A CROSS-party campaign was launched this week to put pressure on Devon County Council to provide a vital link road for Okehampton which would ease mounting congestion in the town centre.
Okehampton?s Conservative and Liberal Democrat representatives on West Devon Council have joined forces to call on the authority to take urgent action.
Tory Cllrs Jayne Hill and Joanna Slater and Liberal Democrats Elaine Kale and Kenneth Williams are asking local residents, business people and visitors to Okehampton to sign a petition, copies of which will be circulated to all shops and other outlets such as libraries and council offices.
The need for a link road has been talked about for several years but so far Devon County Council has not acknowledged that Okehampton has a traffic problem.
Cllr Hill said it was the biggest concern with the people of Okehampton and it was only going to get worse.
She said: ?It is a huge issue, particularly coming in from the east along Exeter Road.
?Traffic is frequently stacked up to the Moorcroft Hotel on the outskirts of the town and people have had enough.
?We are trying to attract more visitors but the thought of being gridlocked in the town is putting people off. Trade has dropped because of it and the economy of the town is suffering.?
With more than 1,000 new homes in the pipeline for Okehampton, the majority on the east of the town, congestion would become an even greater problem in years to come, said Cllr Hill.
?It is not just the housing there is also new employment land being developed and a town growing at this rate needs a relief road.?
She added that pressure on the main Fore Street crossroads peaked at school arrival and departure times and affected the traffic coming in from and travelling to the Hatherleigh area.
The councillors feel the road should link with the hospital road and a new section be built over the river to join to Oaklands Drive. It has been estimated that it will cost between £3-million and £5-million.
West Devon and Torridge Liberal Democrat MP John Burnett said he had been pressing the county council for a number of years for a relief road through Oaklands Drive.
He said: ?It is crucial for the economic and social future of Okehampton.?
Mr Burnett added that the issue of tackling traffic problems would be at the top of his agenda when he holds discussions with the county environment director.
The campaign is been supported by Okehampton Chamber of Trade. Its chairman Ian Bailey said: ?It is a critical situation for businesses in the town. You have people on the eastern side, who would prefer to go to Exeter because they say it is quicker time-wise to go there than pushing their way into the centre of Okehampton.?
Devon County Coucnil was not available for comment as the Times went to press.