Exeter
Exeter | |||
Location Map ( geo) | |||
| |||
County | |||
Devon | |||
Highway Authority | |||
Devon | |||
Forward Destination on | |||
M5, A30, A38, A376, A377, (A380) | |||
Next Primary Destinations | |||
Barnstaple • Exmouth • Honiton • Okehampton • Plymouth, Taunton • Torquay | |||
Places related to the M5 | |||
Bristol • Worcester • Birmingham • Bromsgrove • Taunton • Bridgwater • Weston-super-Mare • Avonmouth • Gloucester • West Bromwich • Droitwich Spa • Wellington (Somerset) • Tewkesbury • Cheltenham | |||
Places related to the A30 | |||
Redruth • Bodmin • Newquay • Penzance • Hounslow • Launceston • Okehampton • Honiton • Yeovil • Salisbury • Basingstoke • Staines • London • Camberley • Hayle | |||
Places related to the A38 | |||
Bristol • Plymouth • Bodmin • Liskeard • Worcester • Lichfield • Birmingham • Derby • Bromsgrove • Taunton • Bridgwater • Burton upon Trent • Gloucester • Mansfield • Droitwich Spa • Ripley • Alfreton • Wellington (Somerset) • Tewkesbury • Saltash • Torpoint |
Exeter is a major city in South West England, and the County Down of Devon. It is also a primary destination for several routes, and a major hub in the national traffic network.
The city has been an important axis on the road network, going back to Roman times. Two key long-distance routes intersect at Exeter; the east-west A30 and north-south M5 / A38. Traffic for London and the Midlands splits here (though some for the former can use the M5 / M4 route instead of A30 / A303 / M3), as does holiday traffic towards Plymouth, Torbay (via the A380) and Cornwall (via Okehampton). Other important regional routes are the A377 along the Taw Valley towards Barnstaple, the A396 towards Exmoor, the A376 to Exmouth and the A379 Devon coast road.
As might be expected from a merging of several nationally and regionally important routes, particularly for holiday traffic heading southwest in summer, Exeter was a significant congestion hotspot. At the time of road classification in 1922, the A378 acted as a de-facto bypass, which was later upgraded to a proper bypass in the 1930s, becoming part of the A38. However, certain low-quality sections of the road, such as the Countess Wear Bridge, meant that the bypass was no longer effective by the 1960s, and a major replacement was planned. The M5 and a rerouted A30 opened to traffic in 1977, providing a high-quality cross-city bypass. The A38 was also gradually upgraded over the coming decade to provide a high-quality link to Plymouth.
Despite its name and direction, Okehampton Street / Okehampton Road has never been part of the A30, and the main road from Exeter to Okehampton has always run south of this.
Route | To | Notes |
Taunton | ||
Okehampton, Plymouth, Torquay | Gives up just southwest of the city. | |
Honiton | Formerly also signed to London (via A303 and M3). | |
Okehampton | ||
Plymouth | ||
Exmouth | ||
Crediton | ||
Torquay | ||
Dawlish | ||
Tiverton | ||
Sowton Interchange M5, A30 East | ||
Broadclyst, Pinhoe | Former A38 | |
Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital | ||
Moretonhampstead |