Barnstaple centre was at nearby . The station building still exists, and can be viewed on-line from a webcam mounted on Barnstaple Civic Centre. A separate "Barnstaple" station, renamed Barnstaple (Victoria Road) in 1949, was opened to the east of the town in 1873 as the terminus of the Devon and Somerset Railway, eventually a part of the Great Western Railway. A junction was later provided to allow trains access to Barnstaple Junction and these ran through to Ilfracombe. It was closed in 1970. There are a selection of well-regarded primary and secondary state schools and a tertiary college in Barnstaple.
Barnstaple Western Bypass from the Roundswell side to the new two lane carriageway. This allows easy access from the A39 Atlantic Highway to the A361 Braunton Road which generates much of Barnstaple's traffic. The bridge is a balanced cantilever design with reinforced concrete box girders supporting the arms. Other constructions include stream culverts, two pedestrian/cycleway underpasses, minor retaining walls, and a 100-metre three span viaduct providing access for buses, cyclists and pedestrians to Barnstaple railway station. Also built into the plans was the ability to reopen the Barnstaple-Bideford railway in the future should this become financially viable. As with any project of this