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.
Updates
Reached 500 supporters
December 17, 2024
Reached 100 supporters
December 9, 2024
264 Comments
I work in a supported living house on Londonderry it has been a nightmare with clients getting to & from appointment s & generally day to day life they already hate car time so when stuck in traffic which this closure is causing it causes unnecessary stress & upset
As a taxi driver i estimate this closure costs me in excess of £150 per week in lost time which equals lost fares. If having to pick up or drop off in the Londonderry or Abbotsham areas it can cost my customer 2 or 3 times more than the usual fare.
To completely close the road is ridiculous, no emergency acess there's is not even pedestrian access, someone from the council should get up from behind their desk and try walking a diversion. A solution with acess for all needs to be found.
To get to and from Bideford college at the moment adds 20 mins on to the journey each way and it’s dangerous driving through the residential area the diversion goes through. My children are also regularly late to school catching the school bus
As an older person who rely on this route to get my pharmacy, GP as well as other destinations I think the road should be made available to Our local Community. 5 months! Is a very long time for the road to be closed.
I know signing this is a waste of time. SWW and the council couldn't give a monkeys about the inconvenience.
5 months seems far too long given the size of the development and the fact that many developers tackle this issue with traffic lights rather than a total closure.
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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.
Updates
Reached 500 supporters
December 17, 2024
Reached 100 supporters
December 9, 2024
264 Comments
Absolute nightmare, I catch or I used to catch the 319 bus but now with the major diversion I can't as the bus I due to get into Barnstaple at 8.35 but your lucky if you get in before 9am which is useless as its way to late.
I work in a supported living house on Londonderry it has been a nightmare with clients getting to & from appointment s & generally day to day life they already hate car time so when stuck in traffic which this closure is causing it causes unnecessary stress & upset
As a taxi driver i estimate this closure costs me in excess of £150 per week in lost time which equals lost fares. If having to pick up or drop off in the Londonderry or Abbotsham areas it can cost my customer 2 or 3 times more than the usual fare.
To completely close the road is ridiculous, no emergency acess there's is not even pedestrian access, someone from the council should get up from behind their desk and try walking a diversion. A solution with acess for all needs to be found.
To get to and from Bideford college at the moment adds 20 mins on to the journey each way and it’s dangerous driving through the residential area the diversion goes through. My children are also regularly late to school catching the school bus
As an older person who rely on this route to get my pharmacy, GP as well as other destinations I think the road should be made available to Our local Community. 5 months! Is a very long time for the road to be closed.
I know signing this is a waste of time. SWW and the council couldn't give a monkeys about the inconvenience.
5 months seems far too long given the size of the development and the fact that many developers tackle this issue with traffic lights rather than a total closure.
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Absolute nightmare, I catch or I used to catch the 319 bus but now with the major diversion I can't as the bus I due to get into Barnstaple at 8.35 but your lucky if you get in before 9am which is useless as its way to late.