General Situation
In very general terms, the inland transport network consists of longitudinal spines (the A30, A38 and A39 trunk roads (though the A39 is no longer designated as such) and the former Great Western Railway mainline railway through Cornwall) from which secondary roads and railway branchlines radiate to ports and resorts on the coast.
As a maritime county, ports and sea transport were once vital to Cornwall's prosperity: however, they are less important now. Fishing, too, has traditionally been a core industry and Newlyn remains one of the largest fishing ports in southern Britain and a major centre for distribution of fish and shell-fish to continental Europe. Fish from the ports was an important component of the freight traffic for Cornwall's railways although now the fish is conveyed by road.
As well as Newlyn, several other ports (notably Padstow) cater for commercial fishing albeit on a smaller scale. Many more small harbours cater to sport angling, again reflecting the county's reliance on tourism and leisure.
The coastline of Cornwall is deeply indented (particularly in the south) by estuaries and rias (flooded river valleys) so Cornwall's ferry crossings are an important part of today's transport mix. The Isles of Scilly are accessible by sea from Penzance.
Read more about this topic: Transport In Cornwall
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