Buses to get priority over cars in £156m Manadon upgrade
Plymouth’s planned £156m Manadon Interchange upgrade is not expected to include controversial “bus gates” but it does have two areas where buses could have priority over cars.
Plymouth City Council said the “initial” design for the ambitious regeneration of the interchange where the A38 meets the A386 does not have money-spinning “bus gates” where only buses are allowed and cars are fined for driving into them.
But the design does have a “bus priority section” on the sliproad from Tavistock Road to the Budshead roundabout and a “priority bus lane” for a long stretch of Mannamead Road. The council is currently analysing the feedback from a public consultation before moving on with the design.
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Bus gates have been at the centre of controversy, with one in Cumberland Road, in Bristol, bringing in more than £2.5m in fines in just its first 15 months. Only buses, taxis and bicycles are allowed to pass through it. Southampton has just scrapped a controversial bus gate.
The initial design for the Manadon scheme said: “New bus priority lane on Mannamead Road – faster, more reliable bus services for commuters.”
A Plymouth City Council spokesperson said: “The initial design, as presented to residents and stakeholders as part of the recent Keep Manadon Moving engagement exercise, does not include bus gates but does include a new bus priority lane on Mannamead Road.
"As we have continued to stress, we are at a very early stage of development and will be analysing the feedback that was received over the six weeks from both the public and stakeholders, as well as more detailed survey results, and using it to shape the next iteration of the design.”
Meanwhile the proposed Meavy Way/Budshead Way scheme is described as “an early-stage proposal that now forms part of the wider A38 Manadon Interchange improvements”. Originally included in the council’s Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP), the Department for Transport has suggested it is now incorporated into the larger scheme.
The proposal would reroute northbound traffic heading to Budshead Road from Tavistock Road via a new signalised junction on Meavy Way. Buses would still use the outside ahead lane on the existing slip that will change into a bus lane allowing for “quicker, more reliable journeys”.
The scheme has received some criticism from the members of the public who have told that it is not clear how non-bus traffic will be able to access Budshead Way from Meavy Way. They were also confused about how they would get toCrownhill village, or turn right into the B3413 without first having to turn left and travel down Crownhill Road towards Honicknowle and look for somewhere to do a U-turn.
The council’s Keep Manadon Moving Information document said: “The aim is to help reduce congestion and improve bus reliability around Budshead roundabout.” It said the proposed Meavy Way scheme aimed to help “ease delays and reduce traffic conflicts”.
A planning application for the Manadon scheme is expected to be submitted next year. If plans are approved work would start in 2028. One councillor told the work could take three to four years.
The scheme has been priced at £156m , with £133m of that coming from the Government and the rest from “other transport grant funding, developer contributions and the council’s own investment”. The council has carried out traffic projections and said something must be done.
It said that already more than 60,000 journeys pass through the interchange every day and that journeys through Manadon junction regularly take “significantly longer than necessary” due to congestion. It stressed the existing layout was designed for much lower traffic volumes and cannot cope with future demand.
Manadon Interchange proposals affecting motorists:
A38 eastbound off-slip widening – Expanding to four lanes, increasing capacity and easing traffic entering onto Manadon Roundabout
A38 westbound off-slip widening – Creating an extra lane to increase capacity and improve safety
A386 Tavistock Road northbound improvements – A new traffic lane heading north, removing the existing merge to improve flow
A386 Tavistock Road southbound improvements – A new lane to reduce bottlenecks onto the roundabout and a new signalised junction at Southwell Road to improve access
A386 Outland Road improvements - An additional lane on the approach to the roundabout to increase capacity.
Manadon Interchange proposals affecting pedestrians and cyclists:
New cycle bridge across the A38 – Connecting north and south n New dedicated cycle paths – improving connectivity across the A38 northbound and southbound
Replacement of the existing pedestrian bridge over the A386 Tavistock Road – Making it fully accessible for all users
New pedestrian crossing at Southwell Road – Safer access for residents
Improved footbridge over the A38 to the west of Manadon n New woodland pathways – Linking green spaces with the road network.
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