NAVIGATING the rural roads of Central Devon can, even at the best of times, be an awkward experience, with our narrow lanes, tight bends and high hedges obscuring views, creating bottlenecks and frequently requiring a reverse into laybys.

I suspect because of this, Devon drivers tend to be more patient than most other people – well that’s my theory!

However, when it comes to Copplestone and the closure of a key part of the A377, I totally get that constituents have had enough. In fact many are furious!

It's clearly unacceptable that the road adjacent to the Cross Hotel Pub has been closed since the April 3.

It has also been almost a year since Mid Devon District Council (MDDC) first closed the road citing concerns about the former pub’s structural integrity.

Since the road’s closure, opening hours have been reduced at the village shop which has hit its takings, and journeys between Crediton and Exeter and the surrounding villages have been routinely disrupted to the considerable inconvenience of local people.

I visited the site on Saturday to discuss this issue with neighbours close to the pub and I fully appreciate the justifiable strength of feeling about the local authority’s apparent inability to move things along and the lack of detailed information released by MDDC.

Notices on the authority’s website and site scaffolding state that demolition work will have commenced by the time this article goes to press.

However, neighbours have not been informed as to whether this will be a full or partial demolition and many questions still remain unanswered.

I have written over a dozen letters and emails to MDDC in response to concerns that constituents have raised with me on this matter.

These have included issues with the operation and location of the traffic lights, the desire to see a community space restored, and the potential impact of a full demolition on neighbouring properties.

However, the primary question is why it has taken so long to address a problem that has been known about for almost a year.

A solution, even a temporary repair to the building, so that the road can be reopened before a potential further six weeks wait for demolition work to be completed would be welcome.

Last week, I requested a meeting with senior officers at MDDC.

I hope this request will be agreed to by MDDC.

I will of course keep constituents up to date by email and via my Facebook page.

Further delays and ambiguity would not be fair to those who have spent the last 14 weeks queuing patiently on the A377, without much hope of an imminent and much-needed remedy.

They need answers and a solution.

Mel Stride

MP for Central Devon