North Devon’s £67m Road Project Criticized as Insufficient and Delayed

The Member of Parliament for the region has criticized a four-year road improvement project, costing £67 million, asserting that it has provided inadequate benefits, taken too long, and been too costly. Construction efforts on the A361 North Devon Link Road, aimed at enhancing the segment connecting the M5 and Barnstaple, commenced in December 2020; however, the scope of work was subsequently altered to reduce expenditures. Ian Roome, the Liberal Democrat MP representing North Devon, commented: “Four years to do what has been done is too long.” The Devon County Council representative overseeing the initiative acknowledged public frustration but affirmed that the upgraded road would offer increased safety and greater traffic flow capacity. The undertaking, which received £60 million in funding from the Department for Transport, had an anticipated completion date in 2023. Ian Roome, the Liberal Democrat MP for North Devon, expressed that the four-year delay was excessive for a project that failed to meet expectations. He stated: “It’s taken much longer to get from north Devon to the M5 – a vital artery for many businesses, residents and the tourism industry.” Roome indicated that the final outcome had not offered good value for money and would not shorten travel durations. The MP noted, however, that he recognized advantages of the scheme in enhancing junctions previously associated with a poor safety record. Proposals for an overtaking lane on the road segment situated just beyond Barnstaple, between Portmore and Landkey, were abandoned in November 2022, with Devon County Council attributing this decision to “financial pressures” stemming from Covid and the conflict in Ukraine. Creighton Kirk, who is the landlord of The Castle Inn in Landkey, commented: “It’s a huge waste of our money at the moment.” He added: “I don’t think it’s going to increase any traffic flow into the area at all.” Mr. Kirk described the undertaking as having been “a constant headache,” citing main road delays and an increase in heavy vehicle traffic passing through Landkey. He stated: “We’ve had nearly four years of limited sleep because of the large wagons travelling through the village – it’s been horrible.” Richard Halliday, chairman of Landkey Parish Council, remarked that the scheme had not succeeded, considering its duration and the disturbances it generated. Mr. Halliday commented: “The contractor and the county council certainly won’t be patting themselves on the back.” However, he acknowledged “some benefits in terms of the safety of the road and the improvements to the junctions.” He also expressed approval for the bridge constructed at the Landkey junction, which has gained local recognition as “the bridge to nowhere” because it extends from the Landkey side of the A361 to agricultural land on the opposing side. Mr. Halliday indicated that it was advantageous to construct the bridge while funding was accessible, foreseeing it as a future asset when proposals for developing hundreds of houses on the site are implemented. Nicky Penfold is the proprietor of the Riverside Caravan Park, situated just off the A361 at South Molton, where a new roundabout has been erected. She stated that the construction had negatively impacted her business, with patrons becoming disoriented due to road closures and some voicing complaints regarding nocturnal work noise. She remarked: “It’s a lot of money they’ve spent and hopefully eventually it will help the park with the roundabout.” She characterized the entire project as “a complete waste of money,” suggesting that installing new speed signs and cameras would have been more economical and equally effective. Several average speed cameras have been installed along the thoroughfare, but they are not yet operational. No representative from Alun Griffiths Ltd, the contractors for the scheme, was reachable for comment. A spokesperson for its parent company, Tarmac, stated: “We are happy with the works delivery and looking forward to the official opening in December.” Andrea Davis, the Conservative cabinet member for transport at Devon County Council and its deputy leader, expressed approval for the project upon its announcement in November 2020. She declared it to be the “biggest transport investment in north Devon for a generation,” which would “help unlock the true potential of the local economy.” Davis asserted that the road’s success would become evident once it was fully operational. She commented: “What we were aiming to do was increase capacity and improve safety.” She extended gratitude to residents for their forbearance and mentioned that Covid had created difficulties concerning the availability of labor and materials. She concluded: “We’re nearly at the end. I’m incredibly frustrated it’s taken this length of time.”