No proper or reasonable consideration was given to the significant impact on local people, businesses and community services as a result of completely closing parts of Abbotsham Road for over 5 months.

The problems (non-exhaustive list)

• Risk to life as unable to get emergency services through and the detour is 15-20 minutes

• No understanding that this is the main arterial road from Bideford to Abbotsham

• Elderly/non-drivers unable to access the town/GP/pharmacy

• Buses forced down narrow residential diversion roads causing delays on already limited services

• Cost of taxi rides more than doubling for many who can ill afford it but have no other means of transport

• Detour roads too narrow, single file, limited passing places, residential, badly surfaced, potholed, damage to vehicles

• Thousands of school children and parents from 2 schools having to divert 5-8 miles with all traffic pushed through those limited routes significantly increasing fuel costs and travel time

• Environmental impact/carbon footprint of longer journeys

• Commuters forced to extend journey times and pass through narrow town roads as no access to A39

• Wildlife disruption and destruction

• Days where no work was done or very short working days with little progress

• Use of the road as compound/storage with no works happening, restricting access for people and emergency services with no justification

The solutions (again not exhaustive)

• Traffic lights with one lane open at all times

• Plates or coverings over any holes when no one is there working, which is often

• 24 hour working

• Night working and open in the day

• Timed closures during certain hours of days/nights/weekends and open all other times

• Quad bikes leading traffic through

With delays already having occurred on the current works and those delays having a longer term knock on effect on the next stage of works, locals have no choice but to call upon the council to urgently change the way the works are carried out.

Having already been closed since 7 October 2024, a notice appeared at the back of the North Devon Journal on Wednesday 4 December stating a further full closure of up to 18 months.

This is not sustainable or acceptable and is a serious concern for future intended works.

We cannot recover the last 9 weeks but need proper alternatives for the immediate and long term future to avoid repetition and escalation of the problems.

The local feeling is severe discontent at being disregarded and not considered.

Urgent review is needed to enable the road to be opened fully or partially with proper plans in place for the community and local residents of Abbotsham Road, Abbotsham, Moreton Park Road, Lime Grove and all surrounding areas.