A PACKAGE of road improvements totalling more than £1.5-million will be implemented in West Devon in the coming financial year, part of the county council?s Devon on the Move local transport plan. In addition to general maintenance projects, some parts of the programme seek to encourage less car use and more use of public transport. Councillors at last week?s meeting of West Devon?s highways and traffic orders committee (HATOC) heard that £50,000 would be spent on bus improvements on the A386 corridor between Tavistock and Plymouth. There was also £5,000 set aside for improvements at Tavistock bus station, £20,000 for research into Drake Line proposals, which involve the re-opening of the Bere Alston to Tavistock railway line, and funds to improve bus stop information. Other parts of the programme are intended to support the role that recreation, leisure and tourism play in the economy of the borough and in enhancing quality of life for residents and visitors. Brian George, local service officer, said: ?This includes implementation of the first phases of the Tamar Valley World Heritage Site permissive footpath at Morwellham, and the long distance walking and riding routes between Thorndon Cross to Venndown Gate.? Some money has been set aside for projects determined specifically by West Devon HATOC. These include £20,000 for the third phase of the Crowndale Road footway, £14,000 for a new footway to assist access between Chagford Primary School and the swimming pool and traffic calming in Milton Abbot to aid residents walking their children to the village school. A parking management scheme to stop buses being obstructed in North Tawton will be implemented at a cost of £6,000 and a further £6,000 has been set aside for additional information at bus stops in rural areas. A new footway will be created at Exbourne, plus an extension of the 30mph speed limit, for which £10,000 has been set aside ? a further £10,000 will be spent on phase one of a footpath link between Pitts Cleave industrial estate and Tavistock, which will also link to additional sections of the national cycle network. Mr George said altogether, £110,000 has been allocated to West Devon HATOC for its towns, villages and rural communities programme for the coming year ? a figure members of the committee welcomed.
