Work to remove the bottleneck on the main road into Kingsbridge by making it wider begins next week (Monday February 2).

There are often minor hold ups on the road and major traffic jams at busy times, particularly during the tourist season. These are caused by wide vehicles being unable to pass each other at the road's narrowest points.

This congestion affects traffic getting into and out of Kingsbridge, impacts on the local economy and raises local noise and pollution levels. There is also concern that emergency vehicles cannot get through when congestion is bad.

An alternative gyratory traffic scheme was considered two years ago but was rejected by local people.

The work will widen the B3264 link from Palegate Cross to Kingsbridge Hospital to enable wide vehicles to pass each other. This will involve moving back the hedge on the southern side of the road. A technique will be used to retain the existing hedge bank structure by cutting it at the base and moving it as a whole sideways. This is being done in February and early March to avoid the bird nesting season.

To reduce environmental impact, the new corridor will only be wide enough to accommodate the road, there will not be room for footpaths or cycleways.

The cost of the scheme is £430,000 but it is proposed to carry the works out in two phases over the next three years. Devon County Council's Executive has approved spending £220,000 on the first phase to relocate the entire length of the hedge bank and widen the road between Kingsbridge Hospital and Norton Cross.

For the safety of road users and the people working on the scheme, the road will be closed to all traffic, except emergency vehicles which will be escorted through the site, for about eight weeks.

Light vehicles will be diverted via Sorely Green, Coombe Royal, Cookworthy Road and West Alvington in a clockwise direction which will require one-way traffic and temporary speed limits in places.

Articulated vehicles, due to their size, will have to contact the contractor, JTT Contracting Ltd, to arrange escorted passage through the works. All other traffic will follow the diversions.

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