A379 | |
---|---|
Route information | |
Length | 69 mi (111 km) |
Major junctions | |
Northeast end | Exeter 50°42′45″N3°27′55″W / 50.7126°N 3.4654°W 50°40′24″N3°32′08″W / 50.6733°N 3.5355°W |
M5 A38 A3015 A381 A3022 A3122 A3121 A374 | |
Southwest end | Plymouth 50°22′13″N4°07′27″W / 50.3702°N 4.1243°W |
Location | |
Country | United Kingdom |
Constituent country | England |
Road network | |
The A379 is a road in the English county of Devon. It links points on the edges of that county's two principal cities, Exeter and Plymouth, by an indirect and largely coastal route. The A38 provides a faster and more direct inland route between Exeter and Plymouth, whilst the A380 provides a similarly faster route between Exeter and the Torbay area. However the A379 serves many small coastal communities and ports along the coast. The indented nature of the South Devon coast means that the road is usually out of sight of the sea, but the many rivers and estuaries are crossed by bridges and, in one case, a cable ferry.
At its northeastern end, the A379 has two branches and two starting points. One branch starts with a junction with the M5 motorway at Clyst St Mary (J30), whilst the other branch starts with a junction with the A38 at Kennford. Both these branches were historically part of the A38, and the first crosses the Countess Wear bridges over the River Exe and the Exeter Canal, once infamous for the delays caused on what was then the principal route to the holiday resorts of Devon and Cornwall. [1]
From the junction of the two branches, some 3 miles (4.8 km) south of Exeter city centre, the A379 heads south parallel to the estuary of the River Exe. At Starcross the road runs close alongside both the Exeter to Plymouth railway line and the estuary, and the Exmouth to Starcross passenger ferry provides a connection to Exmouth on the other side of the estuary. Beyond Starcross, the road continues through the coastal resorts of Dawlish and Teignmouth. [1] From 1991 to 1997, there was a break in the road when the section of A379 between Dawlish and Torquay was downgraded to the B3199. The only remaining roadsign indicating this is a wrong direction facing B3199 sign on a lamppost in Teignmouth Hill, Dawlish. [ citation needed ]
Leaving Teignmouth, the A379 crosses the estuary of the River Teign on the historic Shaldon Bridge. The road then continues into the large resort of Torquay, where it meets the A3022 road. The two road designations share the same physical road through the Torbay area, although only the A3022 is signed. At Paignton the two roads diverge, and the A379 follows a route through Goodrington before briefly rejoining the A3022 at Churston. [1]
From Churston, the A379 bypasses Kingswear before crossing the Paignton and Dartmouth Steam Railway on a level crossing and reaching the Dartmouth Higher Ferry on the banks of the River Dart. This tolled vehicular ferry carries the road across the river and into the picturesque harbour town of Dartmouth. From here the A379 continues via Stoke Fleming and then along the coast at Slapton. Here the road runs behind the beach, between the sea and the Slapton Ley lagoon. Turning inland, it then proceeds to the town of Kingsbridge at the head of the Kingsbridge Estuary. [1]
From Kingsbridge, the A379 passes through the villages of Aveton Gifford, where it crosses the River Avon, and Modbury, shortly after which it crosses the River Erme. The villages of Yealmpton, on the River Yealm, and Brixton follow. The road then runs into the suburbs of Plymouth, bypassing Plymstock before crossing the estuary of the River Plym on the Laira Bridge. The A379 ends on the west side of the Plym, joining the A374 just over 1 mile (1.6 km) east of Plymouth city centre. [1]
Apart from short stretches of dual carriageway at either end and in Torquay, the A379 is a single carriageway road, and is often narrow and twisting. Like all roads in England of any significance, it is sealed throughout. [1]
The A379 crosses the River Dart using the Higher Ferry, a car ferry that until 2009 had a capacity of just 18 cars, which caused congestion at busy times. A new ferryboat with a capacity of 32 cars came into service in June 2009. [2] The alternative Lower Ferry can also be used, although this involves negotiating the narrow streets of Kingswear village.
Dartmouth is a town and civil parish in the English county of Devon. It is a tourist destination set on the western bank of the estuary of the River Dart, which is a long narrow tidal ria that runs inland as far as Totnes. It lies within the South Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and South Hams district, and had a population of 5,512 in 2001, reducing to 5,064 at the 2011 census. There are two electoral wards in the Dartmouth area. Their combined population at the above census was 6,822.
Torbay is unitary authority with a borough status in the ceremonial county of Devon, England. It is governed by Torbay Council, based in the town of Torquay, and also includes the towns of Paignton and Brixham. The borough consists of 24.27 sq mi (62.9 km2) of land around the east-facing Tor Bay, part of Lyme Bay on the English Channel. A popular tourist destination, Torbay's sandy beaches, mild climate and recreational and leisure attractions have given rise to its nickname of the English Riviera. The neighbouring districts are South Hams and Teignbridge.
The South West Coast Path is England's longest waymarked long-distance footpath and a National Trail. It stretches for 630 miles (1,014 km), running from Minehead in Somerset, along the coasts of Devon and Cornwall, to Poole Harbour in Dorset. Because it rises and falls with every river mouth, it is also one of the more challenging trails. The total height climbed has been calculated to be 114,931 ft (35,031 m), almost four times the height of Mount Everest. It has been voted 'Britain's Best Walking route' twice in a row by readers of The Ramblers' Walk magazine, and regularly features in lists of the world's best walks.
South Hams is a local government district on the south coast of Devon, England. Its council is based in the town of Totnes, although the largest town is Ivybridge. The district also contains the towns of Dartmouth, Kingsbridge and Salcombe and numerous villages and surrounding rural areas.
The Dartmouth Steam Railway, formerly known as the Paignton and Dartmouth Steam Railway, is a 6.7-mile (10.8 km) heritage railway on the former Great Western Railway branch line between Paignton and Kingswear in Devon, England. Much of the railway's business is from summer tourists from the resorts of Torbay, who travel to Kingswear, where the Dartmouth Passenger Ferry takes them across the River Dart to Dartmouth.
The Riviera Line is the railway between the city of Exeter, towns Dawlish and Teignmouth, and the English Riviera resorts of Torbay in Devon, England. Its tracks are shared with the Exeter to Plymouth Line along the South Devon sea wall. It is part of the Network Rail Route 12.
Totnes is a parliamentary constituency in Devon represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since December 2019 by Anthony Mangnall, a Conservative. Mangnall defeated incumbent Sarah Wollaston who had originally been elected as a Conservative but defected to the Liberal Democrats earlier that year.
Kingswear is a village and civil parish in the South Hams area of the English county of Devon. The village is located on the east bank of the tidal River Dart, close to the river's mouth and opposite the small town of Dartmouth. It lies within the South Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and has a population of 1,332, reducing to 1,217 at the 2011 census.
Churston railway station is on the Dartmouth Steam Railway, a heritage railway in Torbay, Devon, England. It is situated beside the main road to Brixham and close to the villages of Churston Ferrers and Galmpton. There has been no scheduled service at the station since 2020.
The South Devon Railway sea wall is situated on the south coast of Devon in England. A footpath runs alongside the railway between Dawlish Warren and Dawlish, then another footpath forms a continuation to the sea front promenade at Teignmouth. Both of these form part of the South West Coast Path.
The Dartmouth and Torbay Railway was a broad gauge railway linking the South Devon Railway branch at Torquay with Kingswear in Devon, England. It was operated from the outset by the South Devon Railway.
The A380 is a road in South West England, connecting the Torbay area to the Devon Expressway, and hence to the rest of Great Britain's main road network.
The South Devon Railway Company built and operated the railway from Exeter to Plymouth and Torquay in Devon, England. It was a 7 ft 1⁄4 in broad gauge railway built by Isambard Kingdom Brunel.
The South Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) covers 337 square kilometres, including much of the South Hams area of Devon and the rugged coastline from Jennycliff Bay to Elberry Cove near Brixham. The purpose of an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty is to conserve and enhance the area's natural beauty. In South Devon this includes: undeveloped coastline, estuaries, geological and geomorphological features, expansive panoramic views, ancient agricultural field pattern, Devon banks, areas of high tranquility, dark night skies and natural nightscapes, historic features, green lanes, well known cultural associations, picturesque villages and hamlets. South Devon AONB was formally designated in August 1960 under the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949. The highest point in the AONB is Blackdown Camp at 199 metres above sea level.
The A381 road is a non-trunk 'A'-class road in Devon, England which serves as an important link between the towns of Teignmouth, Kingsteignton, Newton Abbot, Totnes and Salcombe and many villages in between, with the busiest section having 6 lanes and carrying an average of over 40,000 vehicles per day. The route overlaps with other A-roads for several sections of its length. It is a faster route from Teignmouth to Salcombe than the A379 which meets it at both ends. It is under the control of Devon County Council as highway authority.
River Link is a ferry, cruise boat, and bus operator, based in Devon, England. The company is owned by Dart Valley Railway plc, who also own and operate the Dartmouth Steam Railway.
The Exeter–Plymouth line, also called the South Devon Main Line, is a central part of the trunk railway line between London Paddington and Penzance in the southern United Kingdom. It is a major branch of the Great Western Main Line and runs from Exeter St Davids to Plymouth, from where it continues as the Cornish Main Line. It was one of the principal routes of the Great Western Railway which in 1948 became part of the Western Region of British Railways and are now part of the Network Rail system.