Walking and cycling links around Dinan Way in Exmouth are to be given a £3.15 million upgrade.
Our Cabinet today (Wednesday 23 July) approved the additional measures for the Dinan Way extension scheme, which got underway at the start of the year.
To encourage active travel, particularly for shorter journeys, councillors supported proposals to develop several crossings to improve access to schools, bus stops, the Exe Estuary multi-use trail and the town centre. The aim is also to reduce vehicle speeds and improve safety.
The series of enhancements has been made possible with the agreement of the Department for Transport to redistribute funding which was originally allocated to proposed public realm improvements around Exmouth railway station. Following a lack of support for those proposals during public consultation, they were removed from the Destination Exmouth project by Cabinet in May last year.
Councillor Dan Thomas, Cabinet Member for Highways, said:
“I’m pleased that the Government approved our request to redistribute the funding which will enable us to improve the network of walking and cycling routes in Exmouth as part of the Dinan Way extension. These additions will make it much easier and safer for people to get around Exmouth on foot or by bike. Hopefully that will encourage more people not to rely on their car for short journeys and help to reduce carbon emissions.”
Councillor Jeff Trail BEM, County Councillor for Exmouth, said:
“This is a much needed and valued project. Councillor Andrea Davis, former county councillor Richard Scott and I lobbied government to enable the funds to be used to improve safety on the original Dinan Way, which is a very busy road. It will also support active travel from the north of Exmouth to the Exe Estuary Trail, provide better and improved crossings for children walking to one of four junior schools in the area and Exmouth Community College, as well as improving business, employment and social opportunities to the north of Exmouth, Budleigh and Exmouth town centre.”
The existing crossing on Meadow View Road will be upgraded to a Puffin crossing, while the informal crossing at Gorse Lane will be converted to a Toucan crossing with an island.
An additional length of footpath will be introduced on St John’s Road along with a proposed crossing and island.
The informal crossing on Marley Road will become a Puffin crossing, to create a safer walking route into the town centre, and crossing points will also be provided where Hulham Road meets Featherbed Lane and Pound Lane.
Bus laybys will be introduced at Kings Nursery on Hulham Road, where the footway will also be widened and an informal crossing developed.
To improve walking and cycling access to Summer Lane, which has been closed to vehicular through-traffic (apart from residents’ access) as part of the Dinan Way scheme, the footway on the eastern side of the A376 between Summer Lane and the pedestrian crossing near Victoria Gardens will be widened to become a shared-use route.
Funding contributions towards the scheme are also being provided by us, East Devon District Council and Exmouth Town Council.
Traffic Regulation Orders for these improvements will now be advertised. It is hoped that construction of these active travel elements will start this autumn and be completed by the end of March 2026.