A FORMER Okehampton mayor who has been campaigning for an improvement at one of Devon's worst accident blackspots for more than 20 years is delighted work has finally begun but said he could shed a tear for all the lives lost.
At the opening of the 'Okehampton to Exeter Expressway' in 1978 Jeffe Cunliffe, who was a member of the county road safety committee, was labelled as the 'lone objector' as he pointed out the danger of a standard crossing at the Woodleigh junction.
Mr Cunliffe claimed the road could have a built-in death trap and his fears were proved right — to date there have been seven deaths at the junction and Cheriton Bishop Parish Council has recorded 92 accidents.
This week, contractors for Devon County Council started work on a £3.2-million redesign scheme which includes constructing a bridge over the main A30.
Mr Cunliffe said when the road was built the original scheme included a flyover but costs had to be cut and this part of the project was taken out.
'About £90,000 was saved by doing this but look at what it is costing now,' he said.
'The biggest cost has been to human life. Money can be replaced but not lives and I could shed a tear for the sacrifice of lives at this junction.'
He said he was delighted a scheme was going ahead at last but he wished the fears could have been taken on board all those years ago,
'If I could see it was a death trap when I looked at the plans why could the experts not see it?' he said.
Hopes for a flyover were dashed after the promise of a scheme from the Government in 1994 failed to materialise.
The transport minister at the time, Roger Freeman, had visited Okehampton to make the announcement but optimism turned to disappointment when the North Devon Link Road took priority for funding.