Okehampton Medical Centre has reported an increase in car park use following the closure of East Street for gasworks on Monday, January 5.

The GP surgery has asked that only patients and those visiting the medical centre use the car park, to ensure people — particularly elderly and vulnerable patients — can access the site safely.

A section of East Street is currently closed to all vehicles until February 20 while the region’s gas network operator, Wales and West Utilities Ltd, replaces old metal gas pipes with modern plastic pipes and renews or transfers around 53 service pipes to adjacent premises.

The roadworks have caused significant disruption in the town centre, with frustration and confusion reported over the diversion route. This directs traffic along the B3260, onto the A386, then onto the A30, before rejoining the B3260, and vice versa.

All westbound traffic heading into the town centre has been diverted from the top of Barton Road into lower Crediton Road. This section of Crediton Road is normally one-way eastbound but has been temporarily reversed to one-way westbound as far as the junction with Northfield Road.

Vehicles must then turn right onto Northfield Road, then turn left at the top onto North Street, passing the Ockment Centre and the town library, to reach Fore Street.

Traffic returning to the east side of town must travel along New Road (B3260), then turn west to join the A386. Drivers must turn left to head south towards Sourton Cross, joining the A30 eastbound in the direction of Exeter, before later turning off at the top of Exeter Road.

Following reports of vehicles driving the wrong way along Crediton Road and ignoring diversion and No Entry signs, police are now monitoring the junction, and the roadblock has been extended.

As a result, vehicles can no longer access Mill Road directly from Crediton Road. Drivers must instead follow the diversion via Northfield Road, onto North Street, before turning left onto East Street to reach Mill Road from the west.