THE new traffic management plan for Okehampton is likely to 'help around the edges' rather than yield any huge improvements in traffic flow around the town, a leading engineer has said.

Mike Jones, a traffic engineer for Devon County Council, visited the town council's planning meeting on Monday to discuss the upcoming Okehampton Traffic Management Plan, which starts on April 1.

The town and hamlets councils will look to create a working party inviting representatives from the two councils, Okehampton and District Chamber of Trade and other relevant community organisations to discuss areas of concern regarding town traffic and report them to Devon County Council's traffic management plan.

With funding cuts hitting the county council, any traffic management plan is unlikely to yield major changes to the town's roads and infrastructure, instead offering small changes that could have practical benefits to motorists.

Mr Jones said: 'Okehampton has several problem areas with traffic, including Market Street, which is a real problem, particularly the entrance to Waitrose and Lidl.

'The traffic management plan might be able to come up with an idea to help alleviate problem areas, but this will not lead to major engineering. This will provide ideas for tinkering and helping around the edges.

'Devon County Council has faced huge cuts in funding.

'A few years ago I headed up a team where we had over £1-million across Devon for small scheme developments, for things like pedestrian crossings and the like.

'Now, it is £350,000 for the county and next year there is no budget for it.

'The Government has changed the way it handles funding. It used to get allocated county to county, but now money is allocated for the South West region and now we have to bid for it. We need good schemes on the shelf, ready to go to bid for them.

'We are having to play the game — but if the town comes forward with ideas, we can bid for it. It will help with tinkering, providing new signage, moving kerbs, other things like that.

'We want to hold regular meetings over the next year or so to put something in front of the town and say "this is what we can achieve short term", then provide plans for the medium term solutions.'

Mr Jones also stated that the level of housing development planned for Okehampton could see the town receive funding in the future to help the town's infrastructure cope with the increased levels of traffic, though this was not guaranteed.

Councillors were disappointed that the impending traffic management plan would not lead to major improvements to the town's infrastructure.

They pointed out several areas in the town that suffer from congestion and traffic issues, including Station Road, Market Street and North Street.

Cllr Derek Webber, chair of Okehampton Hamlets Parish Council, said: 'If we had a robust traffic management plan in place, a lot of the building and planned development would not be going ahead without thinking about the roads first.

'It seems to be piling on while nothing is done to our infrastructure.

'Years ago the inspectors said we need a link road between Crediton Road and Exeter Road. Both Devon County Council and West Devon Borough Council put cotton wool in their ears and ignored it.

'If we are expecting developers to pay for major development like a link road we are living in cloud cuckoo land.

'Section 106 money is harder and harder to come by. Okehampton needs investment from county.'

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