Have your say on proposals to tackle one of Plymouth’s worst traffic bottlenecks
People are being asked to share their views on proposals to tackle one of Plymouth’s worst traffic bottlenecks.
The Woolwell to The George Scheme aims to alleviate congestion at the notorious pinch point on the A386 Tavistock Road and support proposed new developments in the north of the city.
This stretch of road is used by more than 30,000 vehicles during the day and there are often queues and delays at peak times, caused by traffic having to merge over very short distances.
Two options are being proposed – both of which would see the road widened between Woolwell Roundabout and The George to provide two lanes in each direction, removing the need to merge and reducing journey times for everyone. Both also include improved public transport, walking and cycling links.
The main difference between the two options is that one would change the roundabout to a signalised junction, while the other would keep the roundabout but signalise one arm. There are a number of possible variations to this that are open to feedback.
Councillor Patrick Nicholson, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Strategic Transport, Housing and Planning, said: “This Council has made it a priority to tackle traffic bottlenecks and help keep Plymouth moving. Anyone who travels along this stretch of Tavistock Road will know it’s a well-known hotspot for traffic hold-ups.
“Congestion is only going to increase as the city grows and we have to deliver improvements on key routes if we are to accommodate new developments and the additional traffic they will generate.
“We want people to comment on these possible scheme options so that they can feed into the next stage of design.”
The consultation will finish on the 10 November. Three public consultation events have been arranged where Council officers will be available to discuss the proposals and hear any thoughts you may have.
- Wednesday 25 October at Woolwell Centre, Dark Lake Lane, Woolwell, PL6 7TR, 9.30am until 12.30pm
- Wednesday 1 November at Woolwell Centre, Dark Lake Lane, Woolwell, PL6 7TR, 1pm until 5pm
- Saturday 4 November at Woolwell Centre, Dark Lake Lane, Woolwell, PL6 7TR, 2pm until 5pm
More details on the scheme and the consultation can be found at www.plymouth.gov.uk/woolwellgeorgejunction
The Council is aiming to have a design for the preferred option by early 2018.
The Plymouth and South West Devon Joint Local Plan identifies Derriford and the northern corridor as one of three strategic growth areas where most of the planned growth in the city will take place through to 2034. The vision is to transform this area into a high quality, distinctive, vibrant, mixed-use new heart for Plymouth.
The Woolwell to The George project is the flagship transport infrastructure project for the north of the city and will be part of a masterplan of highway improvements that will help to deliver jobs and homes in this area. It will complement other local schemes including the Derriford Transport Scheme, due for completion next year and the Forder Valley Link Road, also currently in the planning stages.
