AS darker evenings and winter conditions begin, road users are being reminded to take extra care as they travel along the route of the A380 South Devon Link Road construction site.

Devon County Council and Torbay Council, along with Galliford Try - the contractors responsible for constructing the road – are urging motorists, cyclists and pedestrians to exercise caution during the winter months.

Road users will have already seen changes to the road layout including the temporary lane realignments introduced to allow work along the centre line of the A380 to continue.

To ensure the safety of pedestrians while these temporary realignments are in place, special walkways have been constructed behind fencing along the A380.

Where lack of space prohibits these new walkways, pedestrians are being diverted onto safe walking routes away from the busy main road.

The realignments and narrowing of the A380 heading south from Penn Inn have required cycle ways to be removed from some sections of the road.

Motorists are asked to give special consideration to cyclists who continue to use this section of the main road.

When the new dual carriageway is complete dedicated cycle paths and combined cycle paths and footways are being constructed to provide cyclists with a safer and more pleasant alternative.

In addition, new speed monitoring measures and a temporary 40 mph speed restriction have already been put in place on Hamelin Way to ensure the safety of road users and construction staff.

These measures will remain until the project is completed.

At the north end of the project restrictions of 30mph and 50 mph have been in place for some time.

Cllr Andrew Leadbetter, Cabinet Member for Economy and Growth at Devon County Council, said: “We understand that changes to any road system can be confusing for road users, which is why we are urging people to take extra care.

"In particular, we’d like to remind motorists to take extra care around cyclists, motorbikes and pedestrians.

Mayor of Torbay, Gordon Oliver said: “We all need to remember to drive safely and it’s increasingly important to do so along a construction site, especially during the winter months.”

Chris Hastings, Project Director at Galliford Try said: “The safety of our workforce and the local community who utilise our new and diverted roads is the priority of the project team. All traffic management and road layouts are only undertaken after careful planning and consultation with the local highway authorities and emergency services.”

Updates and further details will be announced on the South Devon Link Road website www.southdevonlinkroad.co.uk