Okehampton
Okehampton | |||
Location Map ( geo) | |||
| |||
County | |||
Devon | |||
Highway Authority | |||
Devon | |||
Forward Destination on | |||
A30, A386 | |||
Next Primary Destinations | |||
Bideford • Exeter • Launceston • Tavistock | |||
Places related to the A30 | |||
Places related to the A386 | |||
Okehampton is a town in Devon and a primary destination on the A30. The other main road is the A386 heading north / south through Devon. It was a major bottleneck for holiday traffic to Devon and Cornwall until bypassed in 1988.
Bypass
A bypass of the town was planned for years, but stalled over discussions whether to build it to the north or south of the town. The north option passed through more working farmland and required more properties to be demolished, while the south option encroached on the Dartmoor National Park.
The Department of Transport hoped the railway between Exeter and Plymouth via Okehampton could be closed, allowing the bypass to run on that land. However, the line was still used for carrying granite from Meldon Quarry, so it could not be closed (and, indeed, has now reopened for passengers towards Exeter). Instead, the bypass would follow the railway line to the south.
After several other towns along the route had high-quality bypasses opened in the 1970s, including Exeter, Launceston and Bodmin, Okehampton became a significant bottleneck after the dual carriageway from the M5 ran out at Whiddon Down, and all traffic got jammed at a set of lights in the town centre.
The bypass finally started construction in November 1986. It opened on 19 July 1988.
Other roads
The A30 east of the bypass was diverted onto a new dual carriageway route to Whiddon Down in July 1987, in anticipation of the bypass being completed.
The A386 was diverted away from the town centre in 1972 onto the former B3219, keeping all through traffic away from it. The original line of the A386 from the town northwards remained as a spur, but has since been downgraded.
Routes
Route | To | Notes |
Exeter | ||
Launceston | ||
Tavistock • Plymouth | ||
Hatherleigh, Torrington, Bideford | ||
Holeworthy, Bude | ||
Halwill | ||
Appledore | ||
Exbourne |
Links