East End Transport Scheme - Embankment Road improvement works now complete
The local improvement works on Embankment Road are now complete, adding the finishing touches to the £19 million East End Transport Scheme which opened on 1 November 2011.
The footpath between Cattedown Roundabout and Grenville Road has been replaced with new granite paving and high friction surfacing laid on the carriageway to reduce the risk of skidding and highlight the new bus lane. The footpath outside Prince Rock School has also been widened making it safer for school children and other pedestrians. Other minor works were also carried out to improve local footways and crossings.
The main elements of the scheme were finished at the beginning of November 2011 but final works on and around Embankment Road were started in January 2012 to minimise disruption to local businesses, shoppers and road users in the lead-up to Christmas.
Creating a new public transport corridor along Embankment Road has been at the heart of the scheme and is already helping to improve the reliability of bus services. Traffic on Embankment Road has reduced by up to 50 per cent at peak times as Gdynia Way’s new outbound lane provides a route for traffic heading to Plympton and the A38.
Existing cycle and pedestrian routes have also been extended and new routes created throughout the East End, promoting more sustainable and healthy ways to travel.
The scheme as a whole was carried out by Plymouth Transport and Highways, the partnership between Plymouth City Council and Amey. It has already transformed the way people travel through and around the East End, with early indications showing improvements in traffic flow, congestion and bus journey times.
Getting around the East End
A summary of the main changes to traffic flow in Plymouth’s East End from 1 November 2011 can be found below:
City centre to Plympton
Instead of using Embankment Road, traffic now uses the new outbound lane on Gdynia Way (accessed from Cattedown Roundabout). Through traffic can no longer use Embankment Road as a section of it is now open only to buses, cycles, taxis and motorcycles.
Plympton to Plymstock
Traffic now travels down the new Embankment Lane link road instead of Heles Terrace to get to Laira Bridge Road.
Access into the East End area from Plympton
Traffic enters the East End via Embankment Lane, Laira Bridge Road, Cattewater Road and Elliott Road. There is no access to Heles Terrace from Embankment Road.
All other through traffic uses the same routes available before the scheme, with the benefit of improved road layouts, junctions, signalling and surfacing.
To see exactly how traffic now flows, please take a look at the maps below.
For more information about the scheme see our East End Transport Scheme nears completion news story.
Overall map for East End Transport Scheme [30KB]
New bus routes through the East End [91KB]
New transport routes between Plympton and the city centre [98KB]
New transport routes between Plymstock and the city centre [96KB]
New transport routes between Plympton and Plymstock [94KB]
New route for Plympton traffic accessing the East End area [94KB]
Meet the team
During the construction period we have been holding regular 'meet the team' sessions where you are able to ask questions of the Project Team. The next session will be on Tuesday 20 March 2012 from 5pm to 7pm at the East End Community Resource Centre.