Westleigh Junction

The Westleigh Junction forms a link between the A39 and the B3233 in Devon. The traffic lights were installed in 2011 due to safety concerns over the previous layout of the junction. There was much debate when deciding on what should be installed, with a campaign to install a roundabout instead, with concerns of huge queues at the junction. However, since the opening of the lights, the junction has worked very well with minimal disruption.

History

1977 plan for the junction

The Bideford Bypass east of Heywood Road Roundabout was originally planned as a dual carriageway and the junction would have had a second slip road to the B3233 for the westbound carriageway. Orders were made for this scheme in 1977 but by 1983 the plan had changed to build the entire bypass as a single carriageway and the second slip road was omitted. When the road opened in 1987, the A39 at this point swung tightly left down the hill to the current roundabout below and continued to Instow and beyond. When the North Devon Link Road was built, a basic at grade junction was built with the old road used as an exit slip road for eastbound traffic. Over the years, there were many accidents and near misses as eastbound traffic trying to exit were in conflict with traffic wanting to join the eastbound A39.

Routes

Route	To	Notes
A39	Barnstaple
A39	Bude, Bideford, Torrington, Okehampton (A386)
B3233	East-the-Water, Instow, Yelland