PROPOSALS aiming to make a Tavistock hazard spot safer for drivers and pedestrians were rejected by West Devon's partnership committee last week, when members could not agree on whether to adopt traffic calming measures on a temporary or permanent basis.
The proposed £26,000 improvements to the junction between Spring Hill, West Street and Ford Street, included a mini roundabout, a new footpath and build-outs in the road.
The existing junction between Ford Street and Spring Hill features a hairpin bend on a steep hill. A need to improve the junction to provide safe walking routes to school and improve turning movements there had been identified. Many pedestrians use the road to visit nearby Tavistock Hospital.
West Devon Borough Cllr Roger Mathew, told the meeting: 'I don't think we have enough information to say this scheme will work. The effect it is almost certain to have is to result in more traffic in Russell Street.'
Amid concerns about how successful the scheme would prove to be, councillors had considered putting the calming measures in temporarily for a trial period, until they were told this would be considerably more expensive than going ahead with the scheme on a permanent basis.
The report to the committee revealed there had been four damage only crashes in the last three years involving turning movements at the junction.
Supporters of the scheme believed it would have reduced heavy goods vehicle traffic in the village of Lamerton — which residents have been protesting about for more than a year.