MORE than 600 leaflets have been distributed to people living close to Whitchurch Road, Tavistock, as part of a campaign to get a traffic calming scheme for what has become a rat-run for motorists.
Janet Booth, a fire control officer from Bishopsmead, is spearheading the drive which began last month when her Siamese cat was killed by a car. It was the second cat she has lost on the road in two years.
'Our cat — next time it could be your child' heads the flyer and urges residents to write to the county council's senior traffic engineer supporting the scheme.
West Devon and Torridge MP John Burnett and county councillor Roy Cook are backing the move to reduce the amount and speed of traffic on Whitchurch Road as well as trying to persuade the authorities to complete the original plan regarding the Tavistock town centre bypass.
And so is Sustrans, the national cycle network set up to mark the Millennium. The organisation says it will put funds into a traffic calming management scheme to link up with a cycle route between Horrabridge and Tavistock.
'I have spoken to Sustrans regional manager Ben Hamilton-Baillie and the organisation is keen to back us if there is support from the people of Whitchurch,' said Mrs Booth.
'Already I have received about 40 letters of support but I do want people to write to senior traffic engineer Peter Marshall at Ivybridge and then the county council will get an idea of the level of interest from the local people. It needs to have confidence that there is local support from residents before committing itself to any scheme.'
Mr Hamilton-Baillie confirmed that cash was available to help fund a traffic calming scheme but said the work must be done by June next year.
'We would like to work with the highways department, the borough and town councils to provide a safe link from the south of Tavistock into the town,' he said.
'This would help resolve local problems, especially for the residents living on Whitchurch Road. Given the accident rate there is justification for improving the situation there.'
He suggested traffic calming could begin outside the built-up area on the Whitchurch to Horrabridge road.
'We could put up traffic lights and move the speed limit further towards Horrabridge,' said Mr Hamilton-Baillie.
'Our biggest problem is to persuade motorists to use the A386 which is already congested.'
Sustrans has bought Grenofen tunnel from a Railway Property Ltd and is finalising negotiations with landowners regarding access for its cycle route.
Mr Cook said an in-depth study would be carried out by the county council this summer.
'I am leading an investigation into the situation at Whitchurch Road and the county council will monitor traffic,' he said. 'There is a whole compendium of things to look at.
'Personally I would like to see weight restrictions as one of the measures but we have to remember Whitchurch Road is also a bus route — so it isn't as straightforward as it seems.'
Anyone wanting to support the scheme can write to Peter Marshall, senior traffic engineer, environment directorate, Ivybridge local services, Cornwood Road, Ivybridge.