CAMPAIGNERS for the valley route of the Crediton Link Road have vowed to continue with their campaign despite Devon County Council's cabinet decision to press ahead with the hillside route.

Crediton Traffic Action Group members said they want the £10m valley route rather than the £8m amended hillside route because they say the valley route will take traffic further away from the town, which would help alleviate Crediton's dire air pollution problem.

DCC's cabinet members asked for more traffic and environmental surveys to be carried out before a planning application is considered.

Council leader John Hart said that Devon County Council will carry out a "completely fresh set of tests to prove one way or the other whether the route will remove a substantial proportion of the traffic."

Crediton County Councillor Nick Way said: "I think people, particularly in Exeter Road, have suffered enough over the years and we need to get on with the job.

"But, I hope there is a window open, if the traffic figures prove as bad as people believe, to bring the valley route back."

Chris McCarthy, Devon's director of environment, economy and culture, encouraged councillors to approve the hillside route and said: "It's time to make decisions and take action.

"We have to face up to the reality - there's no funding available for a bigger scheme."

However, he added: "The hillside route is not perfect and won't do everything Crediton needs, but it's an achievable route."

Cllr Stuart Hughes, Devon's portfolio holder for highways and transport, told the cabinet that Crediton Town Council, Mid Devon District Council, the Environment Agency, English Heritage and the Downes Estate all supported the hillside route or objected to the valley route.

He said the valley route was rejected by 60 per cent of the people who expressed a preference in 2008.

He added: "The hillside route will provide a scheme that supports development in the area, improves air quality and addresses the issue of present and future traffic growth."

He warned members, "a significant amount of time" had been lost in making a decision.

Cllr Richard Westlake told fellow councillors: "Devon County Council has let down the people of Crediton.

"I believe that to act and take away the bypass route is very poor. It is not looking ahead.

"The key question is whether the hillside route will take away the pollution. I think we must find out if it does."

He added: "If lorries are going through Crediton they will still use Exeter Road. The valley route is the best one and would and could form part of a proposed future bypass which could be built in stages.

"There are a lot of unanswered questions: Will it solve air pollution?, How do you (council officers) arrive at some of the figures quoted? Should we continue to protect the route of the bypass? Can we say to the people of Crediton you will see an advantage with this route?"

Cllr Michael Lee said: "I would prefer the valley route but there is still the money barrier in the way."

Referring to some considerable lengths of the hillside route being of a one in 10 gradient, he added: "If the hillside route is taken up, then hauliers should be consulted to see if can be used.

"We also have to look at what happens to the traffic when it leaves the Lords Meadow Industrial Estate.

"Pinch points include Blagdon and Jockey Hill and more thought needs to be given to these areas."

Cllr Jerry Brook said: "Cllr Westlake has covered some good points. Crediton Traffic Action Group has provided some very up-to-date surveys of traffic.

"While you propose this (hillside) route, can you be sure that it is user-friendly?

"Drivers will have no compulsion to use it and the infrastructure at the other side of the estate is not good enough.

"At Jockey Hill, for example, there are two issues, that the road is little more than one car width and it has safety concerns.

"There could be serious congestion problems."

Cllr Brook also asked if the hillside route would benefit Exeter Road residents.

He also mentioned the Peddlarspool development proposal. He said there had been "no authoritative will" to help Crediton with its road proposals in the past.

He said it would be a "dereliction of our duty" to take away the protected route of the Crediton Bypass.

He also mentioned health concerns faced by the people of Crediton and said councillors should consider the long-term future of Crediton, rather than the short-term.

CTAG member, Bill Dixon, presented the cabinet with a petition containing 2,300 signatures asking for the valley route.

The meeting approved the amended hillside route but councillors asked for additional traffic and environmental surveys to be conducted and reported back to a future cabinet meeting prior to the submission of a planning application.

SHORT-SIGHTED

SOLUTION

The cabinet also approved a recommendation to abandon the Crediton bypass route which is safeguarded in Mid Devon District Council's Local Development Framework.

CTAG chairman, Bob Edwards, said he was "disgusted" at the decision.

He said the decisions were reached using data with "serious flaws" and called it a "short-sighted solution".

With regard to taking away the protected route of the bypass, he said: "They have burnt their boats now and will be building a white elephant".

Bill Dixon said: "Following the lack of listening to local residents it is not surprising the turnout at local elections is so low.

"Nothing seems to get listened to except the voices of our government and their officers."

Joan Farley said: "We knew Devon County Council wouldn't listen to anyone from Crediton and would just go ahead with the officers proposal.

"It is disgraceful.

"As we know, the authorities pinched the money it should have used to improve Crediton's roads to build roads in Plymouth.

"That is why this is all we are going to end up with, an unwanted hillside road."

Crediton Traffic Action Group cancelled its March meeting following the decision and held a meeting of its executive on Wednesday night to discuss how it was to continue in its campaign to press for the valley route.

Alan Quick