Cullompton - Transport

Transport

Junction 28 of the M5 lies within the parish of Cullompton and a short distance from the town centre. Other major road links are the A373 to Honiton and the former A38 to Exeter which runs through the town, and is now the B3181. As of 2001 61.6% of people living in Cullompton travelled to work by car or van and 83% of households had at least one car. In October 1969 a bypass was completed but after only five years this was upgraded to form part of the M5. Since this time traffic coming from the south of Cullompton to the M5 junction has had to pass through the centre of the town. There are now problems with air quality in the town and Mid Devon District Council have made the whole of the built up area in Cullompton an Air Quality Management Area. In addition traffic on the exit slip road leaving the M5 northbound often backs up onto the motorway. The Highways Agency wants to improve traffic flow by widening roads, introducing traffic lights and reopening the left hand lane of the slip road, which will cost £1.3m. This cost is to be covered by businesses moving to Cullompton. There are two routes for relief roads being considered by Mid Devon District Council - a western route and an eastern route. If a lower growth option is chosen it is proposed that only the western route would be constructed. An alternative Outer Eastern Relief Road crossing the M5 at Old Hill was rejected as the existing bridges would need rebuilding, making the cost prohibitive. There is some opposition to both routes - a group called Cullompton Against Western Relief Road has been formed to oppose one route and there is also opposition to the eastern route which passes through the Cullompton Community Fields.

The Bristol and Exeter Railway opened a station at Cullompton when the railway opened on 1 May 1844. It closed to passengers on 5 October 1964, the site now being used for the M5 motorway Cullompton services. The nearest railway station is now Tiverton Parkway. Devon County Council's Travel Transport Plan includes the re-opening of Cullompton Railway Station. The 1, 1A and 1B buses run by Stagecoach provide regular bus services to Tiverton and Exeter. There is also a town circular bus run by Dartline, and an express bus run by First Somerset & Avon which runs from Exeter to Taunton and stops at Cullompton.