Motorists using the main route for Exmouth face months of road closures, diversions, temporary one-way routes and ‘disruption’ to reach the town.
County road chiefs have announced the new Dinan Way extension will open on Wednesday, September 9, but revealed ‘some disruption for drivers’ until the end of the year while the final phase of work is finished.
Motorists will be diverted in and out of Exmouth until the end of December, turning residential roads into one-way traffic systems.
A short section of the A376 between Courtlands Cross and Courtlands Lane will close to through-traffic while the roundabout is completed.
The new 800-metre road will open for traffic in and out of Exmouth while the second new roundabout is finished at the A376 junction.
There will be overnight closures at Courtlands Cross from 7pm until 6am on September 7 and September 8 for preparation work to be carried out.
And 57 and 96 bus routes will be temporarily suspended from September 9 until December 4 from the Hulham Road junction up to the A376 closure. Alternative routes are through Hulham Road, Dinan Way. Bus stops will be transferred to Hulham Road.
During the closures, vehicles travelling to and from Exmouth town centre will be diverted along the newly-completed Dinan Way extension and Hulham Road, with a number of temporary one-way routes.
These include:
- Routes between Hulham Road and Exeter Road via Iona Avenue;
- Between Exeter Road and Hulham Road via Featherbed Lane;
- Between Pound Lane and Hulham Road via Forton Road/The Marles, Brixington Lane, Jubilee Drive and Dinan Way.
HGV vehicles transporting extra wide loads wlll not use the diversion routes, said DCC. They will follow A3052, B3180 and B3179 routes to reach Exmouth.
The Devon County Council diversion, closure and one-way routes. Image: DCC.
Devon County Council (DCC) said the aim of the one-way system was so ‘most’ residents can continue to park on the road in a bid to keep congestion on Hulham Road to a minimum.
DCC said some parking restrictions were necessary, outside Hulham Road stores and at the nearby junction with Exeter Road, where the road narrows.
And parking restrictions are planned for A376 between Courtlands Lane junction and Rivermead Avenue for pavement widening.
Temporary traffic lights will be on parts of the A376 during the autumn while contractors divert utility services, finish drainage, kerbs and pavements.
The dates and timescales for road closures, diversions, temporary one-way routes are:
- Dinan Way Extension main scheme – link road tie-in works, September 7-8 2026, 7pm-6am.
- Dinan Way Extension Main Scheme – A376 roundabout. Works resumes from September 9, 2026 – finish December 2026
- Opening of Dinan Way Link Road – September 9, 2026
- A376 Footway widening – September 9, 2026 – December 2026
- Courtlands Lane surfacing (250m approx.) September 1-4, 2026
- A376 South closure from roundabout to Courtlands Lane junction – September 9, 2026 – December 2026
- Iona Avenue one-way – September 9, 2026 – December 2026
- Featherbed Lane one-way – September 9, 2026 – December 2026
The county council said the new road would ‘improve local journeys, support future housing at Goodmores Farm and provide a safer, more reliable route’.
Councillor Dan Thomas, DCC cabinet member for highways, said: “Opening the Dinan Way link road is a major step forward. It means we can begin the final stage of work while keeping traffic moving in and out of Exmouth.
“We know the temporary closure of part of the A376 will mean changes for road users, but using the new road as the diversion route will help us build the roundabout safely and as quickly as possible.
“Once complete, the scheme will bring lasting benefits for residents, businesses and visitors.”
The county council said the A376 roundabout was ‘one of the most difficult parts’ of the build.
It blamed delays on multiple underground utility services in the area to divert, bad weather stopping earthworks early in 2026, and supply chain issues.
The authority said the project was expected to be finished by the end of 2026.
To keep residents updated, DCC has launched a dedicated webpage outlining the final stage of work.
Jeff Trail, Devon County Councillor for Exmouth, said: “People will have seen this new road taking shape over the last couple of years, so it is excellent news that it is now ready to open.
“I know it is often referred to as the Dinan Way extension, but I prefer to see it as the completion of Dinan Way. I have lived in Exmouth long enough to remember Dinan Way being built, and it was always the intention for it to connect through to Exeter Road.
“Once complete, it will make a real difference to how traffic moves around the town, particularly for larger vehicles travelling between the A376, Littleham, the Dinan Way Trading Estate and Liverton Business Park.”
Helen Brown, Devon County Councillor for Exmouth, confirmed vehicles transporting extra wide loads would not use an alternative diversion route.
She said: “We would like to thank residents and businesses for their continued patience.
“These final works will help complete a scheme that will improve local journeys and support Exmouth’s future growth and it will divert larger vehicles away from the town centre.”
Most of the new 800-metre road is built, including the Hulham Road roundabout, a six-metre-high retaining wall, drainage, and ponds for surface water run-off.
The works also include a wider pavement along part of the A376 for pedestrians and cyclists.
