A HEARTFELT plea for action over a West Devon road which has seen three fatalities in recent years has been made to councillors and highways officers.

Representatives from Horrabridge and Plaisterdown parish councils, Tavistock Town Council and West Devon Borough Council spoke passionately about their safety fears concerning the Whitchurch road between Tavistock and Horrabridge at the meeting of West Devon highways and traffic orders committee (HATOC) held in Okehampton before Easter.

A joint paper has been produced by the parish and town councils on traffic and its impact on the road.

Sue Spackman of Plaisterdown Parish Council said conditions in the area had changed since the road was surveyed prior to the installation of the 'urban gateway' at the Tavistock end of the road, the 20mph speed limit outside Whitchurch School and the controversial 'rural gateway', which narrowed a stretch of the road to one lane with passing places.

She said there were now far more houses in the area, increased numbers of vehicles, additional roundabouts on the A386 and the use of satellite navigation had changed the way motorists chose their routes.

Mrs Spackman urged that Whitchurch Road be given the 'serious consideration it deserves', and that a new traffic management policy for the whole stretch of road be formulated.

Jo Hawkins of Horrabridge Parish Council said: 'We don't want go back and look at the past — would you please look at the future?

'The road is very dangerous — we need you to come and have a good look — we need your help.'

Tavistock town and borough member Ted Sherrell said in the nine years since the rural gateway had been built, the resentment to it felt by local people had never gone away.

'In the interests of common sense and safety I would press and beg this committee to return the road to its original state,' he said.

Cllr Debo Sellis of West Devon Borough Council said she was impressed at the research paper drawn up by the parish councils, and at their proactive approach. She stressed that traffic management on Whitchurch road 'definitely' needed re-visiting.

Cllr David Cloke of West Devon Borough Council said there had been many occasions when the road had become gridlocked at the rural gateway when traffic had been diverted from the A386 due to accidents.

He urged HATOC to look at Whitchurch Road 'objectively, in conjunction with the various parish councils'.

HATOC member Cllr Alan Hosking said he was aware of the 'considerable opposition' to the rural gateway among residents in the area.

He said until recently, he personally did not feel it was a problem, but with the additional housing being built in Tavistock, he felt Whitchurch Road in its entirety should be looked at 'very seriously'.

His proposal was backed by the committee, which will instruct Devon County Council's highways engineers to draw up a report on traffic management in Whitchurch Road.