Exeter city centre traffic scheme rejected

Plan branded ‘a profligate and pointless waste of taxpayers' money

Campaigners trying to make more space for cyclists, wheelers and walkers in Exeter city centre have had their hopes dashed.

A proposal for a £380,000 ‘gateway’ project at Barnfield Road, which would also have forced cars and lorries to use a new one-way system, was rejected by the Exeter highways and traffic orders committee (HATOC).

Opponents, including the Dean of Exeter, said the new set-up would have caused major problems for motorists and delivery drivers trying to access the Cathedral.

But supporters are angry, and Green councillors say the decision marks ‘a new low’ for Labour.

The HATOC, which is a hybrid committee made up of members of Devon County Council and Exeter City Council, had been recommended to agree to wider footpaths and cycle lanes, with better crossing and one-way traffic ‘inbound’ towards the city centre.

The Exeter Cycling Campaign supported the proposals, and a council officer’s report to the meeting said it had been designed to make Barnfield Road ‘more accessible, attractive and safe for all’.

But the Dean of Exeter, the Very Reverend Jonathan Greener, said it would add to a ‘logjam’ in Southernhay and was the wrong way to solace the city centre’s traffic problems.

More than 1,200 people also signed an online petition against the proposals. Businessman 

Mark Turner told the meeting the plans were ‘a profligate and pointless waste of taxpayers’ money’.

But cycling campaigner Ed Pickering said pavements needed to be made wider to encourage pedestrians. And, he said, roads in the area had become a haven for rat-runners trying to dodge the traffic.

The proposal was rejected by five votes to four, sparking fury from local Green Party councillors. All four Green councillors on the committee backed the measures, but were defeated by a combination of Reform, Independent and Labour councillors.

Cllr Andy Ketchin (Green, St Davids and Haven Banks), who is vice-chair of the HATOC, said: “The blocking of these important safety measures marks a new low for Labour.

“People in Exeter simply cannot trust Labour to follow their stated promise to make cycling and walking safer for people of all ages. They are again throwing money away that is earmarked for Exeter’s active travel.”

Cllr Thomas Richardson (Green, St Sidwells and St James) added: “Exeter Labour should hang their heads in shame. Their councillors chose to join forces with Reform and Independents to prevent these sensible improvements which had majority public support.”