An ambitious programme of improvements to boost Devon’s economic recovery and enhance local transport has been approved by the Cabinet.
We’re working with district councils across Devon to bid for almost £75 million of Government funding.
Our Cabinet approved a package of five schemes to be put forward for cash from the Government’s Levelling-Up Fund and agreed to make a contribution of over £6 million towards the work. Together with contributions from individual district councils, the overall bid is worth £92 million and is set to be submitted in July.
The schemes span the county and would benefit Okehampton, Exmouth, Cullompton, Lee Mill and Newton Abbot.
In Okehampton there would be a second railway station on county council land to the east of the town to make the best use of the new passenger service to Exeter. We are working with West Devon Borough Council to create a £17 million transport hub with facilities for bus connections, cycle links and electric vehicle charging. The aim is to provide an interchange for the west and north of the county up to Holsworthy and Hatherleigh and parts of North Cornwall, which are all poorly connected to the national rail network.
In Exmouth the bid – in partnership with East Devon District Council – includes the completion of the Dinan Way ring road link to the A376 Exeter road. Currently traffic from Dinan Way has to use unsuitable residential roads to access the A376. The bid includes improved pedestrian and cycle connections to the Exe Estuary multi-use trail and has the potential to improve bus journey times to Exeter. The wider bid includes other walking and cycling improvements focusing on the regeneration of the town centre and the total cost would be £20 million.
The bid in Cullompton is to support the £25 million town centre relief road, for which Mid Devon District Council has already secured £10 million from the Government’s Housing Infrastructure Fund. The road will remove traffic from the High Street and cut congestion, improving air quality and enabling further regeneration of the town’s historic core.
In Lee Mill, we have worked with South Hams District Council to provide a new slip road scheme off the A38, removing traffic from the centre of the village and allowing lorries to access the industrial estate, cutting air and noise pollution for residents. The £15 million scheme would also include a bus interchange and improvements to the cycle connections between Ivybridge and the proposed new Freeport at Langage.
The £15.4 million scheme in Newton Abbot is to enhance the cycle route to Torbay via Kingskerswell and enable more people to commute by bike.
The bid, with Teignbridge District Council, is also designed to encourage more leisure trips. There will be improvements at the Penn Inn underpass and enhanced connectivity to and from the new residential development at Wolborough.