People across Devon are being invited to have their say on future plans for transport in the county.
A public consultation has been launched today (Tuesday 1 October) on the Devon and Torbay Local Transport Plan 4 (LTP4) which sets out the transport priorities across the county between 2025 and 2040.
The full draft document of the plan is available to view on the Have Your Say webpage. The deadline for feedback to the online questionnaire is 11:59pm on Saturday 30 November.
The plan’s vision is for well-integrated and accessible transport to facilitate sustainable growth, support net zero carbon targets by 2050 at the latest, improve travel choice and benefit people’s health and wellbeing.
A number of priorities are proposed across all areas of Devon and Torbay, including enhancement of bus services and supporting transition to lower emission and zero emission buses, providing bus priority on key routes, improving the integration of rail and bus services, establishing a comprehensive network of electric vehicle charging facilities, and expanding pedestrian and cycle networks. All of the proposals are subject to securing funding from a range of sources including Local Transport Plan, Government grants and developer contributions.
As different areas of the county face different transport challenges, individual strategies have been developed to meet those needs. This includes:
• Completion of the South West resilience work on the railway between Dawlish and Teignmouth;
• New railway stations at Okehampton Interchange on the Dartmoor Line; Edginswell serving Torbay hospital and neighbouring employment areas and communities, and Cullompton supporting Culm Garden Village;
• Work collaboratively with rail industry partners to make the case for reopening the railway between Tavistock and Plymouth;
• Improving bus priority on key routes in Exeter, including Cowick Street, Exe Bridges, Pinhoe Road and Heavitree Road;
• Providing 15-minute bus service frequency from Cranbrook, Crediton, Cullompton and Newton Abbot to Exeter;
• Delivering the Dinan Way extension in Exmouth;
• Completion of planned highway links in Teignbridge including A382 improvements;
• A38 pedestrian and cycle bridge and Langage Spine Road to unlock growth at the Plymouth and South Devon Freeport;
• Protect and enhance access to Brixham Harbour;
• Expansion and improvement of the multi-use trail network, including completion of the Tarka Trail, delivery of Teign Estuary Trail and Newton Abbot to Torbay cycle route;
• Strategic active travel routes to Cranbrook and along the A3052 corridor.
As part of the consultation, public webinars will be held on Tuesday 8 October from 6-7pm and Monday 18 November from 6-7pm, where there will be an opportunity to put questions to the project team. Details of how to register to attend the online webinar events will be available on the Have Your Say webpage. Those wishing to attend via phone will also be able to dial into the meeting.
All 50 libraries in Devon will each have a copy of the full draft LTP4 and the draft Strategic Environmental Assessment as well as printed copies of the LTP summary booklet and printed copies of the feedback questionnaire.
Running in parallel, also until Saturday 30 November, is a consultation on the draft Devon Countywide Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP) which provides an opportunity to feedback on identified future cycling and walking improvements.
The countywide LCWIP will complement Devon’s existing three local area LCWIPs covering Exeter, Heart of Teignbridge, and Barnstaple with Bideford and Northam LCWIP, and a further two which are currently being developed for Cullompton and Tiverton, and Clyst Valley and New Communities.
The Devon Countywide LCWIP proposes 10 priority routes in areas with a high demand or high potential for active travel. These include Sidbury to Sidford, connecting the existing Drake’s Trail at Clearbrook to Roborough (for stronger Tavistock to Plymouth links), completing the Teign Estuary Trail between Newton Abbot and Dawlish, and providing the missing link of the Tarka Trail between Barnstaple and Ilfracombe.
An online engagement event on the LCWIP will be held at 6pm on Wednesday 30 October which includes a presentation and question and answer session.
The consultation document can be found on the Have Your Say webpages where the feedback questionnaire is available.
Councillor Andrea Davis, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Environment and Transport, said:
“We want people to get involved and give us their views on these plans. Transport and connectivity plays a vital role in helping make Devon and Torbay a healthier and more prosperous place in which to grow up, live and work. We know that transport has a significant impact on our local environment. It is therefore important that we have a Local Transport Plan which aims to keep people and businesses connected while also reducing emissions, improving air quality and enhancing our natural environment. This strategy sets out the ways that our transport network will be improved and extended across the county while also meeting our net zero ambitions.”
Councillor Stuart Hughes, Cabinet Member for Highway Management, said:
“I’d encourage everyone to take this opportunity to look through the consultation documents and provide their feedback. By having your say on the Local Transport Plan and Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan we can then prioritise schemes for investment. It’s important that we have a range of travel options across Devon which can reduce carbon emissions, improve health and support the county’s economy.”
Councillor Stuart Hughes, Cabinet Member for Highway Management
Once the consultations on LTP4 and LCWIP have closed, feedback will be analysed and used to inform the draft documents. The results will also be made available in a consultation report.
It is hoped that the final plans will go before council committees for approval in 2025.
Anyone who needs guidance or an alternative format of the documents or questionnaires should email [email protected] with details of any preferred format and the assistive technology you use.
Alternatively call 0345 155 1004 or write to Devon County Council, Transport Planning, Room 120, County Hall, Topsham Road, Exeter, EX2 4QD.