Plymouth’s busy Manadon Interchange set for a major overhaul

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 £13.3m 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.

The outline plans for the scheme will be launched later this month when a six week period of public engagement will begin.

Cllr 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 £156m, with £133m from government funding and the remaining £23m 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.