst trying to get to work, school or making a trip to town.
On May 12, a celebratory banner was put up at the practically finished site, stating, ‘Congratulations Cormac on a speedy completion of the Great Cormac Roundabout. Well done!’
This has attracted attention from those on social media, with the original post on the Facebook page, Bude Banter, receiving a humorous response. Along with the sign was a bunting, as well as a ‘model’ of a Cormac builder, complete with a hard-hat and high vis jacket. However, since they were first spotted, both the sign and the builder — ‘David Cormac’, who even has his own Facebook account now — have gone missing from the site.
Regarding the roundabout, Cornwall Council has said: “The current roundabout construction works followed a lengthy period of extensive utility diversion works. These works were an essential part of the overall project and included the movement or protection of significant fibre-optic telecommunications equipment, in addition to gas, water and electrical plant. The roundabout construction phase started in late October 2016.
“We apologise for delays to motorists during the construction of the roundabout. We are at the final stages of the construction process, but some traffic management will still be needed for some of the operations to be completed safely. The current programme anticipates that the roundabout will be substantially complete by the end of May 2017.
“The council has worked with key stakeholders to develop a town-wide transport strategy to support housing growth with walking, cycling, public transport infrastructure and junction improvements key elements of the strategy. Cornwall Council will continue to work with stakeholders to support growth and to manage the impacts of new development.”
Locals will have to put up with the traffic lights for the completion of the pavements, which will continue until May 19, it is expected. According to Cormac’s Facebook page, to ‘help ease congestion’, the lights will be operating from 9.30am until 3.30pm until this time.
However, at the Binhamy Road site, two-way traffic lights will be installed to manage traffic while works are carried out there from May 22.