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Have your say on our Major Road Network

Image showing Cattedown Roundabout.

Removing a redundant rail bridge and improving major junctions and roundabouts are among the ambitious proposals being put forward to improve the flow of traffic on some of Plymouth’s key roads.

As part of its Major Road Network (MRN) programme, Plymouth City Council is proposing a number of schemes to improve journeys on the route through the city that runs from the A38 Marsh Mills Roundabout to the A38 Weston Mill junction via the Embankment, Cattedown, city centre and Camels Head. 

In a consultation launched today, the council wants to hear the views of commuters, pedestrians, cyclists, disabled users and bus passengers on this route, as well as people who live on or near it.

The programme is currently at a very early stage of the development. No decisions with regard to design have yet been taken and people’s views will be important in helping shape the final plans.

The planned works - if they get the go-ahead and funding from the Department for Transport - would mean an almost £50m investment in Plymouth’s transport infrastructure with the aim of reducing congestion and accidents, helping people travel more by bus, cycle and by foot, as well as supporting economic growth and housing. The population of the city is expected to grow to more than 300,000 by 2034 with an expected 19,000 new homes and 16,000 new jobs. 

The proposed programme will include targeted junction improvements at traffic hotspots including:
•    A38/A374 Marsh Mills roundabout
•    A374/A379 Cattedown Roundabout
•    A38/A3064 Weston Mill junction to Camels Head 

Other improvements outlined in the plan are:
•    New and improved pedestrian / cycle infrastructure including safer crossing points
•    Widening part of the A3064 St. Budeaux Bypass
•    Removing the low rail bridge (Seagull Bridge) on Embankment Road to improve access for HGVs
•    Flood protection works at Arnold Point on the Embankment, to significantly reduce the risk of flooding affecting both Embankment Road and the nearby mainline rail route
•    Carriageway reconstruction works 

Councillor Mark Coker, Plymouth City Council Cabinet Member for Transport and Strategic Infrastructure said: “These are well known local hot spots where congestion is only likely to get worse as the city grows. This project could give us the chance to keep these economically important roads resilient, reliable and effective in the future and support both the local and national economy. 

“We have all got caught in jams at some point and we believe these interventions will not only keep the traffic flowing, they will make our roads safer for everyone including cyclists and pedestrians, and no doubt help reduce people’s blood pressure.

“These are still early plans and we have identified these sites as areas where we believe changes could really make a difference - but we are keen to get residents and businesses’ input on the plans and would urge people to respond to the consultation with their views.”

The Department for Transport recently designated the A38 Marsh Mills to A38 Weston Mill route as part of its national Major Road Network (MRN), thereby recognising the strategic importance of this route to the country’s economy. The Government wants to encourage improvements nationally that aim to reduce congestion and the economic impact of traffic delays.  

The Government’s programme also aims to: 
• Support economic growth and rebalance the economy by providing better connections between people and businesses, and markets and international gateways
• Support housing delivery – unlocking new housing developments and providing a transport network that allows for future development
• Support all road users – recognising the needs of, and delivering benefits for, all road users

Should all parts of the scheme go ahead, the cost would be in the region of £48 million, with the Government funding around £40m, with the rest met by the council and developer contributions. The work would be carried out in phases over a period of three years, beginning as early as 2023.

Further details on each proposed scheme:

Image showing A38 Marsh Mills RoundaboutA38 Marsh Mills, Cattedown Roundabout & A38 Weston Mill to Camels Head 

•    Marsh Mills is a key section of the MRN where it meets the A38. This is the main gateway for visitors to Plymouth city centre, as well as the main route for commuters from the eastern part of the city accessing the City Centre and Derriford area. Along with Embankment Road it is also a vital part of the council’s Strategic Cycle Network. The MRN Marsh Mills scheme primarily covers the Marsh Mills roundabout itself as well as the approaches to it.
•    Cattedown Roundabout is the main gateway to the city centre for visitors to Plymouth and commuters from eastern part of the city. The proposed scheme area primarily focuses on Cattedown Roundabout itself, but could also look at neighbouring junctions where they interact with the roundabout.
•    The west section of Plymouth’s MRN forms a vital route from Cornwall and the west of the city into the heart of Plymouth. Connecting the A38 to the Dockyard and Naval Base at Devonport, it also crucially links onwards to the City Centre and Waterfront Growth area. 
•    The three schemes will deliver potential junction improvements including remodelling of existing layouts, replacing out-dated traffic signals and increasing  public transport priority where appropriate. This will increase the capacity of the route and reduce overall delays. 
•    At A38 Weston Mill to Camels Head this will also help increase the safety of the A38 by reducing the likelihood of traffic queuing back onto the main road as well as increasing the capacity of the route and reducing overall delays.

Image showing the low bridge on Embankment Road.Seagull Bridge removal on Embankment Road

•    The old rail bridge has a height restriction of 4.8m, with Embankment Road dipping down under the bridge to achieve this clearance.
•    Although now redundant, its height currently prevents high vehicles from using Embankment Road - for example the larger HGV vehicles used by the Royal Mail cannot use this road to access the postal sorting depot on Breakwater Road and need to re-route via Mutley, or through Cot Hill, both residential areas. 
•    The proposed scheme will significantly reduce the likelihood of flooding events which will improve the reliability and resilience of the route and open the MRN route to use by high-sided vehicles, as well as improving access to the City Centre and Millbay Port.

Image showing the length of the existing flood protection wall along Embankment Road.Flood protection works at Arnold Point 

•    Embankment Road is the main artery through which visitors to Plymouth and commuters from the east of the city enter the city centre. Adjacent to Embankment Road on its north side lies key railway infrastructure such as the main rail line and the Laira rail depot, which is strategically important repair and maintenance facility for the railway, whilst to the south runs the Plym Estuary. 
•    Rising sea levels mean that in the future the properties at risk of flooding (including strategic road and rail transport links) are likely to be flooded more frequently. It is predicted that by 2050 the flooding of Embankment Road could occur about once a year
•    The proposed MRN scheme would reduce the flooding on the rail route which could otherwise prevent mainline trains travelling from Plymouth towards Exeter, and effectively cut off Plymouth and Cornwall from mainline rail services.
•    The proposed works will be a continuation of the Phase 1 Arnolds Point Flood Alleviation project, which saw the installation of a 110m long and 4.81m high flood wall in 2015 to protect the lowest section along Embankment Road.
•    Glass wall options are being considered to protect the views across the Plym Estuary and the scheme is being developed in conjunction with the Environment Agency. 
•    The proposed scheme will significantly reduce the likelihood of flooding incidents on Embankment Road, which currently cause major disruption to the MRN, and protect residential and commercial properties and as well as the transport infrastructure, preventing Plymouth and Cornwall being cut off from national rail services using the mainline track.

Further information on the council’s plans and how to respond to the consultation can be found on our Major Road Network webpages.