Chiverton Cross

The site of Chiverton Cross Roundabout in 1923

The site of Chiverton Cross Roundabout in 1923

Chiverton Cross Roundabout is probably the most famous junction in Cornwall after Innis Downs roundabout was replaced in 2007. It is the meeting point of the two busiest roads in Cornwall, the A30 and the A390 from Truro. As a result, it is notoriously busy in peak times, with tailbacks often reaching Threemilestone on the A390.

It is also the start point one of the main roads to Newquay, the A3075, and the B3277 to St Agnes.

It started life as two separate junctions; a fork junction to the north east with the then B3283 and a crossroads with the B3285 at Three Burrows. The B3285 was soon extended along its current route in the early thirties. It was then decided in 1935 that it would reclassified between Greenbottom and St Agnes as the B3277, and for the B3283 to be upgraded to A-class as the A3075, giving us four of the junction's roads.

The main roundabout was built when the B3277 was upgraded and re-aligned between Three Burrows and Threemilestone. The A3075 and B3277 were both extended to meet this new roundabout, creating a large, five armed roundabout with the A30 and the newly upgraded B3277. At this point, the B3277 to Truro was renumbered as the A390, with the old road being declassified through Chacewater and Greenbottom.

Next to be added to this ever growing complex was the Blackwater Bypass on the A30, which cut through the old B3277 to meet the roundabout to the South West. As time progressed and traffic volumes grew, the roundabout was becoming more and more unmanageable, with lots of traffic using the old road between Threemilestone and Redruth and the old A30 through Blackwater to avoid the queues on the main roads.

Plans were drawn up in 2004 for the A30 to bypass the roundabout by turning it into a two bridge roundabout on the site, with the A30 heading underneath (as well as dualling the road the the east). When it became apparent that the funds were not going to be available for this, Cornwall Council provided funding to make some fundamental changes to the junction. It added more lanes to the approaches of all of arms and two lanes off of the A390, A3075 and A30(E) and combined the B3277 and the former A30 into one arm, which meant the creation of a new roundabout on the site of the old crossroads. They also provided a filter lane for the A390 towards the A30 to Redruth, allowing traffic from Truro to bypass the roundabout all together.

New plans were made for the junction in connection with the A30 Carland Cross - Chiverton Cross dualling scheme. This work started in 2020 and by 2023 the old junction was no more. A new dumbbell junction has been created to the north east of the previous junction which also required re-alignments of all the connected roads (A390; A3075 and B3277. The old A30 which will be turned into a local access route also plugs into the new junction. As of February 2024, completion of the dualled overbrdige for the new junction is stiall awaited and there are suggestions that the early 2024 finish will not be met. One of the wettest winters ever in the South West has not helped matters.

There are services just off of the old junction, including two neighbouring Petrol Stations and a Starbucks coffee within the former Little Chef building. One wonders if all can continue as they are now some way from the new junction and only the B3277 and old A30 through Blackwater will have easy access.

Routes

Route	To	Notes
A30	Bodmin
A30	Redruth
A390	Truro
A3075	Newquay 12, Perranporth 5, Cider Farm
B3277	St Agnes, Blackwater
B3285	St Agnes
B3285	Truro
B3283	Newquay