A PROPOSED £11-million scheme for major improvements to the A30 Merrymeet roundabout near Whiddon Down went before the public last week. The scheme would replace the existing roundabout with a two-level junction to remove vehicle conflicts between trunk road and local traffic. Four new merge and diverge lanes and a bridge across the A30 are proposed. The junction has a poor accident record, and the scheme has been brought forward with the aim of improving safety and reducing congestion for A30 through traffic and local drivers. Around 100 people visited an exhibition held over two days at Whiddon Down Village Hall last Friday and Saturday, where plans and photographs explaining the proposal were displayed as well as draft orders. Staff from the Highways Agency and its contractor and designers were on hand to answer questions. Depending on the views expressed by people and organisations as part of this consultation, a public inquiry may be held before an independent inspector. But Andrew Alcorn, Highways Agency project leader for the Merrymeet scheme, said he was hopeful there would be enough local support for it to avoid the necessity of the Secretary of State for Transport holding a public inquiry. He said if things went to plan, construction work would start later this year, with a final completion date before the end of 2006. A public inquiry could see this timetable slip by around 13 months. Mr Alcorn said local support for the scheme would help it to be achieved as part of the Government?s rolling programme of works to be carried out on England?s trunk roads. He said: ?This scheme will have to compete against others in terms of funding. We think this is a good scheme which is wanted by local people. ?People who travel to the South West will probably remember Merrymeet on the A30 because of delays there in the summer, because it has congestion problems during peak times and it has a poor accident record. ?We hope the scheme will enable tourists to have a more predictable journey time.? The scheme would result in the loss of parts of some ancient Devon hedgebanks, although Mr Alcorn said they would be looking to re-use removed materials in new planting where possible. The scheme would not encroach on Dartmoor National Park, as the highway acts as a boundary. Merrymeet junction is the first roundabout motorway drivers encounter when travelling to the South West from Stirling in Scotland, some 471 miles away. Anyone who wishes to support, comment or object to the draft orders should write to the Highways Agency at: Area 2/26H, Temple Quay House, 2 The Square, Temple Quay, Bristol, BS1 6HA. The deadline for consultation is March 31.