A new road has been opened in the south-west of England that will help to deliver far-reaching economic benefits to local communities and make travel in the area easier for all road users.

The £110 million South Devon Highway stretches between Torbay and Newton Abbot and is expected to cater for more than 35,000 travellers per day. It was officially opened earlier this week (February 22nd) by roads minister Andrew Jones.

Overall, the 3.5-mile route is now expected to deliver an almost ten-times return on investment by bolstering local economic growth by more than £1 billion in the coming years.

In addition, the new route adds a bypass for the village of Kingkerswell and will move traffic away from the conurbation, serving to both reduce congestion for travellers in the area and help to boost safety.

Following the opening ceremony, Mr Jones said: "I am pleased our investment in the South Devon Highway is already delivering better journeys for thousands of hard-working people in Torbay and Newton Abbot.

"The road will help create new jobs and give a welcome economic boost to the region, but most importantly end the unpredictable travel times for drivers."

Funding for the scheme was predominantly provided by the Department for Transport (£76 million), while the remainder of the costs of the new highway were absorbed between Torbay Council, Devon County Council and Teignbridge District Council.