Western Morning News (Saturday)
Bid for levelling up funds to improve transport links
ANEW railway station, new cycle trail and three long-awaited highways schemes are to be put forward in a bid to get nearly £100million of Government cash.
Devon County Council’s cabinet, when they meet next Wednesday, are recommended to give approval for the council to work with the relevant district councils to submit bids to the Government’s Levelling Up Fund.
The Government’s Levelling Up Fund was announced at the 2020 Spending Review to support communities in order to regenerate town centres, enable investment in cultural facilities or upgrade local transport infrastructure.
A programme of schemes in Devon have been identified which cover a range of transport modes over a wide area. The five schemes identified are: Okehampton – new rail station and transport hub; Cullompton – Town Centre Relief Road; Exmouth – Completion of Dinan Way and town centre improvements; Teign Estuary Trail and associated cycle links;
Lee Mill – slip road and associated local improvements.
Dave Black, head of planning, transportation and environment, in his report to the cabinet said: “All the schemes will have a valid permission which will demonstrate a net gain in biodiversity, a reduction in carbon and air quality improvements. There is a wide range of schemes including a rail station, two strategic multi-use trails and highway schemes aimed at reducing the impact of traffic on sensitive residential areas and town centres.”
The total cost of the programme is approximately £92m, the report says, which would include £74.3m in capital grant from Government, £12m from other contributions and a contribution of £5.7m from Devon County Council.
The Okehampton transport hub will include a new rail station – Okehampton Parkway – close to the emerging development and the junction off the A30 to the east of Okehampton.
Devon County Council currently owns the necessary land and the hub will include facilities for bus connections, cycle facilities and electric vehicle charging at the car park. The aim is to provide an interchange for Okehampton and the rural hinterland stretching up to Holsworthy, Hatherleigh and North Cornwall, which currently has poor connectivity to the national rail network.
In Cullompton the relief road would enable traffic to be removed from the High Street enabling further regeneration of the historic core of the town, and was granted planning permission in January 2021.