14/12/2011
A £34million funding programme to improve local transport has today (Wed 14 Dec) been approved by Devon County Council’s Cabinet.

The Devon and Torbay Local Transport Plan strategy was adopted by the County Council earlier this year, and councillors have now supported the programme to enhance Devon’s transport network over the next three years.

The programme sets out how the £19million of Government funding for the plan up to 2014/15 will be spent. In addition Devon County Council will be investing a further £15million on transport projects on top of its financial support for the South Devon Link Road and M5 Junction 29 and grant awards such as the Local Sustainable Transport Fund.

Councillor Stuart Hughes, Devon County Council Cabinet Member for Highways and Transportation, said: “The Government support for the improvement of Junction 29 and for the South Devon Link Road has highlighted that investment in transport infrastructure is a priority. That matches Devon County Council’s aims, highlighted in our Local Transport Plan, to deliver economic growth and carbon reduction while tackling congestion and improving the local environment.

“This is a positive programme that delivers benefits to all parts of the County and continues the progress made in extending the culture of walking and cycling into our market towns and rural areas, as well as investing in bus and rail improvements.”

Work is continuing on developing proposals for infrastructure to support economic growth including rail and road schemes in Barnstaple, Tiverton, Newton Abbot, Cullompton, Exmouth, Okehampton and Tavistock.

Existing and prospective bus users across the county will benefit from the introduction of real time information that will mean, for the first time, up to the minute running information on every route through a variety of information channels. The system will also facilitate the provision of bus priority at traffic signals, improving their reliability, whilst also upgrading the current system in Exeter to the latest standards.

Walking and cycling continue to receive significant on-going investment including completing missing gaps in the strategic network to locations such as Ilfracombe and Newton Abbot, supporting the local economy through tourism and improving access to the countryside for local people. There is significant investment in local routes into, and facilities within, market towns including cycle parking in towns and at schools.

Continued investment in cycling in Exeter will build on the success of the Cycle Exeter project with a particular focus on access to employment areas.

Other major proposals include the improvements at London Inn Square and surrounding routes, funded in partnership with Exeter City Council, to support the opening of the John Lewis store later in 2012, together with the start of work on the widening of Bridge Road and the Alphington Park and Ride scheme, subject to planning approval.

The proposed park and ride site supports the County Council strategy to enable the growing local population to access the city centre, supporting its economy without creating additional congestion on the approaches through the city. This approach will be supported by progressing proposals for new rail stations at Cranbrook, Newcourt and Marsh Barton, together with a range of station facilities and access improvements across the proposed Devon Metro area, including Exeter Central, Totnes, Newton Abbot and Barnstaple.

The three year programme set out in the Local Transport Plan will be consistently reviewed.