Some interesting results of Landrake traffic surveys
The Parish Council holds an advisory role in highways matters, with Cornwall Council acting as the responsible authority. To provide informed guidance, the Council has reviewed potential measures to improve traffic management within the village, supported by baseline data.Residents raised two primary concerns:
• Vehicles exceeding the 20mph limit on Tideford Road, creating safety risks.
• The village being used as a shortcut between the westbound A38 and local roads via Back Lane, School Road, and Tideford Road.
Cornwall Council Highways conducted a week-long speed survey on Tideford Road from 30 October to 6 November. This period included two school holiday days, a weekend, and three standard weekdays. The results showed that 9.0% of vehicles exceeded 20mph (6.0% exiting and 16.2% entering), with no vehicles recorded above 30mph. Although overall compliance was high, the data indicates that speed management measures warrant further consideration.
To assess the possibility of rat running, the Parish Council conducted its own survey on 26 March between 08:00 and 09:00, the morning peak period. Councillors monitored vehicle movements into and out of the village and recorded the time each vehicle spent within the village.
Key findings from this one-hour sample include:
• No rat running was observed. Only one vehicle entered via Back Lane and exited via Tideford Road, spending nearly ten minutes in the village—likely for a school drop off.
• Back Lane was used more frequently than anticipated, with 74 vehicles entering—comparable to the 81 entering via Memorial Road.
• Thirty-one vehicles exited via Tideford Road, while 110 exited via Memorial Road.
• Peak movements corresponded with school start times.
• Vehicles entering via Back Lane typically remained in the village for 10–15 minutes, whereas those entering via Memorial Road tended to stay for 0–5 minutes.
While this survey does not provide evidence of rat running during the observed period, it does not rule out the possibility under different circumstances, such as heavy congestion or lane blockages on Notter Hill.
11th March 2026