Plans underway for new Park and Ride

Plans are underway for a new site for a proposed Park and Ride on the edge of Exeter.

Devon County Council is set to begin pre-application discussions on a new location for the Park and Ride at the A30 Alphington Interchange junction.

Previous proposals had looked to develop the Oaklands Stable site, accessed off Alphington Road. However, following recent evaluations a new site at “Round Field” is proposed, which is on the other side of the A30 junction between the westbound slip road and the road that leads out towards Ide.

The County Council has recently revisited the assessment of alternative sites within a 500 metre radius of the A30 junction in response to a number of concerns raised by members of the community and statutory stakeholders about the impact that developing the Oaklands Stable would have on the Alphin Brook Conservation Area and Valley Park. There were also issues over affordability, with significant costs associated with raising the levels of the site to improve drainage and introducing new sets of signals and widening on Alphington Road.

A detailed preliminary assessment of the “round field” site has found that it could accommodate approximately 600 spaces, which is sufficient based on the latest transport assessment. It has fewer planning and environmental constraints, and the site could be served by a simple roundabout junction. Traffic approaching on both A30 slip roads would also benefit from using the more lightly trafficked lane to provide easier access to the site.

The scheme will provide the opportunity to offer more than just park and ride. Cycle links could be developed avoiding the A30 junction, and park and share, which is already happening informally in the area, would also be encouraged.

Councillor Andrew Leadbetter, Devon County Council Cabinet Member for Economy and Growth, said: “We have listened to a number of the previous concerns and have paused to re-evaluate all the alternative sites. A new Park and Ride on this side of the city is needed to enable the city's continued growth - we believe the round field site offers a better solution by overcoming a number of local people’s concerns. It is important the site remains close to the A30 junction as it will capture trips from both the Okehampton and A38 directions, and there’s also evidence that a high proportion of drivers using the site will be travelling from the Newton Abbot direction.”

Councillor Alan Connett, local member for Exminster and Kenton, said "As part of any park and ride plan here, I would expect to see measures taken to address the concerns of Ide residents, including wanting the speed limit on the Ide road reduced, ideally to 40mph, and I would like to see other measures like a cycle lane from the village to the Park and Ride, which will provide better access to a more frequent bus service into the city. At a wider level, plans for an extended Park and Ride at Matford, as part of the new 2,500 home development by the Devon Hotel, are not being taken forward. While I understand that the aim of this new site is to provide the additional park and ride capacity for the south and west of the city, I am seeking assurances that we have a scheme which provides the best overall solution to edge-of-Exeter parking."

As part of the proposals, there are still plans for an inbound bus lane between the A30 roundabout and Alphington Cross. Improved cycle links between Ide and Alphington will also be explored. Further investigations are being carried out on the site and consultation events will be held in July.