Totnes townsfolk are being asked to have their say on proposed traffic calming measures aimed at slowing down cars and deterring Heavy Goods Vehicles from entering the town centre.

Pedestrians and cyclists are at risk in Fore Street due to the narrow pavements and fast moving traffic, says the town council.

Devon County Council has proposed implementing three measures to slow the cars down and deter HGVs, while still maintaining access for deliveries and servicing.

The proposals involve three 2.2 metre narrowings with supplementary ‘HGV ramps’ alongside.

These ramps will allow HGVs to pass through, but the steepness and pronounced ramp profile mean that smaller vehicles cannot exploit the additional width without slowing down.

The slight inconvenience of these ramps to HGVs is considered acceptable due to the limited number affected - traffic counts have determined that there are very few HGVs on this route, the town council says on its website.

The county council has proposed these measures are installed at three locations: outside the Seven Stars Hotel and at the two existing raised pedestrian crossings by Christopher McCabe Butchers and by Well Pharmacy.

A car parking space would be lost at each of the raised crossing points. The existing raised width of the highway at the two raised crossing points would remain unchanged.

Both Devon County Council and Totnes Town Council need to know whether there is public support for the proposal before taking any action. 

To this end, the town council is running a public consultation until March 1, in the form of a survey, plus an in-person drop-in event at the Civic Hall on February 12 from 10am until 1pm.

The in-person consultation is an opportunity to provide more detailed feedback on the proposed measures, to ask questions and fill in comment and suggestion cards. 

The survey is available online and in hard-copy. 

Hard-copy surveys will be sent out with the Totnes Directory and are also available at the Guildhall and Totnes Library.

For more information and to view the proposed designs visit the town council’s website at www.totnestowncouncil.gov.uk/your-community/traffic-transport-2/

The results from the survey and in-person event will be analysed and collated into a report which is expected to be published in March.

Enquiries can be emailed to [email protected]