Newquay BID Calls for Action on Town Infrastructure as Part of “Safe, Clean and Green” Initiative

Newquay BID is reinforcing its commitment to maintaining a safe, clean, and welcoming town centre, while calling on key infrastructure bodies to step up and take greater responsibility for the condition of public assets across Newquay.

As part of its ongoing “Safe, Clean and Green” focus, Newquay BID continues to support local safety initiatives by working closely with town rangers and the police. This includes providing loaned ShopWatch and PubWatch radios, as well as body cameras for local businesses funded through the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC). 

Alongside these efforts, Newquay BID has expanded its focus to improving town centre cleanliness. The organisation works closely with Biffa, carrying out regular walkarounds, liaising with environmental health teams, and maintaining a highly responsive relationship with Cornwall Council to address waste collection, dumping, and general upkeep. Recent initiatives have even included targeted efforts to remove stickers from lampposts and signage to enhance the town’s appearance.

In addition, Newquay BID plays an active role in the Newquay Clean Groups monthly meetings with key stakeholders including Newquay Town Council, Cornwall Council, and a wide range of community organisations dedicated to protecting the town’s beaches and green spaces. These sessions provide a platform to discuss ongoing issues, share concerns, and coordinate action to keep Newquay and its surrounding areas clean and well maintained.

The BID is also working collaboratively with organisations such as Your Art Connect, supporting initiatives like the legal graffiti wall at Trenance, and partnering with the Probation Service and Newquay Town Council to carry out targeted clean-up of tagging across the town centre. Alongside this, Newquay continues to benefit from a growing collection of vibrant large-scale murals and smaller door murals, which are transforming the town’s visual identity and contributing to a more creative and welcoming environment.

However, significant challenges remain.

Newquay BID has identified ongoing issues with road infrastructure, including worn or unclear signage, faded road markings, damaged yellow lines, deteriorating tarmac, and potholes. These problems are not only impacting the appearance of the town but are also creating serious safety risks. 

For example:

• Drivers exiting Fore Street car park are frequently turning left into oncoming traffic due to unclear road markings.

• At Marcus Hill, vehicles are mistakenly entering a one-way system in the wrong direction, posing a significant hazard.

• Faded yellow lines at Wesley Yard are creating parking and safety issues.

• At Gover Lane, faded yellow lines and poor road conditions are contributing to ongoing access and safety concerns.

• Along the Crescent, a lack of clear and effective yellow lines is resulting in static parking, including long-term van use throughout the year.

“These are not just maintenance issues they are public safety concerns,” said Mark from Newquay BID. “While we recognise the pressures on highways teams, issues like these should not be left unresolved for months or years. These areas in particular require urgent attention.” 

Newquay BID is therefore formally challenging Cornwall Council’s highways department to prioritise these risks and ensure that infrastructure such as signage, road markings, and surfaces are maintained to a safe and acceptable standard.

“We’re not just raising problems, we’re offering to be part of the solution,” Mark added. “But organisations must take accountability for the infrastructure they install and maintain." 

CLLR Drew Creek Mayor of Newquay said "I fully support Newquay BID in raising these concerns. The state of some of our town centre infrastructure including faded road markings, unclear signage, deteriorating road surfaces, is not acceptable, and in several of the cases highlighted, these are genuine safety risks that need urgent attention.

As Mayor, I have heard these concerns from residents and businesses on a regular basis, and I share the BID's frustration that issues of this nature are allowed to persist for months/years without resolution. Newquay is a town with real momentum, growing its reputation as a vibrant, year-round destination and it is important that our public infrastructure reflects that ambition.

I want to recognise the significant work the BID does to keep our town centre safe, clean and welcoming, often going well beyond what should reasonably be expected of a business improvement district. That effort deserves to be matched by the statutory bodies responsible for maintaining our roads and public assets.

I would urge Cornwall Council's highways department and all relevant infrastructure owners to take the concerns raised here seriously, prioritise the specific safety issues identified, and work with the BID and the wider community to bring our town centre up to the standard Newquay deserves." 

Newquay BID is encouraging businesses and members of the public to report issues such as unsafe signage, damaged road markings, or poorly maintained infrastructure via the Cornwall Council Report It link:

https://www.cornwall.gov.uk/transport-parking-and-streets/roads-highways-and-pavements/report-a-problem-with-a-road-or-pavement/

Over the coming weeks, BID  will also be conducting a comprehensive visual audit of the town centre, documenting issues and submitting them directly to the responsible organisations.

This initiative forms part of a broader strategy to support Newquay as a vibrant, year-round destination. With growing events, improved transport links, thriving local businesses, and continued investment in arts and wellbeing, the town is well positioned for continued success.

“Newquay is evolving into a strong, all-year-round town,” Mark said. “But to support that growth, we need all organisations to step up, take pride in their presence, and ensure their infrastructure reflects the quality and potential of our town.”

In addition, following several weeks of ongoing communication, Newquay BID is now in active discussions with Openreach regarding the condition of green street cabinets across the town centre. Many of these cabinets are currently affected by graffiti and general poor maintenance. We are working collaboratively with Openreach and are hopeful that improvement works and refurbishment of these assets will take place in the coming weeks.