South Devon Link Road project brings benefits to Torbay 3 years before completion
At a recent meeting of the Torquay Business Forum, Jim Watson, Galliford Try’s Project Director, gave an illustrated talk on the progress of the A380 road improvement scheme to local business leaders. Work so far was reported to be on schedule with it now being possible to drive from one end of the route to the other in a robust vehicle (except for crossing the railway line of course!) and concerns and feedback from local residents was still Tracey Waygood (Public Liaison Officer) being regularly and Jim Watson sought and acted upon. The current hot weather had produced some issues with dust levels but the contractors felt this to be preferable to dealing with the more usual problem of rain and mud (I’m having the same dust issue in my garden too so would agree! - Ed.) Jim Watson also revealed how the local economy is already benefitting from the scheme as 66% of the 60strong permanent Galliford Try staff were locals and 86% of sub-contracts already awarded were placed with local companies. Keep up with the latest news and photos at southdevonlinkroad.co.uk and look out for more road building news in future issues. o Did you know… Every day 34,000 cars use the current A380 between Torquay and Penn Inn, 10,000 cars travel from Torquay to Penn Inn on the St Marychurch Road and 4,000 cars travel from Torquay to Penn Inn on Edginswell Lane - It’s thought numbers of cars using the two minor routes will drop dramatically (this could mean the end for anyone supplying replacement wing mirrors in Torbay!). The subject of a new road was first officially broached in 1951, the same year Dennis the Menace first appeared in the Beano! If the 49,000 drivers who use the current road every day (excuse the assumption that each car only has one occupant) all save 15 minutes each on their journey then each day people in the area will spend 12,250 hours less in their cars, which adds up over the year to 185,791days of freed up time - whatever will we do? o
englishrivieramagazine.co.uk
BusinessBreaks... Prince Charles optimistic about fishing industry future
Prince Charles, speaking at the Fishing for the Future workshop in Brixham said he was “impressed with equipment that significantly reduced by-catch, leading to fewer undersized fish being caught and [that] helps protect the seabed.” Earlier that day he had visited the Brixham trawler “Catharina” BM111, owned by local firm of Langdon & Philip. Jim Portus, Chief Executive of the South Western Fish Producer Organisation, said the Prince had been a driving force in the fishing industry for more than a decade.“He has been to see for himself what we have done in Brixham – there are some really bright fishermen spending time and money to re-design and innovate,” he told English Riviera Magazine after the Prince’s speech. o
Women of Achievement Celebrate! The team at the English Riviera Tourism Company (ERTC) took a starring role at the 2013 Herald Express, Women of Achievement Awards ceremony at Torquay’s Grand Hotel. The tourism company won the hotly contested Business of the Year category and Chief Executive Carolyn Custerson was also awarded Woman of the Year (Business). The two latest awards add to the astonishing tally of accolades recently won by the high performing team. In total, over the last 12 months, the ERTC has won a total of seven regional and national tourism awards. o
August 2013
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