Barnstaple M5 motorway. Because Barnstaple is the main shopping area for North Devon, retail work is a contributor to the economy. There are many generic chain stores in the town centre and in the Roundswell Business Park, on the western fringe of the town. Tesco has several stores in the area, which includes a Tesco Extra hypermarket, a large Tesco superstore. There is also a Sainsbury's superstore, a Lidl supermarket. And, the multi-million pound redevelopment of the former Leaderflush Shapland works at Anchorwood Bank, and the surrounding area, is creating a conservation area near the River Taw, hundreds of new homes,
Barnstaple Bideford and to Bude and then further down towards Cornwall. The Barnstaple bus network is privatised and run by many bus operators including Stagecoach South West. The main bus station is located on the junction with Queen Street and Belle Meadow Drive. Following frequent bus services operate from Barnstaple: National Express services to London, Heathrow Airport, Taunton, Bristol and Birmingham also run services from Barnstaple. The nearest airport is Exeter Airport. Barnstaple railway station is the terminus of a branch line from Exeter, known as the Tarka Line after the local connection with Tarka the Otter. The station is near