Decision on £80m improvements to North Devon Link Road due this year

A decision on the first phase of planned £250 million of major improvements to the North Devon Link Road is expected later this year.

The formal bid was submitted to the Government by Devon County Council just before Christmas last year.

As part of discussions at a Devon County Council cabinet meeting on Wednesday about the transport capital programme the county has for 2018/19, it was revealed that a decision on an outline business case submitted to the large Local Majors Fund for £78 million of external funding towards a total package of £88 million for the North Devon Link Road is anticipated later in 2018/19.

The funds would go towards major improvements to the A361\A39 North Devon Link Road corridor between South Molton and Barnstaple and eight major junction improvements between South Molton and Bideford

Currently, only 10 per cent of the South Molton to Barnstaple section of the road has overtaking lanes, but proposed improvements would increase this to around 70 per cent. The road would continue to have a 60mph speed limit with the use of average speed cameras recommended.

The long-term strategy includes upgrades to eight junctions along the A361 and A39, additional overtaking lanes on sections of the link road and an urban four-lane road, with two lanes in each direction, between Portmore and Roundswell roundabouts.

Dave Black, Head of Planning, Transportation and Environment, said “The money from the Safer Roads Fund comes from a computer that the Department for Transport have that churned out a need for improvements for these two roads. It links traffic flow to accidents, so if you have a low level of traffic flow and a high level of accidents, then it will score high on the list. We have developed a scheme for the widening of those two roads but not heard anything back yet.”

His report to meeting had said that a bid totalling £4m for safety improvements for the A3121 (between Ermington and Wrangaton in the South Hams) and A3123 (North Devon) is currently being considered by the DfT and a decision is anticipated later in 2018.”