HALF a million pounds has been spent on the Ruby Way cycle trail, a meeting heard last week, but councillors voiced their feelings that the money should have been spent specifically for the benefit of Holsworthy, writes Amy Dennis.

At the meeting of Holsworthy Town Council on November 2, Conservative Torridge District Councillor Ian Parker asked Conservative Devon County Councillor Barry Parsons for an update on the cycle route.

The Ruby Way is a network of multi-use tracks through the Ruby country.

An unbroken Ruby Way would form the longest traffic-free walking, cycling and horse-riding route in the UK. It would link with the Tarka Trail in the East, and Bude in the West. It is hoped Holsworthy’s Coles Mill viaduct can be restored to benefit the connection from Holsworthy to Bude.

At Coles Mill viaduct, the interim Ruby Way route uses the road to bypass the derelict structure, but the county council said this ‘detracts from visitor appeal’. The sister viaduct, Derriton viaduct, has already been opened.

It is understood around £600,000 would be needed to restore the privately owned Coles Mill viaduct, and in recent years the project has failed in a bid to receive Heritage Lottery funding.

Former Holsworthy councillor and ambassador, the late Des Shadrick, was passionate about seeing Coles Mill viaduct restored.

The Post in 2009 reported on Mr Shadrick’s ‘delight’ at the announcement that the Ruby Way would benefit from £500,000 from the ‘Investing In Devon’ fund, generated by the sale of Exeter Airport.

At the town council meeting, as Cllr Parsons gave an update on the Ruby Way cycle path, Cllr John Allen asked what had happened with the £500,000 that had been secured, adding that he had seen a ‘letter’ stating the money was ‘for Holsworthy’.

Cllr Parsons said: “That money has been spent on the Ruby Way. I understand that money was not for a particular area.”

Cllr Parsons continued that funding ‘is going to be an issue’ in terms of trying to get Coles Mill viaduct into use as part of the Ruby Way.

Mayor Jon Hutchings said: “When we become the centre of Devonwall it will be alright. They will be chucking money at us.”

Cllr Parsons added: “We have been at this for 20 years, so it’s been a long time. I’m particularly keen the Ruby Way comes all the way through.”

Cllr Lyndon Piper said: “I think the people of Holsworthy are very keen to see the cycle way pushed to Bude. There is a major barrier to the East of Holsworthy with that viaduct.”

Cllr Stuart Hughes, Devon County Council cabinet member with responsibility for cycling, said: “Coles Mill viaduct could be converted to be used as part of the Ruby Way. This would give Holsworthy a magnificent landmark of the pair of viaducts, which would attract visitors to the town. The barriers to development of this scheme are financial.

“Firstly the cost of conversion is thought to be about £600,000 and this would also need to be raised, largely from external sources such as grants. A sustainable source of income must also be obtained to support a future owner in maintaining it responsibly.

“The county council approved £500,000 of money from the sale of Exeter Airport to the Ruby Way from Hatherleigh to Holsworthy about eight years ago. This money has been used to construct the open stretches of path and assemble much of the rest of the land already purchased. There is about £12,000 of this money left. It was not specifically allocated to Coles Mill viaduct or to Holsworthy, so this funding has been instrumental in achieving almost all of the progress with the Ruby Way to date.”

The county council said most of the land has been assembled between Hatherleigh and Holsworthy, following the old railway where possible, and there are ‘only two short gaps left’ in its strategic plan.

A spokesperson for the council said: “The route has been opened between Hatherleigh and Hole Station, and from Hollacombe to Holsworthy. Most of the land between these points is also assembled but construction awaits the missing links and confirmation of funding.”

Cllr Parsons told the town council meeting that a planning application is in the pipeline, covering the missing link at Hole Station, near Highampton.

The council spokesperson added: “The second missing link is near Hollacombe and planning permission has been granted. Investigations continue. West of Holsworthy most of the railway to Derril has been purchased and investigations continue to reach the Cornish boundary. Cornwall Council has also started developing a path towards Devon, which has reached the A39 at Marhamchurch.”