Levelling up Britain: why Cornwall needs more than just tourism

The Guardian visits the county to find out the scale of problems that the looming budget needs to address

In next week's Budget, new chancellor Rishi Sunak is expected to announce measures to kickstart the "levelling up" of Britain's lop-sided economy. The Guardian visited three places which the government should be targeting - to discover the scale of the local problems, and what help is needed.

Things are looking up for Penzance. Its wonderful seawater lido has been refurbished. Maintenance and repair for the sleeper trains to Paddington have been relocated due to work on HS2, creating 70 well-paid jobs. There are ambitious plans to revamp the main shopping street, which curves elegantly from the railway station to the statue of the town's favourite son, Humphry Davy, at the top of the hill.

Related: The Guardian view on Boris Johnson's 'levelling up': there's no quick fix | Editorial

It takes four and a quarter hours to get from Truro to London. It is quicker to get from London to Glasgow. I am more than 100 miles from the nearest motorway.