The proposal is to create a 5km dual carriageway between Penn Inn and the Torbay Ring Road to bypass Kingskerswell and reduce congestion. The initial estimated cost was £121m but has been reduced to £110m by building parts of the road in stages. This will reduce immediate costs while still providing benefits. The road is estimated to create nearly 8,000 new jobs and boost the local economy by £125m annually by improving transport links for tourism and businesses. Public support is needed to help secure funding approval for construction to begin in 2012.

1. What is being proposed?
The plans are to create a 5km, created by widening the existing
two lane dual carriageway road until Aller. The road then
between Penn Inn and the Torbay swings west before proceeding
Ring Road at Kerswell Gardens. in a southerly direction to bypass
Kingskerswell, joining the
Starting just before the Penn Inn
Torbay Ring Road west of
roundabout, a flyover would take
Kerswell Gardens.
traffic onto a dual carriageway,

2. The Government’s
challenge to reduce costs
The scheme was forecast to cost over a longer period. This will not
£121m, but as the Government change or lessen the benefits of
spending review took effect last the scheme – there will still be
year, all transport schemes under gains from the very start, but it will
consideration were asked to look mean that not all the work will be
for savings. done at the same time.
Engineers at Devon County Council As a result, the immediate cost
and Torbay Council reviewed the of the scheme has been reduced
proposals and concluded that to £110m, although Devon and
the scheme could be rolled out in Torbay will have to contribute
stages, to reduce the immediate more through a variety of funding
cost and spread the spending packages.

3. So what has changed?
At Penn Inn, the new bridge over At Edginswell Junction, the dualling
the roundabout would be narrower. that was planned for the road at
Losing this extra width will save this point would also be built at
a significant sum, but it will not a later date, also reducing the
materially change the way the immediate cost of the scheme.
road operates.
Finally, omitting the metre wide
The Aller Junction is being hard strips has reduced the width
reconfigured to reduce its immediate of the road construction. This
cost. As there are alternative ways to change also means that the 50mph
access the new road, two new slip speed limit will be extended from
roads and the Aller Link Road would Aller through to Edginswell.
be built at a later date.

4. New jobs, new local
opportunities
134,000 people live in Torbay, but effect across the tourism and retail
these numbers swell dramatically sectors. As a result, the new road
during the tourist seasons, making could create an additional 7,960
the roads even more crowded. jobs across Devon and Torbay.
Tourism is a key part of Torbay’s Around 3,500 of these jobs would
economy, with nearly 17% of all be in Torbay, with around 750 being
jobs in the tourist industry, so a in the tourist sector.
good transport network is vital.
With the increase in employment,
The scheme will create the right this will bring another £125m per
environment for local businesses to year into Torbay’s economy, which
thrive, which will have a knock on will transform the area.

5. Land Management
With such a large scale project, Careful use has been made of
it has also been important to the contours of the land, creating
ensure that the visual impact artificial cuttings where necessary
of the road is minimised as far to screen the new route from
as possible. houses and viewpoints.

6. Costs
2010 Cost of scheme £121m
Department for Transport contribution £108m
2011 Cost of current scheme £110m
Department for Transport contribution £76m
Devon County Council contribution £17m
Torbay Council contribution £17m

7. What happens next?
The scheme is in a development the Secretary of State, construction
pool competing against 45 other could start in 2012 and the road
schemes for a share of £630m. could be in operation by
The total value of all the schemes is December 2015.
around £900m so it’s clear that not
all of them will be successful. However, we have lots to do in
the meantime. We have reduced
A new final business case is our costs significantly without
being produced at the moment, compromising the effectiveness
which will be submitted by 9 of the scheme. There are clear
September 2011. A decision on the economic, social and environmental
successful schemes is expected benefits. So now the road needs
by Christmas. If the scheme was
your support!
granted permission to proceed by

8. How to help
We need to show the Ministers the road by writing to the Minister
making the decision that this is responsible for making the decision
the best option. The case has to and to our MPs. Their details are on
demonstrate that this is best for the newsletter – ask staff for a copy.
the area, that it has the backing of The more detail you can give
the community and so the money about the difference a new road
should be spent here, on this road. will make, the more effective the
There will be some that disagree, letter will be. MPs and Ministers get
and the same process applies. thousands of letters each day, so
Writing to the Minister and MPs will it’s important to make it stand out
be very important in either case. and make it personal.
You can help make the case for Thank you very much for your help.

9. More information
For more information please visit our website:
www.southdevonlinkroad.co.uk
or email: sdlr@coastmarcoms.co.uk
or contact:
Paul Ewings at
Matford Offices
Devon County Council
County Hall
Topsham Road
Exeter
EX2 4QW