Transport Secretary Grant Shapps mentioned the Dinan Way ring road extension in a select committee meeting today when East Devon MP Simon Jupp asked him a question about the Government's 'Levelling Up' strategy.

The bid to get funding for the completion of the Dinan Way ring road around Exmouth and some improvements to the town centre was approved by Devon County Council last month, but we don't yet know if it has been accepted.

The Government's Levelling Up Fund was announced at the 2020 Spending Review to support communities by regenerating town centres, enabling investment in cultural facilities, or upgrading local transport infrastructure.

Simon Jupp MP asked the Transport Secretary: "How will you know when you've levelled up the UK - every region, and every nation?"

Shapps used Dinan Way as an example in his response, but he didn't let on whether the bid had been successful.

He said: "To use a local example - this is not a hint as to whether the bids are successful or otherwise ... your constituents would be saying to you, if you were successful in the Dinan Way extension, 'this feels better than it used to feel around these parts'.

"You and MPs around the country would strongly get the sense that things improved in their town or community."

Simon Jupp MP later tweeted: "Good to hear the Transport Secretary Grant Shapps mention the Dinan Way extension while talking about Levelling Up during today's Transport Select Committee.

"I will continue to campaign for Exmouth's multi-million pound bid at every opportunity."