Traffic in Tavistock consists both of vehicles starting and ending their journeys locally and those passing through along the A386; it has not been possible to ascertain the respective proportions within the scope of the Health Check. The combined effect of the traffic is that Plymouth Road is sometimes congested, particularly during the mid-morning and on Saturdays.

West Devon Borough Council’s Local Plan Review, Second Deposit Written Statement, anticipates the problem being made worse by the projected new housing developments, and it states: ‘The existing town generates large flows of traffic which causes congestion at peak times and the additional development will inevitably add to this problem. If the town centre is to be able to accommodate the additional traffic that will, in such a rural area, inevitably result, consideration will need to be given to the way traffic moves in the town.’