Residents ‘have had enough’ as another suspected mineshaft opens in Troon
It follows the six-month closure of nearby Pendarves Road in Beacon, which only reopened two weeks ago.
Residents of a Cornish village say they “have had enough” after a second road in their area was closed due to a suspected mine shaft opening up.
Newton Road in Troon, near Camborne, is currently closed between Newton Moor and Grenville Gardens after a hole appeared in the road on Tuesday (May 26). It follows the six-month closure of nearby Pendarves Road in Beacon, which only reopened two weeks ago.
A Cornwall Council spokesperson told us: “It’s likely this is linked to historic mining activity, but we need carry out further detailed investigations to confirm the cause and inform an appropriate remedial design.
“We appreciate the road closure has and will cause inconvenience and frustration. However, safety is our priority.”
An initial six-month road closure, until November 27, has been installed while investigations take place.
The hole’s appearance comes just a couple of weeks after nearby Pendarves Street in Beacon reopened after six months’ work to repair a hole caused by a collapsed 40ft mineshaft. The work was delayed due to a dispute between Cornwall Council and South West Water (SWW).
Residents living in surrounding areas described “traffic chaos” from diversions, with those in Troon said they were “cut off”. The new road closure is the final straw for many people living in the village.
Rachel Goodman, of Troon Residents’ Action Group, said: “The residents of Troon have had enough.
“The alternative route this time is a seven-mile diversion through Four Lanes and with the price of fuel and the cost of living squeeze, this is adding pressure on families who are stretched to breaking point.
“It is having an unacceptable effect on elderly residents, who need to attend doctors and hospital appointments and also for children attending schools in Camborne. The speed that emergency services vehicles can access the village is also being compromised.
“The road needs to be permanently repaired as a matter of urgency.”
They are now planning a protest on the road to “show Cornwall Council the strength of feeling at being cut off from Camborne”.
Residents are also concerned that more wasn’t done to investigate the condition of Newton Road when an area was fenced off by Cornwall Council’s highways company Cormac right next to where the hole has appeared. The area on a grass verge next to the road was closed off last year.
It’s also not the first time a hole has appeared in Newton Road leading to its closure.
Mrs Goodman wrote to Cornwall Highways after the hole appeared this week, saying: “I seriously hope that this is not a ‘mining feature’ that results in the road being closed for months like the one in Beacon.
“Can you please explain why an investigation was not carried out after the fencing was erected?
“Can you please provide an urgent update on the plan to repair the road. Residents will be very concerned about another hole in the same location that resulted in the road being closed for months some years ago.”
A highways manager responded: “The older fenced off feature had been monitored for some time, and the fencing was installed to prevent vehicle loading as a precautionary measure. At that stage, the feature was considered stable and, as the road was able to remain open, it was not prioritised ahead of a number of higher priority sites, including Pendarves Street, Beacon, and Clijah Lane, South Downs.
“The secondary feature that appeared last night developed without any prior indication that it was forming. Following notification, the area was promptly fenced off to ensure public safety.
“Our geotechnical team is already collating the necessary information and I will provide an update to the relevant parties as soon as further details are available.”
We understand that a team from Cornwall Council will investigate the hole’s appearance on Monday to ascertain which, if any, utilities are affected. The local authority will have a clearer view on Tuesday on how long the repair work will take and if the road will need to be closed until the end of November.