Work set to begin on Penn Inn Flyover

The highest profile phase of the South Devon Link Road project to date is set to begin over the next week, as the first beams for the Penn Inn flyover arrive.

Devon County Council and Torbay Council, along with Galliford Try - the contractors responsible for constructing the road – have announced that work on constructing the landmark structure is due to begin.

The beams will be delivered just before the second anniversary of the turf cutting, which took place in October 2012.

The beams are scheduled to begin arriving under escort on 23rd September, when they will be stored on the central reservation north of Penn Inn. The beams will then be bolted and welded together into 53m-long sections on site before their installation.

This highly anticipated and complex phase of the construction programme has been carefully planned to ensure that traffic remains unaffected during the day, and is as follows:

• During the delivery operations for three nights from 23rd September, the north and southbound lanes of the A380 will be closed overnight from 9pm between Penn Inn and the Wear Barton exit, and traffic will be diverted through Newton Abbot. The Penn Inn roundabout exits to Newton Abbot, Shaldon Road and the A380 to Torquay will remain open to traffic. Diversion routes will be signposted in advance.
• The beams are then scheduled to be lifted into place during overnight operations from 9pm between 6th and 10th October. A section of the roundabout will be closed to traffic opposite the north central reservation, as will the northbound slip road north of Penn Inn Roundabout for a period. The next beams for the middle spans are due to arrive and be installed between 10th and 12th October. Galliford Try will endeavour to keep one lane around Penn Inn open at all times, but there may be short periods in which no traffic will be permitted though the roundabout.
• The final beam lift is due to take place in late November, overnight from 9pm. Again, we will maintain traffic flow on the roundabout but this may be limited for short periods.

From the time of the first delivery, subsequent overnight lane closures on the roundabout will be required to permit further work to be carried out on the beams.

The roundabout will remain operational during these works.

During the entire operation, pedestrian access across the roundabout will be maintained when possible. Galliford Try has constructed special walkways to provide alternative routes, but for reasons of safety pedestrians may sometimes be required to wait until it is safe to proceed.

Councillor Andrew Leadbetter, Cabinet Member for Economy and Growth at Devon County Council, said: “It’s hard to believe that it was just two years ago that the first turf was cut on the long awaited South Devon Link Road – the road is taking shape quickly and progress is good.  The flyover is a huge milestone and demonstrates the scale and complexity of the project.”

Gordon Oliver, Mayor of Torbay, said: “In a relatively short time since work began the road is taking shape and becoming a reality: this is an exciting phase of the project and we are looking forward to seeing the flyover complete.”

Jim Watson, Project Director at Galliford Try, said: “This phase will be one the most visible parts of the whole project in the two years so far. It is a large, complex phase, involving large plant on a live carriageway and roundabout. We have therefore carefully planned this operation to happen overnight to ensure traffic remains unaffected during the day.”