TRAFFIC diversions which will be put in place when a busy Newton Abbot road shuts down have been branded a recipe for chaos, writes Sam Hall.

Wolborough Street, a road used by thousands of motorists a day, is to be blocked off for a week in February so essential repair work can be carried out.

The closure will stretch from the Ogwell Cross roundabout along to the traffic lights near Asda and will be in place from February 12 until 19.

But drivers trying to get into Newton Abbot face a rather lengthy commute and will have to travel into the town via the A385 at Totnes and then join the Torbay Ring Road before getting on the South Devon Highway.

Fears have also been expressed about motorists using narrow Coach Road, which already suffers from congestion, as an alternative.

District and county councillor Alistair Dewhirst is calling on Devon County Council to explain what measures are being put in place to alleviate the mayhem.

The Ipplepen member said: ‘Despite repeated requests for clarification as to what measures are to be put in place to mitigate the impact on local people and businesses to the west of Newton Abbot I have heard nothing.

‘I have heard from the transport coordinator that the 177 bus will use Coach Road but as a frequent user of this road I can attest that it is often impassable when large vans and HGVs use it.’

Cllr Dewhirst said many residents in Abbotskerswell are concerned that most of the traffic will use the village and the extremely narrow Priory Road to get into Newton Abbot.

He added: ‘This is a recipe for total traffic chaos.

‘There must be a system of traffic management at Ogwell Cross that bans HGVs and vans from Coach Road and similar at Abbotskerswell Cross banning these vehicles from Priory Road.’

Planned work for the major road includes reconstructing the stretch from Pomeroy Road to Waltham Road and carrying out deep patching repairs from Waltham to Beverley Gardens.

A new surface will be laid from Pomeroy Road to Beverley Gardens.

Cllr Dewhirst is demanding the cabinet member comes up with answers so residents are not inconvenienced and businesses can ensure that supplies and deliveries arrive on time.

A Devon County Council spokesman said: ‘We have taken reasonable steps to reduce the impact the essential resurfacing work will have on surrounding roads.

‘That is why we have planned the work for February, the quietest month in terms of traffic, and during half term.’