Courier services across Devon
Devon is big, rural and served by a handful of main roads. We send a dedicated van to collect anywhere in the county, from a Torbay hotel to a farm outside Holsworthy, and drive straight to the delivery address with no depot stops.
- Town, coast and farm collections
- M5, A38, A30 and A361 corridors
- Chilled vans for food and drink
Planning a courier in a county this size
Devon is one of the largest counties in England, and most of it is rural. Its two cities, Exeter and Plymouth, have their own pages, but much of the county's urgent work starts somewhere else: a yacht chandler in Dartmouth, a dairy near Holsworthy, an engineering firm in Tiverton, a hotel kitchen in Torquay or a builder's merchant in Bideford.
What those addresses have in common is distance from the motorway. Only the eastern edge of Devon has the M5. Everything else depends on a short list of main roads, and the time a job takes depends on how far the collection is from one of them. We take that into account when we quote and when we confirm the estimated collection time, which is based on where the nearest suitable van is.
The corridors that carry Devon's freight
- M5: from Somerset down to Exeter, with junction 27 at Tiverton and junctions 29 to 31 around Exeter. Everything heading upcountry ends up on it.
- A38 Devon Expressway: Exeter to Plymouth, past Newton Abbot, Ashburton and Ivybridge on the southern edge of Dartmoor.
- A30: from Exeter west past Okehampton to Launceston and Cornwall, along the northern edge of Dartmoor. Also continues east from Honiton towards the A303.
- A361 North Devon Link Road: the only fast road into North Devon, from M5 junction 27 to Barnstaple.
- A380 and the South Devon Highway: from the A38 at Haldon to Newton Abbot and Torbay.
- A39 Atlantic Highway: from Barnstaple through Bideford towards Bude and North Cornwall.
Those routes are good, but there is little resilience. A closure on Haldon Hill or the North Devon Link Road can mean a long detour. We plan the route on the day, not just at booking.
Towns and the work they generate
Torbay and South Devon
Torquay, Paignton and Brixham add up to Devon's largest urban area outside the two cities. Hotels and restaurants need supplies at short notice, especially during the season, and Brixham's fish market supplies buyers across the country. Torbay Hospital in Torquay is the main hospital for South Devon. Newton Abbot, just inland on the A380, has industrial estates and trade businesses serving the whole bay.
North Devon
Barnstaple is the commercial centre for North Devon, with North Devon District Hospital and a cluster of manufacturers and distributors on its edge. Bideford, Ilfracombe and the Exmoor fringe are further out. Jobs from here need the most time to reach the motorway, so early collections help.
Mid and East Devon
Tiverton, Cullompton and Crediton sit on the M5 side of the county, with food producers, engineering firms and distribution businesses that use the motorway directly. Honiton, Axminster and Exmouth cover East Devon.
Dartmoor, the South Hams and West Devon
Okehampton, Tavistock, Totnes, Kingsbridge and Dartmouth are smaller towns surrounded by farms, holiday lets and specialist businesses. Many collections here are from rural addresses, which work well with a dedicated van because there is no network cut-off to meet.
Get a quote for this jobor call 020 4525 2039, any time
Sectors that need same-day vans
Food and drink is the biggest. Dairy, meat, seafood, cider and specialist producers send samples, short orders and replacement stock, often chilled. Our refrigerated courier service keeps loads within the range we agree with you at booking.
Healthcare comes next, with four acute hospitals and many community sites spread across the county. Marine work along the south coast, from boatbuilders to chandlers, sends long and awkward items that need the right van; our van size guide lists typical load lengths. Construction projects and agricultural machinery dealers need parts that cannot wait for a network delivery.
For regular runs, such as a weekly delivery to a group of shops or a daily collection from a producer, a scheduled courier arrangement is often simpler than booking each job separately.
Typical journeys across and out of Devon
Approximate road distances from the town named; actual mileage depends on the addresses.
| From | To | Approx. distance | Main route |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barnstaple | Exeter | 40 miles | A377 |
| Torquay | Plymouth | 32 miles | A380, A38 |
| Tiverton | Bristol | 70 miles | M5 |
| Okehampton | Truro | 65 miles | A30 |
| Newton Abbot | Birmingham | 175 miles | A38, M5 |
| Torquay | Central London | 195 miles | A380, M5, A303 or M4 |
Long collections from Scotland or the North of England for delivery deep into Devon may need a second driver or an overnight plan under drivers' hours rules; we tell you at booking.
For more detail on the cities, see our Exeter courier service and Plymouth courier page. Jobs over the Tamar are covered on our Cornwall courier page, and those towards Taunton on the Somerset courier page.
FAQ
Common questions
Can you collect from a farm or rural business on Dartmoor or Exmoor?
Yes. We collect from anywhere in mainland UK, including remote addresses. Moorland lanes can be narrow and steep, and satnav does not always know the best way in, so give us the postcode, a what3words location or written directions, and tell us about cattle grids, gates or weight limits. If a large van cannot reach the yard, we can agree a collection point at the end of the lane.
How long does it take to get from Barnstaple to the M5?
The A361 North Devon Link Road runs about 35 miles from Barnstaple to junction 27 of the M5 near Tiverton, and is the main route out of North Devon. Allow for slower traffic behind farm vehicles and holiday traffic in summer. From junction 27, Bristol is roughly another hour up the motorway in normal conditions.
We run a seafood business in Brixham. Can a chilled van take fish to London today?
Yes, if it is booked early. Brixham to central London is about 200 miles, so a morning collection can usually reach a London restaurant or wholesaler by the evening. A refrigerated courier van keeps the load within the range you agree with us at booking, and the recipient's signature and time are recorded on delivery.
Do you deliver to Lundy or other islands off Devon?
Islands are not part of our standard mainland service. For Lundy, the usual route is via the island's own shipping service from North Devon, and we can deliver goods to the departure point if you arrange the sea crossing. Ask us before booking so we can check what is possible.
Can one van do several drops around Torbay and Newton Abbot?
Yes. A multi-drop courier booking plans a route through several addresses in one run, which suits suppliers delivering to hotels, shops or care homes around Torquay, Paignton, Brixham and Newton Abbot. Send the addresses, the order of priority and any time windows, and each drop gets its own proof of delivery.
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