THE NEWLY-OPENED South Devon Link Road has not only eased Newton Abbot’s Penn Inn congestion nightmares but it’s won another top award.

The £110 million highway - officially opened last month - scooped an honour handed out by one the UK’s leading transport bodies.

The Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation presented its regional Large Transportation Project Award to the main players behind the 5.5km relief road - Devon and Torbay councils and contractor Galliford Try.

Shortlisted projects were selected after demonstrating excellence in the planning or engineering field within the highways and transportation industry.

Cllr Andrew Leadbetter, Devon County Council cabinet member for economy and growth, said: ‘We are really pleased to receive this award which is an excellent testimony of our partnership approach.

‘The CIHT awards are very important in the UK highway sector, so this is a real accolade for the project.’

?Chris Hastings, project director at Galliford Try, chipped in: ‘This is a real achievement. We are proud to have won this prestigious South West Area award. We hope that the project goes on to receive further awards in due course.’

?The accolade comes just months after the project won a leading UK prize for its environmental activities - the gold Green Apple award recognising the scheme’s ‘sustainable and green credentials.’?It has also received two silver ‘Considerate Constructor Awards’ - and has just been nominated for a third.

The awards aim to improve the image of the construction industry. Members of the scheme are required to follow strict guidelines to ensure their worksites are kept clean, safe and well managed, and to show respect to the community and the environment.