New Devon road 'would be a lifeline to London'
Plans for a £170m stretch of road that would ease access for drivers to get to and from the South West, have been unveiled by the council.
Devon County Council has proposed three routes, for the five-mile (8km) link, starting at the A30/A35 junction.
The plan alters previous council proposals, which had involved upgrading the A30 rather than new road-building.
A public consultation document has been created showing the routes through the Blackdown Hills.
Alastair Handyside, from the South West Tourism Alliance, welcomed the move saying another direct link to London was essential.
'Not a solution'
"It is a lifeline up to London, it gives us a direct route up to London and the new, last bit would make a massive different to us all," he said.
The road would see a single carriageway stretch built between the Honiton Bypass and Devonshire Inn.
A council spokesman said a dual carriageway was ruled out because forecast traffic flows were too low to justify the cost.
John Hart, of the county council, said as the A303 and A30 were clogged every time something went wrong with the motorway, another road was needed.
A Green Party spokesperson said building more roads was not a solution to traffic congestion.
The council said building work could start by 2020.