A MOTORIST is considering action against Devon County Council claiming his car was damaged by what he described as the broken up remains of a traffic calming scheme leading out of Whitchurch, writes Alan Gregory.

On Monday evening, heading home to Meeth, north of Hatherleigh, from his work in Plymouth, Colin Leigh's vision of the road surface was obscured by dust thrown up by the car in front.

'There was an enormous bump on the back tyre, I pulled over and found the tyre was ripped and the wheeltrim gone,' he said.

Mr Leigh walked back along the road and found rocks in it from the remains of the 'Rural Gateway', which he said had done the damage. He was unable to find the wheeltrim and has had to buy a new tyre and trim at a cost of some £70 to £80.

He said: 'I feel the council has a duty of care to motorists about the state of the road. I'll be trying to get the money from them.'

Mr Leigh said he had been using the route for some time and did not consider it particularly busy. He said it was a natural bypass to the delays on the Plymouth Road at the school and supermarket.

He said if the council did want to discourage cars they should have extended the 30mph limit, made it a single lane controlled by traffic lights or installed speed bumps.

'It's a mess as it is — a desecration of a nice country lane — they have created a problem,' he said.

The county council built a 'Gateway' scheme with funding from Sustrans — the sustainable transport group — to discourage motorists, but users complain that it is dangerous in itself as it is not very well sign-posted.

The road has been a source of concern for the local residents who have complained it is being used by increasing numbers of vehicles as a bypass to the busy Plymouth Road — leading to a large number of accidents.

Since a Times story a fortnight ago there have been two more accidents on the road — making a total of seven in the last three months, according to Whitchurch Road resident Ian Kilpatrick.

The police said they were aware of five since April 12, but not all incidents are notifiable.