B3213

This article is about the current B3213, the former A38 through Ivybridge.
For the original B3213 on the edge of Dartmoor, see B3213 (Dunsford).

Apart from a short deviation along an inner relief road in the centre of Ivybridge, the B3213 follows the original, pre "Devon Expressway" route of the A38 from the west side of that town to the village of Wrangaton, where it meets the A3121.

Route

Exeter Road, Ivybridge

The road leaves the A38 at a GSJ on the western side of Ivybridge. Until 1984 the B3211 was also met here but that road is now unclassified but the westbound A38 offslip still ends on that road. We enter town immediately and head east along Western Road to reach a roundabout. The old A38 continued ahead along Fore Street but we bear right onto Marjorie Kelly Way and quickly cross the River Erme. Although there are no buildings lining this relief road the speed limit is no higher.

After crossing a roundabout we run through an industrial estate and get to the far end of Fore Street at a roundabout, where we turn right to rejoin the old A38. We head east along Exeter Road although it does take some time to enter open country. A few hundred yards further on we enter the Dartmoor National Park (although there is no obvious reason why) and then reach the village of Bittaford. We cannon off the railway line from Exeter to Plymouth, running alongside a viaduct, then detour to the south to leave the village and then go under the railway at a very sharp angle.

As the road crosses the fields once more it now forms the boundary of the National Park - but not for long. It reaches a corner of Wrangaton (the village centre is off the road to the left) and then goes over the railway again, although this bridge is easy to miss. The B3213 ends at the road junction on the far side which forms part of another GSJ with the A38. The road ahead forms the eastbound onslip whilst the road to the right is the A3121, which provides access to the westbound offslip.

History

Origin

It became B3213 upon the opening of the Ivybridge Bypass on 21 December 1973.

Ivybridge Relief Road: Marjorie Kelly Way

The 0.25 mile road was opened on 13 June 1994 per the Ivybridge Heritage website. It was 7.3m wide with 2m footpaths and had a bridge across the River Erme. Cost was £1.96 million. The existing Leonard Road was used for the east side of the Relief Road.