Route 5

 Huxhams Cross and Staverton Bridge

Description
The southern part of the route follows the established popular off-road route through the Dartington Hall Craft centre and on to Huxhams Cross where it joins the highway. The route crosses the width restricted Staverton Bridge and continues to Littlehempston on a route shared with significant motorised traffic apart from a deviation onto a less well used narrow lane which requires a climb of moderate steepness travelling in either direction.

Works Required
The entire route requires only direction signing, (and some warning of the presence of cyclists) to be operational). At present much of the riverside and Dartington route is unbound crushed stone and would benefit from being improved with a sealed surface.

Land
No land would be required

Environmental Effects
Minimal ecological effects, sealing the path may require some tree root protection measures.

Directness
The route is very indirect in terms of travel between Totnes and Littlehempston but may not be badly connected depending on the final long distance route northwards. It would bring long distance path users past Dartington Craft Centre’s cafes joining the existing cycle network into Totnes, to schools, colleges, hospital, railway and town centre shops.

Attractiveness
The attractiveness of the existing off road section is evident by the number of current users. Once the route joins the highway the picture changes and only the confident, predominantly adult cyclists are likely to continue and probably few of those to Littlehempston unless to visit the pub. For the reverse journey the size of Littlehempston is such that there is no prospect that significant non motorized traffic would originate from there. Leisure walkers destined for Staverton have a more pleasant route along the west bank of the River Dart and the creation of the Option 5 route is unlikely to have any effect on the overall number of path users.

Safety
The section of this route between Totnes and Huxhams Cross, which is existing offroad path is safe to use by all classes of ability. Once the route goes on-road safe use is limited to competent cyclist and walkers are unlikely to proceed if walking for pleasure.

Route Comparison
Option 5. As a route to Littlehempston this option is of questionable value. Apart from direction signing it is fully “operational” at present and desire to use it could be assessed by the level of existing use. As a section of the overall route between Newton Abbot and Totnes it makes more sense, due to the existing off road section to Huxhams Cross. However riding/walking from Huxhams Cross to Littlehemston involves a stretch of busy road before taking a quiet lane, (unfortunately over a hill).The suppressed demand to cycle to and from Littlehempston from here will be low due to the low population of the village whose only slight attraction is the pub. By far the cheapest option but adds little to a route already capable of being ridden.