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Residents 'exasperated' as road still not repaired

BBC A collapsed wall which shows a large drop. The road at the top has cracks and the area is surrounded by red barriers. BBC
People in Dartmouth said they want work on a road to be repaired immediately after being closed in February 2024

Some residents in Dartmouth have said they are "exasperated" work to repair a road has not been carried out, 11 months after it was closed due to a landslip.

Warfleet Road in Dartmouth has been shut to traffic since February 2024 and a four-mile diversion has been in place since.

Devon County Council said it could not carry out any work to the road until the privately owned wall had been repaired, saying it was the "responsibility of the landowner and their insurance company".

The landowner said he believes the wall collapsed because of the "poor condition" of the road.

Lindsay Ellwood looking to the left wearing a dark purple coat with an orange scarf. She is stood in front of the barriers surrounding the landslip.
Lindsay Ellwood said the landslide was causing a "tremendous inconvenience" to residents and businesses

The Warfleet Road Warriors, a newly formed local action group, has started a petition calling for Devon Highways to step-in.

Member Lindsay Ellwood said: "It causes tremendous inconveniences to residents, to businesses, to contractors, to deliveries and more importantly emergency services.

"We know of one or two incidents where ambulances couldn't get to people in the area very easily."

Marina Pusey said: "We thought it would probably just be a couple of months, but it just dragged on."

Marina Pusey, from Warfleet Road Warriors, holding the petition paper. She has short blonde hair and is wearing a blue and white scarf, a grey jacket and black gloves. She is smiling at the camera.
Marina Pusey said there were rumours work would start in October 2024 but nothing has been done

She said: "Unfortunately, we have been given no information by council which is outrageous, so it has all been rumour. There was a rumour the work was starting in October and that didn't happen, and people were becoming exasperated."

A Devon County Council spokesperson said repairs on the road could not be completed until the wall, owned privately, has been fixed.

Landowner Chris Chambers said the reason the wall failed was because the road above was in "such poor condition".

"It is the road which has caused the road to fail," he added.

Cllr Jonathan Hawkins wearing glasses and looking to the left. He is wearing a light blue jumper with a black coat over the top. He is stood in front of the red barriers surrounding the landslide.
Councillor Jonathan Hawkins said residents no longer cared about who was responsible and called for work to start as soon as possible

Councillor Jonathan Hawkins said: "We don't care who is responsible for it whether it's Devon County Council, National Highways or if it is privately owned, which council says it is.

"The council needs to come in, put the workmen in here and rebuild the wall and then put those charges onto the landowner and they then have to prove that is the case."

There is fallen rubble from the collapsed wall and red barriers at the top of the road.
A council spokesperson said repairs to the road could not start until the private wall below was fixed

A spokesperson for the council said: "For the safety of the public the road has remained closed since a privately owned wall, below the level of the road, collapsed in February 2024.

"Repairs to the road can't start until the private wall below is fixed."

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