Devon to get roads improvements

A38 and A30 stretches involved

Devon is to get major road upgrades as part of a wider £200 million package of improvements across the south west over the next few months.

Highways England invested a similar amount in the south west last year and follows the Government’s continued drive to level up transport in regions right across the country.

The A38 and A30 are among the works that Highways England are implementing and will include road resurfacing and maintenance, the creation of cycle lanes where allowed, and improved signage and landscaping. This is in addition to the multi-million A30 dualling scheme in Cornwall and A303 dualling scheme in Sparkford in Somerset which are both under construction.  A stretch of the M5 in Somerset is on the list.

The schemes include:

• M5 between junction 23 and 25 through Somerset – introducing message signs, incident detection and signalling, queue protection, speed management and enhanced CCTV coverage
• A38 Mowhay bridge – widening the footpath for cyclists and pedestrians. This had already been announced last September
• A30 Fingle to Woodleigh westbound, resurfacing seven miles of carriageway 

The Mowhay footbridge over the A38 will be widened to accommodate cyclists (courtesy: Highways England)

From April 2020 to March 2021, Highways England say they resurfaced nearly 200 miles of road throughout the region – the equivalent of nearly 16,000 double decker buses parked back-to-back- and renewed 42 miles of barriers, 950 miles of road markings and 31 miles of drainage, helped ensure motorists in the south west continued moving smoothly and safely.

Roads Minister Baroness Vere said: “This Government is committed to levelling-up transport right across the country, helping people get to work or education, and to see family and friends.

“This multi-million-pound investment is a real reflection of that commitment. It will ensure road-users right across the south west enjoy safer, quicker journeys, and that the local economy can build back better from the pandemic.”