Dinan Way extension gets green light
Devon County Council’s ruling cabinet has given the go ahead to proceed with a planning application to extend Dinan Way, between Hulham Road and the A376 (Wednesday January 13).
An appraisal of route options will support a planning application for the preferred route.
The preferred route is a direct result of feedback from Lympstone and Exmouth residents and key stakeholders including East Devon District Council, Natural England and the National Trust.
The A376 and the B3179 Woodbury Road are both used extensively by commuters into Exeter.
Manual traffic counts show that Rivermead Avenue and Featherbed Lane are used as “rat runs” by commuters.
Last summer a consultation was launched, and the public were asked for their views on two possible route options.
The first, the “Valley Route”, would have joined the A376 near Pitt Farm; the second “South Route”, would have connected to the A376 near Courtlands Cross.
Of the 316 questionnaires received, 44 per cent were in favour of the south option, nearer to Summer Lane and Exmouth.
A total of 23 per cent of respondents supported the “Valley” option, 25 per cent supported the ‘do nothing’ option with the remaining eight per cent not responding.
As a result of the consultation results DCC, in collaboration with East Devon District Council, has developed the “Modified Valley” route.
This new alignment will ensure that the proposed junction is kept away from Summer Lane to the south, minimising the impact on the views from A la Ronde and reduce impact on the picturesque Wooton Valley to the north.
Councillor Andrew Leadbetter, Devon County Council Cabinet Member for Economy and Growth, said: “Car use in Exmouth and along the A376 is high.
“The 2011 census indicates that approximately one third of the working population of Exmouth commutes to Exeter, and 80 per cent of these travel by car.
“The Avocet Line and the Exe Estuary Trail are realistic sustainable alternatives for anyone travelling to work or school.
“However Dinan Way is the main distributor road around the northern and eastern edge of the town and the highway network is in need of improvement.
“Dinan Way has comparatively low traffic flows compared to the A376 and B3179, which indicates that it has significant additional capacity and the completion of Dinan way will provide a high quality continuous link to the large residential and employment areas on the northern edge of Exmouth.”
Councillor Bernard Hughes, OBE, County Councillor for Exmouth Halsdon and Woodbury, said: “I intend to retire from Devon County Council next year and the signs are that this desperately needed road will proceed towards completion.
“Since I was elected in 1989 I have seen continuous problems with the Littlemead Estate and Woodbury being used as a rat run by drivers.
“This new road will provide immense relief to the residents of Woodbury, Halsdon and the residents of Exmouth as whole.
“The need for this road is greater than ever. It would take a huge volume of traffic, including the 16,000 visitors a week over the summer period travelling to Haven Holiday Park, away from one of the largest schools in Europe and the town centre.”
