SPEED could be cut on the West Devon Drive ? those who live and travel on the old A30 packed a public meeting at Lewdown last week with the majority backing the county council?s desire for speed reduction.

But they stopped far short of endorsing county proposals for ?downgrading? the road.

The old road was retitled West Devon Drive five years ago. Verges have been tidied and many flowers and shrubs planted in a bid to make it more attractive and boost businesses along the 13-mile route from Sourton Cross to Lifton.

The meeting in Lewdown Victory Hall was a chance for residents of the five parishes through which the road runs to give their views of a consultant?s report commissioned by the county council. The report suggests changes, including traffic calming, speed limits and measures to increase safety for horse riders and cyclists.

It aims to look at how to ?engender a change? in West Devon Drive?s character from a fast local through route to a scenic ?community friendly? local connector and to encourage its growth as a tourist facility.

The meeting was organised by Lewdown Residents? Association which was concerned the report was too radical, with many recommendations based on ?anecdotal evidence? rather than hard facts.

Chris Watson, who lives at Sourton, told the meeting: ?I can?t see why there is a need to change a great deal on the road, though there are things that need to be thought about. The road is a lifeline to all of us. It is also the disaster relief route if the A30 is stuffed.

?We need to keep the status quo, with a few minor alterations, not this massive plan.?

There was anxiety about speeding along the route. But most appeared not to be in favour of blanket speed restrictions across the whole road, preferring some sort of control on excessive speed in sensitive areas.

Residents wanted to retain a balance between being able to use the route as a convenient through road and making sure it was safe for everyone who lived along it.

Andy Whiteman, landlord of the Harris Arms at Portgate, said from the window of his pub he watched traffic go past at anything between 60mph and 150mph, with motorcyclists in particular among the worst offenders.

He said: ?It is an accident waiting to happen at Portgate.?

Many people were unhappy with the council?s stated intention of altering the ?character? of the road.

One Bridestowe resident said: ?It?s a beautiful scenic route. I don?t see the need to urbanise when clearly we are an rural area.?

Local businessman Jethro said: ?I was very proud when the West Devon Drive was first opened, but there are a lot of places on the road that could be improved.

?Anyone who has got the idea nothing needs to change on the road has got their head stuck in the sand. I don?t think it should be narrowed but certainly something needs to be done outside Lewtrenchard School.?

Lewtrenchard School has already been identified by county officials as a priority for works this financial year. Those at the meeting agreed that making a safer environment for pupils coming to and from the school was considered a priority by the local community.

The school has grown in recent years and will continue to do so with development in Lewdown.

Nigel Twinberrow, the deputy chair of governors, said many parents used the West Devon Drive: ?We are a rural area and some people come from a long way, which makes the car the preferred way of getting children to school.?

He said governors now believed there was a ?real opportunity? to better regulate the safety situation outside the school, with a number of different ideas put forward.

The views of the meeting will be referred to the parish councils so the opinions of residents can be brought before the county council at a meeting at the beginning of next month.