In May 1994,the Southern Relief Road was finally opened and Tiverton's traffic problem was mainly gone.Also gone though,was just about all trace of Tiverton's railway history.

Some of you reading this,especially those who know Tiverton might say,"Well something had to be done about the traffic problem" and I would say that yes I agree,but I would have kept the railway and built a relief road as well,just somewhere else.To me it seems madness that a town the size of Tiverton does not have its own railway station and I am sure that not having a station in the town has cost Tiverton many millions of pounds over the years in lost trade and tourism.

I have spoken to many people in and around Tiverton,who think that it is absolutely ridiculous that if they want to catch a train that they have to drive the 7 miles to Tiverton Parkway,a station that should actually be called Sampford Peverell and not Tiverton.

Just imagine the boost to the local economy Tiverton Station would have given if it was still there and how much traffic it would have actually taken off the roads.It seems though that the transport system has always been mismanaged in this country and governments have always been short sighted when it comes to the railways.

I suppose though,you cannot live in the past however better you think it was and I suppose also that you just have to accept the cold grey structures that serve their purpose,but do nothing else.

You can though as you drive your car down the busy Great Western Way,remember and imagine a better and different world,where instead of noisy cars,steam trains chugged and puffed and instead of a roundabout,there was a lovely,charming,Victorian bridge.  

 The first two pictures show the Blundells Road bridge that was also destroyed in the making of the roads.Two news stories about the opening of the new roads.