A controversial four-way traffic light scheme for Kingsteignton has been rejected by more than half of its residents. It is part of the county's Local Transport Plan and would involve traffic lights controlling the junction of Exeter Road with Ley Lane and Longford Lane. Highways engineers designed the scheme after an earlier call to improve pedestrian safety at the junction, which is used daily by hundreds of schoolchildren. But business owners had raised concerns about the loss of parking and passing trade. Some residents complained that the scheme would add to congestion and create rat-runs elsewhere. The parish council voted against it earlier this year and the county agreed to defer its decision – which is final and binding – until it had conducted a survey to gauge the wider strength of feeling. Highways engineer Graham Heath told members of a parish council sub-committee on Wednesday that of 4,000 questionnaires sent out, 1,683 had been returned – representing 40 per cent of the population. Only 44 per cent of those had favoured the scheme, while 54 per cent said they were against it. Two per cent of the forms had been spoilt. Mr Heath said the response had been 'very good' and although the result was 'pretty close' it had gone against the scheme. He also confirmed that the number of vehicles using the junction each day had not been approximately 14,000 as suggested. That was actually the number of 'vehicle movements'. A car travelling along Exeter Road which then turned off into another road, for instance, was counted as two movements. The real figure, he agreed, was around 7,000. Faced with the new information, members of the committee maintained their opposition, a decision which will go to the full parish council on September 6 for approval. Among those to voice their opposition was Cllr Joan Lambert, who said: 'Let's face it, the people have voted and said no.' Council chairman, Cllr Jill Morris, said: 'There are certain people in the community who will say we are not protecting our children.' The county will make its decision on September 8.
