Source: City of Plymouth
Plymouth’s busy Manadon Interchange is set for a major overhaul thanks to new government funding.
The Department for Transport has given a green light to an outline plan for a variety of improvements and awarded just over £133 million in development funding to take this scheme onto detailed design.
The Manadon Interchange, which connects the A38 Devon Expressway with the A386 Tavistock Road, is one of Plymouth’s busiest and most critical junctions.
It plays a vital role in linking different parts of the city and providing access to key employment and healthcare sites, including Derriford Hospital, Plymouth Science Park, and the Dockyard.
Originally designed for far lower traffic volumes, the interchange now struggles to cope with demand.
With the planned growth of Plymouth, including over 29,000 new homes and the creation of more than 13,000 skilled jobs, the city’s road infrastructure must be improved to support this expansion.
Without these upgrades, congestion will continue to worsen, impacting local businesses, emergency services, and people’s daily lives. This investment is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to improve Plymouth’s road network for the future.
The outline plans for the scheme will be launched next month when a six week period of public engagement will begin, allowing residents to attend information sessions and feedback on a number of areas in an initial design, which focuses on:
Safer roads – New junctions, crossings, and layouts to reduce accident risks and improve conditions for all road users.
Better walking and cycling routes – Safer, segregated cycle lanes and improved pedestrian paths to encourage more people to walk and cycle where possible.
A new community space at Treveneague Gardens – Transforming an underused area into a new park with footpaths, biodiversity enhancements and recreational space for local residents.
Councillor Mark Coker, Cabinet Member for Transport, said: “Improvements to Manadon are well overdue so I’m delighted that we have got to this crucial stage of the process.
“Our city needs to grow to respond to the rising population and be economically viable. We need more jobs and homes.
“That means that junctions like Manadon have to be able to cope, which is why it is so important to that we invest in the infrastructure of the future.”
The total cost of the scheme, from design right through to construction is £156 million, with £133 from government funding and the remaining £23 million from other transport grant funding, developer contributions and the Council’s own investment.
It is estimated that construction on the scheme would not begin before 2028.
More information can be found on the scheme website www.plymouth.gov.uk/a38manadoninterchange