Letters from 13 key businesses were presented at a recent Parish Council meeting in Hemyock demanding action on the need for passing places on Pencross Hill to the North of the village.  As the village has grown, there has been a marked increase in the number and size of commercial vehicles on this route to the M5, Taunton and Wellington.  Councillors heard that when buses and HGVs meet, there is just no room for them to pass and no specific passing places for them to reverse into, on what is a very steep hill.

According to Paul Redwood Managing Director of Redwoods Coaches “countless vehicle and man hours are lost as ‘traffic jams’ occur.  He also claimed that no one at Devon County was listening to the concerns of local businesses.  “Companies need a workable HGV route to the North, if not the village could lose business over this” he said.  Parish Council Chairman Heather Stallard commented that “the frustrations of local business was understood and that the council would support the campaign to have something done”.

County Councillor Ray Radford was present at the meeting and later commented “This is very important for the local economy of Hemyock, the local people do not want to see anymore of the local businesses up-rooting and moving to more convenient places, nearer the main road infrastructure. Hemyock would just die, jobs are at risk.”  Urging colleagues at Devon County Council to act, Councillor Radford said “This is a very big issue for Hemyock, the Parishioners have been very patient”  He requested that an urgent feasibility and costing exercise be carried out by Devon County Council.
 
Picture – commercial vehicles struggle to pass on Pencross Hill.