Talking East Devon with MP Simon Jupp.
One of the consistent grumbles I hear when I’m speaking to people in Exmouth is about traffic through our town.
Our clogged-up roads are causing delays, with buses running late and increasingly large vehicles using residential roads, often past school gates, to get to places including Liverton Business Park.
It’s why I’m backing Devon County Council’s new and improved bid into the government’s Levelling Up Fund which could finally see the completion of the Dinan Way extension.
It would undoubtedly reduce congestion on the A376, ease traffic flow throughout our town, improve bus services and enhance cycle connections to the Exe Estuary trail.
Exmouth’s bid is the priority bid for Devon and will be submitted by Devon County Council after extensive feedback from the government helped improve their plans after the first allocation of funding.
The bid also includes improvements to the town centre around Exmouth railway station including a new segregated cycle path, better pedestrian crossing points, widened pathways, an improved bus stop and a new e-bike dock.
The whole cost of the project is £20m. Devon County Council is asking for £18m towards the project with £1m coming from EDDC and the county council.
I am hopeful the new bid will be successful, especially after a review by government found that East Devon should be ranked higher in the Levelling Up criteria to improve economic growth and productivity.
Exmouth’s bid is one of five across the county including a new relief road for Cullompton, a new train station on the re-opened Okehampton railway line and upgrades to Newton Abbot’s Penn Inn underpass.
I have already met with Ministers to highlight the need to support Devon’s ambitious plans and recognise that although parts of our county are affluent, we have deprivation, low wages and low productivity across the county.
The government is listening. Devon is one of a handful of places in discussions to secure devolved powers.
This would boost local decision-making with additional investment from government focused on priorities decided by people who live here, not London.
We are making real progress on a better deal for Devon.
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