THE future of the £130million Kingskerswell bypass is one step closer after being scheduled to be discussed in the House of Commons during a special adjournment debate.

Bay MP Adrian Sanders will make the case for the long overdue link road during a 15-minute presentation to the House on Wednesday.

The new coalition Transport Secretary, Philip Hammond, will have 15 minutes to answer.

Mr Sanders said: "I pushed for an adjournment debate in the House of Commons on Wednesday to discuss South Devon transport issues.

"I applied for the subject. I will talk about road links and rail links to ensure that South Devon is properly connected to the rest of the country and that the Kingskerswell bypass is included in any future spending review."

The news comes as the new coalition Government confirmed the future of the bypass and several other transport infrastructure projects around the country will be delayed until the autumn.

An adjournment debate is a way for the Commons to have a general debate without requiring the House to vote.

Mr Sanders said: "The coalition Government has opened the books. It looks like the previous government made some spending commitments that were not properly assessed as good value for money.

"Now everything has to be looked at.

"So long as Torbay Council and Devon County Council have put their strongest value-for-money case forward, the road will be built."

He said: "Torbay and Devon County have done an enormous amount of work to prove the road's value for money. First we need to put that case as MPs and then we can pull the experts from Devon and Torbay up to Parliament to make the case further.

"We can't afford to wait for the review. It's not all doom and gloom, the road will be built and I hope to drive along it one day."

Bay Mayor Nick Bye insisted anything which puts South Devon's transport problems on top of the national agenda was good news.

He said: "I'm pleased that it will be debated in the House of Parliament. Well done to Adrian for going forward. Torbay Council and Devon County Council have been in touch with the Government Office for the South West. We've been lobbying them and putting our case forward. Everyone is fighting for the Kingskerswell bypass to happen."

Deputy Mayor, Chris Lewis, said: "We think it will now probably go back to the region and we have got to make sure it remains a priority.

"This adjournment debate is good news. We have got to highlight in Westminster the importance of the bypass.

"Torbay has one of the poorest economies in the country and the worst in the South West which is why it is important that we get properly connected to the rest of Britain. At the moment Torbay is at the end of a big traffic jam."

As the link road is top of the list for the whole South West Region, has been through a public inquiry, and is virtually ready to roll, it was hoped the new Government would accept the business case made for how the road would boost the Bay's economy.

However, the coffers are empty and certain projects could be slashed after a spending review has been properly carried out.

New transport minister, Lib Dem Norman Baker, recently responded to Torbay Council saying he had noted support for the bypass: "However, as I am sure you are aware, all spending plans will be examined in detail in the forthcoming spending review.

"This proposed scheme will also be included in that process.

"Any decision about specific schemes can only be made after the spending review has taken place and the funding position for major schemes becomes clear."

Lib Dem and Conservative MPs in South Devon hope to have the ear of the coalition Government and that the Kingskerswell bypass project will not be among the budget casualties.

Both Anne Marie Morris, Tory MP for Newton Abbot, and Dr Sarah Wollaston, the Conservative MP for Totnes, have been working closely with Adrian Sanders to pile the pressure on the Government to deliver the fund for the £130million Kingskerswell bypass.

Mrs Morris said: "We have to take every step possible to ensure that the bypass gets built.

"Adrian and I and Sarah have been working together to get the link road done. The more we can do to highlight the decision makers in Westminster how important it is to the people and economies of Newton Abbot, Torbay and the South Hams to have this bypass."