A30 - Do NOT use it!

[lazybloke]

All trunk roads are also A roads, but not all A roads are also trunk roads.

Yes that's understood; so having A roads and Trunk roads as different items on a graph suggests there's some double-counting.

 

[Ajax Bay]

Doubt it. They've just split out the data for main roads between 'trunk' roads and A roads (ie not 'trunk'). I am surprised there are so many cyclist injured incidents at trunk road junctions, but suspect some/most of these are cyclist crossing slip road exit entrance and driver of motor vehicle dangerously not looking. If one rides on dual carriageways (and sometimes it's (sort of) unavoidable) then be very aware at those points. Of course it applies to main roads with slip road junctions as well.

 

[Twilkes]

I rode most of the A30 south back in June 2000, has the road itself changed or is it just the increase in traffic? I remember enough space to the left of the white line to ride in for most of the time, and don't remember ever being intimidated by the traffic but that might have been me being a naive 22 year old.

 

[Ajax Bay]

Isn't every 22 year old a native?
Since 2000, the A30 west from Honiton is a full-on dual carriageway all the way to Camborne, except an 8 mile stretch Carland Cross - Three Burrows (NE of Redruth), with no roundabouts otherwise. All the other single cariageway stretches have finally been dualled eg Honiton to Exeter (M5) and a section across Bodmin Moor. Goss Moor/Indian Queens bypass was complete in '95, and/but has a good parallel cycle route.
I think riding to the left of the 'white line' may offer psychological succour, but that's about it, at the expense of riding through road detritus with the increased risk of puncturing therefrom.

 

[lazybloke]

I rode most of the A30 south back in June 2000, has the road itself changed or is it just the increase in traffic? I remember enough space to the left of the white line to ride in for most of the time, and don't remember ever being intimidated by the traffic but that might have been me being a native 22 year old.

I've been having a weekend (or more recently a family holiday) in Cornwall annually since the late 80s. More of the A30 has been dualled in that time. I don't suppose I'd consider cycling it in daylight, but I'd tackle almost anything at night.

 

[robgul]

This may be useful . . . . the issues with the A30 in the south west are legion - MickF from the CTC Forum (and multi-endotender) has provided some suggested routes with .gpx and .pdf maps to ride from LE to Tiverton (or the other way)

See : https://www.cycle-endtoend.org.uk/planning/the-a30-in-the-west for the details and downloads.

[The www.cycle-endtoend.org.uk site has been rebuilt recently - it's still managed by me but generously hosted by Shaun here at CycleChat.]