North Devon Link Road consultation extended

The consultation on options for improving the North Devon Link Road is being extended by two weeks.

Devon County Council has decided to keep the consultation open until Friday 12 August.

The consultation puts forward two preferred options, both of which improve traffic flow to reduce journey times between the M5 and Northern Devon, as well as tackling congestion at peak-times between Barnstaple and Bideford, and improving safety on the Link Road.

The first option, estimated at £35 million, is to upgrade junctions which are currently pinch points. The second option, estimated at £150 million, would improve links and junctions – developing stretches of road with three lanes to enable overtaking opportunities in alternate directions.

More than 500 responses have been received during the consultation so far, and more than 90% have supported the idea of improvements.

Councillor Andrew Leadbetter, Devon County Council Cabinet Member for Economy and Growth, said: “It’s essential that improvements are made to the North Devon Link Road and we’ve seen from the volume of responses so far just how important this is to people and businesses in the county. From the feedback we’ve received, we’ve been encouraged by the support for making improvements. Extending the consultation date will provide a last opportunity for people to have their say at this stage and help us to move the project forward in carrying out further evaluation to develop a preferred option.”

Devon County Council has been allocated £1.5 million from the Department for Transport to develop a business case for upgrading the route.

This is in addition to the £1 million budget which the County Council had allocated for developing designs. The aim is to submit a scheme bid for a share of the Government’s £475 million Local Majors Fund.

The improvements will focus on the 20 mile section of the route between South Molton and Bideford. No improvements are planned to dual carriageway section from the M5 to Tiverton.

To take part in the consultation please visit the County Council’s Have Your Say website.

Responses need to be submitted by Friday 12 August 2016. For those without a computer, publicly available computers with broadband are available in all Devon libraries.