Teignbridge councillors have backed a £15 million bid for a cycle route between Newton Abbot and Torquay, with half a million pounds coming out of their funds.

Both Teignbridge District Council and Devon County Council are behind the application to the government's 'levelling-up' fund. Teignbridge is also involved in discussions with neighbouring Torbay.

As well as the new dedicated cycle route, the scheme will provide better connectivity to a new residential development at Wolborough and improvements at the Penn Inn underpass.

The proposed route consists of three elements – a new segregated route between Newton Abbot and Edginswell; a connection from there to Torbay Hospital;and a link between Kingskerswell and the Wolborough development, including a new bridge.

The proposed route (TDC)

Torbay is the top destination for commuters travelling from Newton Abbot – slightly more than people going to Exeter – while the greatest number of commuters travelling to Newton Abbot originate from Torbay.

Speaking at this week's annual meeting, Councillor Gary Taylor (Lib Dem, Dawlish SW), executive member for planning, said the route would make "better use of existing infrastructure and encourage increased cycling along one of Teignbridge's most important commuter corridors."

"The scheme, with its new links, would deliver more sustainable, low carbon and low-cost travel choices, and would secure long-lasting benefits for people living and working in the area."

"Finally, this scheme would enable those living in or visiting Teignbridge, who wish to explore more of our district on two wheels, to link up more easily with the increasing number of great cycling routes across our beautiful corner of South Devon."

However, because Teignbridge's priority for levelling-up status is at the lowest level (level three), the project faces a battle to get approved. This category "only attracted seven per cent of successful bids nationally in the first round of levelling up allocations," a report revealed.

But Cllr Taylor added: "Because we can meet the government's spend deadline, have kept the project costs below the government's £20 million cap, have already undertaken valuable design work, and can show that the scheme has local and cross-boundary support, we believe that we have a strong proposal to submit."

During a lengthy discussion, some councillors questioned why the authority was not instead focussing on the long-awaited next section of the Teign Estuary Trail, from the Passage House Inn to Teignmouth that was approved by Devon County Council last year.

An officer explained that projects awarded levelling-up funding have to be completed by March 2025 and the county council has advised "it's not feasible to get the Teign Estuary Trail – which is a popular scheme and a high priority – done within those timescales.

"What we've got instead here is a recommendation to move forward with another project closely linked to the Teign Estuary Trail. Hopefully one day we'll have connections all the way from Torbay up to Exeter – high quality cycle provision."

The officer added the area's independent MP Anne Marie Morris confirmed her "in principle support" last week.

Council leader Alan Connett (Lib Dem, Exminster & Haldon) said: "It's not necessarily in the order that we would have chosen to have done it, but it's a case of either letting the opportunity for funding go or taking it and proceeding with it."

The leader of the Conservative group, Cllr Phil Bullivant (Bradley ward), agreed. "I would say providing an escape route for the people of Torbay to come to sample the delights of Teignbridge is a very welcome investment on behalf of the people of Teignbridge," he quipped.

But Cllr Liam Mullone (College), leader of a group called the South Devon Alliance, was far from convinced. He said he didn't see a cyclist in over four hours on a nearby cycle trail to Bovey Tracey recently on what was a "sunny Saturday," a claim former council leader Gordon Hook (Lib Dem, Buckland & Milber) described as "nonsense."

Cllr Mullone added: "I'm aware this is being sold as a sort of green, happy-clappy, carbon-friendly, get-everyone-on-their-bikes scheme, but what it's actually probably going to mean is the loss of another 400 trees, gravel sidings and the ripping up of the Devon bank."

However a majority of councillors voted in favour of the bid and the council's £500,000 contribution should it be successful.

Although most of the cost would be provided by central funding, 10 per cent needs to be found locally. Devon County Council has agreed to cover two-thirds – £1 million – leaving Teignbridge to make up the rest.

The government says it expects to decide which bids have been successful by the autumn.