I have the honour to present a petition on behalf of some 4,000 of my constituents concerning the road network in Torridge and West Devon. Devon has the largest road network of any county at 8,000 miles. It has many unclassified and unnumbered roads serving isolated communities. While the substantial sums provided in recent Budgets are welcome, the patchwork repair of our roads is not the answer. The petitioners seek a predictable provision over the next five years to enable a planned scheme of comprehensive road repairs.

The petition states:

“Wherefore your Petitioners pray that your Honourable House urges HM Government to reallocate funds to Devon County Council to facilitate a comprehensive scheme of road improvements, including to improve the condition of unclassified or classified unnumbered roads which are vital for rural communities in Torridge and West Devon, as well as to prevent further, avoidable disrepair.

And your petitioners remain, as in duty bound, will ever pray, &c.”

Following is the full text of the petition:

[The humble petition of the people of Torridge and West Devon,

Sheweth, that Devon has the largest road network of any county, encompassing more than 8,000 miles; further that more than 5.77 billion vehicle miles were travelled on Devon’s road network in 2022; further that many of these roads are unclassified or classified unnumbered and while acknowledging the welcome additional one-off grants of an extra £27 million in 2020/21 and of £9.4 million allocated to Devon County Council in the Spring Budget (2023); notes that the established funding model does not keep pace with the requirements of Torridge and West Devon’s road network and that some of its roads, particularly the unclassified and classified unnumbered roads serving market towns and villages, after recent severe winters and rains, are in a state of dilapidation.

Wherefore your Petitioners pray that your Honourable House urges HM Government to reallocate funds to Devon County Council to facilitate a comprehensive scheme of road improvements, including to improve the condition of unclassified or classified unnumbered roads which are vital for rural communities in Torridge and West Devon, as well as to prevent further, avoidable disrepair.

And your petitioners remain, as in duty bound, will ever pray, &c.]

[P002956]