Devon County Council on October 1st 2008 published the full list of Compulsory Purchase of land and the rights required in the Parishes of Newton Abbot, Kingskerswell and Abbotskerswell in Teignbridge Council Area and those affecting Shiphay with the Willows in the Unitary Authority of Torbay. The publishing of this list is a further step towards the start of an A380 link road from Penn Inn Newton Abbot to the Hamelyn Way Torbay.
Although the RDA and all of the Councils in the area are fully in support of the new road, the Government has still not given its permission for the inclusion of this bypass in the National List. For the residents and visitors that use the A380 on a regular basis the new road cannot come quick enough and although the publication of compulsory orders are a step in the right direction the likelihood of a start being made on the construction of this road is unlikely to commence before 2012. The Kingkskerswell Probypass Committee are still monitoring progress which includes trying to ensure that the ultimate decision of getting the new road is not in itself ’bypassed’ through those that would keep on insisting that the funding is not available to construct the road.
The finance required for this new road is now four times what it would have been 15 years ago and bearing in mind the concept of the road was actually discussed as far back as the 1960’s it is certainly time that the road becomes fact. The majority finance will be met by Central Government once it has given the go ahead and local Councils including the District, County and Unitary Authorities will only jointly have to fund something in the order of 10% of the final figure required to complete the new road which when spread over a number of years into the future will be quite manageable. There are still objectors but we as a Committee say these are very much in the minority and if Torbay and Teignbridge are to be allowed to develop there is no alternative to this bypass. For he villagers of Kingskerswell there nightmare scenario of what was 35,000 vehicles per day, at the last traffic census, will never be reduced at the A380 until some alternative is constructed - Ian L Handford Chairman of the A380 Kingskerswell Bypass Committee 

Posted 15th October 2008