Devon County Council highways officers have been criticised for failing to attend a public meeting about roadworks in Newton Abbot.

Around 80 Newton Abbot road users, along with county and town councillors, attended the meeting at Newton Abbot Rugby Club, which was organised by Anna Lofthouse from the Teignbridge Community Project.

Frustrated and fed up of the constant gridlock around the town and the state of the roads, residents and business owners voiced their concerns about the lack of joined-up planning around the various roadworks in and around Newton Abbot and the poor communication and consultation about when and where works are taking place.

One healthcare worker at the meeting pointed out that the traffic delays were having a massive impact on patient care and safety and reported that patients have nearly given birth at the Penn Inn roundabout and families have missed out on precious final moments with dying relatives.

Business owners raised fears that some companies may not survive two years of disruption due to traffic works and asked if there would be any compensation for those severely affected by long-term road closures.

The problem of utility companies carrying out ‘emergency’ work at the same time of scheduled roadworks and causing gridlock was also discussed. Newton Abbot MP Martin Wrigley said he had raised the subject with the Secretary of State on Thursday morning and reported that she had acknowledged it as ‘a national problem’.

After the meeting Mr Wrigley promised to continue pressing for national change on the way utilities companies co-ordinate road works and essential repairs.

All the complaints raised at the meeting will be formally documented and Devon County Councillor Jackie Fry pledged to raise the issues raised regarding diversion safety, emergency access, contingency planning and the impact of the works on businesses with Devon County Highways.