A390
Generated by GPT-5-miniExpansion Funnel Raw 65 → Dedup 0 → NER 0 → Enqueued 0
| A390 | |
|---|---|
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Route | 390 |
| Length km | 64 |
| Direction a | North |
| Terminus a | Camborne |
| Direction b | South |
| Terminus b | Salisbury |
| Counties | Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Wiltshire |
A390
The A390 is a primary A road in the south-west of England linking Camborne and Salisbury via Truro, St Austell, Liskeard, Saltash, Plymouth, Tavistock and Launceston. The route connects historic urban centres such as Falmouth and industrial towns like Redruth and provides links to strategic corridors including the A30 and A38. It serves as part of regional networks used by freight from ports such as Falmouth Docks and Plymouth Port and by tourists accessing attractions like St Michael's Mount and Dartmoor.
Route description
The A390 begins north-west of Camborne near the junction with the A30 and runs east through the conurbation of Redruth and Camborne before turning south-east toward Truro. It skirts the northern suburbs of Truro Cathedral and meets the A39 near the city centre, then continues south-east toward St Austell, passing close to the industrial heritage sites of Geevor Mine and Poldark Mine. East of St Austell the road approaches the Eden Project access roads and intersects the A391 before heading inland through Liskeard toward Saltash, where it crosses the River Tamar on approaches to the Royal Albert Bridge corridor served by the Tamar Bridge. South-west into Plymouth the route connects with urban radial routes including the A38 Parkway, then proceeds north-east via Tavistock and Launceston across the fringes of Dartmoor National Park before entering Wiltshire and terminating at Salisbury with links to the A36 and A338.
History
Originally designated in the early 20th century under the Ministry of Transport road numbering, the A390 evolved with reroutings linked to industrial shifts in Cornwall and the expansion of coastal ports like Falmouth and Newlyn. Sections were realigned in the post-war period to serve new developments around Truro and to connect with trunk upgrades such as the A30 improvements at Launceston. Bridgeworks and river crossings were influenced by projects involving Isambard Kingdom Brunel era structures near Saltash and later maintenance programmes tied to agencies including National Highways and county councils of Cornwall Council and Plymouth City Council. The road has seen successive safety campaigns inspired by high-profile incidents on rural stretches and by national initiatives from the Department for Transport.
Major junctions
Key junctions include the link with the A30 at the western terminus near Camborne, the interchange with the A39 at Truro, the roundabout connections with the A391 and A3058 near St Austell, the crossing points toward the M5 corridor via feeder routes at Plymouth, and the connection to the A38 Parkway providing access to Exeter and Bristol. Eastbound, junctions with the A30 near Launceston and terminal connections to the A36 and A338 in Salisbury are significant for long-distance traffic to Bournemouth, Portsmouth, and London via strategic routes.
Traffic and safety
Traffic levels vary from urban commuter flows in Plymouth and Truro to rural freight movements serving ports such as Falmouth Docks and Newlyn Harbour. Seasonal peaks coincide with tourism to St Michael's Mount, Eden Project, and Dartmoor attractions, increasing collision risk on narrow sections near Bodmin Moor and valley crossings like the River Tamar. Safety interventions have included speed limit reviews influenced by investigations by Road Safety Foundation partners, carriageway resurfacing funded through Department for Transport local major schemes, and targeted enforcement operations coordinated with Devon and Cornwall Police.
Public transport and cycling
The A390 corridor is served by interurban bus operators linking Camborne, Truro, St Austell, and Plymouth, including services run by companies such as Stagecoach South West and community bus partnerships supported by Cornwall Council. Park-and-ride and rail interchanges at Truro railway station and Plymouth railway station provide modal transfer points, with rail services operated by Great Western Railway and CrossCountry connecting to the National Rail network. Cycling provision varies: urban sections near Truro and Plymouth have segregated cycleways promoted by Sustrans routes, whereas rural stretches remain challenging for long-distance cycle tourism to sites like Tamar Trails.
Future developments and upgrades
Planned works include capacity and safety upgrades coordinated by Cornwall Council, Devon County Council, and Wiltshire Council with funding bids to Department for Transport and contributions from regional programmes such as the Heart of the South West Local Enterprise Partnership. Proposals under consideration range from junction realignments near St Austell to bridge maintenance programs affecting crossings associated with Isambard Kingdom Brunel heritage assets. Strategic aims mirror regional transport strategies seeking improved resilience on corridors linking A30 and A38, with stakeholder engagement from bodies including Natural England where schemes intersect protected landscapes like Dartmoor National Park.