Secretary of State visits South Devon Link Road site

Secretary of State for Transport Patrick McLoughlin today visited the South Devon Link Road site to see how work is progressing.

Mr McLoughlin was joined by Anne Marie Morris, MP for Newton Abbot, where they viewed construction activity on the long awaited South Devon Link Road.

The Minister was also accompanied by Gordon Oliver, Mayor of Torbay; Andrew Leadbetter, Cabinet Member for Economy at Devon County Council; Stuart Hughes, Cabinet Member for Highways; Cllr Jeremy Christophers, Leader of Teignbridge District Council; Liz Waugh, interim Chief Executive of the Heart of the South West Local Enterprise Partnership; and Project Director Jim Watson from Galliford Try, the contractors for the scheme.

The 5.5km dual carriageway, which will remove congestion from one of the South West’s most notorious bottlenecks, was awarded £76.4 million toward the £110 million cost by the Government last year.  Devon County Council and Torbay Council committed £33 million from their budgets towards the scheme costs and Teignbridge District Council contributed a further £500,000.

Anne Marie Morris, MP for Newton Abbot, said: “I am pleased the Secretary of State was able to visit Kingskerswell to see for himself the progress that has been made on building the South Devon Link Road. The Kingskerswell Bypass is a major infrastructure project that will stimulate our local economy, create thousands of jobs and reduce congestion.”

Andrew Leadbetter, Cabinet Member for Economy at Devon County Council, said: “The County Council is committed to boosting Devon’s economy. This major project will bring lasting economic benefits to South Devon and we believe will help to create nearly 8,000 new jobs.

“It’s anticipated it will move 95 per cent of the traffic away from Kingskerswell which will help to restore and revitalise the village and enhance the quality of life for local people.

“I am particularly pleased that the Secretary of State has been able to see what we can accomplish working in partnership with other local authorities and organisations, like our neighbours Torbay Council.”

Gordon Oliver, Mayor of Torbay said: “The new link road is vital to the Bay’s economic regeneration plans. It will considerably improve access to Torbay and help us with our efforts to attract new investment and create thousands of new jobs in the Bay.”

Liz Waugh, Interim Chief Executive of the Heart of the South West Local Enterprise Partnership said: “This is a great example of how investment in better infrastructure can benefit not just the immediate communities and economy of South Devon but have far reaching impacts across the peninsula.”

Jim Watson, Project Director at Galliford Try said: “Work is progressing well and the project is on schedule.  It’s fantastic that we had the opportunity to show the Minister the scheme and explain how construction will progress over the next two years.”

The 5.5km dual carriageway was granted full approval by the Government in May last year: work began in autumn 2012 and is due to be completed by December 2015.